Chapters in Tennessee

https://wildones-org.zoom.us/j/84767000313?pwd=QdoopU5VfoAD4bjdaAS0PA8tslDkNj.1

Throughout 2026, Tennessee Valley Wild Ones has explored phenology, the study of seasonal timing in the natural world, through a year-long journey of observation, curiosity, and connection. Together, we have followed nature's calendar, from the first unfurling leaves of spring to summer's pollinator activity, from ripening seeds and migrating birds to the quiet transitions of autumn and winter.

Along the way, we have done more than observe ecological events. We have practiced something increasingly rare: slowing down. We have learned to pay attention to the subtle signals all around us, the first bloom, the arrival of a familiar bird, the hum of emerging insects, the changing colors of a woodland edge. Nature has taught us that every season carries its own wonders and that the living world reveals itself more fully when we pause long enough to notice.

As the grand culmination of our year-long theme, we are honored to welcome Dr. Theresa Crimmins, one of the nation's foremost experts in phenology. Drawing on decades of research and public engagement, Dr. Crimmins will help us weave together the observations and insights we've gathered throughout the year, illuminating how seasonal patterns connect species, ecosystems, climate, and people. She will explore what phenology can teach us about ecological change, conservation, and the profound value of paying attention.

Join us for this inspiring capstone program as we celebrate a year spent looking more closely, listening more carefully, and rediscovering our place within nature's rhythms. Through the simple act of noticing, we have deepened our understanding of the world around us, and this special presentation will show us why those observations matter now more than ever.

This is part two in the Botany Core Course series. You must complete Botany I prior to taking Botany II. (Believe us, this is for your own good!)

About this class: The goals of the class are to discuss plant cell and tissue types and major vegetative structures, explore reproduction, and sample some of the strategies and structures that plants use to continue life from generation to generation. 

Be on the lookout: Once you have registered, we will email you with pre-course work and any other materials needed for this class.

Materials to bring! Notebook, pencils, a 10X Magnifier, snacks, water, and a lunch. This class will be both in and out of doors, please wear weather-appropriate clothing and footwear.

Registration Policy: 

As with all CNP classes, class size is limited. To give everyone the best opportunity to participate, there is a non-refundable cancellation fee of $10, with the balance refunded if you cancel at least 7 calendar days before the class will be held. If the class is cancelled by the instructor or the CNP program, registrants will get a full refund.

If registration is full, you may email [email protected] and ask to be placed on a wait list. This is not a guarantee that a spot will open up. Please be gracious, we are all volunteers.

Have you longingly gazed at native seeds along a roadside, admired a plant on public land, or wondered if you could take just a little cutting home to propagate? The rules around collecting native plants and seeds can be complicated, hard to find, and variable.

Join environmental biologist Cecilia Boyd with Wild Ones Appalachian Highlands for a practical look at wild collecting across Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina. We will explain how to stay on the side of the law when gathering from private property, roadsides, parks, national forests, and other public lands, and demystify when permission or permits may be required. We will also discuss ethical collecting practices to protect wild plant populations so that we may responsibly propagate and share regionally adapted native plants.

What You’ll Learn

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

Find and apply appropriate laws, regulations, and agency resources for collecting around Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina.Determine when permission, permits, or other authorization may be required before collecting.Identify special considerations for rare, threatened, or protected plant species.Practice responsible collecting from wild plant populations.

Join Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones for our 7-class series in Ecological Gardening, taught by local experts who are passionate personal and professional ecological gardeners. You can attend classes as a series, or as standalone classes. 

This seventh and final class in the Ecological Gardening Series will cover the basics of collecting your own seeds, as well as different propagation methods.

More details to come! 

Presenter: Jonathan Nicholson, Board Member of Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones

A well-designed native plant garden is more than beautiful. It is functional, resilient, and perfectly suited to its place. In this hands-on class, you'll learn how the principles of great garden design apply to native plants and discover a step-by-step process for creating your own garden plan to scale.

Explore how to use native plants for year-round color, striking forms, diverse textures, and the right fit for your site's light and moisture conditions. We'll also discuss practical strategies for addressing common challenges such as deer pressure, drainage issues, and local regulations, helping you create a landscape that works in the real world. Along the way, you'll be inspired by stunning examples of native plant gardens and plant combinations.

Upon registration, you will receive instructions for creating a base map of the space you wish to design, along with a list of the supplies and equipment you'll need for class.

Please bring your completed base map, equipment, supplies, and a report of your soil test to class. Together, we'll put your vision on paper and help you take the first steps toward a beautiful, ecologically vibrant native plant landscape. 
Taught by Jund Mays - 
June Mays enjoyed a 31year career as a financial advisor in Birmingham with Merrill Lynch and UBS.
Since 2009 she enjoyed a second career as a garden designer, writer, and lecturer. She spent a year studying garden design at the English Gardening School in London and has designed or consulted on over 100 gardens. Although she has retired from garden design, she continues to speak about gardens.
She has spoken at Tryon Palace in New Bern NC, Longvue House in New Orleans, the Chattanooga Nature Center, Callaway Gardens, the Augusta Georgia Garden Festival, the Festival of Flowers in Mobile, the Herb Society of America in Austin, TX, the Homestead Resort Garden Symposium in Hot Springs Virginia, the Birmingham Botanical Garden,
Aldridge Gardens, St. Mary’s Retreat Center in Sewanee, the University of the South in Sewanee, and at numerous garden clubs and master gardener groups throughout the country. 
She has written for Fine Gardening, Southern Accents, Flower, Lowe’s Creative Ideas, Birmingham Home and Garden, The American Gardener, The Alabama Gardener, and the DIY Network website. 
June and her husband Joe live in Birmingham and in Sewanee Tennessee.