In this special collaboration, Robin Wall Kimmerer, author, botanist, and founder of Plant Baby Plant, joins youth leader and Nurture Natives founder Esther Bonney for an intergenerational conversation about belonging, reciprocity, and native plant action. 

Together, they will explore questions such as:

How do we create opportunities for young people to have a voice and feel empowered, even when they are not homeowners or decision makers?What kinds of relationships and mentorships help people stay engaged in native plant work over decades?Why do stories, shared practices, and community invitations matter just as much as plant lists?

Robin and Esther will reflect on what invites people into this work, what keeps them here, and what elders and youth have to teach each other.

The ground may be frozen, but that doesn't mean we can't dream of spring and plan our next gardening projects. Dig out a favorite native plant garden photo or a design idea, grab your favorite native plant book or catalog, and come in from the cold to meet with other members. This winter warm-up gathering is Wild Ones Twin Cities 2026 kick off event. Please join us as we begin the celebration of our chapter's 25 year anniversary year.  

Free and open to Wild Ones members and guests. Families with children, please contact us if you would like us to provide a children's activity so we can make arrangement in advance.

Our upcoming webinar with Basil Camu explores practical, evidence based ways to heal suburban and urban landscapes by working with trees, soil, and natural systems, drawing on real world practices from Leaf & Limb and community centered models for restoring life where we live, work, and play.!  

Landscaping for Pups & Pollinators: Creating a Dog Friendly Garden
Presenter | Jackie Lutes

Join us as we discuss creating a beautiful garden that not only pollinators will enjoy, but also your pup! Topics covered include potential hazards in the garden, fun elements to incorporate for your dog in a garden setting, and how to identify dog friendly native plants in the garden. 

Jackie Lutes has been a plant lover for most of her life. She started off as an indoor plant enthusiast, but has transitioned her plant skills to include outdoor gardening with the purchase of her family’s first home. She and her husband began their native plant garden journey in 2021, and have spent the last few years removing invasive plants and establishing in their place, native plants. She has two wonderful pups, Porter & Lincoln, who love to join her while she works out in the garden.

Join Joey Santore, creator of Crime Pays But Botany Doesn’t, for a candid Wild Ones National Webinar examining how inherited garden aesthetics shape native plant landscapes. Drawing on field experience and real ecology, Joey challenges tidy design norms and explores why dense, irregular plant communities are often the most resilient and ecologically sound.

Visualizing the Native Garden: 

A Practical Design Tool for Planning Gardens

Due to the heavy snow over weekend combined with forecast for more snow Tuesday evening, we have moved our Tuesday, March 17 chapter program to Tuesday, March 24.

Social 6:30 pm | Program 7:00 pm

Richfield Community Center | 7000 Nicollet Ave 

Presenter | Dustin Demmer

Many native gardeners have extensive plant lists—but translating those lists into cohesive garden designs is another challenge. This presentation introduces a unique, illustration-based native plant design tool that offers a fresh, hands-on approach to garden planning. Unlike traditional paper or digital layouts, this novel visual system allows gardeners to visually test layouts, experiment with layering, and evaluate bloom progression in a more intuitive way. After introducing this intuitive design process, we will go through a design scenario for a small, city garden with plenty of flowers and short grasses in the increasingly popular mixed style of gardening. 

Dustin Demmer founded the native plant nursery Blazing Star Gardens 13 years ago with a mission to bring native plants back into our communities. By promoting practical, low-maintenance strategies, he works to make native gardening accessible to beginners and experts alike. He is especially known for his use of short sedges and grasses as the structural backbone of a garden—so much so that one customer once remarked their design had “too many grasses,” even though Dustin had already reduced them by half of what he typically recommends.

Pasque Flower Meadow and Nine Mille Creek Trail Hike, Bloomington
Date/Time:  April 19th, 1:00- 2:30 pm
REGISTER HERE

Meeting Place: Parking Lot at Life Church, 2201 W. 108th St., Bloomington
Hike leaders:  Roz Johnson and Nathalie Shanstrom, Wild Ones Twin Cities members, Bloomington residents.

Please join other Wild Ones Twin Cities members on a hike to see a rare prairie meadow in the Metro area where Pasque wild flowers should be in bloom. We will also look for spring ephemerals such as skunk cabbage, Virginia waterleaf, blood root, wild leeks and more. We will hike some of the Nine Mile Creek trail that is currently undergoing a major restoration. Although the hike to see the Pasque flowers isn’t long it is a bit hilly so bring your hiking poles if you use them. Wear good hiking shoes and bring water. The Nine Mile Creek trail is flat.

We especially encourage new members to come and those who have never been on this hike before. Group will be limited to 15 people.  If it rains, hike will be rescheduled and you will be notified. 

April 23, 2026
Social 6:30pm - 7:00pm
Presentation 7:00pm - 8:15pm
Title: Gardening for Birds
Presenter Diane Hirigoyen
Richfield Community Center, 7000 Nicollet Ave, Richfield, MN, 55423

Description: 
Diane Hirigoyen will review the diet of birds, and then compare birds and insects in relation to ecosystem services, threats, habitat requirements, actions people can take, and some resources.

Diane was born and raised in Michigan. She received a degree in Clinical Laboratory Science from Michigan State University and a master's degree from the University of Minnesota in Medical Microbiology. She worked at Hennepin County Medical Center for 37 years in the microbiology and molecular laboratories. Upon retiring Diane focused on birding and gardening. Diane has been a member of Wild Ones since October 2019. In the fall of 2022 she was accepted into the Xerces Society Ambassador program. 

Join award-winning author, photographer, and educator Rick Darke for What Is Wild and Why It Matters, a free national webinar on Tuesday, April 28th at 10 am CT. Discover how inviting a bit of authentic wildness can create a vibrant landscape that sustains you and local biodiversity. This national event is presented in collaboration between Wild Ones and Homegrown National Park.

Come garden lakeside with us!

All are welcome. 

New to gardening with native plants? Come learn alongside seasoned pros!

Already an experienced habitat gardener? Come share your knowledge and passion!

Questions? Please contact Volunteer Steward Vicki Bonk.

Life Beneath Our Feet: Understanding Soil
Bush Lake Izaak Walton League
7515 Izaak Walton Road W, Bloomington, MN 55438
Saturday, May 2nd, 11:45am-4pm
Space is Limited- Members Only

REGISTER HERE

Come and learn about the Izaak Walton League Bush Lake ecosystem where over 12,000 native plants have been installed. Jim Etzel will give a presentation on healthy ecosystems, healthy soil and water infiltration. We will extract and view soil cores, and soil infiltration rates. Some samples will be sent to a lab and results will be available at a later date.

Agenda:
11:45am - 12:15 A tour of Bush Lake Izaak Walton League
12:15 - 12:45 Lunch/social
1:00 - 2:00 Presentation by Jim Etzel, Understanding Bush Lake’s Ecology & Life Beneath Our Feet: Understanding Soil
2:00 - 4:00 Observe soil ecology, collect soil samples and perform soil infiltration test.

Details: Open to Bush Lake Ikes, Wild Ones Twin Cities members, and by invitation.

Space is limited- Please register. Parking is limited, please walk, bike or carpool if possible. 

Contacts: 
For Ikes and invited guests, email Jill Crafton
For Wild Ones Twin Cities members, email Susan Van Baerle 

Come garden lakeside with us!

All are welcome. 

New to gardening with native plants? Come learn alongside seasoned pros!

Already an experienced habitat gardener? Come share your knowledge and passion!

Questions? Please contact Volunteer Steward Vicki Bonk.

Program TBD

Come garden lakeside with us!

All are welcome. 

New to gardening with native plants? Come learn alongside seasoned pros!

Already an experienced habitat gardener? Come share your knowledge and passion!

Questions? Please contact Volunteer Steward Vicki Bonk.

Come garden lakeside with us!

All are welcome. 

New to gardening with native plants? Come learn alongside seasoned pros!

Already an experienced habitat gardener? Come share your knowledge and passion!

Questions? Please contact Volunteer Steward Vicki Bonk.

Come garden lakeside with us!

All are welcome. 

New to gardening with native plants? Come learn alongside seasoned pros!

Already an experienced habitat gardener? Come share your knowledge and passion!

Questions? Please contact Volunteer Steward Vicki Bonk.

Come garden lakeside with us!

All are welcome. 

New to gardening with native plants? Come learn alongside seasoned pros!

Already an experienced habitat gardener? Come share your knowledge and passion!

Questions? Please contact Volunteer Steward Vicki Bonk.

Bex is a master naturalist who has thoughtfully transformed her small suburban lot into a dynamic native habitat. The front yard, converted to a tall grass prairie in 2023 (with support of a Lawns to Legumes grant), is now in its third growing season. In the backyard, invasive species have been removed to make way for native plantings, alongside a natural pond that supports wildlife.

Ongoing restoration efforts include developing wetland overflow, installation of a dry stream for stormwater management, and expanding prairie and pocket forest plantings. Bex has also installed habitat features such as amphibian shelters, bat and bird houses, and other nesting structures to support wildlife. With continued work to replace turf and enhance biodiversity, this garden is an evolving example of community driven conservation in an urban setting.

We hope you can join us on June 27th as Bex guides us through her transformed property!

Come garden lakeside with us!

All are welcome. 

New to gardening with native plants? Come learn alongside seasoned pros!

Already an experienced habitat gardener? Come share your knowledge and passion!

Questions? Please contact Volunteer Steward Vicki Bonk.

Come garden lakeside with us!

All are welcome. 

New to gardening with native plants? Come learn alongside seasoned pros!

Already an experienced habitat gardener? Come share your knowledge and passion!

Questions? Please contact Volunteer Steward Vicki Bonk.

Come garden lakeside with us!

All are welcome. 

New to gardening with native plants? Come learn alongside seasoned pros!

Already an experienced habitat gardener? Come share your knowledge and passion!

Questions? Please contact Volunteer Steward Vicki Bonk.

Come garden lakeside with us!

All are welcome. 

New to gardening with native plants? Come learn alongside seasoned pros!

Already an experienced habitat gardener? Come share your knowledge and passion!

Questions? Please contact Volunteer Steward Vicki Bonk.

Come garden lakeside with us!

All are welcome. 

New to gardening with native plants? Come learn alongside seasoned pros!

Already an experienced habitat gardener? Come share your knowledge and passion!

Questions? Please contact Volunteer Steward Vicki Bonk.

Come garden lakeside with us!

All are welcome. 

New to gardening with native plants? Come learn alongside seasoned pros!

Already an experienced habitat gardener? Come share your knowledge and passion!

Questions? Please contact Volunteer Steward Vicki Bonk.

18th Annual Monarch Festival – Festival de la Monarca

The next Minneapolis Monarch Festival will occur on Saturday, September 12th, 2026, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The Festival celebrates the monarch butterfly amazing 2,300 mile migration from Minnesota to Mexico with music, food, dance, hands-on art, native plant sales and plenty of opportunities to get up close with monarch butterflies, learn about their habitats, and what you can do to make a difference.

The Festival will be held just east of the Lake Nokomis Community Center in the area bounded by E. Minnehaha Parkway, Woodlawn Boulevard, and E. Nokomis Parkway. Map & Directions.

Details coming soon! 

Details coming soon! 

Details coming soon!