Native Plant Events

Native plants are the foundation of habitat, but wildlife need more than food to thrive. Join ecologist and Certified Wildlife Biologist Shaun McCoshum, PhD, to explore how nesting sites, shelter, water, soil conditions, and other often-overlooked resources can transform a yard into a functioning ecosystem that supports biodiversity year-round.

After moving to this 2/3-acre lot in Bel Air 3 years ago, creating native gardens and an oasis for wildlife has been the priority.

The established wooded section of the property has all native trees and has mostly been cleared of invasive plants allowing the native seed bank to flourish. 

The front yard was almost all turf grass and is in full sun. After receiving 5 deliveries from Chip Drop (estimated 80 cubic yards), a large portion of the grass was smothered creating beds to fill with native bushes and perennials and pathways to enjoy the gardens. 

The property includes a koi pond that has been transformed into a habitat that toads and frogs use for breeding in the spring and hibernating in the winter.

Many of the plants, particularly the bushes, remain small but hundreds of plants have been added and there is plenty to enjoy! 

**Members receive advanced access to register for events with limited space. If space is available, registration will open to the public 4-5 weeks prior to the event.

This event has sold out. Email [email protected] to be added to the waitlist. 

Come and see this property to appreciate how Mother Nature has done most of the work on Rujuta and Rahul's front and back yards! 

This property has been acknowledged as winners of the Green Towson Alliance native garden contest 2024 and featured in a Nuts for Natives blog. 

Featuring a rain garden set up with the help of GVC and University of Maryland, a water feature in the back yard that uses oxygenating plants to maintain organic balance, and a native front yard built and featured on 'Kill Your Lawn' Maryland Chapter on Earth FX - there is a lot to explore on these small (0.3 acre lot) urban native centric yards. 

There is a focus on conserving rainwater in woodchip filled lanes that are walkways between native plant rows that sustain the plants and have reduced watering needs by over 80% spring through summer. 

**Members receive advanced access to register for events with limited space. If space is available, registration will open to the public 4-5 weeks prior to the event.

What does it really take to turn a conventional lawn into a thriving native meadow? Join Owner & Principal, New Directions in the American Landscape (NDAL), Sara Weaner Cooper for a candid look at her family's ongoing lawn-to-meadow transformation featured in The New York Times and BBC. Drawing from three years of hands-on experience, Sara will share the methods, lessons learned, successes, and challenges of converting turfgrass into a dynamic native plant community. Participants will gain practical insights into site preparation, planting, management, and the ecological principles that guide successful meadow establishment, along with realistic expectations for how these landscapes evolve over time.

Registration link coming soon.

This is the final of 3 tours of this property in 2026 giving us an opportunity to see the garden change throughout the seasons. 

This woodland residential garden is in the busier area of Howard county, but the property is adjacent to a county recognized green space/wildlife corridor featuring many naturally occurring native spring ephemerals like Mayapples, Jack in the Pulpits and Spring Beauties. This garden, which has been certified as a Demonstration Garden under Howard County’s BayWise program and is also Bee City Certified by the County, features a 100+ years old specimen white oak, a professionally installed raingarden, a permeable parking pad, a native “lawn” with no turf grass anywhere on the property, a pond for the aquatic wildlife, and flagstone walkways snaking through the entire yard. It is also recognized by National Wildlife Federation as a Wildlife Habitat and serves as a Monarch Waystation with its diversity of native plants that sustain the bees, butterflies, moths, etc. Among the prized natives, there also are plenty of non-natives that the owners continue to eradicate.

**Members receive advanced access to register for events with limited space. If space is available, registration will open to the public 4-5 weeks prior to the event.

Bats are among the most important and misunderstood wildlife in our communities. Join experts from Bat Conservation International to explore how native plants, healthy insect populations, and thoughtful landscape design can help support bats. Learn about the ecological role of bats and discover practical ways to create habitat for North America's night flyers right in your own backyard.

Zoe Evans, rewilding coach and VP of Partnerships & Programs at Wildr shares a practical, science-informed framework for evaluating a home landscape, identifying its greatest habitat opportunities, and choosing actions that support more plants, insects, birds, and other wildlife.

Registration link coming soon.

No yard required. Learn how native plants can turn patios, balconies, containers, and other small spaces into meaningful habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. This practical panel will cover plant selection, container design, seasonal care, and realistic ways to support biodiversity in limited spaces.

Registration link coming soon.

Birds depend on healthy, connected habitats for food, shelter, nesting, and migration support. Join experts from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to explore how native plants and thoughtful landscape choices can support birdlife at home. Learn how gardens, yards, and community spaces can provide the insects, seeds, berries, cover, and habitat structure birds need throughout the year.

Registration link coming soon. 

Monarch butterflies depend on a network of habitats stretching across North America, and home landscapes can play an important role in their survival. Join experts from Monarch Joint Venture to explore the science behind monarch conservation, including the importance of milkweed, nectar resources, and regionally appropriate habitat. Learn practical ways to support monarchs through native landscaping and help sustain one of the world's most remarkable migrations.
 

Registration link coming soon.