by Katherine Garvey ✎ As the sun dips behind the city skyline and beyond county houses, as the air cools and the light dims, Baltimore’s gardens don’t go to sleep. Not yet, anyway. Instead, the night shift wakes up. After the last bees and butterflies find their evening hidey-holes, the flutter of moths, rustle of […] Continue reading "Things that Go Bump (and Bloom) in the Night"
by Katherine Garvey ✎ This past growing season, Baltimore saw an abnormal number of sudden, heavy rainfall events. These occurrences were not isolated, of course. Massive downpours overwhelmed many parts of the country over the past several months. In Maryland, our cities are similarly suffering—Annapolis floods regularly, Old Ellicott City has survived several “once-in-a-lifetime” storms […] Continue reading "Maryland’s Rain Gardens"
by Katherine Garvey ✎ This week, Wild Ones chapters across Maryland came together to submit a joint letter of support for our friends at Bona Terra Nursery in Indian Head, Maryland. Our message is simple: allow on-site sales at the nursery. However, the context behind this ask is huge. Bona Terra is not just any […] Continue reading "A Call to Action: Maryland Wild Ones Chapters Rally Behind Bona Terra Nursery"
by Anne Gneo ✎ On a perfect evening in mid-July, we enjoyed a short break from the heat and a tour of Amanda Wray, Wild Ones Greater Baltimore President’s, gorgeous property in Towson. As we meandered through the 2.25-acre lot, Amanda provided a treasure trove of information about the native plants on her property leaving […] Continue reading "Touring and Learning from a Work-In-Progress Garden "
by Nan Wray ✎ Master gardener and Catonsville resident Molly McElwee’s passion for native plants is apparent the moment her home is in your field of vision. On this late spring day, both her backyard and front garden were full of blooms, butterflies and smiling faces as she happily spoke with Wild Ones members and […] Continue reading "Turning a Suburban Yard into a Haven—Molly McElwee’s Triumph "
by Brigit Burbank ✎ Inna Alesina is an artist, professor, community organizer, and fellow Wild Ones member. She has been volunteering at Gunpowder State Park for the past four years and has seen firsthand the damaging effects invasive plants can have on our wild spaces. Inna found the Wild Ones group after an unsuccessful attempt […] Continue reading "Building Community around Invasive Plant Removal with Inna Alesina"
by Lauren Matthews ✎ When people think of road medians, they often think of a barren space littered with trash and weeds. Thanks to the efforts of our member Joe O’Connor and the Harford Road Green Team, the Harford Road median in Lauraville is now a thriving ecosystem full of native plants. Joe organized a […] Continue reading "Joe O’Connor and the Harford Road Green Team"
by Nan Wray ✎ Wild Ones Greater Baltimore was excited to have the opportunity to host a winter habitat talk by Wildlife and conservation biologist Dr. Shaun McCoshum. So often native gardeners will focus on the nectar-providing services of the flowering trees, shrubs and plants of their gardens; however, so many species can benefit from […] Continue reading "Adding Winter Habitat"
by Marian Marbury ✎ USDA Definition: Winter sowing is a propagation method used throughout the winter, where temperate climate seeds are sown into vented containers and placed outdoors to foster naturally timed, high percentage germination of climate-tolerant seedlings. On a cold and rainy Saturday morning, 38 hearty native plant enthusiasts found their way to Valley […] Continue reading "Winter Sowing Workshop with Vinaya Frank"
by Vinaya Frank ✎ WHEN WE FIRST ARRIVED at Cristina’s Poplar Hill property nestled behind a tall metal gate, we got a sneak peek of the beauty inside–a tantalizing tip off to a hidden gem like I have never seen. Cristina was the perfect host, who provided so many wonderful anecdotes about the plants she […] Continue reading "Native Garden Tour: Cristina’s in Poplar Hill"