Past Events

Ben Casteel, Horticulture Instructor and Program Coordinator at the Virginia Highlands Community College invites us to the campus greenhouse in Abingdon to learn about propagation of native Appalachian plants. Ben will cover both Sexual (seed prep - including processing, stratification, and scarification) and Asexual Propagation (division / separation, cuttings, layering, and grafting) of native plant species.

This will be a two-part series with the first class on January 11th at 7 pm, and the second class on March 14th at 7 pm.

A zoom link is posted below for those who would like to attend virtually.

Zoom Link: https://vccs.zoom.us/j/4710139607

Explore how native gardening can address climate challenges in our next Wild Ones national webinar, “Cultivating Change” with author and activist Lorraine Johnson. Johnson has been researching and writing about environmental issues for three decades. Learn about the pivotal role of gardening as an act of stewardship in the face of climate and ecological challenges. Discover the profound connections between individual gardens and the broader world and learn how these green spaces can serve as catalysts for positive ecological and social change.  Join Wild Ones for a practical and insightful discussion on gardening's positive impact on the environment and our future. 

Virtual registrants will receive a link to watch the talk live as well as a link to the recording. The recording will only be available for a limited time. 

Local seed swap for the area with speaker Ben Casteel of VHCC speaking about seed saving.  Appalachian Highlands Chapter will be giving away seed at our information table along with other local groups doing the same.

Blue Ridge PRISM Inc began as a volunteer-driven organization dedicated to reducing the negative impact of invasive plants in the northern Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Effective invasive plant control is a community and neighborhood issue because these aggressive plants know no boundaries.

Rod serves on the Blue Ridge PRISM Board. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation, the Noxious Weeds Advisory Committee for the State of Virginia, which recommends changes to the state’s Noxious Weeds law and regulations, and the Advisory Board for the VA Forestry Association’s Board of Directors. Both Rod and Maggie, his wife, are Virginia Master Naturalists. https://wildones-org.zoom.us/j/86985016622?pwd=bkp3WHlHMEJuWlllNEJVM1RlZGZZdz09#success

Ben Casteel, Horticulture Instructor and Program Coordinator at the Virginia
Highlands Community College invites us to the campus greenhouse in Abingdon
to learn about propagation of native Appalachian plants.

Ben will cover Asexual Propagation (division / separation, cuttings, layering, and grafting) of native plant species.

This will be part two of the series on March 14th at 7 pm.

Part 1, Sexual Propagation, is available on video at https://www.youtube.com/@appalachianhighlandswildones

Due to limited space, there is a registration required to attend in person. Please,
send request to attend (include number in party) to: [email protected]

You will receive a response that you have been accepted or that the presentation is full.

A zoom link is posted below for those who would like to attend virtually.

https://vccs.zoom.us/j/4710139607
Meeting ID: 471 013 9607

Registration for this event is now closed, and registrants have been emailed about attending. Please contact [email protected] if you have any issues getting in.

This will be a paid event for both in-person and remote viewing. Virtual registrants will receive a link to watch Dr. Kimmerer's talk live as well as a link to the recording. The recording will only be available for a limited time. 

Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
Ecological restoration can be understood as an act of reciprocity, in return for the gifts of the earth. This talk explores the ecological and ethical imperatives of healing the damage we have inflicted on our land and waters. We trace the evolution of restoration philosophy and practice and consider how integration of indigenous knowledge can expand our understanding of restoration from the biophysical to the biocultural. Reciprocal restoration includes not only healing the land but our relationship to land. In healing the land, we are healing ourselves.

Wild Ones is excited to cohost this event with the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh's Earth Week 2024 and the Wild Ones Fox Valley Chapter. 

Benefits of being an official Wild Ones member! This is an opportunity
to thin out your flower beds of native plants and bring your labeled
plants or seeds to swap and share. Please start to gather your extra
plants or seeds and identify them for the swap. If you don’t have any
extras, just come and take some home!

The Swap will be followed by a Potluck and social hour. Please feel free
to bring your own beverage and a dish to share. This will be a great
opportunity to learn about natives, get plants, and meet members!
You will be charged $2 at the gate for parking.

When: April 13, 2024, at 3:30 - 6:00 pm

Location: Steele Creek Park • 4 Little Ln, Bristol, TN, 37620 • Civitan
Shelter

https://www.facebook.com/events/377316138244488/377316148244487/

Garden Faire is an event hosted by Washington County, Virginia Master Gardeners. It involves a number of activities and opportunities, including workshops, educational talks, vendors selling plants and other garden related items, tabling by related organizations (like WOAH), and tool sharpening, among others.

The Appalachian Highlands chapter of Wild Ones will be one of many organizations sharing informational displays at the Town of Abingdon's Earth Day celebration. Sustain Abingdon will provide "kid’s activities, food, fun and informational booths!" at this annual event.

Snow Ferreniea is English, learning initially about plants and gardening from her parents, both of whom were avid gardeners. She also received her formal education in horticulture in England. Coming to America in the 70’s, she continued to pursue her passion for plants, especially native ones, as a professional horticulturist.

Snow was director of horticulture at Garden in the Woods. She has also worked at the New Your Botanical Garden, Holden Arboretum and Wayside Gardens.

On retiring in 2013, she began the creation of her own garden where she blended many of the plants she loves. The garden has a special emphasis on the wildflowers that are so abundant in southwest Virginia.

Over the years she has shared her experiences in the fascinating world of plants, teaching classes and workshops wherever she has worked.
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Ghosts in the Forest: Prehistory & Ecology in the Southern Appalachians With Jeremy Stout

When: June 13th,2024 at 7 to 8p.m.

Location: Steele Creek Nature Center
4 Little Ln, Bristol, TN, 37620

You will be charged $2 at the gate for parking.

This event is free and open to the public.
All of life occurs in a geological context. This talk will explore the connections between modern distributions of plants and animals across the 4th dimension: Deep Time.

Learn about geological forces and extinct organisms and how they affect the
modern assemblages we find in the region today.

Josh and his wife moved to Johnson City from Montgomery, AL in late 2021. Since the spring of 2022, he has been slowly removing the turf from their sloping 1/3-acre plot, and replacing it with mostly native perennials, shrubs, and trees. He works as an architect, and regional design is something he thinks is very important, both in architecture and landscape design. He likes to grow native plants because they give a "sense of place" to a landscape - and he thinks Appalachian Highlands residents are with some amazing plants to choose from! He also recently started a small backyard nursery and landscaping design business called Paragraph Designs. His main frustration was the lack of access to affordable plug/small potted plants available to the home gardener, since he believes that is the most cost effective and environmentally-friendly way to get more plants into the landscape. His hope is to make more plug plants available while growing as many as possible from local seed.
​
 

Explore how native plants can enhance biodiversity and support ecosystems in our upcoming Wild Ones national webinar, “Combating the Biodiversity Crisis with Native Plants” featuring Sarah Gray and Coralie Palmer from the Indiana Native Plant Society.

Native plants are essential for maintaining biodiversity as they provide food and shelter for a wide range of wildlife, including pollinators, birds, and beneficial insects. By incorporating native plants into your landscape, you can create a thriving ecosystem that supports local fauna and flora. These plants are well-adapted to local environmental conditions, making them more resilient to climate change and reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Attendees will learn how native plants can improve soil health, enhance water retention, and contribute to a more sustainable and vibrant ecosystem.

Sara and Coralie are part of the Indiana Native Plant Society (INPS) Landscaping team, and they have collaborated on diverse projects across Indiana, including native planting schemes for schools, community gardens, the Eiteljorg Museum, and the Humane Society. Their new design for Indianapolis reflects typical sub-divisions in Indiana and considers future climate challenges, such as increased flooding and hotter, drier summers. The design features resilient, native Indiana plants that thrive in local soil conditions and contribute to the ecosystem.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insights from leading experts in native plants! Participants will gain practical insights into native garden designs and learn how tailored landscaping can support wildlife, promote ecological balance, and help restore natural habitats. 

Join Wild Ones Appalachian Chapter at the Emory & Henry Cemetery in Emory, Virginia, as we walk the grounds of this historic cemetery and see the newly developed native plant meadow at the edge of the burial grounds. The E&H Cemetery Board and the University have partnered with the US Fish and Wildlife Partners program to create a field of native plants and flowers that stretches more than 2 acres. We'll meet some of the volunteers and hear about the process. 

The tour is free and open to the public.

Directions from Exit 26 off I -81: College Dr north (toward E & H and joins Hillman Hwy) for 0.8 miles, then left turn on Elm Street, and then right on Cambridge Ave.

Emory and Henry Cemetery
30419 County Rd 838, Meadowview, VA
Map can be found on E & H website (cemetery is to the north of campus) - see link to campus map. 

The Sassafras Moon Herb Fest is on Sept. 14 in Erwin, TN. The free herbal festival is presented by HERBalachia and includes free classes and herbal vendors. For more info, go to HERBalachia.com/sassyfest.

Explore the ecological and aesthetic advantages of hedges and hedgerows in our upcoming Wild Ones national webinar, “The Beauty and Benefits of Hedgerows” with Heather McCargo, founder of Wild Seed Project.

Native hedgerows are diverse plantings of woody plants from shrubs to small trees along with herbaceous groundcovers at their base.  Learn how these low-maintenance and sustainable plantings of shrubs, trees, and groundcovers can enhance biodiversity, provide critical habitats for wildlife, and contribute to climate resilience. Discover practical tips for designing and implementing hedgerows in various landscapes, from farms to urban settings, and understand their role in supporting pollinators, birds, and soil health. 

 You will also learn about Heather McCargo and the Wild Seed Project's latest collaboration with Wild Ones on the new Native Garden Design for Portland, ME. Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights from a leading expert in native plant restoration and take your landscaping skills to the next level. 

Neature art talks, hikes, themed walks, mini-sessions, a scavenger hunt and more.

Artist and author Suzanne Stryk will be this year's keynote speaker. Stryk's nature paintings have been in exhibitions throughout the United States.

Learn how to use high-density plantings that replicate natural ecosystems in aesthetically pleasing designs, enhancing ecological functions while reducing maintenance efforts in our upcoming Wild One's national webinar, "Matrix Landscape Design" with author, landscape designer, activist, and educator Benjamin Vogt.

Matrix planting is a landscape design approach that mimics natural ecosystems by closely planting and layering compatible perennials and grasses to cover the soil, provide more ecosystem services, and eliminate the need for wood mulch or aggressive weeding.  Join Wild Ones for a webinar to learn how author, educator, and landscape designer Benjamin Vogt applies this approach to create stunning native gardens. Learn the principles behind this method, its ecological benefits, and practical steps to implement matrix planting in your own garden. 

You will also learn about Benjamin's latest collaboration with Wild Ones on the new Native Garden Design for Lincoln, NE. Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights from a leading voice in natural garden design and take your gardening skills to the next level. Register now to secure your spot! 

Members only!  Steele Creek Park, Civitan Shelter, Bristol

Fall is a great time to share both native plants and seeds from our gardens. Our annual event is one of the benefits of being an official Wild Ones member! This is an opportunity to thin out your flower beds of native plants and bring your labeled plants or seeds to swap and share.

Please start to gather your extra plants or seeds and identify them for the swap. If you don't have any extras, just come and take some home!

The Swap will be followed by a potluck supper and social hour. Please bring your own beverage and a dish to share. This will be a great opportunity to learn about natives, get plants, and meet members.

You will be charged $2 at the gate for parking.

On November 14th we will celebrate our third anniversary as the Appalachian Highlands Chapter.

There will be a short business meeting with a social hour afterwards. We will hold the election of 2025 officers.

This is a great time as members to reflect on what we have accomplished and to discuss our future goals.

Water and coffee will be provided. Please bring your favorite light refreshment and your nametag.

The Summit building is set back from Volunteer Parkway with an access road between Eastman Credit Union and Bank of Tennessee. There is a cut-through on the Parkway divide for a left turn if you are coming from the downtown Bristol area.

Date: Thursday, November 14th, 2024

Time: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm (Eastern Time)

Location: The Summit, Expedition Room, 1227 Volunteer Pkwy, Bristol, TN, 37620

Native plants have an incredible ability to adapt to climate extremes, offering sustainable solutions for resilient landscapes. Join Wild Ones and the Native Plant Society of Texas to explore the power of native plants to thrive in challenging conditions.

This event features Christy Ten Eyck, founder of Ten Eyck Landscape Architects. Drawing from her latest Dallas-Fort Worth native garden design, Christy will share insights into designing low-maintenance, ecologically rich spaces that withstand intense climate fluctuations.

This event is a collaborative effort between Washington County Master Gardeners and WOAH.
The Workshop is in-person, open to the public, free, and registration is required due to limited space.
Winter sowing is a method of starting seeds in winter. It involves sowing seeds in an enclosed container to be kept outside during winter, allowing them to germinate in spring.
In this Gail Olson will share insights on how and why this method works. She will guide participants in creating their own containers to take home.
All materials, including native seed will be provided.
To register: Send email to [email protected] 

Neonicotinoid insecticides, commonly known as “neonics,” have become the most widely used insecticides in the U.S., leading to drastic declines in bees, pollinators, birds, and aquatic ecosystems. In this webinar, Lucas Rhoads, Senior Attorney with NRDC’s Pesticides & Pollinators Team, will share expert insights on how neonics impact our environment and pose serious risks to human health. He’ll delve into the harms associated with neonic-treated seeds, which are a major source of contamination, and explore effective policy advocacy strategies to rein in their widespread use without disrupting farmers or landscapers.