Chapter Events

Do you want to replace some or all of your lawn with native plantings but not sure how to start? Come and hear two speakers discuss who have established and maintained native plantings in former grassy areas. Jack Pfaffmann, Master Gardener, Master Naturalist, and Co-President of Illinois Prairie chapter of Wild Ones, will describe how he and other Wild Ones members converted lawn into a very successful native garden at the Children's Foundation in Bloomington. Matt Hickman, environmental educator and Co-Chair of the Stewardship Committee for Parklands Foundation, will detail the different method he used in overseeing the conversion of "industrial turf" at the Mennonite Church of Normal into an extensive and brilliant rain garden.

Wild Ones programs are free and open to the public; this program is handicapped accessible.

Dr. Dennis Campbell will present his insights into the selection of native plants for landscaping yards and ponds. He is currently the Director of the Lincoln College Outdoor Center for Environmental Education, which includes the restoration of native habitat along nearby Sugar Creek. The center is used by Lincoln College staff and students along with local community organizations. 

Presenter Bio: Dr. Campbell holds a doctorate in zoology from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia and has been a professor at Lincoln College for almost seventeen years. Prior to coming to Lincoln College, Dr. Campbell was managing editor and associate curator of zoology at the Illinois State Museum, and has taught science courses at colleges and universities in the U.S. and Australia. 

John Marlin will share tips and strategies for propagating your own woodland beauties such as bluebells, jack-in-the-pulpit, trillium, and other native Illinois woodland plants. The presentation will include techniques for propagating woodland wildflowers from seeds and cuttings, examples of woodland plants at various stages of development, and discussion on potential uses in urban gardens. John will also discuss how students from grade school to college can participate in this activity in addition to commenting on the importance of native plants to pollinators and birds and the threat posed by invasive plants and changes in the Illinois landscape.

Presenter Bio:  John C. Marlin is a lifelong Illinois resident who has been propagating native woodland wildflowers for over 20 years with the help of his family and many school children. John holds a PhD in entomology from the University of Illinois. He is the coordinator of several native planting projects at the University of Illinois where he is an adjunct professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences. He works as a research affiliate at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center and is also an affiliate of the Illinois Natural History Survey. He is an advocate for maintaining native flora and fauna.

Marilyn Leger will discuss which nursery plants are best left at the nursery and provide suggestions for plants which will give more individual personality to our home landscapes by helping us identify native plants as alternatives to the exotic and invasive plants still available in garden centers. In recent years, the home landscape across the country has become increasingly homogenized with many of the same plants being used nearly everywhere. Homeowners select plants because their neighbors have them, they're popular, they see them in public gardens, and because they're readily available at local home improvement warehouses, garden centers, and even your corner drugstore.

Presenter Bio:

Marilyn Leger has been actively involved in the native plant community in Central Illinois for many years with a specific focus on eradicating invasive plant species. She focuses not only at ground level through elimination efforts and planting of natives but also focuses her efforts on helping change state and federal policies. She is a Master Naturalist and is co-chair of the Invasive Plant Task Force within the East Central Illinois Master Naturalists.

 Author of the book, Design Your Natural Midwest Garden, Patricia Hill will talk about various tips and techniques for developing and landscaping a garden using native plants. Her presentation, "Midwestern Gardener's Manifesto," highlights ways to integrate natives into various spaces -- personal gardens and cityscapes -- for creating vibrant native landscapes so plants, wildlife, insects, and people can flourish. Learn how using natives in our landscaping enhances food systems for pollinators, insects, and birds, improves water filtration by preventing runoff and erosion, and decreases yard maintenance and expenses.

A professional landscape designer for more than 25 years, Patricia Hill has devoted the past 15 years to designs featuring only native species. An exhibit garden she designed won Best of Show in the 2000 Chicago Flower and Garden Show, and her work has been featured in a variety of national and regional publications. Her own garden was featured in Nature's Garden, a Better Homes and Gardens Special Publication, in Spring of 2010. Her book  Design Your Natural Midwest Garden will be on sale after the talk. The book, published in 2007 by Big Earth Publishing of Madison, WI, features 32 designs and over 200 color photographs of built and conceptual gardens, plus text that describes attributes and growing conditions for 127 native plants.

For more information visit the web page dedicated to the plant sale.

Providing shade for our homes and texture and variety to our landscapes is something many of us strive for. Did you know that you can add native woody plants (trees, shrubs, and woody vines) to your yard by growing them yourself from cuttings? During this program, Jan Turner, will provide the ins and outs of propagating woody plants from cuttings with a focus on soft wood plants. She will demonstrate how to take cuttings, the best times to take them, and various cutting techniques. She will also highlight what to keep in mind for preparing seeds and plantings, soil types, using rooting hormones, and different successes and failures she?s had along the way.

Presenter Bio:

Jan has been part of the Bloomington-Normal community for over 30 years and propagating native plants for about 25 years after visiting the Funk's Grove area with a friend. She sells her plants from her booth called Native Plants of Illinois at the Farmers' Market in Downtown Bloomington. She was an intern with the U of I Extension Master Naturalists Program serving Livingston, McLean and Woodford Counties during the 2013 Fall program. 

This members-only field trip will be a tour of the "The Grove on Kickapoo Creek". We will hear about the project, it ecological impact, and how the city is continuing the project. Jim Bortell will be our guide for the tour. 

Speaker Bio Jim Bortell, a lover of all things out-of-doors, will be leading our field trip at "The Grove". Jim became interested in the area when taking Illinois Master Naturalist classes. At first skeptical, of the claims made by the developers about the benefits of this alternative to conventional residential water run off management, but looking for a place to hike, Jim began walking the trails often. Since 2010 he has observed the beneficial changes in the vegetation and wildlife. While Jim is counting on many of us to teach him some plant and bird names you can count on him to acquaint you with this 90-acre slice of quiet native Illinois riparian habitat. Jim is currently an active member of the Illinois Grand Prairie Master Naturalists and a retired Methodist minister. Directions: The Grove is on Ireland Grove Road near Kickapoo Creek and just before you reach Benjamin Elementary School (map location of school). Look for a pumping station just after crossing the creek and park in that lot. Park on the south side of the road at the pumping station. Parking is limited and carpooling is suggested. Attire: There are two shallow narrow streams to cross so wear boots, water shoes or wade the stream barefooted. Bring binoculars as the Dicksissel and other birds will put on a fine performance. For additional information on the site visit http://mcleanwater.org/project-showcase/the-grove-on-kickapoo-creek/ and the USGS web site: http://il.water.usgs.gov/data/kcb/  

During this month's  program you will have the opportunity to sit down with several native experts to discuss a variety of topics related to using natives within your landscape. In this round table style discussions, four tables will be set for discussing soil, collecting and cleaning seeds, natives for butterflies, and key resources you should consult for all of your questions. Leading the discussions will be Bill Davison, Jason and Kristi Shoemaker, Janet Rasmussen, and Jennifer Sharkey.

Dr. Lesley Deem will discuss what we can do and plant in our native gardens to encourage and increase a variety of pollinators visiting plants. She will discuss different types of pollinators including bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Some small native plants will be on display for show and tell during the presentation. 

Lesley Deem has has a Ph.D. in Entomology and works at the University of Illinois, Department of Entomology where she serves as the Pollinatarium Director. Also, a Master Gardener, she focuses her energy on gardening, plant & insect interactions, pollinator & plant conservation, and sustainable farming & living. Her overall goal is to make "Pollinator Pathways" across Illinois by engaging citizens, researchers, and municipalities in an effort to put back some of the habitat that has been lost. "The University of Illinois Pollinatarium is the first free-standing science center in the nation devoted to flowering plants and their pollinators. Its location in the midst of the Arboretum brings together flowers and pollinators physically and conceptually, for optimal impact and appeal. Multiple exhibits acquaint visitors with a broad range of disciplines involved in the study of pollination, including ecology, evolution, plant biology, insect physiology, animal behavior, crop sciences and conservation."

Connor Shaw, owner of Possibility Place Nursery in Monee, IL will discuss which native trees and shrubs are best to plant in smaller yards. He will also focus on creating highly efficient and self-sustaining ecosystems that blend human activity with natural surroundings. Mr. Shaw will highlight plant size and shape, fruit value for humans and wildlife, color, and role in the ecosystem.

Shaw founded Possibility Place Nursery in 1978, and it has since been developed into a leading native arboricultural nursery. The nursery specializes in growing and selling native species of trees and shrubs and more recently native forbs and grasses. The trees and shrubs sold at the Illinois Prairie Chapter of Wild Ones Plant Sale were grown at this nursery. Connor has a B.S. from Utah State University in forest hydrology and a M.S. in wild land hydrology. He has taught numerous classes and seminars on native plants and nursery production and has also written several articles for various publications. Bring any questions you have about native trees and shrubs and Connor will try to answer them.

Join us at 6:00 for a potluck dinner. At 7:00 will hold our annual meeting including the election of officers for 2014. The seed exchange will take place throughout the evening.

For the Potluck

The Board is providing a variety of soups and apple cider
Please bring and side item to share? and you own place setting including a bowl for soup and a cup for beverages

For the Seed Exchange

Bring any native plant seeds you've harvested and willing to share
For small amounts, please place 10-20 seeds in small plastic bags.
For large amounts of seeds, bring in a large bag or jar. We will have small plastic bags for people to place seeds in.
Please provide the common name and if known, species name of the seeds.
Even if you have don't have seeds to contribute you are welcome to take seeds.