Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes promotes environmentally sound landscaping practices to preserve biodiversity through the preservation, restoration, and establishment of native plant communities Wild Ones is a not-for-profit environmental education and advocacy organization.

Wild Ones provides information and teaches people how to use native plants in their landscapes. Wild Ones distinguishes itself from other garden organizations by encouraging gardening with native plants and moving away from the use of chemicals, watering, excessive mowing and other practices commonly used by traditional gardeners. People come to Wild Ones to learn about environmentally friendly gardening—about plants native to our area that have evolved to survive our climate without help from artificial means.

The Rock River Valley Chapter carries out the mission of Wild Ones through a variety of activities, which typically includes any of the following:

• Informative Meetings, include how-to-do-it sessions, presentations by experts in prairie, woodland, and wetland native plants and related subjects and members profiling their own projects.
• Show Me/Help Me Day, members tour other members’ yards, share ideas, and offer suggestions.
• Woodland Native Plant Sale,with orders being taken February through mid-April, for pick up in late April. This sale offers mostly species for shady locations. The pick up location is near Durand; sorry, no deliveries or shipments, but we are happy to make other arrangements. Contact Woodland Plant Sale Coordinator for more information. For a brochure and order form, click here.
• Prairie Native Plant Sale, with orders being taken March through April, for pick up in mid-May. This sale offers mostly species for sunny to part shade locations. For a brochure and order form, click here. The form included with the brochure may be completed electronically, saved and emailed to: lenae@weichel.org or by clicking here. Sorry, no deliveries or shipments. Contact Prairie Plant Sale Coordinator for more information.
• Native Tree and Shrub Sale, with orders being taken in August and September, for pick up late September near Durand, IL. To see last year's brochure, click here. For more information, contact John Peterson, 815-248-2110 or Tree and Shrub Sale Coordinator.
• Plant Rescues, where members dig plants in the path of development. The rescued plants go to home landscapes or are used for restoration efforts in the local area.
• Seed Exchanges, we meet in November to exchange native plant seed that members have collected.
• Seeds For Education Program,a grant and education progrm.The chapter educates and supports community efforts to establish natural areas and to work with educational institutions and other areas of learning. Contact SFE Chair for more information. For a flier, click here.

The Rock River Valley Chapter publishes a monthly newsletter for its members which contains informative and timely articles about upcoming events, past events, related events, and other useful information. For more information and a sample newsletter, click here.

The Chapter was established in July 1994. Currently we have about 160 household and business memberships. The chapter is lead by dedicated officers, chairs and coordinators. For contact information, click here.

Visitors are welcome at most events and are invited to join the growing membership. For information about membership, click here or email our Membership Chair.

    Jan 19, 2012 (Thu)    

Native Ferns


Emily Sessa, a systematics and ecology graduate student in the Botany Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She received her bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from Cornell University in 2005, and worked at a natural history museum in Ithaca, New York for several years between college and graduate school. Her research interests are broadly the evolution and ecology of plants, in particular the seed-free vascular plants. Her Ph.D. research integrates phylogenetic systematics and ecophysiology in a study of the fern genus Dryopteris (Dryopteridaceae). We meet at Burpee Museum of Natural History, 737 N. Main in Rockford. 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Doors are open at 6:30 p.m. for socializing and browsing the lending library. This program is free and open to the public. Contact Terry Mohaupt, Program Chair, at 815-399-8432 or mohaupt@comcast.net for more information.

    Feb 16, 2012 (Thu)    

Controlling Invasive Plants, a panel discusion


Nathan Hill, Watershed Coordinator with the Kishwaukee River EcoSystem Partnership
Greg Keilback, Land Stewardship Director with the Natural Land Institute
Jack Pizzo & Associates will have a representative

We meet at Burpee Museum of Natural History, 737 N. Main in Rockford. 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Doors are open at 6:30 p.m. for socializing and browsing the lending library. This program is free and open to the public. Contact Terry Mohaupt, Program Chair, at 815-399-8432 or mohaupt@comcast.net for more information.

    Feb 17, 2012 (Fri)    

Woodland Native Plant Sale


Wild Ones, Rock River Valley Chapter, is offering woodland native plants at affordable prices just in time for spring planting. For a brochure and order form, click here.

    Mar 15, 2012 (Thu)    

Native Forbs (wildflowers) and Grasses to Attract Birds


Lee G. Johnson, North Central Illinois Ornithological Society, also the founder of Sand Bluff Bird Observatory as well as the second Director of Burpee Museum. Many people enjoy the beauty and variety of ornamental and native plants in their yards. This enjoyment can be increased by providing homes, food, and shelter for a variety of animals.

Lee will discuss how to attract various species of birds to your yard, or acreage, by providing an environment that gives them food and shelter. He will describe some of the varieties of native plants that provide places for birds to nest and find food. Plants that attract insects will attract the birds that eat the insects. Dead trees provide shelter and food. Besides talking about plants, Lee will share other ways to attract birds by providing supplemental food, water, and nesting facilities. And he will show the types of birds you can attract by learning how to provide for their requirements. Birds are constantly looking for suitable habitat…if you provide it, you may be surprised by what you see! We meet at Burpee Museum of Natural History, 737 N. Main in Rockford. 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Doors are open at 6:30 p.m. for socializing and browsing the lending library and merchandise tables. This program is free and open to the public. Contact Terry Mohaupt, Program Chair, at 815-399-8432 or mohaupt@comcast.net for more information.

    Mar 16, 2012 (Fri)    

Praire Native Plant Sale


Wild Ones, Rock River Valley Chapter, is offering prairie native plants at affordable prices just in time for spring planting. For a brochure and order form, click here.

    Apr 19, 2012 (Thu)    

Native Woodland Plants for Shady Areas


Dan Boehlke, Horticultural Advisor, Frenz Garden Center, Millwaukee, WI. We meet at Burpee Museum of Natural History, 737 N. Main in Rockford. 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Doors are open at 6:30 p.m. for socializing and browsing the lending library and merchandise tables. This program is free and open to the public. Contact Terry Mohaupt, Program Chair, at 815-399-8432 or mohaupt@comcast.net for more information.

Last day woodland plant orders will be accepted.

Contact Barbara Flores at 815-289-8602 or bafheartland@yahoo.com for more information.

    Apr 27, 2012 (Fri)    

Pick up woodland plant orders April 27 3-7 p.m. and April 28 9 a.m.-12 p.m..

Location: 15813 Anderson Road, Durand, IL 61024. Contact Barbara Flores at 815-289-8602 or bafheartland@yahoo.com for more information.

    May 01, 2012 (Tue)    

Last day prairie plant orders will be accepted.

Contact Lenae Weichel at 815-282-5482 or lenae@weichel.org for more information.

    May 17, 2012 (Thu)    

Native Insects in Our Landscapes


Phil Nixon, Ph.D., an entomologist with the University of Illinois Extension, Department of Crop Sciences has state wide responsibilities for integrated pest management. At home he has plantings of butterfly, bee and bird food plants and maintains mason bees to pollinate his fruit trees. This meeting is being held at the brand new Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens, 1354 N. 2nd St., Rockford. 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Doors are open at 6:30 p.m. for socializing and browsing the lending library and merchandise tables. This program is free and open to the public. Contact Terry Mohaupt, Program Chair, at 815-399-8432 or mohaupt@comcast.net for more information.

    May 18, 2012 (Fri)    

Pick up prairie plant orders May 18 5-7:30 p.m. and May 19 9 a.m.-12 p.m..

Location: 1438 Collingswood Drive, Rockford, IL 61103. Contact Lenae Weichel at 815-282-5482 or lenae@weichel.org for more information.

    Jun 21, 2012 (Thu)    

Seed to Flower, Growing Your Own Native Plants


Connie Ramthun, Natural Landscaping Consultant, Kettle Moraine Natural Landscaping. We meet at Burpee Museum of Natural History, 737 N. Main in Rockford. 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Doors are open at 6:30 p.m. for socializing and browsing the lending library and merchandise tables. This program is free and open to the public. Contact Terry Mohaupt, Program Chair, at 815-399-8432 or mohaupt@comcast.net for more information.

    Jul 19, 2012 (Thu)    

Yard Tour/Evening Social


Members Only, location to be announced. 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Contact Terry Mohaupt, Program Chair, at 815-399-8432 or mohaupt@comcast.net for more information.

    Aug 16, 2012 (Thu)    

Native Shrubs


Corrine Daniels, Principal Nursery Manager, AES Restoration Nurseries, Brodhead, WI. We meet at Burpee Museum of Natural History, 737 N. Main in Rockford. 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Doors are open at 6:30 p.m. for socializing and browsing the lending library and merchandise tables. This program is free and open to the public. Contact Terry Mohaupt, Program Chair, at 815-399-8432 or mohaupt@comcast.net for more information.

    Sep 20, 2012 (Thu)    

Natural Landscaping


Bret Rappaport, legal expert assisting natural landscapers. We meet at Burpee Museum of Natural History, 737 N. Main in Rockford. 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Doors are open at 6:30 p.m. for socializing and browsing the lending library and merchandise tables. This program is free and open to the public. Contact Terry Mohaupt, Program Chair, at 815-399-8432 or mohaupt@comcast.net for more information.

    Oct 18, 2012 (Thu)    

Photo Yard Tours


A visual tour of native planting projects presented by chapter members. We meet at Burpee Museum of Natural History, 737 N. Main in Rockford. 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Doors are open at 6:30 p.m. for socializing and browsing the lending library and merchandise tables. This program is free and open to the public. Contact Terry Mohaupt, Program Chair, at 815-399-8432 or mohaupt@comcast.net for more information.

    Nov 15, 2012 (Thu)    

Pot Luck and Seed Exchange


Members only - all members welcome, with or without seeds. Bring a dish to share. We meet at Burpee Museum of Natural History, 737 N. Main in Rockford. 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Contact Terry Mohaupt, Program Chair, at 815-399-8432 or mohaupt@comcast.net for more information.

Guests are welcome at most events. If you would like to receive a complimentary three month subscription to our newsletter please contact Newsletter Editor. You can request an digital version (PDF) via email or a paper version via standard mail.