Events

WOL Board Member, Lynn Horrar, presented a talk to one of the second-grade classes about what plants need to grow.

Wild Ones Louisville held a hands-on workshop so registrants could sow seeds of native plants that require cold stratification to germinate.  WOL Board members brought soil, hundreds of clean, 1-gallon plastic milk jugs, and other items required to assemble the individual “greenhouses” for germinating seeds.   WOL brought some seeds, but attendees were encouraged to bring their own, too.  

To advertise the event, we emailed WOL members , posted on our Facebook Group page and FB Page.  We also advertised at the Newberg Center using fliers.  

All are welcome to join this free virtual panel discussion exploring the vital roles of native, solitary, and honeybees in pollination and biodiversity. Featuring experts Sam Droege (USGS), Dave Hunter (Crown Bees), and Dr. Lora Morandin (Pollinator Partnership), this event will discuss into the challenges pollinators face, the balance between managed and wild bees, and actionable ways to support all pollinators.

Gain insights from over 90 years of combined experience and learn how to advocate for pollinator habitats through planting native species, participating in community science, and adopting responsible management practices.

WOL held its first quarterly member meeting of 2025 at a new venue, the St. Matthews Library.  Our speaker, Renee Frith, presented on an important topic: "Challenges Faced by Our Keystone Trees in Today's World--and What it Means for the Native Plant Gardener" 

Renee Frith serves as Director of Horticulture and Sustainable Landscapes for Bernheim Forest and Arboretum. Renee holds a BS in Horticulture from Auburn University School of Agriculture and is a Certified Arborist recognized by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). For over 20 years Renee has dedicated her career to the natural environment. She has served in roles such as Consulting Arborist in Florida, Curator of Woody Plants at Norfolk Botanical Gardens in Virginia, and Director of Greening Programs for The Delaware Center for Horticulture. Renee’s career mission is to regenerate our land and wants humans to stop getting in the way and start getting on board to help in these efforts.

After questions, we had a short socializing period with light refreshments (most homemade) contributed by our members. 

WOL also gave away bare-rooted seedlings of one native tree and one native shrub, Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) and Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana).  These seedlings were purchased and sourced from Kentucky State Forestry.  This continues a “tradition” we started in 2024.  Members had to reserve seedlings using a Google Form.  

Public gardens hold tremendous power to influence landscaping norms and inspire change. By showcasing the beauty, functionality, and ecological value of native plants, these spaces help foster biodiversity, advocate for sustainable practices, and engage communities in environmental stewardship. 

This webinar will explore how public and demonstration gardens serve as powerful tools for native plant advocacy. Attendees will learn how gardens move beyond aesthetics to spark action—turning appreciation into engagement and inspiring participants to replicate these practices in their own communities.

We will hear insights from Nicole Machuca, Environmental Social Scientist at the Field Museum, on how public gardens influence behaviors, foster stewardship, and connect people to conservation efforts through research and community engagement. The Wild Ones Capital Region NY and the Wild Ones San Diego (CA) Chapters will share their experiences building native plant demonstration gardens and how these spaces drive community engagement, education, and advocacy. And We'll finish with a conversation exploring how public gardens create a lasting impact beyond planting day moderated by Kelly Kapuzzi, Demonstration Garden Char with the Wild Ones Hocking Hills (OH) Chapter.

Community Resource Fair with many tables from organizations in the County involved in Sustainable Solutions.   It is a community-wide Earth Month celebration event in close partnership with the Parks Alliance of Louisville and community partners.
Earth Fest will feature food, music, performances, sustainability lightning talks, family friendly activities, volunteering opportunities, and a resource fair. It will serve as a kick-off to Earth Month (April) and will elevate and amplify environmental events led by various organizations throughout Earth Month, so that our community can learn more about and become engaged with the great local organizations leading efforts to protect Louisville’s environment and create a sustainable future!

We had a very good turnout at this new public library venue.  About 25 people attended.  Our speaker was Adam Taylor, Invasive Plant Coordinator, Kentucky Division of Forestry who spoke to us about a topic we all wrestle with,  "Invasive Plants, Identification and Management".  In addition, President Margaret Carreiro updated members on meetings between her and WOL Secretary Jacquelyn Hawkins-McGrail and the Director of Codes of Regulations and staff about Code Inspector back-sliding in implementing the Managed and Natural Landscapes Ordinance (MNLO) that had been passed unanimously by Metro Louisville Council and signed by the Mayor in early 2022.  By November of 2024, there had been increasing reports of Native Plant gardeners being cited and even fined for their gardens when they were in compliance with the new ordinance.   A new meeting was held on April 29 among WOL President and Secretary, the Mayor's Office of Sustainability and the Codes and Regulations Department.  In that meeting the outlines of a Resource Manual and Training on the MNLO for Code Inspectors was agreed to, and to be worked on by WOL and Maria Tori of the Mayor's Office of Sustainability during the year for review by Codes and Regs.   WOL President Carreiro provided the outlines of that effort to WOL members for their input at this Quarterly Meeting.   We had a vigorous discussion at this meeting with members present very glad to hear that this project with Codes and Regs was to proceed.  

Join Wild Ones National Board President Loris Damerow for a special presentation as part of Week 3 of the 2025 Less Lawn More Life Challenge, “Native Plants Planted Right.” Loris will walk us through the basics of native plant gardening- from choosing the right plants to planting and maintaining them with confidence.

Join us on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at 5 p.m. CT for the YouTube Live premiere of this 30-minute webinar. Native plant experts from  Wild Ones, Plan it Wild, Homegrown National Park, ReWild Your Campus, and others will be active in the live chat throughout the presentation and for 30 minutes after the webinar, giving you plenty of time to ask questions and engage! 

This event is designed for newcomers to native gardening and is part of the national Less Lawn More Life Challenge, hosted by Plan It Wild in collaboration with Wild Ones, iNaturalist, Homegrown National Park, Pollinator Partnership  and many others! 

See more about the Less Lawn More Life Challenge:  https://www.lesslawnmorelife.com/ 

Cassandra showed us how she is transforming most of her front yard into a woodland with many understory spring ephemerals, sedges, and shrubs below her large trees.  She showed us her Rain Garden in the back.  

A hallmark of this tour were the tall shade trees where Julie had planted soft landings underneath to provide habitat for caterpillars and Lepidopteran pupae.   She had both sunny and shady spots in the property with a diversity of native flowers (herbaceous and shrubs) that bloom across the seasons to help pollinators, like native bees, complete their life cycles.  

And thanks to Julie, Alicia Bosela of Ironweed Nursery also came to set up a table to sell her native plants. We thank her for driving such a long way from Waddy, KY to do so.  She brought a broad array of natives with her and those who came bought quite a few. 

For photos and more information about this tour, visit

https://louisville.wildones.org/2025/07/25/garden-tour-at-julie-and-glen-speedys-home-june-22-2025-seasonal-flower-beds-shade-trees-and-soft-landings/

Fran lives in an HOA but manages to populate the front yard with many native flowering shrubs, like Shrubby St. John's Wort, to amply feed pollinators.  But the high point of her garden lies in back, where she has created different beds, almost like separate rooms, some in sun bursting in mid-summer bloom,  others tucked in shadier corners with different plants and  even what I would call a mini-orchard of native trees like American Plum and Pawpaw, all leading to a surprise at the end--  an spacious garden with walking paths covered with mostly herbaceous natives that provide blooms all year long.   She had saved the Best for Last and we called this space Fran's Secret Garden.   We all were constantly amazed by how well planned her yard was and how productive.  We Oohed and Ahh-ed about every 5 minutes!  It did the heart good to see so many lush and healthy plants!  We had plenty to talk about, when afterwards, we gathered inside to sample a lovely repast.  And we talked and talked.  So, this was a lovely social event as well as garden tour.    See post on our WOL website for photos and more details.   https://louisville.wildones.org/2025/08/28/garden-tour-at-fran-ewings-home-july-12-2025-foundation-plantings-trees-and-a-secret-garden/

The closing event of this year’s Less Lawn More Life Challenge, will be led by Lisa Olsen, Chapter Liaison at Wild Ones. In this webinar, you’ll learn how small, personal actions like planting native species and removing invasives, can ripple outward to inspire neighbors, change policies, and reshape communities. 

During the premiere, native plant experts from Wild Ones and collaborating organizations will be active in the live chat. They’ll be ready to answer questions, share tips, and connect viewers with resources. The live chat will remain open for 30 minutes after the webinar, giving you plenty of time to ask questions and engage. Please note: You must be logged into a YouTube account to participate in the chat. 

The Less Lawn More Life Challenge is a free, 12-week action series designed to help people transform traditional lawns into vibrant, life-supporting native plant habitat. Each week, participants complete a simple challenge like planting a native shrub, removing invasives, or observing pollinators to reimagine their outdoor space and take meaningful steps toward restoring biodiversity at home. 

It’s not too late to get involved. Catch up on the weekly videos and start your rewilding journey today at https://www.lesslawnmorelife.com/ 

This 16-year home gardening project features 5 rain gardens and one mini-prairie populated with over 300 Kentucky native plant species intended to provide a diverse pollinator/wildlife habitat year-round. The first 14 years of this project are chronicled in the book "Let the Earth Breathe: Gardening with Native Plants" by Stephen Brown and Anne Milligan.

Emilie has transformed  almost acre over the last six years with native plants, shrubs, trees and grasses. She said she was  most excited to see her first Pawpaw and Persimmon fruits growing this year.  We were impressed with all the work she has done on her property!  Her Spice Bush (Lindera benzoin) were hosting several Spice Bush Butterfly caterpillars which were delightful to see and photograph! 

Emilie also invited Laura LaJoie owner of Peacock Valley Nursery over the Ohio River in Indiana to be there and we were glad she did.  Her inventory of native plants was extraordinarily diverse and large.  And the plants were very healthy.  We have added this nursery to our list of nearby native plant nurseries to share with members and the public. 

Our speaker was Maria Tori from the Mayor's Sustainability Office who spoke to us about “Working with the Department of Codes and Regs to Train Inspectors on the Managed Natural Landscapes Ordinance .  She updated us on our mutual efforts to provide a training handbook and training sessions with the Code  Inspectors in Codes and Regulations Department, who come out to check our native plant gardens if there are complaints about them.  We wanted to streamline the process for them so they judge these gardens in accordance with the Managed Natural Landscapes Ordinance that we worked hard to pass through Metro Council in March, 2022. 

Maria also let us know of a couple of other projects of interest that are ongoing at the Mayor's Office of Sustainability.  

Maria did a splendid job of explanation and she got a LOT of questions from our membership.  We had a very interesting and animated discussion.  

President Carreiro also explained WOL's newly rolled out LAWN-TO-NATIVES COST-SHARE PROGRAM to the members present.  

Discover how ecological landscaping with native plants can make your landscape more resilient and help address the climate crisis. This webinar will highlight practical, evidence-based approaches to designing and maintaining landscapes that build resilience to climate change and support native biodiversity. Join Wild Ones for a free webinar, “EcoBeneficial Landscape Strategies for the Climate Crisis,” featuring environmental horticulturalist and ecological landscape designer Kim Eierman.

Even after reading books and attending talks, many still have pressing questions about ecological landscaping. In this talk, Tallamy addresses common concerns on biodiversity, invasive species, native plants, and conservation strategies, providing practical guidance and motivation to restore nature in everyday spaces. 

We held our biannual Board Member Election at this Annual Meeting this year.  Members were sent a slate of candidates along with their Biosketches 4 weeks before the meeting.  Twenty-five members attended and voted for the following Board members.   A week later at a Board Meeting, the Board elected the Officers.  Lynn Horrar resigned from the Board as of November 3.  We now have seven Board Members.  

Margaret Carreiro, President 

Hart Hagain, Vice President

Jacquelyn Hawkins-McGrail, Secretary

Barbara Berman

Julie Speedy, Membership Chair

Tess Lindsey, Treasurer as of Feb. 1 when Barbara Berman resigns as Treasurer 

Debbie Hoblitzell 

We also had a guest speaker, Catherine Graber, a teacher at a local Louisville Elementary School, Bloom Elementary.  Her talk title was:  Growing Wild: Cultivating Compassionate Children in Our School Garden

Biosketch: Catherine Graber is a longtime educator and lifelong learner with degrees from Vanderbilt University, University of Kentucky, and Spalding University. She serves as the Compassionate Schools Project Teacher at Bloom Elementary where her primary classroom is the school garden. Before joining Bloom’s faculty, she was an Implementation Coach for the University of Virginia in Jefferson County Public Schools as well as an elementary school teacher. Catherine’s passion is growing a kinder, more compassionate, world for all.

Everyone was more than delighted to learn about the detailed plans at this school for expanding their garden program with large amount funds they have raised from the Louisville Community.  Wild Ones Louisville has been offering advice and other forms of volunteer help for this project for the last two years.  We have also bought age-appropriate books for their library.  

Discover the power of ecological garden design in this free national webinar, Living in the Liberated Landscape: My Yard, with award-winning landscape designer Larry Weaner. Join us for a personal look at how dynamic, self-sustaining landscapes can emerge when we partner with nature instead of controlling it. Drawing on more than 35 years of experience, Larry will share practical strategies for designing dynamic gardens that evolve naturally, support biodiversity, and bring lasting beauty to your yard.

Mark Yost has 1.5 acres and plenty of seeds. We met there to gather seeds in preparation for winter sowing.

Designing with native plants isn’t just about what you grow, it’s about how you shape your space. In this hands-on workshop, Zoe Evans (Plan it Wild) and Heather Evans (Design Your Wild) guide you through the process of creating a cohesive yard plan that supports both your lifestyle and biodiversity.