Chapter Calendar

Join us for an exciting talk with Dr. Rachel J. Collins, the Brian H. Thornhill Endowed Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies and Director of the Environment Center at Roanoke College, and local community ecologist.

In this talk she will go through how they installed a native meadow on a landfill site in Salem, turning a degraded invasive species infested area into a vibrant ecosystem supporting native plants and wildlife. Beyond the ecosystem benefits, she will describe how such restoration efforts can have multifaceted benefits.

This talk is Part I of a two-part program, and open to all. 

Part II is a field trip listed as a separate event. The field trip will be to the Roanoke College Environmental Center with Dr. Rachel Collins, and is for members-only. (Consider joining today!)

In Part II of this program, we will rejoin Dr. Rachel Collins for a tour at the Environmental Center and see firsthand which native plant species have thrived, what the ongoing challenges are, and survey the many student projects that go beyond the plants. 

The key takeaway Dr. Collins would like to leave you with:  doing restoration work like this is not that hard, and the benefits are many.

NOTE: This event is for members only.  Members will be sent a registration link to sign up, as attendance is limited to 20  people. Details instructions will be sent with the registration acknowledgement. 

Consider joining today to take advantage of this great opportunity!

You planted native. Your neighbor has opinions. Maybe your HOA does too. If you’ve ever felt like the hardest part of native plant gardening is the conversations, not the gardening, you’re not alone.

Wild Ones is thrilled to share this upcoming free webinar as part of the 2026 Less Lawn More Life Challenge. Join Lorraine Johnson for a practical conversation on navigating HOA rules, addressing neighbor concerns, and fostering community conversations about native plant gardening and ecological landscapes.

Wild Ones Roanoke Region is pleased to partner with the Roanoke Master Gardeners, the Blue Ridge Wildflower Society, and the Mill Mountain Garden Club in presenting the well known landscape architect Preston Montague. Mr. Montague has been featured in online programs, at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Winter Symposium, and most recently at the Piedmont Landscape Association Annual Seminar.

In “Bringing Ecology Home,” Mr.  Montague will share how native plant communities, such as the wilder landscapes of the Piedmont, can inspire residential gardens. Using a recently submitted Wild Ones landscape plan for Greensboro, North Carolina as a case study, he will highlight key decisions, challenges, and lessons learned in applying conservation gardening principles to the home garden. Attendees will gain practical insight into how to translate these ideas into their own landscapes to create spaces that reflect place and support biodiversity.

You can find the Wild Ones native plant landscape design created by Preston Montague for Greensboro, NC,  here. 

Preston Montague is a landscape architect and artist working to strengthen relationships between people and the natural world. His environmental design studio deploys art, horticulture, and landscape architecture in the service of building places that have meaning and ecological depth. In 2025 he served as inaugural artist-in-residence at Dix Park in Raleigh, North Carolina. When not in studio, Preston enjoys teaching landscape architecture at North Carolina A&T State University and hiking the wilder places. For more information on Preston, please visit www.prestonmontague.com 

Native plants are the foundation of habitat, but wildlife need more than food to thrive. Join ecologist and Certified Wildlife Biologist Shaun McCoshum, PhD, to explore how nesting sites, shelter, water, soil conditions, and other often-overlooked resources can transform a yard into a functioning ecosystem that supports biodiversity year-round.

Registration link coming soon.

Do you want to see more birds, wildlife and pollinators in your landscape?  Discover how native plants support a diverse ecosystem and why they are a good choice for your future plantings.

 Our speaker for this program is Keala (kay - ah - la) Timko, whose experience spans:

·        Gardening on two continents, four countries, and eight states

·        Specialties: Ecological Restoration, Sustainability, Native Plants, Insects and Food Webs

·        18-year Cooperative Extension Master Gardener 

·        Harrison Fellow of the Historic Landscape Institute of Monticello and UVA  

·        Moved to Rockingham County, VA in 2013

·        Husband, Dave, and Keala designed and built their net-zero home, while attempting to eradicate invasive plant species and to ecologically restore their 9+ acres with native plants.

·        Enjoys sharing horticulture knowledge and gardening experiences 

What does it really take to turn a conventional lawn into a thriving native meadow? Join Owner & Principal, New Directions in the American Landscape (NDAL), Sara Weaner Cooper for a candid look at her family's ongoing lawn-to-meadow transformation featured in The New York Times and BBC. Drawing from three years of hands-on experience, Sara will share the methods, lessons learned, successes, and challenges of converting turfgrass into a dynamic native plant community. Participants will gain practical insights into site preparation, planting, management, and the ecological principles that guide successful meadow establishment, along with realistic expectations for how these landscapes evolve over time.

Registration link coming soon.

Our guest speaker for this evening is Greg Corman, landscape designer and WORR member! His experience in gardening ranges from Arizona to Virginia, and in this presentation he will inspire us on how to incorporate interesting objects, seating, and other décor into your native plant garden.

Bats are among the most important and misunderstood wildlife in our communities. Join experts from Bat Conservation International to explore how native plants, healthy insect populations, and thoughtful landscape design can help support bats. Learn about the ecological role of bats and discover practical ways to create habitat for North America's night flyers right in your own backyard.

Registration link coming soon.

Annual Chapter Meeting with Elections, State of the Chapter Report, Year-end review, potluck and raffle! Please bring a dish to share, and please bring your own plate/cup/utensils to keep down on the waste. 

Please note: this will be our last event in 2026; the incoming and outgoing Board Members will use December to meet and onboard, and start planning 2027! 

Monarch butterflies depend on a network of habitats stretching across North America, and home landscapes can play an important role in their survival. Join experts from Monarch Joint Venture to explore the science behind monarch conservation, including the importance of milkweed, nectar resources, and regionally appropriate habitat. Learn practical ways to support monarchs through native landscaping and help sustain one of the world's most remarkable migrations.
 

Registration link coming soon.