Events

Our chapter was honored to be a part of the celebration with the City of Charlotte for National Pollinator Week. That week, Linda Nelson of Wild Ones Charlotte Piedmont spoke on a panel on WFAE Charlotte Talks. Listen to the recording HERE.

Events Archive: 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Upcoming Events

February 2023

Feb
25

Fairy House Festival

This event has ended
Saturday, February 25th, 2023
to (Eastern Time)
Quest Nature Center at Latta Nature Preserve, 6345 Sample Rd, Huntersville, NC, 28078 Map

Public Welcome Family Friendly Paid Event Public Restroom Free Public Parking

Wild Ones is exhibiting at the popular Mecklenburg County Fairy House Festival 2023. We will have a craft for children in keeping with the fairy theme.

Fairy Houses are whimsical habitats built by children, families, gardeners, and nature lovers! This is a festival that everyone can enjoy and building fairy houses reconnects people with nature. Join us for this annual festival that will inspire appreciation of the environment with storytelling, children's crafts, activities, and games - all focused on fairies and nature! Fairy, gnome, and other appropriate costumes are encouraged but not required. Food vendors will be on site.

Feb
27

Gardening in the Southern Piedmont

This event has ended
Monday, February 27th, 2023
to (Eastern Time)
Marvin Village Hall, 10006 Marvin School Rd, Marvin, NC, 28173 Map

Public Welcome Paid Event Program/Speaker Presentation Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains

Our summers are warm (ok, hot!) and winters are mild. The soil is tough…sometimes literally. But this area is a great place to garden. We can always have a food crop growing, tons of trees and flowering plants grow well here and we have a nice, long growing season. Join MARSH - the local chapter of NC Wildlife Federation in the 28173 zip code, the Union County Extension Master Gardeners, NC State Extension and the Wild Ones Charlotte Piedmont Chapter for a collaborative five class series focused on gardening in the Mecklenburg/Union County area for new residents and/or new gardeners.

Classes will be approximately 2 hours in length with time for questions and discussion. We will provide educational materials, videos, useful websites and after class support. 

The Syllabus 

2/27/22 Class 1 
The Basics with Cindy Proctor, CPCC Horticulture Instructor
Topics include sunlight requirements, soil, planting times, watering, plant care, composting.

3/6/23 Class 2
The Yard with Debbie Dillion, Union County Extension Horticulture and Linda Nelson, President Wild Ones Charlotte Piedmont Chapter
Topics include to turf or not, basic landscaping plants and plans.

3/13/23 Class 3
The Food with Don Boekelheide Community Gardening Expert
Topics include basic vegetable and fruit growing, seed starting, plant care, timing, sun, feeding, best varieties.

3/20/23 Class 4
The Wildlife with Carol Buie-Jackson, Founder of HAWK, NCWF Chapter in Matthews
Topics include: “why plant natives?”, plants for butterflies, bees and birds and all the other creatures, maintenance advantages of adding more natives

3/27/20 Class 5
Bringing it all Together with all instructors and Lisa Tompkins, owner Carolina Heritage Nursery
This class will be a panel discussion to bring all the information together and discuss next steps for attendees. We will also have plants for sale!

March 2023

Mar
18

PRESSED PLANTS & PINNED INSECTS - The Biological Collections of Mecklenburg

This event has ended
Saturday, March 18th, 2023
to (Eastern Time)
Reedy Creek Nature Center & Nature Preserve , 2986 Rocky River Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28215 Map

Public Welcome Program/Speaker Presentation Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Lots of Physical Activity Drinking Fountains

Join us for a presentation and a guided tour of the herbarium collections at the Dr. James F Matthews Center for Biodiversity Studies (CBS) at Reedy Creek Nature Center. It is a rare opportunity to see these scientific collections and learn why this type of preservation is vital to our ensuring area's biodiversity. I have visited before, and it is fascinating!

As space is limited in the herbarium, registration is limited to 20 people. Members were given the first opportunity to register but space is still available. Join us and register soon! 

April 2023

Apr
15

EARTH DAY WITH KIDS IN NATURE DAY 2023

This event has ended
Saturday, April 15th, 2023
to (Eastern Time)
Squirrel Lake Park, 1631 Pleasant Plains Rd, Matthews, NC, 28105 Map

Public Welcome Free Event

Wild Ones Charlotte Piedmont Chapter is invited to exhibit at this festival at Squirrel Lake Park in Matthews, NC. Activities and displays at the festival include: Eco-friendly exhibits (that's us!) and vendors, hikes and scavenger hunts, kids' nature crafts and STEM activities, and other free family fun. 

Apr
22

INVASIVE PLANT REMOVAL

This event has ended
Saturday, April 22nd, 2023
to (Eastern Time)
Chantilly Ecological Sanctuary, 2656 Laburnum Ave, Charlotte, NC, 28205 Map

Public Welcome Free Event Plant Salvage/Rescue Free Public Parking Lots of Physical Activity

Celebrate Earth Day with action! Join us in removing invasive English ivy, privet, kudzu, and other invasive plants from Chantilly Ecological Sanctuary. This event is co-sponsored with our chapter, Charlotte Wildlife Stewards, and NC Native Plant Society Charlotte Chapter. 

May 2023

May
21

Member Garden Tour

This event has ended
Sunday, May 21st, 2023
to (Eastern Time)

Public Welcome Family Friendly Free Event Home Garden Tour Lots of Physical Activity

Join us for a visit to a  Wild Ones Member Garden - Putting chaos back into controlled chaos gardening.  
This garden was started out of necessity: Erosion control. It morphed into “let’s save all the pollinators and birds and reptiles and amphibians and small and large mammals…”
Come see how it’s going now. We will discuss erosion control, invasive plant identification, removal methods and timing, native plant identification, finding “free” native plants, green mulch, layered plantings, piedmont prairies, rain gardens, and probably a lot more. More info on the registration page!

June 2023

Jun
17

No risky business! Natives, cultivars, and an integrated design approach.

This event has ended
Saturday, June 17th, 2023
to (Eastern Time)
Dearness Gardens Nursery, 13501 S Old Statesville Rd, Huntersville, NC, 28078 Map

Public Welcome Family Friendly Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains

Kick off National Pollinator Week with Wild Ones! Hear from the nursery trade when Dearness Gardens Nursery & Landscaping in Huntersville hosts our June meeting. They will provide a talk titled No risky business! Natives, cultivars, and an integrated design approach.  Making it simple, pragmatic & rewarding to contribute to a healthy ecosystem in your backyard and beyond!!! No signup required. 
Address:  13501 S Old Statesville Rd, Huntersville, NC 28078

Please park in the lot to the left of the building. 

Added bonus: Dearness will offer discounts to those who attend.

Read More

September 2023

Sep
11

Introduction to Wild Ones - Presentation to Iredell County Master Gardeners

This event has ended
Monday, September 11th, 2023
to (Eastern Time)
Iredell County Administration Offices

Public Welcome Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation

As request of the program chair, Linda Nelson was ask to vie a similar presentation that was given to the Native Plant Society meeting in January. Linda spoke about Wild Ones Charlotte Piedmont Chapter and the benefits of native plants to increase biodiversity. 

Sep
23

Union County Heritage Festival

This event has ended
Saturday, September 23rd, 2023
to (Eastern Time)
Union County Agricultural Center, 3230 Presson Rd, Monroe, NC, 28112 Map

Public Welcome Family Friendly Public Restroom Free Public Parking

The event is a celebration of the natural, cultural, and historical heritage of Union County. The aim is to provide inspiration to attain and sustain a healthy lifestyle, community and environment. Vendors and exhibitors include arts and crafts, plants and natural products, lawn and garden, historical, cultural, nature and science, health and fitness, and recycling and conservation.

Read More

October 2023

Oct
1

Charlotte Wildlife Stewards Kids in Nature

This event has ended
Sunday, October 1st, 2023
to (Eastern Time)
Reedy Creek Nature Center & Nature Preserve - Shelter 4, 2986 Rocky River Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28215 Map

Public Welcome Family Friendly Public Restroom Free Public Parking

Kids in Nature Day (KIND) is a free, fun-filled, hands-on adventure where kids and families get up close with nature! Activities include meeting animal ambassadors, creating art from things found only in nature, a guided nature hike, exploring native plants and animals, animal-themed yoga, and more.

“Teaching children about the natural world should be treated as one of the most important events of their lives.”  - Thomas Berry

Read More

Oct
12

"Creating and Managing Landscapes for Native Bees" with Heather Holm

Hosted by Wild Ones National
This event has ended
Thursday, October 12th, 2023
to (Eastern Time)
Online/Virtual

Public Welcome Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation

Join Wild Ones Honorary Director Heather Holm as she explores the nesting habitats, life cycles, pollen collection, brood rearing, and general characteristics of some of the most common native bees in eastern North America, while highlighting the pollination of native plants and the mutualism between native plants and native bees.

When creating and managing thriving habitats for native bees, many factors such as seasonal phenology, nesting strategies, and flower preferences must be considered—and with approximately 3,600 species in North America (north of Mexico), there are many unique aspects to keep in mind when managing successful landscapes for bees. 

Read More

Oct
14

Charlotte Monarch Celebration

This event has ended
Saturday, October 14th, 2023
to (Eastern Time)
Reedy Creek Nature Center & Nature Preserve , 2986 Rocky River Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28215 Map

Public Welcome Family Friendly Free Event Public Restroom Free Public Parking

A celebration on monarch butterflies and other pollinators. Learn how we can protect their habitats. Activities include crafts, seed giveaways, a monarch march around the pollinator garden, a photo booth with wings and other props and educational discussions about monarchs.

November 2023

Nov
16

"The Gardener's Guide to Prairie Plants" with Neil Diboll and Hilary Cox

Hosted by Wild Ones National
This event has ended
Thursday, November 16th, 2023
to (Eastern Time)
Online/Virtual

Public Welcome Will be Recorded Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation

Join us for an enlightening webinar featuring authors, Neil Diboll and Hilary Cox, as they present their latest book, "The Gardener’s Guide to Prairie Plants." This comprehensive compendium is a treasure trove of knowledge for gardeners looking to incorporate native prairie plants into their landscapes. Neil and Hilary will delve into the making and application of this essential guide, sharing rich historical and ecological insights about prairie ecosystems, all while showcasing stunning images of prairie flora. 

Read More