Rock River Valley Chapter - Events

The Wild Ones Rock River Valley Chapter generally meets on the third Thursday of the month, at 7:00 p.m. and ending around 9:00. The time and location varies, depending on the event. Unless otherwise stated, we meet at Burpee Museum of Natural History , 737 N. Main in Rockford. All meetings are designed to provide ideas, know-how, and inspiration. Meetings usually consist of how-to-do-it sessions, presentations by experts in prairie, woodland, and wetland native plants and related subjects, and members profiling their own projects.

During the summer months we often participate in show me/help me tours where members tour fellow member's yards. We offer ideas and suggestions to the hosting members and learn from seeing natually landscaped yards.

To see a calendar of upcoming meetings, click here. For further information, please contact: Constance McCarthy, President, at  815-282-0316 or President

Annual Events

Native Plant Sale and Shrub and Tree Sale

The purpose of the sales is to encourage home owners, businesses, schools and churches to use native plants for environmentally sound landscaping practices.

Plant Sale

Our annual plant sale, held in the spring, offers wildflowers, grasses, and sedges that are native to our area.

Shrub and Tree Sale

Our annual shrub and tree sale, usually held in the fall, offers healthy trees and shrubs that are native to our area.

Show Me/Help Me Day

In addition to our regular meetings, we hold special events such as these informal tours. The purpose is to give members an opportunity to show off their native landscapes and to seek advice from others. Members also get to learn how others use native plants. The most helpful aspect of the Show Me/Help Me Day is the exchange of ideas and building relationships. The discussion is beneficial for the homeowner and the visitor alike.

Past tours have included city lots, rural lots, a former nursery, and a sand prairie under restoration. Members tour all sites or any of them at the appropriate time. Visitors drive to the sites, following a schedule. The Show Me/Help Me tours are offered whenever practical, usually during the summer months. For members and their invited guests. The schedule is published in our newsletter.

Mentoring

Our chapter was the first to offer an official mentoring program for our members. More experienced members mentor our newer, inexperienced members. The mentor visits the mentee's property and offers one-on-one advice to help them learn more about, and plant, native plants and enviromental friendly landscaping. Typically the mentor meets with the mentee more than once. The mentee is encouraged to follow the mentor's advice, self-learn about natives and sign up to be on a show me/help me tour.

Nursery Tour and Plant Discount

Occasionally local nurseries give tours of their facilities and then offer their plants at a discount for members only.

October Saturdays

Members have participated in restoration work on the Perryville Prairie, a small gravel hill prairie which the Chapter stewards. After clearing brush and cleaning up trash, members have the opportunity to collect seed.

Plant Rescues and Seed Collections

As opportunities present themselves, rescues and seed collection events are offered during the year. Rescues are generally are held in the spring and fall and the location varies depending on availability. Seed collection is conducted in the fall, sometimes in conjunction with a rescue. Whenever possible, rescued plants and collected seed are shared with local conservation areas. For members only. For more information, contact John Peterson at 815-248-2110 or Rescues and Seed Collection Chair.

Seed Exchange and Potluck Dinner

Held in November, members bring identified and sorted native seed to exchange with others and participate in a potluck dinner. Those who do not have seed to exchange are encouraged to attend because there is always more than enough seed to go around.

Past Meetings

Meetings cover a variety of topics to address the needs of a diverse membership. Some programs offer the basic information needed by those members who are just starting out. Other programs are designed for the more experienced members. The following is just a sample of the past meetings.

For more information, contact Ginnie Watson, Vice-President, Programs at, 815-398-0138 or Programs.

Woodland Wildflowers Anne Meyer, former owner of Enders Greenhouse and native plant expert, gave a slide presentation showing off the wide variety of native plants that grow in savana and woodland settings.

Getting Started with Native Landscaping Joyce Powers of Prairie Ridge Nursery in Mt. Horeb, WI showed slides of the many and diverse native plants that can be used in lanscape designs.

Insects of the Natural Landscape

Dr. Michael Jeffords, noted entomologist with the Illinois Natural History Survey, introduced us to the bold and the beautiful, the hardy and the humble, the pests as well as the pollinators. Known for his wonderful nature photographs, Dr. Jeffords lead us on a journey of discovery as we become familiar with the diminutive native wildlife in our area!