Events

Hands-On workshop to learn how to sow native seeds in mini containers that can be grown outside this Winter season.  In the Spring, you'll have native seedlings ready to plant! 

Bring 1 - 2 empty, clean milk/water jugs.  Soil and Native Seeds will be provided.

Inclement Weather Alternate Date: January 18th* (Same Time & Location)

* Check our Facebook page if the weather is questionable.  

Rod Tondreau, from Western Iowa Tech's Biology department, will present how to germinate native grass and wildflower seeds. Examples of some of the more difficult seeds to start will be included in the discussion. 

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.

Come see our own Danielle Metzger, Wild Ones, Loess Hills chapter secretary,  present “Residential Landscaping with Native Plants” at Sioux County Extension's Native Plant Day.  Danielle will be sharing her experiences about what has worked well in her native gardens at 11am.  

And while you're there, why not stay for all the Native Plant programs?  It's gonna be a fun day filled with many nuggets of information on how to use native plants in areas small and large.   

For the complete Native Plant Program description, see this flyer:

https://www.extension.iastate.edu/lyon/native-plant-day-march-1-2025

Register by February 27th:

Learn how to help our essential native pollinators on Saturday, March 8 at 10:00 a.m. at the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. 

Jamie Beyer will present the program, Pollinator Friendly Plants and Habitat Pollinators include butterflies, hummingbirds, native bees and honeybees. Beyer will share EASY and FUN ways to help these critters like planting beautiful nectar producing plants. The HARD part is creating a different attitude and habits such as less mowing and less use of herbicides/pesticides. Truly, this should be the easy part since it requires less work. 

There will be two basic themes to this presentation; “In nature, diversity is the key to stability” and the other is “the more you know the less you mow”!!

Beyer is a Lifetime Master Gardener, a beekeeper, and water garden consultant from Boone, Iowa. He has received numerous accolades for his efforts over the years including from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Iowa Beekeepers Association. 

This presentation is co-sponsored by the Loess Hills Wild Ones and the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. The program is free and open to the public.

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.

Loess Hills Wild Ones will share details of the native plants that will be available at the upcoming Spring Plant Sale. This is a great way to learn more about native wildflowers and grasses which can help you plan your own garden.

The program will also feature a rollout of the grants available for individuals and local organizations to apply for native plants.

Join us to clean-up a section of Lincoln Way along Sioux City's South Ravine Park.  We'll meet at the gravel parking lot at S. Ravine Park which is just East of the intersection of Lincoln Way and S.  Lewis Boulevard in Sioux City, IA.  

Hi-visibility vests and large orange plastic bags for collecting trash will be provided.  Bring your own water, trash picker, garden gloves, and wear sturdy walking shoes.    

This is always a very worthwhile event and we hope you will join us for a little productive outdoor recreation.

Members Only Plant Sale Preview Event.  Members get reduced pricing and first choice at the plants today. 

Join at: https://loesshills.wildones.org

Spring Grant Awards will be announced at 5:30 p.m

Shop for native wildflowers and grasses at this public native plant sale.

Awarded Sioux City's Yard of the Year in 2022, Tom & Cheri Stewart have created an ever-expanding, backyard native garden paradise in Sioux City's morningside area that's both beautiful and ecologically significant.  Come walk the gardens and enjoy the pollinators who are also visiting!  

Then relax on a garden bench while enjoying some refreshments.  Or shop the native plant sale and pick up a few natives for your own yard.

Proceeds from the plant sale go towards funding native plant gardens in the Siouxland region.

The Metzger native gardens were started in Spring of 2020 by Danielle & James and are ever expanding with each passing year. Each garden has a name and was designed by Danielle using plants mostly from Loess Hills Wild Ones native plant sales.

Most of the rock borders for the gardens were transported from Danielle’s father’s farm located in Buena Vista County. Danielle has a love for grasses and sedges.  Her favorite wildflowers are the different species of Purple Coneflower Echinacea and Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa. Her love of the Monarch Butterfly is what sparked and ignited her joy of native gardening.

The garden tour is free, open to the public, and an open house format. Come and go as you please.  Refreshments and restrooms will be available.

The Loess Hills chapter of Wild Ones is a non-profit organization that promotes planting native landscapes, both small and large, in Iowa, South Dakota, and Nebraska. Native plants attract native pollinators and other wildlife, enhancing your home and the environment. 

Details coming soon! 

Details coming soon! 

Details coming soon!