This Week in Gardening & Nature

Plant of the Week: Native Goldenrod.

St. Louis Master Gardeners Horticulture Answer Service: Monday through Thursday from 9 am. to 2:30 pm

Plan your garden with Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar, good for Zones 6a, 6b, 7a, maybe more.

If you are just looking for St. Louis Area Plant and Seed Swaps and Sales, they are here. No additions this week, only clean up.

Find a Native Plant/Seed vendor in Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Kansas,… (Grow Native)

Good Reads/Views/Listens —

September Gardening Tips: Outdoor Flowering Plants & Ornamentals, Vegetable Gardening, Fruits & Nuts, Lawns, Indoor Plants (University of Missouri Extension)

September Gardening Tips, Tasks, and Problems (Missouri Botanical Garden)

How to Divide and Transplant Perennials in Fall (P. Allen Smith)

YouTube. Season Extension and Winter Gardening (Seed St. Louis)

Crape myrtle: Colorful southern shrub that’s moving north (University of Missouri Extension)

Deep Roots Kansas City Native Plant Gardening Videos

Seed St. Louis Videos: Variety Trials, Virtual Classes, Starting Seeds Indoors, Orchard Tips, Gardening Tips & How To, In the Community Garden, Youth Garden Activities & Tips, Teachers in the Garden Tutorials. I will continue promoting the online resources and activities of Seed St. Louis where appropriate. I will not, however, knowingly promote events at Maxine Clark’s school privatization campus named Delmar Divine. It is unfortunate that Seed St. Louis is now a tenant there.

Growing Vegetables Advice: Begin with a Plan, Seed Starting, Soil Management, Weed Management, Hardening Off Indoor Seedlings, Season Extension, Supporting Plants, Pest Management, Fertilizing Your Garden, Irrigation, Garden Tool Care, Container Gardens, more (University of Illinois Extension)

Shaw Nature Reserve Propagation Guide

Free Native Garden Designs @ Wild Ones. There’s one specific to St. Louis, one for Chicago, one for Denver, …

Native plant gardening in a pot. Missouri Botanical Garden has container designs for sun and shade.

Illinois Native Plants for the Home Landscape

Missouri Native Plant Top 10 Lists (Grow Native) Native Plants for Children, Poorly Drained Clay Soil, Sun, Shade, Half Sun & Half Shade, Under Utility Poles, Rain Gardens, Kitchen Gardens, Bees, Pollinators in Winter, Hummingbirds, Wildlife, Butterflies, More

2023 Plants of Merit – Annuals, Bulbs, Edibles, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees, Vines (Missouri Botanical Garden)

2023 Plants of Demerit – Bamboo, Big Leaf Hydrangea, Blueberry, Burning Bush, Chameleon Plant, Lavender, Pin Oak, Wintercreeper (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Gardening and Nature Events —

—– ONGOING —–

Fall Color Reports: Illinois and Missouri

Going on Now: Missouri Conservation Annual Tree Seedling Sale. Orders ship out in Spring. 36 Tree Varieties (Dogwoods, Rose Mallow/Hibiscus, Wild Plum as examples) and Bundles (Edible, Nut, Pollinator, Wildlife) still available. 28 Tree Varieties Sold Out in the first week.

MU Extension wants your input on Alpha-Gal Syndrome. Tickborne disease can cause allergies to red meat; new survey seeks input to guide education, resources on emerging health issue. Take the survey even if you have not been affected.

Volunteers Wanted. STL Neighborhood Foresters Neighborhood Tree Care Blitzes
September 13th Tower Grove East. Register
September 13th Benton Park West. Register
September 20th Old North. Register
September 20th Benton Park. Register
September 21st Shaw. Register
September 27th Bevo. Register

September 26th Deadline to Order. Brightside St. Louis Blooming Soon! Tulip & Daffodil Bulb Sale. 30 bulbs only $18: Brightside’s “Midwest Mix” Daffodils – a selection of 6 varieties of fine daffodils chosen by the Greater St. Louis Daffodil Society; Carlton Daffodils; “Brightside Red” hybrid Darwin Tulips; Pink Impression hybrid Darwin Tulips. Order now for October pick up October 10th-11th at Forest Park Greenhouse or pay for mailing.

September 30th Deadline to participate in University of Missouri Extension Online St. Louis City & County Gardening Needs Assessments Survey

November 15th Deadline for Wild Ones’ Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Program. Open to schools, nature center, after-school care programs, community centers or youth groups in need of funding for a native garden or habitat, projects such as pollinator gardens, rain gardens to improve water quality, tallgrass prairies, native plant monarch waystations featuring community science activities, and sensory and natural playgrounds.

November 15th Deadline to enter Missouri Snapshots Photo Contest sponsored by Missouri State Parks and Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives’ Rural Missouri magazine. Categories: Parks Less Traveled, Adventure & Recreation, Park Heroes & Volunteers at Work, Learning Something New, On the Trail

Now thru March 31st, 2026, Missouri Botanical Garden exhibit at Sachs Museum, Missouri Botanical Garden: Smelling the Bouquet- Plants & Scents in the Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

—– DAILY —–

9 am Tuesday, September 9th, The Nature Institute hiking event at Godfrey, Illinois: Roaming Naturalists, Native Fall Fruits Hike. Register

1-4 pm Tuesday, September 9th, Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Horticulture Class: Oak Trees. $15 Donation suggested. Register

6 pm Tuesday, September 9th, University of Missouri Extension Virtual Class: Cover Crops & Soil Health for Vegetable Gardens. $10. Register

6 pm Tuesday, September 9th, The Nature Institute class at Godfrey, Illinois: Plant Identification Workshop. Learn basic plant anatomy, field guide instruction, Illinois wildflower identification. $25 fee includes copy of Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Register

9 am Wednesday, September 10th, Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Arboretum Tour – Wildwood Valley Garden Walk with Horticulturist. $5 Donation suggested. Register

4 pm Wednesday, September 10th, Missouri Prairie Foundation Wetlands Webinar Series: Wiski/Oski (River Cane)- A Keystone Species in the Floodplain and in Chickasaw Culture. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am Thursday, September 11th, Heartlands Conservancy event at Poag Sand Prairie, Edwardsville, IL: Monarch Tagging and Stewardship Day presented by Kent H. Sanmann, Natural Resources Instructor, The College of the Muscogee Nation. Register

3-5 pm Thursday, September 11th, St. Louis Public Library event at Baden Library: Mums the Word, Fall Garden Gathering

Only a two hour drive from St. Louis 4:30-7 pm Thursday, September 11th, Lincoln University Cooperative Extension’s Ferntastic Fair in Jefferson City. Explore native ferns. Register by September 10th to receive a potted fern.

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am Friday, September 12th, Heartlands Conservancy event at Exploration Garden, Clinton Hills Conservation Park, Swansea, IL: Monarch Tagging and Stewardship Day. Register

5 pm Friday, September 12th, Audubon Center at Riverlands event at West Alton, Missouri: Riverlands Wellness- Bikes, Birds, & Brews. $20. Register

8 am to Noon Saturday, September 13th, Edwardsville IL Garden Club Plant Sale at St. Mary’s Church Parking Lot

9 am to Noon Saturday, September 13th, St. Charles Mo Master Gardeners event in St. Peters: In The Garden 2025, Fall Session- Planting Garlic, Prepping & Planting Fall & Spring Bulbs, Fall Lawn Renovation and Maintenance. $20. Register

9 am to 1 pm Saturday, September 13th, Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at The Nature Institute, Godfrey, Illinois

11 am Saturday, September 13th, St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens August 16th

1 pm Saturday, September 13th, St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Mad About Mushrooms

2:30 pm Saturday, September 13th, St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Fascinating Victorian Gardens

2:30 pm Saturday, September 13th, The Nature Institute hike in Godfrey, Illinois: Bird Hike with educators from Audubon Center at Riverlands. $5. Register

3 pm Saturday, September 13th, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival event at Strauss Park, Grand Center: A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Free

9:30 am to 12:30 pm Sunday, September 14th, St. Louis Native Plant Swap’s Fall Swap at 722 Delchester Ln, Kirkwood. Only native plants/cuttings/seeds. Write name on plants. Prefer bare roots to avoid spreading jumpworms. This is a FB event that someone sent me information on but I don’t share FB links.

1 1/2 hours from St. Louis. 11 am to 2 pm Sunday, September 14th, Join Missouri Prairie Foundation and Missouri Conservation Department for Monarch Tagging at Edgar Prairie, near Rolla. Register

1-4 pm Sunday, September 14th, Oratorio STL Workshop at St. Francis de Sales Oratory: Courtyard Urbanism: Building Cities for Families. Register

6:30 pm Sunday, September 14th, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival event at Love Bank, Cherokee Street: A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Free

10 am September 17th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5 Donation suggested. Register

2 pm September 17th Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Missouri Native Trees and Shrubs for Urban Landscapes. Register

6 pm September 18th Wild Ones Webinar: EcoBeneficial Landscape Strategies for the Climate Crisis. Register

6 pm Septepmber 18th Seed St. Louis Class at Bell Community Garden: Successful Weed Management. Register

3:30 pm September 19th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Native Plants- Seed Sowing Basics. Register

10 am September 20th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Arboretum Trolley Tour with Horticulturist. $5 Donation suggested. Register

10 am to 1 pm September 20th Missouri Botanical Garden event: Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing Celebration. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

10 am to Noon September 20th Missouri Coalition for the Environment Annual Meeting & Awards Bruncheon at SqWires. Free MCE members; $45 for non-members. Register/Join

1:30 pm September 20th Join Grow Native! for a Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Wildwood Valley Walking Tour with James Faupel, Director of Horticulture and Curator of Living Collections. Register

4-8 pm September 20th Soulard Garden Co-op fundraising event at 2331 S 9th: Garden Party. Food, drink, music, 50-50 raffle.

10 am to 2 pm September 22nd Bring Conservation Home Expo at Tower Grove Park. Missouri Wildflower Nursery and other vendors will be selling but you can also order plants for pick up at the event.

6:30 pm September 23th Illinois Sierra Club Virtual Workshop: Clean Energy for our Communities, status of wind and solar energy throughout Illinois. Register

3:30-6:30 pm September 25th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at Roeslein & Associates, Crestwood

6 pm September 25th Seed St. Louis Class Virtual Class: Transitioning to Fall Container Gardening. Register

9 am to 2 pm Friday and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, September 26th-27th, Flyleaf Market monthly pop up on 1st floor of Watson Terrace Christian Church, Watson @ Winnebago: Succulent & Tropical Plant Sale. This involves a very cool Citizen Growers program.

9 am to Noon September 27th Webster Groves Herb Society Display at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

10 am September 27th St. Louis County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Oak Bend Branch. Refreshments.

10 am to 1 pm September 27th Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing Celebration at Mississippi Greenway

11 am and 1 pm September 27th Missouri Botanical Garden concert at Sachs Museum: Musical Scents- Voices in the Garden, performances by Benedetta Orsi and St. Louis Women’s Chorale. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

11 am to 4 pm September 27th STL Seeding Frenzy’s Homesteaders Hoedown, Exchange & Tool Swap at Watson Trail Park, Sunset Hills

1 pm September 27th St. Louis County Library Plant Swap at Grand Glaize Branch, Manchester

4-7 pm September 27th Forest ReLeaf Fundraiser: Arbormeisters

7 Tickets available. 8:30 am September 28th St. Louis Audubon Society event at Tower Grove Park: Beginner Bird Walk. Register

1:30 pm September 30th University of Illinois Extension Webinar: Be a Seed Shaker: Which Are Worth Saving? Register

10 am October 1st Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5 Donation suggested. Register

2 pm October 1st Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: St. Louis Native Plants in a Changing Climate. Register

October 3rd-5th Best of Missouri Market at Missouri Botanical Garden. Missouri Wildflowers Nursery is usually a vendor and this is last opportunity to purchase native plants in St. Louis City for the year. Admission Fee applies.

10 am to 3 pm October 4th Willoughby Farm’s Fall Farm Day at Collinsville, Illinois. $3 per person.

Noon to 4 pm October 4th Benton Park Neighborhood Association event: Benton Park Tunes on Tap – A Musical Garden Tour. Six home gardens. Live music and drinks from local breweries. Tickets $35 General Admission, $65 VIP. Advance sales end September 14th. Register

1 pm October 4th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: How Indigenous People Used Native Plants for Their Health and Well-Being

October 5th-6th Baker Creek Fall Harvest Festival in Mansfield, Wright County, MO, about a 3 1/2 hour drive from St. Louis or Kansas City

5:30 pm October 9th Seed St. Louis Class at Bell Community Garden: Food All Winter- Harvesting & Storing Fall Crops. Register

10:30 am October 11th Seed St. Louis Class at Bell Community Garden: Building a Children’s Garden. Register

11 am October 11th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens September 13th

11 am and 1 pm October 11th Missouri Botanical Garden event at Sachs Museum: Poetry and Scents, the poetry of Devin Johnston. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

10 am to 2 pm October 12th Sustainable Backyard Network Fall Fest Sustainability Fair & Native Plant Sale at Garden Chapel Sanctuary, St. Louis County. Event isn’t under their calendar, scroll down link for the event flyer

2 pm October 14th St. Louis County Library Virtual Class: Fall Gardening Wrap-Up presented by Seed St. Louis. Register

4:30-9:30 pm October 14th The Royale & Missouri Botanical Gardens’s Show Me Your Harvest Cocktail Competition 2025 at The Royale. Tickets $45. Register

2 pm October 15th Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Native Gardening Maintenance Tips, Tricks and Hacks. Register

6 pm October 16th Wild Ones Virtual Event: Next Steps for Nature presented by entomologist and ecologist Doug Tallamy. Register

6-9 pm October 17th Urban Harvest Raise the Roof fundraiser at Sally’s Rooftop Garden & Terrace, Grand Center. Tickets $60.54. Register

9 am October 18th Seed St. Louis Garlic, Shallot, Plant Sale at Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Also selling overwintering cover crop seeds and Dig Annuals & Perennials will be selling perennials, shrubs, trees.

10 am to Noon October 18th Forest Releaf event at Scott Joplin House: Persimmon Festival and Tree Distribution

1:30 pm October 21st University of Illinois Extension Webinar: Reclaiming Runaway Landscapes. Register

2 pm October 21st St. Louis County Library Virtual Class: Composting 101 presented by Seed St. Louis. Register

9 am to 2 pm Friday and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, October 24th-25th, Flyleaf Market monthly pop up on 1st floor of Watson Terrace Christian Church, Watson @ Winnebago: Succulent & Tropical Plant Sale. This involves a very cool Citizen Growers program.

5-8 pm October 25th Seed St. Louis event at Bell Community Garden: Fair on the Farm & Chili Cook Off

2 pm October 28th St. Louis County Library Virtual Class: Indoor Food Gardening presented by Seed St. Louis. Register

1 pm November 1st St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Decorating with Herbs

11 am November 8th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens October 11th

November 15th to January 3rd Missouri Botanical Garden exhibit at Emerson Conservatory: Holiday Flower and Train Show. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

1 pm December 6th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Preventing Winter Plant Damage

9 am to 2 pm Friday and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, December 12th-13th, Flyleaf Market monthly pop up on 1st floor of Watson Terrace Christian Church, Watson @ Winnebago: Succulent & Tropical Plant Sale. This involves a very cool Citizen Growers program.

11 am December 13th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens November 15th

11 am to 4 pm January 24th 15th Annual STL Seeding Frenzy Seed Swap at Sunset Hills Community Center, 3915 South Lindbergh Blvd. Seed Swap, Vendors, Raffle. Lable seeds. If you do not have seeds to swap, donate non-perishable food items, hygiene products or new kids socks and underwear for charity. This is a FB event that someone sent me information on but I don’t share FB links.

The last #GardenSunday hosted by me on Bluesky was August 31st due to inability to draft posts (please don’t suggest adding another app to make Bluesky work better) and dwindling active accounts from St. Louis area. I appreciate everyone who participated in Garden Sunday for 181 weeks on Twitter and then 40 weeks on Bluesky. We had a good run. It was a lot of fun and I learned much from and was inspired by so many gardeners and nature lovers. St. Louis Area Plant and Seeds Sales and Swaps and This Week in Gardening & Nature will continue on this blog and links posted to Bluesky. Should Bluesky make changes, such as ability to draft posts, would consider bringing back Garden Sunday.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

a dozen turnips with green tops on wood kitchen table

Plant of the Week: Turnips. Swap out potatoes for turnips and make Turnips Au Gratin. Sauté the greens for quiche.

Plan your garden with Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar, good for Zones 6a, 6b, 7a, maybe more. Start seeds indoors for August planting of lettuce and parsley. Sow Fall carrots outdoors. Transplant Fall Broccoli, Cabbage.

St. Louis Master Gardeners Horticulture Answer Service: Monday through Thursday from 9 am. to 2:30 pm

If you are just looking for St. Louis Area Plant and Seed Swaps and Sales, they are here. Added this week: presale info for Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflower Sale; Fall native plant sale by Missouri Wildflowers Nursery at Kirkwood Farmers Market; Missouri Prairie Foundation native plant sale in Godfrey IL; Missouri Pollinator Network Pollinator Palooza;

Find a Native Plant/Seed vendor in Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Kansas,… (Grow Native)

River City Outdoors St. Louis now offers a Gear Lending Library for outdoor recreation equipment rentals to St. Louis City residents and St. Louis regional organizations that take children, families, and groups on outdoor trips.

Good Reads/Views/Listens —

This Gardening Mistake Might Be the Reason Hummingbirds Aren’t Visiting Your Yard (Good Housekeeping)

Nick Offerman Is Sounding the Alarm: America’s National Parks Are Under Attack (The Daily Show)

Missouri Prairie Journal, Summer 2025 Edition (Missouri Prairie Foundation)

Breakthrough discovery shows that moths listen to plants — and avoid the noisy ones (CNN)

‘Intrinsically connected’: how human neurodiversity could help save nature. Biodiversity is linked to people’s diversity, and nature lends itself to people who are different, says author Joe Harkness (The Guardian)

Mastercard’s biggest U.S. data center is in Missouri — it will soon be powered by solar (St. Louis Public Radio)

Deep Roots Kansas City Native Plant Gardening Videos

Shaw Nature Reserve Propagation Guide

Free Native Garden Designs @ Wild Ones. There’s one specific to St. Louis, one for Chicago, one for Denver, …

Native plant gardening in a pot. Missouri Botanical Garden has container designs for sun and shade.

Illinois Native Plants for the Home Landscape

2023 Plants of Merit – Annuals, Bulbs, Edibles, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees, Vines (Missouri Botanical Garden)

2023 Plants of Demerit – Bamboo, Big Leaf Hydrangea, Blueberry, Burning Bush, Chameleon Plant, Lavender, Pin Oak, Wintercreeper (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Gardening and Nature Events —

ONGOING

See a gillion sunflowers at Columbia Bottom Nature Conservation Area

Going on now Brightside St. Louis Blooming Soon! Tulip & Daffodil Bulb Sale. 30 bulbs only $18: Brightside’s “Midwest Mix” Daffodils – a selection of 6 varieties of fine daffodils chosen by the Greater St. Louis Daffodil Society; Carlton Daffodils; “Brightside Red” hybrid Darwin Tulips; Pink Impression hybrid Darwin Tulips. Order now for October pick up October 10th-11th at Forest Park Greenhouse or pay for mailing.

Volunteers Wanted. STL Neighborhood Foresters Neighborhood Tree Care Blitzes
August 2nd Hyde Park. Register
August 3rd Forest Park Southeast. Register
August 9th Benton Park West. Register
August 9th Tower Grove East. Register
August 16th Old North. Register
August 17th Shaw. Register

Now thu July 28th Art Exhibit at Kemper Art Museum, Washington University- Seeds: Containers of a World to Come

Now thru July 31st Art Exhibit at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Naturalist Intern Nila Milo’s “Fawning for Missouri’s Flora & Fauna”

Register for 15 Week (August 10th to December 23rd) University of Missouri Extension Course: Missouri Master Gardener Online Core Training. $200. Register

August 29th Deadline to submit entries for Wild Ones Photo Contest. Categories: Living Things, Home Landscapes, Signs of Spring, Events

Now thru August 31st St. Louis Public Library Art Exhibit at Buder Library: Carolyn Lewis‘ Empowering Our Community, Fifty Empowerment Birds created using fabric, dried paint palettes, and dictionary pages from the 1940’s.

September 1st Deadline to enter 12th Annual Missouri Department of Natural Resources Photo Contest. Categories: Natural Resources, Unique Places, People Enjoying Missouri’s Outdoors

November 15th Deadline for Wild Ones’ Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Program. Open to schools, nature centesr, after-school care programs, community centers or youth groups in need of funding for a native garden or habitat, projects such as pollinator gardens, rain gardens to improve water quality, tallgrass prairies, native plant monarch waystations featuring community science activities, and sensory and natural playgrounds.

November 15th Deadline to enter Missouri Snapshots Photo Contest sponsored by Missouri State Parks and Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives’s Rural Missouri magazine. Catergories: Parks Less Traveled, Adventure & Recreation, Park Heroes & Volunteers at Work, Learning Something New, On The Trail

DAILY

9 am to 4 pm Sunday, July 27th, Shaw Cactus & Succulent Sale at Jost Event Center, St. Louis County

2 pm & 4 pm Sunday, July 27th, Audubon Center at Riverlands event at West Alton, MO: Bridging Music & Nature, an afternoon of concerts by Riverbend Community Orchestra and educational activities. Register

9 Tickets remaining. 9 am Wednesday, July 30th, Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Summer Birding Hike on Broken Ridge Trail. Register

4 pm Wednesday, July 30th, Grow Native! Webinar: Lessons Learned at Primrose Prairie. Register

5:30 pm Wednesday, July 30th, Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll. $5 Donation suggested. Register

6:30 pm Wednesday, July 30th, Eastern Missouri Sierra Club hike in Oakville MO: Cliff Cave Park Evening Hike. 3-4 mile hike on the bluffs above Mississippi River. Register

3 Seats remaining. For ages 0-7 years. 10:30 am Thursday, July 31st, Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Conservation Kids- You and Me under the Canopy- Summer Sensations. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 8 am Saturday, August 2nd, Heartlands Conservancy Poag Sand Prairie Restoration Stewardship Day, Edwardsville, Illinois. Register

9 am to 5 pm Saturday-Sunday, August 2nd-3rd Greater St. Louis Iris Society Plant Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

1 pm Saturday, August 2nd, St. Louis City Public Library class at Central Library: Harvesting and Preserving Herbs

5:30 pm Saturday, August 2nd, Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll. $5 Donation suggested. Register

2 pm August 5th St. Louis County Public Library Virtual Class: Seed Saving and Plant Breeding presented by Seed St. Louis. Register

9 am August 5th Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflowers Market online pre-sale begins for September 5th event at Gray Summit, Franklin County MO

9 am August 6th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Summer Wildflower Walk with Horticulturist. $5 donation suggested. Register

9 am August 6th Collinsville, Illinois, Willoughby Farm Teacher Workshop: Waste-Free Classrooms. Register

10 am August 6th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5 donation suggested. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 8 am August 7th Heartlands Conservancy Poag Sand Prairie Restoration Stewardship Day in Edwardsville, Illinois. Register

August 7th Deadline to register for Missouri Prairie Foundation Annual Dinner and Silent Auction at Columbia MO. Tickets are $75 each for Missouri Prairie Foundation and Grow Native! Professional members, $85 for the general public. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 8 am August 8th Heartlands Conservancy Exploration Garden Stewardship Day at Clinton Hills Conservation Park, Swansea, Illinois. Register

2 pm August 8th St. Louis County Public Library event at Clark Branch: Planter Pot Decorating. Register

5:30 pm August 8th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll. $5 Donation suggested. Register

8 am August 9th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Tree Identification. Register

10 am August 9th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5 Donation suggested. Register

11 am August 9th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens July 12th

11:30 am August 9th Missouri Botanical Garden event at Sachs Museum: Sniff ‘n Learn- Scents of Wine & Spices. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

7:30 pm August 9th Missouri Conservation Department hiking event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Area, Kirkwood: Nature’s Night Shift Hike. Hickory Ridge Short Loop, 1/2 mile trail with steep inclines and declines. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am Saturday, August 10th, Piasa Palisades Sierra Club event in Alton, Illinois: Wadlow Restoration Work Day. The former site of a municipal gold course is being restored to native plants. Register

Noon to 5 pm August 10th Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Auction at Missouri Botanical Garden. Admission Fee applies. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

1-4 pm August 12th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Horticulture Class: Home Landscape Design and Practices for the Fall/Winter Season. $15 Donation suggested. Register

9 am August 13th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Summer Wildflower Walk with Horticulturist. $5 donation suggested. Register

4 pm August 13th Grow Native! Webinar: Dispelling Myths of Native Gardening. Register

6 pm August 14th St. Louis County Public Library event at Clark Branch: Celebrating a Century of Conservation, Shaw Nature Reserve – Past, Present, Future

Noon August 15th St. Louis County Public Library workshop at Thornhill Branch: Anthotype Making. Test out the photographic process of using natural plant pigments to create prints. Register

9 pm August 15th Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflowers Market online pre-sale ends for September 5th event at Gray Summit, Franklin County MO.

5:30 pm August 15th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll. $5 Donation suggested. Register

9 am August 16th Seed St. Louis Fall Seedling Sale at Carriage House, 3815 Bell

9 am August 16th Piasa Palisades Sierra Club Bike Ride, Edwardsville, Illinois: Madison County Transit Trail Bike Ride. Nine miles in two hours. Register

9 am to Noon August 16 Webster Groves Herb Society Display at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9 am to 5 pm August 16th Missouri Botanical Garden Daylily Association Plant Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

10:30 am August 16th Seed St. Louis Workshop at Bell Community Garden: Using the Garden to Teach. Register

1 pm August 16th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Gardens and Plants of Colonial America. Oddly does not mention labor and plants of enslaved persons.

1:30 pm August 19th University of Illinois Extension Virtual Class: Crop Rotation- Building Resilient Gardens. Register

18 Seats remaining. 2 pm August 16th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Area, Kirkwood: Make & Take Cyanotype Tote Bag after 1/3 mile hike to gather materials. Register

6 pm August 21st Missouri Botanical Garden Event: Ireland and Its Aromatic Heritage, Short Documentary Film & Discussion Panel. Admission Fee.

6:30 pm August 21st Heartlands Conservancy Bike Ride on St. Clair County Transit District Trails, approximately 16 miles. Register

9 am to 2 pm Friday and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, August 22nd-23rd, Flyleaf Market monthly pop up on 1st floor of Watson Terrace Christian Church, Watson @ Winnebago: Succulent & Tropical Plant Sale. This involves a very cool Citizen Growers program.

10 am August 22nd Lincoln University Cooperative Extension Specialty Crops/Native Plants Program at Jefferson City MO: Introduction to Missouri Fern Identification and Ecology Workshop. $25 includes lunch. Register

Heads up for Tower Grove Park users. 10 am to 8 pm August 23rd-24th Festival of Nations at Tower Grove Park

Volunteers Wanted. 8 am August 23rd Heartlands Conservancy Knoll Family Wildlife Sanctuary Stewardship Day at Edwardsville, Illinois. Register

4 Tickets remaining. 11 am August 23rd St. Louis Public Library event at Tower Grove Park: Birds in Your Backyard, Birds in Your City: An Ornithological Summer Series- Session 3: Bird Walk with Missouri Conservation Department. Register

Noon to 4 pm August 23rd Piasa Palisades Sierra Club Summer Picnic at Beaver Dam State Park, Royal Lakes, IL. Register

1 pm August 23rd St. Louis County Public Library event at Grant’s View Branch: Dig In & Learn- A Day in the Garden with Seed St. Louis. Register

August 26th Deadline to order native plants from Missouri Wildflowers Nursery for pick up August 30th at Kirkwood Farmers Market. You may also purchase from what they bring.

7 pm August 28th join Piasa Palisades Sierra Club at Illinois Commerce Commission Public Forum on Ameren Gas Rate Hike at East St Louis, IL.

8 am to 4 pm August 30th Missouri Wildflowers Nursery selling native plants at Kirkwood Farmers Market. Order in advance for pick up or purchase from what they bring.

September 2nd Ordering Begins for Missouri Conservation Annual Tree Seedling Sale. Order early for best selection, some trees and shrubs sell out first day. Orders ship out in Spring.

8 am to Noon September 6th Fox Park Garden Tour. Free. Register

9 am to 5 pm September 6th Gateway West Gesneriad Society Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9:30 am to 3 pm September 6th Film Screening Day for “Big Medicine: York Outdoors,” a documentary on York, an enslaved servant of William Clark, at Lewis & Clark State Historic Site, Madison County, Illinois

5 pm Septemner 12th Audubon Center at Riverlands event at West Alton, Missouri: Riverlands Wellness- Bikes, Birds, & Brews. $20. Register

8 am to Noon September 13th Edwardsville IL Garden Club Plant Sale at St. Mary’s Church Parking Lot

11 am September 13th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens August 16th

1 pm September 13th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Mad About Mushrooms

2:30 pm September 13th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Fascinating Victorian Gardens

1-4 pm September 14th Oratorio STL Workshop at St. Francis de Sales Oratory: Courtyard Urbanism: Building Cities for Families. Register

2 pm September 17th Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Missouri Native Trees and Shrubs for Urban Landscapes. Register

10 am to 2 pm September 22nd Bring Conservation Home Expo at Tower Grove Park. Missouri Wildflower Nursery and other vendors will be selling but you can also order plants for pick up at the event.

10 am to 3 pm September 27th Missouri Pollinator Network Pollinator Palooza at Weldon Spring Site Interpretive Center, St. Charles MO. Missouri Wildflowers Nursery and other native plant vendors will be selling there. Sorry for no link. If you know of a link that isn’t Facebook or Instagram (I don’t share either), please let me know.

4-7 pm September 27th Forest ReLeaf Fundraiser: Arbormeisters

18 Tickets available. 8:30 am September 28th St. Louis Audubon Society event at Tower Grove Park: Beginner Bird Walk. Register

2 pm October 1st Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: St. Louis Native Plants in a Changing Climate. Register

1 pm October 4th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: How Indigenous People Used Native Plants for Their Health and Well-Being

October 5th-6th Baker Creek Fall Harvest Festival in Mansfield, Wright County, MO, about a 3 1/2 hour drive from St. Louis or Kansas City

11 am October 11th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens September 13th

2 pm October 15th Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Native Gardening Maintenance Tips, Tricks and Hacks. Register

9 am October 18th Seed St. Louis Garlic Sale at Carriage House, 3815 Bell

10 am to Noon October 18th Forest Releaf event at Scott Jopling House: Persimmon Festival and Tree Distribution

1 pm November 1st St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Decorating with Herbs

11 am November 8th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens October 11th

1 pm December 6th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Preventing Winter Plant Damage

11 am December 13th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens November 15th

Join us Sundays on Bluesky for #GardenSunday.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Plant of the Week: Sprouting Broccoli, a great winter crop if you can provide protection for when the temperature drops

Visit a rainforest in St. Louis on a winter day: Climatron at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

If you are just looking for St. Louis Area Plant and Seed Swaps and Sales, they are here

Forest Park Bird Checklist

Now thru January 1st at Missouri Botanical Garden: Holiday Flower and Train Show. Garden admission is free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

Now thru January 4th Missouri Botanical Garden’s Garden Glow. Purchase Tickets.

Now thru April 15th On Line Ordering for Missouri Conservation Department annual Tree & Shrub Seedling Sale. They still have Redbud, Elderberry, Witchhazel, and lots more.

February 28th Deadline to apply for Missouri Coalition for the Environment’s High School Student Environmental Action Award

Plan your garden with Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

When to Plant in Illinois (University of Illinois Extension)

Find a Native Plant/Seed vendor in Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Kansas,… (Grow Native)

St. Louis Master Gardeners Horticulture Answer Service: Monday through Thursday from 9 am. to 2:30 pm

Good Reads/Views/Listens —

Wishing for Winter Habitat? Plant These Grasses this Spring (Wild Ones)

‘Bad for everything:’ Invasive aquatic plant hydrilla discovered in DuPage County, Illinois: Hydrilla,an aquatic plant native to Europe and Asia. (Gift article, Chicago Tribune)

How America Lost Control of the Bird Flu, Setting the Stage for Another Pandemic (KFF News)

Kansas county sues plastic companies over recycling, alleging ‘fraud and deception.’ Ford County claims in a lawsuit that plastic manufacturers knew recycling wasn’t viable but misled the public (Kansas Reflector)

Arkansas lawmakers consider suggestions to improve underfunded scrap tire recycling program (Arkansas Advocate)

Gov. Stitt to explore ‘unplugging’ Oklahoma from Southwest Power Pool grid, says he wanted to maintain the state’s sovereignty over its permitting rights and eminent domain. (Oklahoma Voice)

Huge majorities in Ohio oppose fracking our state parks, but state leaders just ignore all concerns. The short-term profit of massive companies are apparently far more important to our leaders than Ohioans’ concerns about clean water, air and land. (Ohio Capital Journal)

Seed St. Louis Videos: Variety Trials, Virtual Classes, Starting Seeds Indoors, Orchard Tips, Gardening Tips & How Tos, In the Community Garden, Youth Garden Activities & Tips, Teachers in the Garden Tutorials. I will continue promoting the online resources and activities of Seed St. Louis where appropriate. I will not, however, knowingly promote events at Maxine Clark’s school privatization campus named Delmar Divine. It is unfortunate that Seed St. Louis is now a tenant there.

Free Native Garden Designs @ Wild Ones. There’s one specific to St. Louis, one for Chicago, one for Denver, …

Native plant gardening in a pot. Missouri Botanical Garden has container designs for sun and shade.

Illinois Native Plants for the Home Landscape

2023 Plants of Merit – Annuals, Bulbs, Edibles, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees, Vines (Missouri Botanical Garden)

2023 Plants of Demerit – Bamboo, Big Leaf Hydrangea, Blueberry, Burning Bush, Chameleon Plant, Lavender, Pin Oak, Wintercreeper (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Gardening and Nature Events —

Volunteers Wanted. 10 am Saturday, December 28th, St. Louis Neighborhood Foresters Bevo Neighborhood Tree Care Blitz. Register

25 Tickets remaining. 1 pm December 31st Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Year End Hike. Register

8Tickets remaining. 4:30 pm December 31st Missouri Conservation Department event at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area: New Year’s Eve Stroll to the Confluence. Register

10 am January 1st Sierra Club Eastern Missouri New Year’s Day Walk at Forest Park. Register

10 am January 1st Piasa Palisades Sierra Club New Years Day Hike @ Pere Marquette State Park, Grafton, Illinois. Register

8 am January 4th St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Forest Park. Register

6 Tickets remaining. 9 am January 4th Missouri Conservation Department event at West Alton, Missouri: Dresser Island Hike. 5-7 mile hike along the Mississippi River. Register

20 Tickets remaining. Noon January 4th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Winter Walk with Naturalist. 2/3 mile. Register

1 pm January 4th St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Plants that Changed the Course of History-Volume 1, Missouri Botanical Garden Speakers Bureau.

7 Tickets remaining. 3 pm January 4th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Nature Photography with a Phone. Takes place on Tanglevine Trail, 1/3-mile-long flat loop. Register

6:30 pm January 6th Missouri River Bird Observatory Winter Learning Series on Zoom: Series Introduction & Towards Restoration Agriculture in Missouri, presented by Zach Miller, Preserve Engagement Manager, The Nature Conservancy. Register

21 Seats remaining. 6:30 pm January 9th St. Charles City-County Library event at Spencer Road Branch: Maintaining Native Plant Gardens. Register

4 Seats remaining. 8-10 am January 11th Missouri Conservation Department event at Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish- All About Trout! Lessons 1 & 2. Register

10 am January 11th Missouri Conservation Department online class: Kestrel Nesting Boxes. Register

20 Seats remaining. 11 am January 11th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register

6 pm January 13th Missouri Conservation Department online class: Suet-Yourself, Homemade Bird Feeders. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am January 12th St. Louis Neighborhood Foresters Tower Grove East Neighborhood Tree Care Blitz. Register

6:30 pm January 13th Missouri River Bird Observatory Winter Learning Series on Zoom: What Can Climate Litigation Teach Us About Holding the Plastics Industry Responsible for Pollution Problems, presented by Bart Elmore, Professor of Environmental History, Ohio State University. Register

10:30 am January 14th Missouri River Bird Observatory event at Ethical Society of St. Louis: The Global Effect of Plastics on the Environment, presented by Dana Ripper, co-founder, MRBO.

6:30 pm January 14th Piasa Palisades Sierra Club documentary screening at Old Bakery Beer, Belleville, Illinois: Water for Life. Register

4 pm January 15th Grow Native! and Missouri Prairie Foundation online Master Class: Seeded Tree Islands for Beauty, Shade, and Native Diversity presented by horticulturist Scott Woodbury. Free to MPF members and Grow Native! professional members. $15 non-members. Register

3 Seats remaining. 8-10 am January 18th Missouri Conservation Department event at Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish- All About Trout! Lessons 1 & 2. Register

11 Seats remaining. Ages 16+. 10 am January 11th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Art in the Park, Canvas & Cocoa. Paint a deer. All materials provided. Register

6:30 pm January 20th Missouri River Bird Observatory Winter Learning Series on Zoom: What Can Climate Litigation Teach Us About Holding the Plastics Industry Responsible for Pollution Problems, presented by Bart Elmore, Professor of Environmental History, Ohio State University. Register

2 pm January 22nd St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Plants that Changed the Course of History-Volume 2, Missouri Botanical Garden Speakers Bureau.

6 pm January 23rd Collinsville Park & Rec, Illinois class: Food Too Good to Waste Series- Food for Thought- Smart Planning to Reduce Food Waste. $15. Register

January 25th thru March 4th event at Sachs Butterfly House, Faust Park, Chesterfield: Morpho Mardi Gras- Bugs, Rhythm, & Blues. Fee applies

11 am to 4 pm January 25th St. Louis Seeding Frenzy Seed Swap & Homesteading Showcase at Sunset Hills Community Center, 3915 S Lindbergh. Also, will be an unused equipment/tool/supply exchange. If you do not have seeds to share, please bring a donation of either non-perishable food items, hygiene products, new kids socks, underwear for local charity.

6:30 pm January 27th Missouri River Bird Observatory Winter Learning Series on Zoom: Climate Change Conversations, presented by Jamin Bray, Co-Director, Missouri Environmental Education Association. Register

6 pm January 30th Seed St. Louis Zoom class: Indoor Food Gardening. Register

8 am February 1st St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Forest Park. Register

February 1st thru March 9th at Missouri Botanical Garden: Orchid Show. Garden admission is free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9 am to 5 pm February 1st-2nd Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

11 Seats remaining. 9-11 am February 4th Missouri Conservation Department event at Forest Park Hatchery: Pond to Plate, All About Trout! Register

12 Seats remaining. 8-10 am February 8th Missouri Conservation Department event at Forest Park Hatchery: Pond to Plate, All About Trout! Register

9 am to 3 pm February 8th Eagle Days at Audubon Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary in West Alton, Missouri

11 am February 8th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens January11th

1 pm February 15th St. Louis Public Library event at Divoll Library: What’s All the Buzz About Natives? presented by Sue Leahy from Wild Ones.

2 pm February 15th St. Louis Public Library Seed Swap at Carpenter Library in partnership with Urban Harvest STL

7:30 am to Noon February 21st Grow Native! Southwest Illinois Workshop at Lewis & Clark Community College, Edwardsville, Illinois: Stormwater Challenges & Native Plant Solutions. $25 for MPF members and Grow Native! professional members, $15 for students with a valid student ID, and $30 for non-members. Includes breakfast. Register

March 1st St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Lore and Legend of Herbs with St. Louis Herb Society

11 am March 8th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens February 8th

9 am to Noon March 22nd Webster Groves Herb Society Display at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings.

1 pm March 22nd St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Critical for Gardening- Get the Dirt on Soil, Missouri Botanical Gardens Master Gardener Speakers Bureau

April 6th & 7th Baker Creek Tulip Festival in Mansfield, Wright County, MO, about a 3 1/2 hour drive from St. Louis or Kansas City

7 am to 5 pm April 12th Veterans Free Fishing Day at Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon MO

9 am April 12th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual class: Learning to Hunt- Wild Edibles presented by Bo Brown. Register

9 am to Noon April 22nd Webster Groves Herb Society Display at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

11 am April 12th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens March 15th

6 pm April 24th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual class: Learning to Hunt- Mushrooms. Register

9 am to 4 pm April 25th St. Louis Herb Society Herb Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden parking lot.

6 pm May 1st St. Louis Public Library event at Schlafly Library: Plant Predators- An Introduction to Carnivorous Plants with Carnivorous Plant Society. Register

20 seats remaining. 10 am May 3rd St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Tomatoes 101. Register

1 pm May 3rd St. Louis Public Library event at Buder Library: Meet the Pack: Animals of the Endangered Wolf Center

May 4th-5th Baker Creek Spring Planting Festival in Mansfield, Wright County, MO, about a 3 1/2 hour drive from St. Louis or Kansas City

9 am to Noon May 10th Webster Groves Herb Society Display at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9 am to 5 pm May 10th St. Louis Hosta Society Show & Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

11 am May 10th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens April 12th

9 am to 5 pm May 11th Greater St. Louis Iris Society Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Included with Garden Admission Fee.

5 pm May 15th St. Louis Public Library event at Walnut Park Library: Wild Hearts- Understanding Animal Behavior in the Wild with St. Louis Zoo

9 am to 5 pm May 17th Metropolitan St. Louis African Violet Council Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9 am to 5 pm May 24th-25th Rose Society of Greater St. Louis Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9 am to Noon June 21st Webster Groves Herb Society Display at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9 am to 5 pm June 21st Carnivorous Plant Society Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

June 21-22 St. Louis Water Garden Society Pond-A-Rama tour. Tickets

9 am to 5 pm August 2nd-3rd Greater St. Louis Iris Society Plant Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

October 5th-6th Baker Creek Fall Harvest Festival in Mansfield, Wright County, MO, about a 3 1/2 hour drive from St. Louis or Kansas City

Join us Sundays on Bluesky for #GardenSunday. No longer on Twitter thanks to Elon Musk turning it into a dumpster fire.

Seed Libraries in Missouri

A story in Springfield News-Leader (paywall) about the Springfield-Greene County Library’s Heirloom Seed Library caught my attention. Cardholders may “check out” up to four seed packets from the Heirloom Seed Library, available at six library branches, per visit, just like books. The goal is for patrons to plant seeds and later harvest seeds to replenish the library’s supply.

It’s a great idea, so I looked to see if there were similar programs in Missouri. Yes! Some require a library card, others do not. Some encourage seed saving and sharing with the library, others do not. Some require your participation in other activities, others do not.

Buchanan County: St. Joseph Public Library Seed Library

Cape, Perry and Scott Counties: Riverside Regional Library Seed Library

Jefferson County Public Library Seed Library

Kansas City Public Library’s Seed Library at Ruiz Branch. There’s also Kansas City Seed Library is run by SeedSavers-KC and located at the The Missouri Department of Conservation’s Anita B Gorman Discovery Center.

Monroe and Randolph Counties: Little Dixie Regional Libraries Seed Library

Phelps County: Rolla Public Library Seed Library

St. Francois County: Farmington Public Library Seed Library

St. Louis County: Maplewood Public Library is home to Maplewood Richmond Heights Middle School’s Gro Mo Seed Library

Not an extensive search on my part. Bet there are more libraries, schools, nonprofits providing free seeds and encouraging a share of seed harvest.

Not finding any Seed Libraries in St. Louis City was a bit of a surprise and certainly a disappointment. Searched hard on that. Found Seed Swaps at libraries, but no ongoing seed check out program.