This Week in Gardening & Nature

Plant of the Week: Liatris, Gayfeathers

St. Louis Gardeners: Growing more veggies than you can eat? Drop off weekly by Noon Monday-Tuesday at The Garden Shop on Hampton. There’s a table for donated produce. Donated veggies go to Growing Food, Growing People

Plan your garden with 2024 Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Garden Contest

Check out the Butterfly Gardens at St. Louis Public Library branches

If you are only looking for St. Louis Area (Missouri and Illinois) Plant Sales & Swaps, here’s a page for them.

Thursday, June 20th, Deadline for your community organization to apply for Brightside St. Louis Neighbors Naturescaping Program to beautify a public or not-for-profit space, restore Missouri native plant communities, attract beneficial wildlife (butterflies, bees, birds), reduce stormwater runoff and protect drinking water

July 15th Deadline to nominate a tree steward for Missouri Conservation Department Arbor Award of Excellence

August 31st Deadline to Enter Missouri Conservation Department’s Busch Conservation Area (St. Charles Mo) Wildlife Photography Contest. Submit photos of native Mo wildlife, trees, plants at Busch Conservation Area or Weldon Spring Conservation Area.

September 1st Deadline to Enter Missouri Department of Natural Resources Photography Contest. Submit photos of Natural Resources, Unique Places (state parks, historic sites), People Enjoying Outdoors

Good Reads/Views —

Oral History Project Preserves Black and Indigenous Food Traditions. The Heirloom Gardens Project records the stories of elders and honors both long-held expertise and culturally meaningful foods. (Civil Eats)

This word was rejected by geologists. But it’s already taken over the world. Yet for many activists, artists, and academics outside of geology, the Anthropocene, or “Age of Humans,” is here to stay. Gift article (Washington Post)

(YouTube)Tomato Trellising: 4 Methods (Seed St. Louis)

Dealing with Squash Bugs in a No Spray Garden and Advice on Squash Bugs from Missouri Botanical Garden

Container Gardening Tips
Native Plants: Grow Native!
Veggies: Missouri Botanical Garden
5 Tips For Successfully Growing Plants In Containers: P. Allen Smith

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 —

Noon Monday, June 17th, Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Folklore of Birds. Register

9 am to 5 pm Wednesday, June 19th, Missouri Botanical Garden Juneteenth at the Garden: Ethiopian Book Binding presentation, Pot-A-Plant, “In the Garden with Dr. Carver,” more. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

10 am Thursday, June 20th, Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Water for the Garden. Register

For Kids 0-7 years. 7 Seats remaining. 10:30 am Thursday, June 20th, Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: You and Me under the Canopy- Twinkle Firefly. Register

For Kids 7-14 years. 2 pm Thursday, June 20th, St. Louis County Library event at Oak Bend Branch: Summer Science- Explore the science of plants with guided, hands-on activities and experiments. Register

5:30-7:30 Thursday, June 20th, Feed the People Garden Project event at 3964 Walsh, Bevo Neghborhood: Queers in the Garden.. No gardening experience necessary. Stop by for community building, learning garden skills, harvesting food, have fun.

6 pm Thursday, June 20th, Willoughby Farm, Table to Garden, Seed St. Louis In Person Composting Series, Collinsville IL: Vermicomposting, aka Worm Composting. $12. Register

6:30 pm Thursday, June 20th, St. Louis County Library class at Mid-County Branch: Harvesting & Preserving Herbs. Presented by St. Louis Herb Society. Register

7 pm Thursday, June 20th, Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Folklore of Birds Part 2. Register

5:30-7:30 pm Friday, June 21st, Bellefontaine Cemetery event: Beer Barons 2024: Barons of Beer and Distilling Chapter III. $30. Register

3 Ticckets remaining. 7:30 pm Friday, Junes 21st, Missouri Conservation Department event at Columbia Bottom Nature Conservation Area, St. Louiis County: Summer Solstice Walk to the Confluence. Register

9 am to 5 pm Saturday, June 22nd, Kimmswick Visitor Center Daylily Sale, Jefferson County Mo

9 am to to 5 pm Saturday-Sunday, June 22-23, St. Louis Water Garden Society Pond-O-Rama Tour

10 am to 3 pm Saturday, June 22nd, University of Missouri Extension Butterfly Festival at Jefferson Farm & Garden, Columbia MO

1 pm Saturday, June 22nd, St. Louis City Public Library event at Buder Library: Urban Homesteading– Chicken Tending 101

5 Seats remaining. 8 pm Saturday, June 22nd, Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Area, Kirkwood: Owl Prowl. Register

11 am to 1 pm June 23rd Piasa Sierra Club event at La Vista Park, Godfrey, IL: Pollinator Party. Register

2 pm June 25th St. Louis County Library class at Eureka Hills Branch: Cooking with Herbs. Presented by St. Louis Herb Society. Register.

9 am June 26th Tower Grove Park event at Lily Pond Shelter: Water Plants of Tower Grove Park. Presented by Horticulture Supervisor, Steve Hogenmiller, and Community Engagement Manager, Tara Morton. Register

2 pm June 26th Tower Grove Park event: Nee Kee Nee (East Stream) Tour. Register

5:30 pm June 27th Belleftonaine Cemetery event: Sunset Stroll. Register

6:30 June 28th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Center: Planting Native, presented by horticulturist Scott Woodbury + tour of the native plant gardens at the nature center. Register

June 30th Greater St. Louis Sustainable Backyard Tour

6 pm July 2nd St. Louis County Library Indoor Plant Swap at Prairie Commons Branch

4 pm July 3rd Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: Native Bees of Missouri’s Ozark Woodlands and Glades. Register

2 pm July 6th St Louis County Library In-Person Class at Mid-County Branch: Planning Your Tea Garden. Register

July 20st-22nd Shaw Cactus & Succulent Society Cactus & Succulent Sale, St. Louis County

1 pm June 29th St. Louis City Publiuc Library event at Buder Library: Urban Homesteading- Advanced Chicken Tending

2 pm July 11th Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Fall Gardening. Register

7:30 pm July 13th St. Louis Astronomical Society Stargazing at Tower Grove Park

6 pm July 18th Willoughby Farm, Table to Garden, Seed St. Louis In Person Composting Series, Collinsville IL: Compost Tumblers. $12. Register

7 Tickets remaining. 10 am to 2 pm July 20th Missouri Department of Conservation Camp Hellbender, Summer Camp for Adults at Tower Grove Park: learn tree ID and put new skills to the test on a tree ID geocaching adventure. After lunch, learn about native plants and insects and do a flower pounding craft. Register

6 pm July 29th St. Louis County Library & Left Banks Book author event at Clark Family Branch: Nature Writer Amy Stewart, Author of “The Tree Collectors: Tales of Arboreal Obsession.” Register

9 am to 5 pm August 3rd Greater St. Louis Iris Society Iris Sale at at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

August 10th Seed St. Louis Fall Seedling Sale

6 pm August 15th Willoughby Farm, Table to Garden, Seed St. Louis In Person Composting Series, Collinsville IL: Bokashi . $12. Register

9 am to 5 pm August 17th Missouri Botanical Garden Daylily Association Plant Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

10-11:30 am August 17th Homegrown Hot Sauce Class with Urban Harvest’s Chef Queenie at Rung, Fox Park. Register

Noon to 5 pm August 18th Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Auction at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission fee required.

August 24th Soulard’s Art in the Garden Tour fundraiser for Beautification Committee, Soulard Restoration Group

3-7 pm September 6th Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflower Market

9 am to 5 pm September 7th Gateway West Gesneriad Society Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

September 13th, 14th, 15th Kirkwood Greentree Festival at Kirkwood Park. Greater St. Louis Daffodil Society sells Daffodil bulbs at this event.

6 pm September 19th Willoughby Farm, Table to Garden, Seed St. Louis In Person Composting Series, Collinsville IL: Static Systems . $12. Register

9 am to 5 pm September 28th Rose Society of Greater St. Louis Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

September 22nd Bring Conservation Home Native Plant Expo at Tower Grove Park

October 5th Seed St. Louis Garlic Sale

Join us Sundays on Twitter for #GardenSunday to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Plant of the Week: Alliums

Sow Outdoors This Week: Basil, Beans, Corn, Cucumber, Melons, Okra, Summer Squash, Tomatillo, Tomato, Winter Squash
Transplant This Week: Perennials + Basil, Eggplant, Melons, Peppers, Summer Squash, Tomatillo, Tomato
Plan your garden with NEW 2024 Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

If you are only looking for St. Louis Area (Missouri and Illinois) Plant Sales & Swaps, here’s a page for them.

Want to buy food in St. Louis Area grown with environmentally responsible and ethical practices? Check out Missouri Coalition for the Environment Known & Grown Farm Directory

Grow Native Professional Certification Program

Good Reads —

Why you should let your grass grow. See what happens when you stop mowing your lawn. Gifted article (Washington Post)

May Gardening Tips from University of Missouri Extension

Gardening by Month: May Tips, Tasks, Problems from Missouri Botanical Garden

Care of Spring bulbs after flowering (University of Missouri Extension)

Container Gardening Tips
Native Plants: Grow Native!
Veggies: Missouri Botanical Garden
5 Tips For Successfully Growing Plants In Containers: P. Allen Smith

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. Check out upcoming Brightside St. Louis Neighborhood Clean Up & Beatification events.

11:30 am to 4:30 pm thru March 31st, 2025 Missouri Botanical Garden multimedia exhibit at Sachs Museum- Kernels of Culture: Maize Around the World. Garden Admission is Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

10 am every Monday St. Louis Public Library Outdoor Storytime in Forest Park, Albrecht Nature Playscape.

10 am Tuesday, May 14th, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5. Register

6:30 pm Tuesday, May 14th, Piasa Palisades Sierra Club May Speaker: Kill Your Lawn for the Birds at Old Bakery Beer, Alton IL. Register

10 am Wednesday, May 15th, Bellefontaine Cemetery Springtime History & Horticulture Tour with Master Guide. Register

6 pm Wednesday, May 15th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Outdoor Survival, Bushcraft Skills Series- Knife, Axe, Saw. Register

Noon Thursday, May 16th, The Giving Grove Zoom Class: Spring Orchard Care- Timely Tasks for a Healthy Space. Register

8 am to 1 pm Saturday, May 18th, Wild Ones Illinois Prairie Chapter Native Plant Sale at Carlock, McLean County IL

9 am Saturday, May 18th, Seed St. Louis Summer Seedling & Sweeet Potato Slip Sale Part II: Veggies, Herbs, Annuals $3.50 each: Basil, Egglplant, Helenium Amarum, Jalapenos, Parsley, Sweet Pepper, Tomatillo, Tomatoes. Perennials $6 each: Lavender Munstead, Mountain Mint, Rhubarb, Sea Kale, Sorrel, Wild Arugula. Bring a box lid for your purchases. Get in line early for best selection.

9 am to 4 pm Saturday, May 18th, St. Louis Audubon and St. Louis Wild Ones Native Plant Garden Tour. $20

10 am to 3 pm Saturday, May 18th, Plant America Garden Expo at Weldon Spring Site Interpretive Center, St Charles MO.

10 am Saturday, May 18th, St. Louis County Library Plant Swap @ Meramec Valley Branch- Register

Volunteers Wanted. 11 am to 3 pm Saturday, May 18th, Peace Park Partners and Green City Coalition event: Planting Blitz at Peace Park, Grand @ Strodtman, College Hill Neighborhood. Register

Noon Saturday, May 18th, Missouri Conservation Department Online Class: Blooming Wildflowers. Register

7:30 pm Saturday, May 18th, St. Louis Astronomical Society Stargazing at Tower Grove Park

Ages 8+. 8:30 am Sunday, May 19th, St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Tower Grove Park. Register

6:30 pm May 21st KC Area Mid Continent Public Library Zoom Class: Hummingbirds 101. Register

10 am May 22nd Bellefontaine Cemetery Springtime History & Horticultutre Tour with Master Guide. Register

4 pm May 22nd Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: EDDMapS Training- Learning How to Document Invasive Plants. Register

6 pm May 22nd Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Naturalist Notes- Hummingbirds. Register

6 Seats remaining. Ages 0-7 years. 10:30 am May 23rd Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Conservation Kids- You and Me under the Canopy: Get a Life Cycle! Register

3 pm May 23rd Tower Grove Park Nee Kee Nee (East Stream) Tour. Register

6 pm May 23rd Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Building a Healthy Garden & Orchard Ecosystem. Register

5:30-7:30 pm May 24th support beautiful Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum at Beer Barons Tour: Beer Barons Chapter II – Suppliers to Brewers. Tickets $30. Register

17 Tickets remaining. 7:30 pm May 24th Missouri Conservation Department hiking event at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area: Off the Beaten Trail Evening Nature Walk. Register

10 Tickets remaining. 7:30 pm May 24th Missouri Conservation Department hiking event at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Area: Dusk Hike. Register

8:30 am to 1 pm May 25th Macoupin County IL Master Gardener Plant Sale @ Macoupin County Historical Society, Carlinville IL

9 am to 5 pm May 25th Metropolitan St. Louis African Violet Council Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

10 am May 25th Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5. Register

1-2 pm May 25th New Roots Urban Farm Workshop: Planting Sunflowers 101 with Farmer Twan, St. Louis Place. Register

11 am May 28th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Snakes of Missouri. Register

6 Tickets remaining. 3 pm May 29th Missouri Conservation Department In-Person Class at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area: Beginning Archery. Register

1 pm May 30th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Landscaping with Native Plants. Register

1 pm May 31st Missouri Conservation Department hiking event at Powder Valley Conservation Area: Wildflower Walk . Register

9 am to Noon June 1st Brightside St. Louis Urban Gardening Symposium. Native Plant & Design Experts, Workshops, Plant Sale. $10. Register

10 am June 1st St. Louis County Library Plant Swap @ Samuel C. Sachs Branch- Register

June 1st (not confirmed) Lafayette Square Neighborhood Garden Tour & Antique Fair

27 Seats remaining. 2 pm June 1st Missouri Botanical Garden Speaker Series at Central Library: Plants that Changed the Course of History. Register

June 1st Green Living Festival at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

4 pm June 3rd St. Louis County Library Plant Swap @ Thornhill Branch- Register

3 pm June 5th St. Louis County Library Plant Swap @ Prairie Commons Branch- Register

4 pm June 5th Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: Documenting Multiple Types of Pollinators Through Photography. Register

10 am June 8th How to Trellis Tomatoes Class at Heru Farms, Florissant. Register

June 9th Missouri Botanical Garden sponsored Private Garden Tour. Tickets: $50 MoBot Member, $65 Nonmember

5:30-7:30 June 11th Missouri Coalition for the Environment Chat for Change at MCE office, University City. Sounds like a happy hour for environmentalists and conservationists. Register

6:30 pm June 11th Piasa Sierra Club June Speaker at Old Bakery Beer, Alton IL: Our Wetlands Cooperative in Metroeast presented by Dr. Jenny Mullikin, National Great Rivers Research and Education Center. Register

9 am to 5 pm June 15th Carnivorous Plant Society Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

10 am June 20th Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Water for the Garden. Register

6 pm June 20th Willoughby Farm, Table to Garden, Seed St. Louis In Person Composting Series, Collinsville IL: Vermicomposting, aka Worm Composting. $12. Register

9 am to 5 pm June 22nd Kimmswick Visitor Center Daylily Sale, Jefferson County Mo

9 am to to 5 pm June 22-23 St. Louis Water Garden Society Pond-O-Rama Tour

11 am to 1 pm June 23rd Piasa Sierra Club event at La Vista Park, Godfrey, IL: Pollinator Party. Register

July 20st-22nd Shaw Cactus & Succulent Society Cactus & Succulent Sale, St. Louis County

June 30th Greater St. Louis Sustainable Backyard Tour

9 am to 5 pm August 3rd Greater St. Louis Iris Society Iris Sale at at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

August 10th Seed St. Louis Fall Seedling Sale

10-11:30 am August 17th Homegrown Hot Sauce Class with Urban Harvest’s Chef Queenie at Rung, Fox Park. Register

Noon to 5 pm August 18th Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Auction at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission fee required.

3-7 pm September 6th Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflower Market

September 13th, 14th, 15th Kirkwood Greentree Festival at Kirkwood Park. Greater St. Louis Daffodil Society sells Daffodil bulbs at this event.

9 am to 5 pm September 28th Rose Society of Greater St. Louis Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

September 22nd Bring Conservation Home Native Plant Expo at Tower Grove Park

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Plant of the Week: Violas

Start Indoors This Week: Peppers, Tomatillo, Tomatoes
Sow Outdoors This Week: Arugala, Beans, Beets, Chard, Collards, Kale, Parsley, Peas, Potatoes, Radish, Spinach, Turnips
Transplant This Week: Perennials + Cabbage, Chard, Collards, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Onions
Plan your garden with NEW 2024 Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

If you are only looking for St. Louis Area (Missouri and Illinois) Plant Sales, here’s a page for them. Added this week: Edwardsville Garden Club, Kress Farm Garden Preserve, Flora Conservancy, Plant America Garden Expo, Greater STL Daffodil Society

May 1st to August 31st Enter Missouri Conservation Department’s Busch Conservation Area (St. Charles Mo) Wildlife Photography Contest. Submit photos of native Mo wildlife, trees, plants at Busch Conservation Area or Weldon Spring Conservation Area.

Hey, grades 6th thru 12th Teachers. Missouri Environmental Education Association has great resources for an Invasive Species Mock Trial Unit that combines Ecology and Civic Engagement. Also see Trial of Bush Honeysuckle

Brightside St. Louis Blitz Project Registration Open (neighborhood clean up and beautification). Free Blitz Blooms available this year for your public spaces project: gomphrena, dianthus, marigolds, celosia and vinca

Order your Grow Native! Free Resource Guide to Native Plants in Missouri– products, services, institutions

Good Reads —

Ameren (Union Electric) coal plant is top polluter. Labadie emits more SO2 than any in US. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) Ameren was also a sponsor of St. Louis Earth Day Festival.

The Big Burnout: Life on the Front Lines of America’s Wildfires. As record-setting blazes become common and the number of skilled wildland firefighters dwindles, ProPublica spoke to those most impacted. (ProPublica)

Native Plants for Healthy People and a Healthy Planet. Part I – Mitigation of Chronic Health (Wild Ones)

Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden pdf (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service)

Container Gardening Tips
Native Plants: Grow Native!
Veggies: Missouri Botanical Garden
5 Tips For Successfully Growing Plants In Containers: P. Allen Smith

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. Check out upcoming Brightside St. Louis Neighborhood Clean Up & Beatification events. Some Blitz events offer Cardinals tickets to volunteers.

10 am every Monday St. Louis Public Library Outdoor Storytime in Forest Park, Albrecht Nature Playscape.

8:30 am to 2 pm Monday, April 22nd, Piasa Palisades Sierra Club Earth Day Invasive Species Removal Workday at Milton School House, Alton IL. Register

8 Tickets remaining. 1 pm Monday, April 22nd, Missouri Conservation Department Earth Day Hike & Nature Immersion at Emmenegger Nature Park, Kirkwood. Register

10 am Tuesday, April 23rd, Bellefontaine Cemetery History and Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5. Register

1 pm Wednesday, April 24th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Hummingbird Season. Register

4 pm Wednesday, April 24th, Grow Native! Zoom Master Class: Restoring Remnant Woodlands in a Sea of Bush Honeysuckle. Free to Missouri Prairie Foundation members and Grow Native! professional members, $15 nonmembers. Register

3 Seats remaining. For Kids Age 7 and under. 10:30 am Thursday, April 25th Missouri Conservation Department In-Person Event at Tower Grove Park: You and Me under the Canopy: Rain, Rain Go Away. Register

6 pm Thursday, April 25th, Seed St. Louis In-Person Class: Food for Years- Best Perennial Vegetables for an Early Spring Harvest at DIG Annuals and Perennials. Learn about edible greens, shoots, flowers, and stems that are ready to harvest before annual vegetables. Some plants discussed will be available for purchase. Register

9 am to 4 pm Friday, April 26th, St. Louis Community College’s Meramec Botanical Society Plant Sale (see link for catalog). Herbs, natives, annuals, perennials and vegetables. $3 to $12. Cash or check. Parking Lot K @ 11333 Big Bend Road, Kirkwood.

9 am to 5 pm Friday, April 26th, St. Louis Herb Society Herb Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden, parking lot

10 am Friday, April 26th, Bellefontaine Cemetery Arbor Day Trolley Tour with cemetery’s Horticulture Director. $5. Register

5 Tickets remaining. 2 pm Friday, April 26th, Tower Grove Park Nee Kee Nee (East Stream) Tour. Register

Missouri Wildflowers Nursery is at Kirkwood Farmers Market 8 am to 4 pm Saturdays, April 27th, May 25th, June 1st. Order by Monday before Saturday for pick up or shop from what they bring.

8 am Saturday, April 27th, St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at St. Vincent Greenway. Register

8 am to 1 pm Saturday, April 27th, Lincoln County Mo Master Gardeners Plant Sale, University of Missouri Extension, 880 W College, Troy. Annuals, Perennials, Natives, Vegetables, Herbs, Bulbs, Garden Accessories. Cash only.

8:30 am Saturday, April 27th, Webster Groves Herb Society Herb Sale at Congregational Church of Webster Groves

9 am Saturday, April 27th, Olivette In Bloom Native Plant Sale

April 27th-28th U-City in Bloom Plant Sale. 9 am to 1 pm Saturday & 11 am to 1 pm Sunday. Heman Park Community Center, University City

Noon to 3 pm Saturday, April 27th, Heartland Conservancy Spring Native Plant Sale at Clinton Hills Conservation Park, Swansea IL

1-4 pm Saturday, April 27th, New Roots Urban Farm Workshop: Waste Prevention (Intercepting Compost Materials from the Landfill), St. Louis Place. Register

10 am to 2 pm Sunday, April 28th, Partners for Native Landscaping Native Plant Fair at Beyond Housing, Pine Lawn.

Noon to 2 pm Sunday, April 28th, St. Charles County Master Gardeners Spring Plant Sale at University of Missouri Extension St. Charles County. Vegetables, perennials, natives, herbs and annuals.

11 am April 30th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Native Plants- Wonderful Wildflower ID. Register

May 1st to August 31st Missouri Conservation Department Busch Conservation Area (St. Charles Mo) Wildlife Photography Contest. Submit photos of native Missouri wildlife, trees, or plants at Busch Conservation Area or neighboring Weldom Spring Conservation Area.

10 am May 2nd Bellefontaine Cemetery History and Horticulture Walking Tour with Master Guide. Register

6 pm May 2nd Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: School Garden Maintenance Strategies for Summer & Beyond. Register

Ages 3+. 18 Seats remaining. Children must be accompanied by adult. 6 pm May 2nd Missouri Conservation Department in-Person Class at Forest Park Hatchery: Fishing Lesson 1- Equipment, Casting, & Proper Fish Handling. This class is required before Lesson 2. Register

9 am to 1 pm May 3rd Montgomery County IL Master Gardener Plant Sale @ Mt. Moriah Lodge 51, Hillsboro IL

11:30 am to 4:30 pm May 3rd, 2024 to March 31st, 2025 Missouri Botanical Garden multimedia exhibit at Sachs Museum- Kernels of Culture: Maize Around the World. Garden Admission is Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Wednesday and Saturdaty mornings.

May 3rd, 4th, 5th Earth Dance Organic Farm Plant Sale, Ferguson

May 4th Edwardsville IL Garden Club Spring Plant Sale at St. Mary’s Church parkign lot, 1802 Madison.

8:30 am to 12:30 pm May 4th Webster Groves Women’s Garden Association Plant Sale, First Congregational Church, Webster Groves

9 am to 2 pm May 4th-5th Tower Grove East Community Garden Plant Sale at 3303 Sidney

9 am to 1 pm May 4th Shaw Nature Reserve Wildflower Market

9 am to 5 pm May 4th West County Daylily Club Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

10:30 am May 4th EcoTones Concert at Nee Kee Nee Stream, Tower Grove Park

10 am to 2 pm May 5th Feed the People Garden Project Plant Sale in Bevo Neighborhood.: Vegetables, Herbs, Flowers

8 am May 6th Kress Farm Garden Preserve Plant Sale in Hillsboro, Jefferson County MO. Native plants, shrubs, trees; nonnative plants, annuals, vegetable seedlings.

2 pm May 7th Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Summer Crops & Cover Crops. Register

4 pm May 8th Missouri Prairie Foundation Virtual Walk on the Prairie, Spring Edition @ Pettis County. Register

8 am to 1 pm May 11th Flora Conservancy of Forest Park Plant Sale at St. Louis City Greenhouse

8 am to Noon May 11th Mississippi Valley Garden Club Plant Sale at Alton-Wood River Sportsmen’s Club, 3109 Godfrey, Godfrey IL

8 am to Noon May 11th O’Fallon Garden Club Plant Sale at 2606 Riley Paul Ct, O’Fallon, MO

9 am May 11th Seed St. Louis Summer Seedling Sale: Veggies, Herbs, Annuals $3.50 each: Basil, Egglplant, Helenium Amarum, Jalapenos, Parsley, Sweet Pepper, Tomatillo, Tomatoes. Perennials $6 each: Lavender Munstead, Mountain Mint, Rhubarb, Sea Kale, Sorrel, Wild Arugula.

9 am to 5 pm May 11th St. Louis Hosta Society Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

9 am to 3 pm May 11th Franklin County Mo Master Gardeners Plant Sale at JC Penny Parking Lot, Washington MO

10 am to 2 pm May 11th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at Wild Bird Sanctuary, Valley Park. $8-$12 entrance fee.

10 am May 11th Companion Planting 101 Class at Heru Urban Farming, Florissant. Register

9 am to 5 pm May 12th Greater St. Louis Iris Society Show at Missouri Botanical Garden

9 am to 4 pm May 14th St. Louis Audubon and St. Louis Wild Ones Native Plant garden Tour. $20

6:30 pm May 14th Piasa Palisades Sierra Club May Speaker: Kill Your Lawn for the Birds at Old Bakery Beer, Alton IL. Register

8 am to 1 pm May 18th Wild Ones Illinois Prairie Chapter Native Plant Sale at Carlock, McLean County IL

10 am to 3 pm May 18th Plant America Garden Expo at Weldon Spring Site Interpretive Center, St Charles MO.

7:30 pm May 18th St. Louis Astronomical Society Stargazing at Tower Grove Park

Ages 8+. 8:30 am May 19th St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Tower Grove Park. Register

4 pm May 22nd Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: EDDMapS Training- Learning How to Document Invasive Plants. Register

8:30 am to 1 pm May 25th Macoupin County IL Master Gardener Plant Sale @ Macoupin County Historical Society, Carlinville IL

1-2 pm May 25th New Roots Urban Farm Workshop: Planting Sunflowers 101 with Farmer Twan, St. Louis Place. Register

9 am to Noon June 1st Brightside St. Louis Urban Gardening Symposium. Native Plant & Design Experts, Workshops, Plant Sale. $10. Register

June 1st (not confirmed) Lafayette Square Neighborhood Garden Tour & Antique Fair

June 1st Green Living Festival at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

10 am June 8th How to Trellis Tomatoes Class at Heru Farms, Florissant. Register

June 9th Missouri Botanical Garden sponsored Private Garden Tour. Tickets: $50 MoBot Member, $65 Nonmember

9 am to 5 pm June 15th Carnivorous Plant Society Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

9 am to 5 pm June 22nd Kimmswick Visitor Center Daylily Sale, Jefferson County Mo

9 am to to 5 pm June 22-23 St. Louis Water Garden Society Pond-O-Rama Tour

July 20st-22nd Shaw Cactus & Succulent Society Cactus & Succulent Sale, St. Louis County

June 30th Greater St. Louis Sustainable Backyard Tour

9 am to 5 pm August 3rd Greater St. Louis Iris Society Iris Sale at at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

10-11:30 am August 17th Homegrown Hot Sauce Class with Urban Harvest’s Chef Queenie at Rung, Fox Park. Register

Noon to 5 pm August 18th Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Auction at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission fee required.

3-7 pm September 6th Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflower Market

September 13th, 14th, 15th Kirkwood Greentree Festival at Kirkwood Park. Greater St. Louis Daffodil Society sells Daffodil bulbs at this event.

9 am to 5 pm September 28th Rose Society of Greater St. Louis Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

Join us Sundays on Twitter for #GardenSunday to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Two photos of Eastern Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis).

Plant of the Week: Eastern Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis). Time to get out the hummingbird feeders.

If you are only looking for St. Louis Area (Missouri and Illinois) Plant Sales, here’s a page for them. Add this week: lots of Master Gardener Plant Sales in nearby counties, Seed St. Louis Summer Veggie Seedlings Sale, Tower Grove East Community Garden Sale, more

For the Kids. Download Free Bobber, The Water Safety Dog #EarthDay Coloring Sheet & Poster from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Order your Grow Native! Free Resource Guide to Native Plants in Missouri– products, services, institutions

Good Reads —

‘The water wars are coming’: Missouri looks to limit exports from rivers, lakes. (Missouri Independent)

Death Valley is alive this year. A super bloom is the latest sign. “This is climate chaos… A lake forming in Death Valley after the wettest six months on record, followed by this bizarre bloom that is unlike anything we’ve observed before. If you want the picture of climate change, this is it.” Gifted article at Washington Post

Corals are bleaching in every corner of the ocean, threatening its web of life. It’s possible the overall percentage of reefs experiencing heat stress may soon pass a record. Gifted article at Washington Post

Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden pdf (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service)

Container Gardening Tips
Native Plants: Grow Native!
Veggies: Missouri Botanical Garden
5 Tips For Successfully Growing Plants In Containers: P. Allen Smith

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 —

Missouri Wildflowers Nursery is at Kirkwood Farmers Market 8 am to 4 pm Saturdays, April 20th & 27th, May 25th, June 1st. Order by Monday before Saturday for pick up or shop from what they bring.

Volunteers Wanted. Check out upcoming Brightside St. Louis Neighborhood Clean Up & Beatification events. Some Blitz events offer Cardinals tickets to volunteers.

6 pm Thursday, April 18th, Table to Garden, Willoughby Heritage Farm, Seed St. Louis Class 4 of 4 core composting series at Willoughby Heritage Farm, Collinsville IL: Pick Your System. $12. Register

7 pm Thursday, April 18th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Where Can I Mushroom Hunt? Register

11 am to 1 pm Thursday-Saturday, April 18-20, Southwestern Illinois College @ Belleville Horticulture Club Plant Sale, Belleville campus Greenhouse, southeast corner of campus behind the baseball fields. . Cash only. The only info I could find is here

10 am Thursday, April 19th, Bellefontaine Cemetery History and Horticulture Walking Tour with Master Guide. Register

1 Ticket remaining. 9 am Friday, April 19th, Missouri Stream Team Volunteer Level 1 Water Quality Monitoring Part 2 Field Certification at Castlewood State Park, Ballwin. Requires Part 1 virtual learning completion. Register

2 pm Friday, April 19th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Earth Week- Effects of Artificial Light on Wildlife. Register

7 am to 3 pm Saturday, April 20th, Veterans Free Fishing Day at Bennett Spring State Park, west of Lebanon, about a 2 1/2 hour drive from St. Louis

9 am to Noon Saturday, April 20th, Green Center Plant Sale, University City

3 Tickets remaining. 9 am Saturday, April 20th, Missouri Stream Team Volunteer Level 1 Water Quality Monitoring Part 2 Field Certification at Babler State Park, Wildwood. Requires Part 1 virtual learning completion. Register

9 am to Noon, Saturday, April 20th, Native Plant & Native Plant Seed Swap in St. Charles MO at 10 Number One Green Dr

2 pm Saturday, April 20th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Earth Week- Helper Plants. Learn about Bioremediation- how plants, fungi, and even animals clean up the environment. Register

8 Tickets remaining. 1 pm April 22nd Missouri Conservation Department Earth Day Hike & Nature Immersion at Emmenegger Nature Park, Kirkwood. Register

10 am April 23rd Bellefontaine Cemetery History and Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5. Register

1 pm April 24th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Hummingbird Season. Register

4 pm April 24th Grow Native! Zoom Master Class: Restoring Remnant Woodlands in a Sea of Bush Honeysuckle. Free to Missouri Prairie Foundation members and Grow Native! professional members, $15 nonmembers. Register

5 Seats remaining. For Kids Age 7 and under. 10:30 am April 25th Missouri Conservation Department In-Person Event at Tower Grove Park: You and Me under the Canopy: Rain, Rain Go Away. Register

6 pm April 25th Seed St. Louis In-Person Class: Food for Years- Best Perennial Vegetables for an Early Spring Harvest at DIG Annuals and Perennials. Learn about edible greens, shoots, flowers, and stems that are ready to harvest before annual vegetables. Some plants discussed will be available for purchase. Register

9 am to 4 pm April 26th St. Louis Community College’s Meramec Botanical Society Plant Sale. Herbs, natives, annuals, perennials and vegetables. $3 to $12. Cash or check. Parking Lot K @ 11333 Big Bend Road, Kirkwood.

9 am to 5 pm April 26th St. Louis Herb Society Herb Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden, parking lot

10 am April 26th Bellefontaine Cemetery Arbor Day Trolley Tour with cemetery’s Horticulture Director. $5. Register

12 Tickets remaining. 2 pm April 26th Tower Grove Park Nee Kee Nee (East Stream) Tour. Register

April 27th-28th U-City in Bloom Plant Sale. 9 am to 1 pm Saturday & 11 am to 1 pm Sunday. Heman Park Community Center, University City

8 am April 27th St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at St. Vincent Greenway. Register

8 am to 1 pm April 27th Lincoln County Mo Master Gardeners Plant Sale, University of Missouri Extension, 880 W College, Troy. Annuals, Perennials, Natives, Vegetables, Herbs, Bulbs, Garden Accessories. Cash only.

8:30 am April 27th Webster Groves Herb Society Herb Sale at Congregational Church of Webster Groves

9 am April 27th Olivette In Bloom Native Plant Sale

Noon April 27th Heartland Conservancy Spring Native Plant Sale at Clinton Hills Conservation Park, Swansea IL

1-4 pm April 27th New Roots Urban Farm Workshop: Waste Prevention (Intercepting Compost Materials from the Landfill), St. Louis Place. Register

Noon to 2 pm April 28th St. Charles County Master Gardeners Spring Plant Sale at University of Missouri Extension St. Charles County. Vegetables, perennials, natives, herbs and annuals.

11 am April 30th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Native Plants- Wonderful Wildflower ID. Register

10 am May 2nd Bellefontaine Cemetery History and Horticulture Walking Tour with Master Guide. Register

6 pm May 2nd Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: School Garden Maintenance Strategies for Summer & Beyond. Register

9 am to 1 pm May 3rd Montgomery County IL Master Gardener Plant Sale @ Mt. Moriah Lodge 51, Hillsboro IL

May 4th Missouri Conservation Department Spring Bird Walk at Forest Park. 8 am Session 1 (4 Tickets remaining) Register. 10 am Session 2 (6 Tickets remaining) Register.

May 3rd, 4th, 5th Earth Dance Organic Farm Plant Sale, Ferguson

8:30 am to 12:30 pm May 4th Webster Groves Women’s Garden Association Plant Sale, First Congregational Church, Webster Groves

9 am to 2 pm May 4th-5th Tower Grove East Community Garden Plant Sale at 3303 Sidney

9 am to 1 pm May 4th Shaw Nature Reserve Wildflower Market

9 am to 5 pm May 4th West County Daylily Club Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

10:30 am May 4th EcoTones Concert at Nee Kee Nee Stream, Tower Grove Park

10 am to 2 pm May 5th Feed the People Garden Project Plant Sale in Bevo Neighborhood.: Vegetables, Herbs, Flowers

2 pm May 7th Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Summer Crops & Cover Crops. Register

4 pm May 8th Missouri Prairie Foundation Virtual Walk on the Prairie, Spring Edition @ Pettis County. Register

8 am to Noon May 11th Mississippi Valley Garden Club Plant Sale at Alton-Wood River Sportsmen’s Club, 3109 Godfrey, Godfrey IL

9 am to 5 pm May 11th St. Louis Hosta Society Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

9 am to 3 pm May 11th Franklin County Mo Master Gardeners Plant Sale at JC Penny Parking Lot, Washington MO

10 am to 2 pm May 11th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at Wild Bird Sanctuary, Valley Park. $8-$12 entrance fee.

10 am May 11th Companion Planting 101 Class at Heru Urban Farming, Florissant. Register

9 am to 5 pm May 12th Greater St. Louis Iris Society Show at Missouri Botanical Garden

May 18th Wild Ones Illinois Prairie Chapter Native Plant Sale at Carlock, McLean County IL

7:30 pm May 18th St. Louis Astronomical Society Stargazing at Tower Grove Park

Ages 8+. 8:30 am May 19th St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Tower Grove Park. Register

4 pm May 22nd Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: EDDMapS Training- Learning How to Document Invasive Plants. Register

8:30 am to 1 pm May 25th Macoupin County IL Master Gardener Plant Sale @ Macoupin County Historical Society, Carlinville IL

1-2 pm May 25th New Roots Urban Farm Workshop: Planting Sunflowers 101 with Farmer Twan, St. Louis Place. Register

9 am to Noon June 1st Brightside St. Louis Urban Gardening Symposium. Native Plant & Design Experts, Workshops, Plant Sale. $10. Register

June 1st Green Living Festival at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

10 am June 8th How to Trellis Tomatoes Class at Heru Farms, Florissant. Register

June 9th Missouri Botanical Garden sponsored Private Garden Tour. Tickets: $50 MoBot Member, $65 Nonmember

9 am to 5 pm June 15th Carnivorous Plant Society Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

9 am to 5 pm June 22nd Kimmswick Visitor Center Daylily Sale, Jefferson County Mo

July 20st-22nd Shaw Cactus & Succulent Society Cactus & Succulent Sale, St. Louis County

9 am to 5 pm August 3rd Greater St. Louis Iris Society Iris Sale at at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

10-11:30 am August 17th Homegrown Hot Sauce Class with Urban Harvest’s Chef Queenie at Rung, Fox Park. Register

Noon to 5 pm August 18th Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Auction at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission fee required.

3-7 pm September 6th Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflower Market

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Plant of the Week: Schlumbergera truncata, Holiday Cactus, False Christmas Cactus, Crab Cactus, Thanksgiving Cactus

Don’t throw those holiday plants away.
Poinsettia Care Advice from University of Missouri Extension
Amaryllis Care Advice from University of Illinois Extension

Monarch Watch Free Milkweeds for Schools and Nonprofits Program

Now thru December 31st Winter Jewels: An Enchanted Celebration at Sachs Butterfly House, Chesterfield

Now thru January 6th Garden Glow at Missouri Botanical Garden

January 15th Deadline for Missouri community gardens, conservation groups, parks, schools to apply for Missouri Prairie Foundation Prairie Garden Grants

January 31st Deadline to apply for Missouri Native Plant Society Stan Hudson Research Grant for college student researching Missouri native plants (plant biology, including conservation, ecology, physiology, systematics and evolution, etc)

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

Litzsinger Road Ecology Center Grants: for undergraduate or graduate students, faculty, or professional researchers conducting research at LREC on any topic related to ecology, conservation, or environmental science

Only 1 more week until we start Leeks & Onions indoors by seed. Plan your 2024 garden with Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

Top 10 Veggies to grow in Containers (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Good Reads —

November-December Issue of Petal Pusher (Missouri Native Plant Society)

2023 The Nature Conservancy’s work in Missouri

Gifted article. Genetic engineering was meant to save chestnut trees. Then there was a mistake. A potential labelling error was the latest in a series of concerns for the American Chestnut Foundation, driving the nonprofit to pull support for a genetically engineered tree meant resurrect an iconic American species. (Washington Post)

Wild Ones Native Garden Designs

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

10 am Wednesday, December 27th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Birds in Winter. Register

9:45 am Thursday, December 28th, Eastern Missouri Sierra Club Day Hike to Green Cave in Meramec State Park, Sullivan, Franklin County. Register

10 am Friday, December 29th, Missouri Conservation Department Class at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Center, Kirkwood: The Snakes of Powder Valley. 3 Seats remaining. Register

9 am Saturday, December 30th, Missouri Conservation Department family event at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Center: Ask a Naturalist

8:30 am January 1st Piasa Sierra Club event: New Years Day Hike @ Pere Marquette State Park, Grafton, Illinois. Register.

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

10:30 am January 3rd Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Area, Kirkwood: Scavenger Hunt Hike

4 pm January 3rd Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: Braided Streams of Thought: Meandering Through Groundwater Discharge, Wetland Plants, and Beaver Complexes. Register

9 am to 5 pm January 4th Missouri Conservation Department Craft Event at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Center, Kirkwood: Make & Take Pine Cone Bird Feeder. Registration not required. Just drop anytime during the day.

3 pm January 5th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Mammals of MO- Extirpated and Naturalized. 20 Tickets remaining. Register

9 am January 6th Missouri Conservation Department Dresser Island Hike, West Alton, Missouri. 15 Tickets available. Register

9 am to Noon January 6th Audubon Center at Riverlands First Saturday Fun Day: Nature Art at Little Creek Nature Area, Florissant.

10 am to 2 pm January 6th Alton Audubon Eagle Ice Fest at Audubon Center at Riverlands, West Alton, Missouri

10 am to 2:30 pm January 7th Audubon Center at Riverlands (West Alton, Missouri): Eagle Sunday. Register

6:30 pm January 9th Piasa Sierra Club Program at Old Bakery Beer, Alton: Hike to the US Eastern Mountains. Register

10 am January 11th Missouri Conservation Department Winter Tree ID for the Amateur Naturalist at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Area, Kirkwood. 7 Seats remaining. Register

6 pm January 11th First Seed St. Louis Zoom Class of 2024: Seed Starting. Register

How well do you know Missouri wildlife? 6 pm January 12th Missouri Conservation Department Trivia Night at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Center. 43 Seats remaining. Register

8 am January 13th Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lesson 1. 5 Seats remaining. Register

9 am January 13th Missouri Conservation Department Hiking event at Columbia Bottom Nature Conservation Area: Looking for Treasures in the Winter Woods. 7 Tickets remaining. Register

10 am January 13th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park, Stupp Center: Art in the Park- Canvas & Cocoa. 6 Seats remaining. Register

2 pm January 13th St. Louis Public Library In Person Class @ Carpenter Library: Intro to Plant-spotting- Common St. Louis Flowers & Weeds.

8 am January 14th Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lesson 2. 5 Seats remaining. Register

11 am January 16th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Event: Attracting Winter Birds. Register

6 pm January 16th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Event: Bald Eagles in Missouri. Register

4 pm January 17th Grow Native! Webinar: Native Plants & Public Art, A Conversation with Kansas City Artist Julie Farstad. Register

Noon January 18th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Native Plants- Winter Wonderland. Learn about some beautiful showy winter native plants, how to plant them effectively, and winter garden care. Register

Noon January 24th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Missouri Oak. Learn about the 21 Oak species found in various habitats across Missouri. Register

6 pm January 25th St. Charles Chapter Wild Ones Webinar: Cultivating Change with author and activist Lorraine Johnson. Register

7 pm January 26th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Center, Kirkwood: An Evening with Raptors. Register

10 am January 27th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Winter Tree ID. Learn how to identify trees by their twigs, fruits, and bark. Register

January 27th thru February 25th Orchid Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission is free to residents of St. Louis City and St. Louis County on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

February-March Partners for Native Landscaping 2024 Spring Series Workshops

1-4:30 pm February 4th Missouri Coalition for the Environment Wild and Scenic Film Festival at The Blue Note, Columbia MO. MCE members 20% Discount. $50 VIP, $20 General Admission, $10 16 and under. Register.

9 am to 3 pm February 10th Eagle Days at Audubon Center @ Riverlands (West Alton, Missouri). Register

1 pm February 10th St. Louis Public Library Class @ Central Library: Top 10 Orchids for Home. 35 Seats remaining. Register.

February 15-16th Deep Roots Kansas City 2024 Plan It Native Landscapes Conference

February 17th Seed St. Louis Community Agriculture Conference

7:30 am to Noon February 23rd Southwest Illinois Grow Native! Workshop with breakfast @ Lewis and Clark Community College, Edwardsville IL: Southwest Illinois Landscape Challenges & Native Plant Solutions. $25 Grow Native! Members, $15 Students, $30 Non-members

1 pm March 6th St. Louis Public Library In Person Class @ Central Library: Alien Invasion! Plants with Betsy Alexander, Master Gardener from the Missouri Botanical Gardens Master Gardener Program. 35 Seats remaining. Register.

March 8th-9th Midwestern Herb & Garden Show in Mount Vernon, Illinois (little over an hour drive from St. Louis City)

9 am to Noon March 9th Seed St. Louis Plant Sale: Potatoes, Strawberries, Asparagus, Mushroom Spawn, Onions.

2 pm April 8th St. Louis Public Library program at Central Library: Plants, Pollen, and Allergies. 35 Seats remaining. Register.

9 am to 1 pm May 4th Shaw Nature Reserve Wildflower Market

May 18th Wild Ones Illinois Prairie Chapter Native Plant Sale at Carlock, McLean County IL

Join us Sundays on Bluesky or Twitter for #GardenSunday to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Snapdragons. White with purple edges and yellow centers.

Plant of the Week: Snapdragons

Seed St. Louis Shallot Sale. Order Online by Thursday for Saturday, October 14th Pick Up at Carriage House, 3815 Bell Ave. Shallot Grow Guide

Fall Tree Color Reports: Missouri and Illinois

Good Reads —

Gardening by Month: October Tips & Tasks, Pests & Problems (Missouri Botanical Garden)

October Garden To Do List (P. Allen Smith)

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)

Order Tree Seedlings now for shipping in February from Missouri Conservation Department

Gardening and Nature Events —

Volunteers Wanted. Plant It Forward @ Tower Grove Park 9 am to Noon Tuesday, October 10th and 9 am to Noon Thursday, October 12th

10 am Tuesday, October 10th, Bellefontaine Cemetery Trolley Tour: 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. $5. Register.

10 am Wednesday, October 11th, Bellefontaine Cemetery Arboretum Walking Tour. 2 Hour Horticulture guided tour. Register

4 pm Wednesday, October 11th, Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar- Dicamba and 2,4-D; Old Herbicides Causing New Problems. Register

1:30 pm Thursday, October 12th, Bellefontaine Cemetery Leaf Walk. 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. Register

2 pm Thursday, October 12th, Seed St. Louis & St. Louis County Public Library Zoom Class: Container Gardening. Register

6 pm Thursday, October 12th, Seed St. Louis Great Fall Wrap Up Zoom Event. How best to clean up and prep your garden, what to compost, what to throw away. How to clean up the area around your garden in order to look tidy while still supporting our local bees and other insects. How to prep your soil for next spring. Register

10 am October 28th Missouri Conservation Department Beginner Watercolor Class at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Watercolor Painting: Fall Leaves and Trees. 6 Seats remaining. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 10 am Saturday, October 14th, Forest ReLeaf Beckett Park Memorial Tree Stewardship Day, Lewis Place Neighborhood. Help honor 25 families and their loved ones lost to gun violence by caring for trees planted in their memory. Register

8:30 am Sunday, October 15th, St. Louis Audubon Society Youth & Family Beginner Bird Walk at Tower Grove Park. Register

5-7:30 pm October 16th Missouri Conservation Department Fishing Lessons 1 & 2 (gear, casting, fish handling, knot tying, baiting) at Forest Park Fish Hatchery. Gear provided. 13 Seats remaining. Register

2 pm October 17th information session at Bellefontaine Cemetery, Hotchkiss Chapel: What is Green Burial? Register

Volunteers Wanted. Plant It Forward @ Tower Grove Park 9 am to Noon October 17th, 9 am to Noon October 18th, and 9 am to Noon October 19th

3:30 pm October 18th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Trees- Fall Color. Find out what causes leaves to change color, which plants have the showiest color, and some great places to visit this fall. Register

For Kids 0-7 years. 4 pm October 19th Missouri Conservation Conservation Kids event at Tower Grove Park: You and me under the Canopy- Sly Critters. Register

1:30 pm October 20th Bellefontaine Cemetery Leaf Walk. 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. Register

3 pm October 20th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Birds of Missouri. Find out great places in Missouri to view Fall migration and for winter birdwatching season. Register

9 am October 21st Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Where Can I? — Birdwatch. Register

10 am October 21st Bellefontaine Cemetery Trolley Tour: 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. $5. Register

1 pm October 21st Missouri Prairie Foundation Members Field Trip: Bellefontaine Cemetery Fall Tree Walk

6-8 pm October 21st Stargazing at Tower Grove Park

2-5 pm October 22nd Fall Frolic at Tower Grove Park with Missouri Conservation Department. Discover all the flora and fauna that live in St. Louis region through autumn-centric activity stations and wildlife encounters.

10 am October 24th Bellefontaine Cemetery Trolley Tour: 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. $5. Register

6 pm October 24th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Bats of Missouri. Register

4 pm October 25th Missouri Prairie Foundation Zoom Class: Show Me Tarantulas! The Ecology of Aphonopelma hentzi in Missouri Glades. Register

9 am October 26th information session at Bellefontaine Cemetery, Hotchkiss Chapel: What is Green Burial? Register

3-6 pm October 28th Missouri Conservation Department Dutch Oven Cooking Class at Tower Grove Park. Bring law chairs. Must be at least 7 years of age. 12 Seats remaining. Register

1:30 pm October 31st Bellefontaine Cemetery Leaf Walk. 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. Register

9 am November 1st Missouri Conservation Department Project FeederWatch Virtual Kickoff. Help Cornell Lab track birds. Register

1:30 pm November 2nd Bellefontaine Cemetery Leaf Walk. 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. Register

7:45 am to Noon November 4th Bellefontaine Cemetery Coyote Crawl 5K and Head for the Hills 10K Run/Walk. Register

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

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am November 4th Forest ReLeaf North Riverfront Fall Tree Planting, North Entrance @ North Riverfront Park. Register

3:30 pm November 7th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Backyard Birds, Project FeederWatch. Register

9 am to 3:30 pm November 8th Grow Native! Professionals Conference @ University of Missouri- Columbia. $20 per person for Grow Native! professional members (and their staff). Zoom option: $30 for non-members. Register

Noon to 3 pm November 12th Missouri Prairie Foundation Friends of Cuivre River State Park Grasslands Work Day, Lincoln County Mo. Register

For Kids 0-7 years. 10 am November 16th Missouri Conservation Department Conservation Kids event at Tower Grove Park, Stupp Center: You and me under the Canopy: Talkin’ Turkeys. Learn about some common backyard birds, then create felt ornaments to take home. Must be at least age 16. 12 Seats remaining. Register

4 pm November 16th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Backyard Bird Feeding. Register

10 am November 19th Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class at Tower Grove Park, Stupp Center: The Science & Art of Soapmaking. Registration Opens November 1st: Register

6 pm November 29th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Whacky Woodpeckers. Register

9 am December 2nd Forest ReLeaf Christy Greenway Tree Planting, Old St. Marcus Cemetery Park. Register

10 am December 16th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Nature Art- Felt Bird Ornaments. Registration Opens November 1st. Register

Join us Sundays on Bluesky or Twitter for #GardenSunday to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Plant of the Week: Persimmon Tree

Tree Specific Events —

3-6 pm Friday, October 6th, Forest ReLeaf Native Tree Giveaway at Scott Joplin House, 2700 Samuel Shepard Dr

1 pm October 21st Missouri Prairie Foundation Members Field Trip: Bellefontaine Cemetery Fall Tree Walk

Nonprofits: Order Free 3 Gallon Native Trees & Shrubs from Forest ReLeaf and Project CommuniTree

Order Tree Seedlings now for shipping in February from Missouri Conservation Department

Fall Color Reports: Missouri and Illinois

Good Reads —

Gardening by Month: October Tips & Tasks, Pests & Problems (Missouri Botanical Garden)

October Garden To Do List (P. Allen Smith)

How long does spaghetti squash last? Everything you need to know (Food Champs)

Brussels Sprouts, Prolong Fall Harvest (University of Missouri County Extension)

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)

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

Missouri colleges expand cannabis programs to prepare students for ‘green jobs’ (Missouri Independent) Info on St. Louis Community College Horticulture program which includes three cannabis related classes

General Gardening and Nature Events —

Volunteers Wanted for Plant It Forward @ Tower Grove Park 9 am to Noon Tuesday, October 3rd and 9 am to Noon Thursday, October 5th

1:30 pm Tuesday, October 3rd, Leaf Walk Horticulture & History Guided Tour at Bellefontaine Cemetery. Register

4:30 pm Tuesday, October 3rd, Seed St. Louis Fall School Gardener Meet-Up with Perennial Plant & Seed Swap at Mallinkcrodt School, Lindenwood. Register

1 pm Wednesday, October 4th, Arboretum Walking Tour at Bellefontaine Cemetery. Register

1 pm Friday, October 6th, Missouri Conservation Department Online Class- Wild Edibles, May the Forage be With You. Register. Also see Jan Phillips “Wild Edibles of Missouri” pdf

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, October 6th-8th, Missouri Botanical Garden Best of Missouri Market. I know Missouri Wildflowers Nursery will be there but unsure about others.

8 am Saturday, October 7th, St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Forest Park. Register

9 am to Noon Saturday, October 7th, Seed St. Louis Garlic & More Sale at Carriage House, 3815 Bell: Hardneck Garlic ‘Music’, Softneck Garlic ‘Inchelium Red’, Red Shallots, Walking Onions plus row cover, hoops, sod staples. Seed St. Louis Planting Guides: Softneck Garlic, Hardneck Garlic, Shallots

Volunteers Wanted for Plant It Forward @ Tower Grove Park 9 am to Noon Tuesday, October 10th and 9 am to Noon Thursday, October 12th

4 pm October 11th Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar- Dicamba and 2,4-D; Old Herbicides Causing New Problems. Register

6 pm October 12th Seed St. Louis Great Fall Wrap Up Zoom Event. How best to clean up and prep your garden, what to compost, what to throw away. How to clean up the area around your garden in order to look tidy while still supporting our local bees and other insects. How to prep your soil for next spring. Register

8:30 am October 15th St. Louis Audubon Society Youth & Family Beginner Bird Walk at Tower Grove Park. Register

9 am to 3:30 pm November 8th Grow Native! Professionals Conference @ University of Missouri- Columbia. $20 per person for Grow Native! professional members (and their staff). Zoom option: $30 for non-members. Register

Join us Sundays on Bluesky or Twitter for #GardenSunday to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.

This Week In Gardening & Nature

Plant of the Week: Black Walnut, Missouri’s Official State Nut

Tree Specific Events —

Fall Color Reports: Missouri and Illinois

6 pm September 28th Kiener Plaza Tree Walk & Talk with Forest ReLeaf

3-6 pm October 6th Forest ReLeaf Native Tree Giveaway at Scott Joplin House, 2700 Samuel Shepard Dr

1 pm October 21st Missouri Prairie Foundation Members Field Trip: Bellefontaine Cemetery Fall Tree Walk

Nonprofits: Order Free 3 Gallon Native Trees & Shrubs from Forest ReLeaf and Project CommuniTree

Order Tree Seedlings now for shipping in February from Missouri Conservation Department

Good Reads —

September Gardening Tips: Outdoor Flowering Plants & Ornamentals, Vegetable Gardening, Fruits and Nuts, Cool-season Lawns, Warm-season Lawns, Indoor Plants (University of Missouri County Extension Services)

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

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

Learn to love the beauty of an untidy winter garden. Nothing cheers me up on a cold, overcast, dreary day like watching birds find seeds in the garden because we didn’t cut everything back. 10 Plants You Should Never Cut Back in Fall (Better Homes & Gardens)

Plant These 39 Seeds in Fall for Spring Blooms (Epic Gardening)

Vinegar is the Secret to Getting Plants for Germinate (House Digest)

General Gardening and Nature Events —

St. Louis Area Plant Sale List

Volunteers Wanted This Week for Plant It Forward @ Tower Grove Park 9 am to Noon Tuesday and 9 am to Noon Thursday

4 pm Wednesday, September 26th, Missouri Prairie Foundation Virtual Prairie Hike: Golden Prairie, Barton County MO, a National Natural Landmark. Register

5 pm Wednesday, September 26th, Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class Aquatic Invasives. Register

1:30 pm Thursday, September 28th, Leaf Walk Horticulture & History Guided Tour at Bellefontaine Cemetery. Register

3:30-6:30 pm Thursday, September 28th, Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale @ Roeslein & Associates, St. Louis County. Vendors include Gaylena’s Garden, Missouri Wildflowers Nursery, Papillon Perennials, River City Natives.

6 pm Thursday, September 28th, Seed St. Louis Online Class: Food for Years- Perennial Herbs, Vegetables, & Self Seeding Annuals. Register

Friday, September 29th, Deadline to Order Daffodils and Tulips from Brightside St. Louis Blooming Soon Sale. Pick Up will be October 6th-7th at Forest Park Greenhouse (or mailed if you want to pay for that option.

10 am Saturday, September 30th, Arboretum Walking Tour at Bellefontaine Cemetery. Register

3-9 pm Saturday, September 30th, Astronomy Festival at Tower Grove Park

10 am to 2 pm Sunday, October 1st, St. Louis Audubon Society Bring Conservation Home Native Plant Sale at Tower Grove Park. Vendors include Forrest Keeling, River City Natives, Missouri Wildflowers Nursery, Papillon Perennials.

Volunteers Wanted for Plant It Forward @ Tower Grove Park 9 am to Noon Tuesday, October 3rd and 9 am to Noon Thursday, October 5th

1:30 pm October 3rd Leaf Walk Horticulture & History Guided Tour at Bellefontaine Cemetery. Register

4:30 pm October 3rd, Seed St. Louis Fall School Gardener Meet-Up with Perennial Plant & Seed Swap at Mallinkcrodt School, Lindenwood. Register

1-5 pm October 4th Missouri Conservation Department Wildlife Law CLE Seminar for Attorneys. Webinar or In Person in Jefferson City. Register

1 pm October 4th Arboretum Walking Tour at Bellefontaine Cemetery. Register

1 pm October 6th Missouri Conservation Department Online Class- Wild Edibles, May the Forage be With You. Register

October 6th-8th Missouri Botanical Garden Best of Missouri Market. I know Missouri Wildflowers Nursery will be there but unsure about others. No vendor list yet. Also not sure whether St. Louis City & County residents get the usual free admission on Saturday morning (because City and County taxpayers publicly finance MoBot). Admission fee may apply.

8 am October 7th St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Forest Park. Register

9 am to Noon October 7th Seed St. Louis Garlic & More Sale at Carriage House, 3815 Bell: Hardneck Garlic ‘Music’, Softneck Garlic ‘Inchelium Red’, Red Shallots, Walking Onions plus row cover, hoops, sod staples.

Volunteers Wanted for Plant It Forward @ Tower Grove Park 9 am to Noon Tuesday, October 10th and 9 am to Noon Thursday, October 12th

4 pm October 11th Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar- Dicamba and 2,4-D; Old Herbicides Causing New Problems. Register

Join us Sundays on Bluesky or Twitter for #GardenSunday to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Plant of the Week: Obedient Plant (False Dragonhead)

New St. Louis Area Upcoming Plant Sales List– Vegetable Seedlings, Native Plants, Pretties

Order Brightside St. Louis Daffodil & Tulip Bulbs Online for October Pick Up

Download the Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

Gardening by Month from Missouri Botanical Garden: August Tips & Tasks, Pests & Problems

Know a great tree steward? August 7th Deadline to submit Nominations for Arbor Award of Excellence

Sept 1st Deadline to enter Missouri Department of Natural Resources 2023 Photo Contest Categories: Natural Resources, Unique Places: state parks and historic sites; People Enjoying Missouri’s Outdoors.

—– Good Reads

Noticing leaves and stems disappearing on your tomato or tomatillo plants? You’ve got hornworms and here’s some advice from Missouri Botanical Garden

August-September is prime time for iris division and planting. More information on iris from Greater St. Louis Iris Society

Do You Deadhead Zinnias?

August issue of Missouri Conservationist magazine features Bellefontaine, Calvary, and Greenwood cemeteries of St. Louis: Resting in Peace with Nature. Bellefontaine Cemetery has suspended tours due to early July storm damage.

Interested in Bees? Download USDA Forest Service’s Bee Basics, An Introduction to Native Bees

Tips on harvesting Sunflowers for planting next year.

———- Events

15 Seats remaining. For Children Ages 3-6. 10 am Tuesday, August 8th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Conservation Kids- Nature Scavenger Hunt. Register

7 pm Tuesday, August 8th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Introduction to Missouri’s Caves and Caving. This class is a requirement for August 9th field trip to Cliff Cave, Cliff Cave County Park, St. Louis County. Registration for that is closed but I thought the Zoom Class on its own might be of interest to some. Register

6 pm Thursday, August 10th In Person Event @ Carpenter Library, Tower Grove South: Forest Park Owls, Hunting & Feeding with naturalist Mark H.X. Glenshaw

1 Ticket remaining. 6:30 pm Thursday, August 10th Missouri Conservation Department “Calling All Owls” In Person Event @ Shaw Nature Reserve, Gray Summit, Franklin County. Register

12 Seats remaining. 10 am Friday, August 11th Missouri Conservation Department Nature Art In Person Class at Tower Grove Park: Nature Crocheters, Session 1. Prior experience not necessary, but bring a size 5 mm, 5.5 mm, or 6 mm crochet hook. Future Sessions: October 14th & November 18th. Register

9 am Saturday, August 12th Seed St. Louis Fall Plant Sale. $3.50 4-pak Vegetable Seedlings (bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, collards, kale, kohlrabi, heat tolerant lettuce) + seed packets. Please bring your own tray or box for your plants.

9 am to 5 pm Saturday & Sunday, August 12th & 13th, Greater St. Louis Iris Society Plant Sale @ Missouri Botanical Garden. Entrance included with Garden Admission. Garden Admission is FREE to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents 7 am to Noon Wednesdays and Saturdays.

6:30 pm August 12th Nature Night Film Series at Tower Grove Park: Over the Hedge. + Raptor Basics Show with live birds from World Bird Sanctuary. + Educational activities and crafts sponsored by U.S. Forest Service, Missouri Conservation Department, St. Louis Zoo, Tower Grove Park, St. Louis Public Library, Wild Bird Rehab, more

Noon August 15th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Outdoor Skills- Reading the River. Learn the fundamentals of how to travel down a waterway safely. Register

4 pm August 16th Grow Native! Webinar: Learning to Grow Native- Four Seasons of Transformation in a Residential Landscape. Register

10 am August 19th Seed St. Louis Tasting the Rainbow Class: Garden Recipes for Kids at Bell Garden. Register

11:30 am August 19th Seed St. Louis Tomato Tasting & Potluck at Bell Garden. Register

August 19th Missouri Prairie Foundation Annual Dinner & Auction, Stoney Creek Hotel, Columbia. Tickets

August 26th Washington County 14th Annual Home Grown Farm Tour

8 am August 26th St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk @ Sunset Greenway, Florissant, St. Louis County. Register

9 am to Noon August 26th Webster Groves Herb Society Display at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission is FREE to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents 7 am to Noon Wednesdays and Saturdays.

10 am August 26th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Native Plants- What’s Blooming? Register

Noon to 5 pm August 27th Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Auction @ Missouri Botanical Garden. Entrance included with Garden Admission. Garden Admission is FREE to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents 7 am to Noon Wednesdays and Saturdays.

2 pm August 29th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Creature Feature- Kingsnakes. Register

6:30 pm August 29th Mid Continent Public Library (Kansas City area) Zoom Event: Monarch Mania. Register

August 30th to September 4th Greater St. Louis Daylily Society Online Sale & Auction

4 pm August 30th Grow Native! Webinar: Soft Landings- Providing Year-Round Sanctuary for Pollinators. Register

6 pm August 31st Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Season Extension and Winter Gardening. Register

8 am September 2nd St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk @ Forest Park. Register

9 am to 5 om September 9th Gateway West Gesneriad Society Sale @ Missouri Botanical Garden. Entrance included with Garden Admission. Garden Admission is FREE to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents 7 am to Noon Wednesdays and Saturdays.

8 am September 9th St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk @ Mississippi Greenway, Cliff Cave Park, St. Louis County. Register

10 am to 2 pm September 9th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at Wild Bird Sanctuary, Valley Park, St. Louis County

10 am to 5 pm September 16th Old North St. Louis House & Garden Tour + Arts Festival at Crown Square. Tickets

2 pm September 16th EcoTones Urban Prairie Concert at Bellefontaine Cemetery. $10-$50. Tickets

5:30 pm September 18th Missouri Prairie Foundation Guided Hike of Deer Lake Savanna in Forest Park. Register

8 am September 23rd St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk @ Meramec Greenway, Al Foster Trailhead, Wildwood, St. Louis County. Register

3:30-6:30 pm September 28th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale @ Roeslein & Associates, St. Louis County

1 pm October 21st Missouri Prairie Foundation Members Field Trip: Bellefontaine Cemetery Fall Tree Walk

9 am to 3:30 pm November 8th Grow Native! Professionals Conference @ University of Missouri- Columbia. $20 per person for Grow Native! professional members (and their staff). Zoom option: $30 for non-members. Register

Join us Sundays on Spoutible or Twitter for #GardenSunday to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Joe Pye Weed- a tall plant with clusters of tiny pink flowers

Plant of the Week: Joe Pye Weed

Download the Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

Hey, St. Louisans: Need seeds for planting now and Fall/Winter harvesting? Check out the 50 Cent to $1 deals at Seed St. Louis

Tips on Drying Flowers

What an hour of gardening does to your body

City of St. Louis would like your help watering trees

The massive fire which destroyed Skate Liborious also destroyed New Roots Urban Farm. All donations to help rebuild the farm are appreciated: GoFund for New Roots Urban Farm

It’s Sunflower Season at Columbia Bottom Nature Conservation Area

Thru August 1st at Buder Library, St. Louis Hills: The Art of Science and Nature by Dr. Robert Bolla: Art Exhibit an exhibit of photography of animals and botanicals

Current Exhibits thru August 6th at Pulitzer Arts Foundation, Grand Center- Faye HeavyShield’s Confluences and The Nature of Things: Medieval Art and Ecology, 1100-1550

Know a great tree steward? August 7th Deadline to submit Nominations for Arbor Award of Excellence

Sept 1st Deadline to enter Missouri Department of Natural Resources 2023 Photo Contest Categories: Natural Resources, Unique Places: state parks and historic sites; People Enjoying Missouri’s Outdoors.

———-
11 am Wednesday, July 26th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Hummingbirds. Register

11 am Thursday, July 27th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Snakes of Missouri. Register. Also, download MDC’s A Guide to Missouri Snakes

6 pm Thursday, July 27th, Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: The Forgotten Season- Fall Gardening at Home and School. Register

9 am to 5 pm Saturday, July 29th and 8 am to 4 pm Sunday, July 30th Shaw Cactus and Succulent Society Annual Show & Sale at Jost Event Center, Overland, St. Louis County

8 pm Saturday, July 29th Stargazing at Tower Grove Park

6 pm July 31st Missouri Conservation Department Online Class: Hummers of Summer. Register

2 pm August 1st Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Fall Gardening. Register

4 pm August 2nd Missouri Prairie Foundation Zoom Master Class: Native Grasses and Sedges-Smart Choices for Native Landscape Design. Free for MPF dues-paying members and Grow Native! professional members. $15 for non-members. Register

6:30 pm August 3rd Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Making Friends with Fritillaries Register

For Children ages 0-7. 10 am August 4th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park- You and Me Under the Canopy- Hike. Register

9 am to 5 pm August 5th & 6th Greater St. Louis Iris Society Plant Sale @ Missouri Botanical Garden. Entrance included with Garden Admission. Garden Admission is FREE to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents 7 am to Noon Wednesdays and Saturdays.

August 5th Green Living Festival at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission is FREE to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents 7 am to Noon Wednesdays and Saturdays.

13 Seats remaining. 10 am August 5th Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Watercolor Painting and Fun with Butterflies! Register

For Children Ages 3-6. 10 am August 8th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Conservation Kids- Nature Scavenger Hunt. Register

7 pm August 8th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Introduction to Missouri’s Caves and Caving. This class is a requirement for August 9th field trip to Cliff Cave, Cliff Cave County Park, St. Louis County. Registration for that is closed but I thought the Zoom Class on its own might be of interest to some. Register

10 am August 11th Missouri Conservation Department Nature Art In Person Class at Tower Grove Park: Nature Crocheters, Session 1. Prior experience not necessary, but bring a size 5 mm, 5.5 mm, or 6 mm crochet hook. Future Sessions: October 14th & November 18th. Register

9 am August 12th Seed St. Louis Fall Plant Sale. $3.50 4-pak Vegetable Seedlings (bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, collards, kale, kohlrabi, heat tolerant lettuce) + seed packets. Please bring your own tray or box for your plants.

6:30 pm August 12th Nature Night Film Series at Tower Grove Park: Over the Hedge. + Raptor Basics Show with live birds from World Bird Sanctuary. + Educational activities and crafts sponsored by U.S. Forest Service, Missouri Conservation Department, St. Louis Zoo, Tower Grove Park, St. Louis Public Library, Wild Bird Rehab, more

9 am to Noon August 26th Webster Groves Herb Society Display at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission is FREE to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents 7 am to Noon Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Noon to 5 pm August 27th Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Auction @ Missouri Botanical Garden. Entrance included with Garden Admission. Garden Admission is FREE to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents 7 am to Noon Wednesdays and Saturdays.

9 am to 5 om September 9th Gateway West Gesneriad Society Sale @ Missouri Botanical Garden. Entrance included with Garden Admission. Garden Admission is FREE to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents 7 am to Noon Wednesdays and Saturdays.

10 am to 2 pm September 9th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at Wild Bird Sanctuary, Valley Park, St. Louis County

9 am to 5 pm September 16th & 17th Greater St. Louis Daylily Society Sale @ Missouri Botanical Garden. Entrance included with Garden Admission. Garden Admission is FREE to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents 7 am to Noon Wednesdays and Saturdays.

10 am to 5 pm September 16th Old North St. Louis House & Garden Tour + Arts Festival at Crown Square. Tickets

5:30 pm September 18th Missouri Prairie Foundation Guided Hike of Deer Lake Savanna in Forest Park. Register

9 am to 3:30 pm November 8th Grow Native! Professionals Conference @ University of Missouri- Columbia. $20 per person for Grow Native! professional members (and their staff). Zoom option: $30 for non-members. Register

Join us Sundays on Spoutible or Twitter for #GardenSunday to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.