This Week in Gardening & Nature

Rose Mallow
Rose Mallow shrub with lake in background

Plant of the Week: Rose Mallow, a native hibiscus with large flowers, one of Missouri’s tallest perennials (up to 8 feet). Seedlings available cheap at Missouri Conservation Annual Tree Seedling Sale. Orders ship out in Spring. I have ordered seedlings and trying to grow from seed.

Rose Mallow fuzzy seeds

Nature Conservancy’s 2025 Missouri Report. Find out about Nature Conservancy’s work in another state here.

If you are just looking for St. Louis Area Plant and Seed Swaps and Sales, they are here. Additions this week: January Happy Trails Farm (horse rescue) Garden Vendor Fair & Seed Swap in Granite City IL; March Seed St. Louis Potatoes, Onions, Strawberries, Asparagus Sale

St. Louis Master Gardeners Horticulture Answer Service: Monday-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.

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

Good Reads/Views/Listens —

How St. Louis’ coal-choked skies and dying orchids planted the seeds for a beloved nature reserve (St. Louis Public Radio)

Seed bank at Missouri Botanical Garden outgrows space, gets new home in St. Louis (St. Louis Post-Dispatch via Wayback Machine)

The secret to keeping your holiday greenery fresher longer (Associated Press)

Applying Permaculture Principles to the Garden. Discover some of the principles of permaculture that will help you achieve a low-maintenance garden. (Mother Earth News)

Petal Pusher, November-December newsletter (Missouri Native Plant Society)

MU weed science team confirms dicamba-resistant water hemp (University of Missouri Extension)

Project FeederWatch: How You Can Help Scientists Track Birds (Horticulture Magazine)

The global plastic waste trade contributes to coastal litter in importing countries, study shows (University of Illinois 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 —–

Registration Open for 2026 Swamp Needlers. Theme: Missouri’s Streams. Classes start January 5th. 12 Month Virtual Program, second Mondays. Learn simple, but beautiful embroidery techniques by stitching quilt blocks based on theme. Register

Volunteers Wanted. STL Neighborhood Foresters Neighborhood Tree Care Blitzes
December 20th Old North. Register
December 20th Benton Park. Register
December 20th Tower Grove East. Register
December 21st Shaw. Register
December 27th Bevo. Register
January 3rd Hyde Park. Register
January 4th Forest Park Southeast. Register
January 10th Tower Grove East. Register
January 10th Benton Park West. Register
January 17th Old North. Register
January 17th Benton Park. Register
January 18th Shaw. Register
January 24th Bevo. Register
February 1st Forest Park Southeast. Register
February 7th Hyde Park. Register
February 14th Tower Grove East. Register
February 14th Benton Park West. Register
February 15th Shaw. Register
February 17th Old North. Register
February 21st Benton Park. Register
February 28th Bevo. Register

January 1st-15th Entry period for Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center (Blue Springs MO) Amazing Arthropods Photography Contest

5:30 to 9:30 pm or 10 pm Now thru January 3rd Missouri Botanical Garden’s Garden Glow. Fees apply.

Now thru 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.

January 2nd Deadline to Register for University of Missouri Extension’s January 2nd to April 27th Master Gardener Online Course. $200 fee includes Missouri Master Gardener Core Manual ($40 when sold separately).

January 15th Entry Begins for Audubon 2025 Photography & Videography Awards (photos from 2025). 2024 entry information. Some of the winners.

Now thru January 31st St. Louis City Public Library Annual Martin Luther King Food Drive

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 —–

Noon Monday, December 22nd, Missouri Conservation Department online class: Backyard Birds in Winter. Learn Bird Identification, Birding Essentials, Bird Sounds, Distinguishing Features. Register

For ages 5-12 but family welcome. 11 Seats remaining. 10:30 am December 30th Missouri Conservation Department Conservation Kids event at Rockwoods Reservation, Wildwood: Hibernation Pajama Party. Register

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

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

17 Tickets remaining. 11 am January 1st Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: First Day Hike. 1.3 miles, hilly, Hickory Ridge Trail. Register

3:30 pm January 2nd Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: The Adaptable Bobcat. Register

8 am January 3rd St. Louis Audubon Beginner Bird Walk at Forest Park. Register

10 am to 2 pm January 3rd Audubon Center at Riverlands Eagle Ice Fest at West Alton, Missouri. Free activities plus online ticketed $10 Eagle Meet & Greet and $10 Guided Bird Hike.

18 Tickets available. 1 pm January 3rd Missouri Conservation Department hike at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Winter Walk. Naturalist led ½-mile walk on Powder Valley’s Hickory Ridge Short Loop trail. Register

5:15 pm January 3rd The Nature Institute event in Godfrey, Illinois: Moonlight Hike. $5 for nonmembers. Register

For kids ages 2-5. 2 pm January 6th St. Louis County Library event at Grand Glaize Branch: Cactus Makes Perfect. Includes make & take cactus puppet craft. Register

5 pm January 6th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Missouri’s State Symbols with a naturalist. Register

7 pm January 7th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Zoom class: Natural Landscape Design. Register

6 pm January 8th St. Louis County Library event at Florissant Valley Branch: Houseplant Care. Register

6:15 pm January 8th Wild Ones St. Charles Area Chapter Winter Speaker Series at Spencer Road Library, St. Peters: Native Landscaping for Drought Tolerance, presented by Dan Pearson, St. Louis Audubon Society’s Bring Conservation Home program. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am January 9th Eastern Missouri Sierra Club Castlewood State Park Service Day, Ballwin. Register

15 Tickets remaining. 6:30 pm January 9th Missouri Conservation Department event at Rockwoods Reservation, Wildwood: Owl Prowl. Register

10 Tickets remaining. 9 am January 10th Missouri Conservation Department event along Mississippi River, West Alton: Dresser Island Hike. 5 mile or optional 2 mile. Register

10 am January 10th Audubon Center at Riverlands Eagle Saturday at West Alton, Missouri. $10. Register

For ages 5-12 but family welcome. 24 Tickets remaining. 10:30 am January 10th Missouri Department of Conservation Conservation Kids event at Rockwoods Reservation, Wildwood: Tracks in the Snow. Learn about animal tracks in the wintertime in Missouri. Register

11 am January 10th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Intro to Winter Tree ID. Register by January 8th.

Noon to 4 pm January 10th Happy Trails Farm (501c3 horse rescue) Garden Vendor Fair & Seed Swap at Moose Lodge, 2521 Maryville Rd, Granite City, Illinois. Donations accepted and a lucky donor will win a pickup truck of manure.

1 pm January 10th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Foraging 101. Register

20 Tickets remaining. 1 pm January 10th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Kestrel Nesting Boxes. The kestrel is the only falcon on this continent to nest in cavities. Register

For kids ages 2-5. 2 pm January 10th St. Louis County Library event at Lewis & Clark Branch: Cactus Makes Perfect. Includes make & take cactus puppet craft. Register

30 Seats remaining. 6 pm January 10th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Conservation Trivia Night. Register

10 am January 11th Audubon Center at Riverlands Swan Sunday at West Alton, Missouri

2 pm January 11th Wild Ones Southwest Illinois Chapter speaker series in Collinsville, Illinois: An Expert Approach to Winter Propagation. Different methods of starting native plants from seeds and hardwood cuttings. Register

9-11 am January 13th University of Illinois Extension Tree Care Webinar Series: Trees for Pollinators and Evergreen ID. $10 for access to all sessions. Register

1 pm January 13th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum horticulture class: Pruning Trees and Shrubs. Register

6 pm January 13th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Intro to Winter Tree ID. Register by January 9th.

Noon January 14th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Tapping into Maple Season. Learn how to select the correct Maple Tree, correct tapping techniques, and when to tap. Registration opens December 29th.

4 pm January 14th Grow Native! Webinar: Let’s Talk Trees. Topics: general tree health; treating pests & diseases; the right tree with the right place; proper watering, soil considerations, pruning, mulching; finding and using difficult-to-source and rarely used native species. Register

22 Tickets remaining. 2:30 pm January 16th Missouri Conservation Department Hike: A Winter Walk in Tower Grove Park. Register

Volunteers wanted. 9 am January 17th Heartlands Conservancy event in Waterloo, Illinois: Trout Hollow Hill Prairie Stewardship Day. Register

10 am January 17th Audubon Center at Riverlands Eagle Saturday at West Alton, Missouri. $10. Register

10m am to 2 pm January 18th Audubon Center at Riverlands Family Sunday Funday at West Alton, Missouri. Beginners Bird Hike, Marko Polo Live Music, face painting, crafts

12 Tickets remaining. 12:30 pm January 19th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Conservation Scene Investigation. Discover how conservation agents and biologists use evidence to solve wildlife violations. Register

17 Tickets remaining. 1 pm January 19th Missouri Conservation Department event at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area: Eagle Explorations. Register

6:30 pm January 19th Missouri River Bird Observatory webinar: Naturalist Series- Box-nesting Birds. Register

9-11 am January 20th University of Illinois Extension Tree Care Webinar Series: Forest Health Updates and Fungal Mutualists. $10 for access to all sessions. Register

Noon January 20th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Bald Eagles in Missouri. Register

2 pm January 21st St. Louis County Library event at Meramec Valley Branch: Seed & Houseplant Swap. Register

11 am January 22nd Missouri Conservation Department nature art class at Rockwoods Reservation, Wildwood: Black Walnut Ink & Junk Journaling. Register

6 pm January 22nd Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Best Crops for School Gardens & Orchards. Register

7 pm January 22nd Missouri Conservation Department Native Plants, Upgrading Your Urban Oasis Virtual Series: Landscape Prep and Winter Seed Sowing. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am January 23rd Heartlands Conservancy Stewardship Day at Brushy Creek, Collinsville, Illinois. Tree care. Register

6 pm January 23rd Missouri Conservation Department Creature Feature Virtual Class:  Blue Jays. Register

10 am January 24th Audubon Center at Riverlands Eagle Saturday at West Alton, Missouri. $10. Register

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. Label seeds. If you do not have seeds to swap, donate non-perishable food items, hygiene products or new kid’s socks and underwear for charity. This is a FB event that someone sent me information on but I don’t share FB links.

Noon January 24th The Nature Institute class in Godfrey, Illinois: Winter Tree Identification. $5 for nonmembers. Register

10 am January 24th Audubon Center at Riverlands Symposium Sunday at West Alton, Missouri: Birds of the Confluence, History & Art of Carving Duck Decoys, Gull Identification. Free but Register

For 3rd-8th grade kids. 10 am January 26th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: All about Eagles with the World Bird Sanctuary. Register

9-11 am January 27th University of Illinois Extension Tree Care Webinar Series: Construction and Urban Soils. $10 for access to all sessions. Register

For 3rd-8th grade kids. 10 am January 27th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: All about Eagles with the World Bird Sanctuary. Register

4 pm January 28th Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: Wiski/Oski (River Cane), A Keystone Species in the Floodplain and in Chickasaw Culture presented by Kent H. Sanmann, Natural Resources Instructor, The College of the Muscogee Nation. Register

6 pm January 29th Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Grow Your Own Vegetable Seedlings. The basics of starting seeds, what supplies you will need, and general tips and tricks. Register

6 pm January 29th Missouri Conservation Department webinar:  Winter Bird ID. Register

9 am January 30th Missouri Conservation Department class at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Winter Tree ID Workshop. Register

For kids ages 2-5. 2 pm January 30th St. Louis County Library event at Parkview Branch: Cactus Makes Perfect. Includes make & take cactus puppet craft. Register

10 am January 31st Audubon Center at Riverlands Eagle Saturday at West Alton, Missouri. $10. Register

January 31st Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves Wild Things 2026 Conference in O’Fallon, Illinois, one of the largest conservation gatherings in the Midwest, a celebration of nature, wildlife, ecosystem restoration, birding, botanizing, networking, and discovery. Fees but scholarship may be available.

9 am to 5 pm January 31st-February 1st Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free until Noon on Saturdays and Wednesdays to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents, except during MoBot special events, otherwise Garden Fee applies.

2 pm January 31st St. Louis County Library event at Meramec Valley Branch: Seed & Houseplant Swap. Register

6 pm February 1st The Nature Institute event in Godfrey, Illinois: Moonlight Hike. $5 for nonmembers. Register

6:30 pm February 2nd Missouri River Bird Observatory webinar: Naturalist Series- Aquatic Invertebrates. Register

9-11 am February 3rd University of Illinois Extension Tree Care Webinar Series: Chainsaw Safety and Pruning Young Trees. $10 for access to all sessions. Register

6:30 pm February 4th St. Louis County Library class at Grant’s View Branch: Gardening 101- Spring Colors. Register

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

9-11 am February 10th University of Illinois Extension Tree Care Webinar Series: Changing Climate and Historic Pests. $10 for access to all sessions. Register

1-4 pm February 10th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Horticulture Class:  Winter Tree and Shrub ID. $15 donation suggested. Register

6 pm February 11th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Zoom Class:  Integrated Pest Management for Home Gardeners. Register

6:15 pm February 12th Wild Ones St. Charles Area Chapter Winter Speaker Series at Spencer Road Library, St. Peters: Not Like a Haircut- Pruning to Promote Health, Vigor, and Appearance. Register

9 am to Noon February 14th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Horticulture Class:  Winter Tree and Shrub ID. $15 donation suggested. Register

6:30 pm February 16th Missouri River Bird Observatory webinar: Naturalist Series- Amphibians, presented by Waylon Hiler, Missouri Valley College. Register 

9-11 am February 17th University of Illinois Extension Tree Care Webinar Series: Tree Care After Planting and Tree Responses to Cultural Practices. $10 for access to all sessions. Register

5 pm March 2nd St. Louis Public Library Sustainability Series at Buder Library: Connecting the Dots Between You and Local Climate Action

6 pm March 2nd St. Louis Public Library Sustainability Series at Buder Library: Step into Sustainability- Bird Talk! with the Missouri Department of Conservation

6:30 pm March 2nd Missouri River Bird Observatory webinar: Naturalist Series- Missouri Turtles. Register

6 pm March 4th St. Louis Public Library Sustainability Series at Buder Library: Introduction into Sustainability

March 6th-7th Midwestern Herb & Garden Show in Mount Vernon, Illinois

11 am to 2 pm Piasa Palisades Sierra Club event at Alton, Illinois: Seed Swap. Register

Noon March 7th St. Louis Public Library Sustainability Series at Buder Library:  A Chick Chat with Second-Hen’d

6 pm March 11th St. Louis Public Library Sustainability Series at Buder Library:  Bees, Pollinators and Native Plants

6 pm March 11th St. Louis Public Library Sustainability Series at Carpenter Library: Locally Sourced, Mindfully Made with Klondike Bison & Bee. Field to fork bison. Registration opens January 3rd.

6:15 pm March 12th Wild Ones St. Charles Area Chapter Winter Speaker Series at Spencer Road Library, St. Peters: Nature at Night, presented by photographer Dan Zarlenga. Register

9 am March 14th Seed St. Louis March Sale at Carriage House: Potatoes, Onions, Strawberries, Asparagus

27 Seats remaining. 1 pm March 14th St. Louis Public Library Garden to Table Series at Central Library: Tomato History. Register

6:30 pm March 16th Missouri River Bird Observatory webinar: Naturalist Series- Missouri Fish. Register

6 pm March 25th St. Louis Public Library Sustainability Series at Buder Library: PFAS the Forever Chemical

9 am March 28th Seed St. Louis Spring Seedling Sale at Carriage House

24 Seats remaining. 1 pm March 28th St. Louis Public Library Garden to Table Series at Central Library: Strawberry and Basil Planting. Register

6:30 pm March 30th Missouri River Bird Observatory webinar: Naturalist Series- Grassland Birds. Register

6:15 pm February 12th Wild Ones St. Charles Area Chapter Winter Speaker Series at Spencer Road Library, St. Peters: Spring Ephemerals. Registration not open yet.

6 pm April 6th St. Louis Public Library Sustainability Series at Buder Library: Weeding Without Chemicals

9 am April 11th Missouri Conservation Department virtual class: Learning to Hunt- Wild Edibles, presented by Bo Brown, foraging author and nature educator. Register

6 pm April 15th St. Louis Public Library Sustainability Series at Carpenter Library: Locally Sourced, Mindfully Made with HareandBearco. Floral art. Registration opens February 7th.

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am April 18th Eastern Missouri Sierra Club Trail Maintenance at O’Fallon Park. Register

April 18th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at World Bird Sanctuary, Valley Park, St. Louis County

April 21, 2026, Missouri Invasive Plant Council Callery Pear, Bradford Pear Buyback. Info on 2025 event. No link yet for 2026. Confirmed locations: Cape Girardeau, Columbia, Doniphan, Hannibal, Jefferson City, Joplin, Kansas City, Kirksville, Lebanon, Liberty, Moberly, Park Hills, Parkville, Riverside, Rolla, Sikeston, Springfield, St. Charles, St. Joseph, St. Louis, Warrensburg, and West Plains.

9 am to 5 pm April 24th St. Louis Herb Society Herb Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Fee applies.

28 Seats remaining. 1 pm April 25th St. Louis Public Library Garden to Table Series at Central Library: Strawberry Basil Mocktails & Plant Health Clinic. Register

2 pm April 25th St. Louis County Library event at Grand Glaize Branch: Plant Swap. Register

6 pm May 4th St. Louis Public Library Sustainability Series at Buder Library: Sustainability, Ecology, & Conservation efforts in St. Louis Parks.

9 am May 9th Seed St. Louis Summer Seedling Sale at Carriage House

9 am to 5 pm May 9th St. Louis Hosta Society Show & Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free until Noon on Saturdays and Wednesdays to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents, except during MoBot special events, otherwise Garden Fee applies.

10 am May 9th St. Louis Public Library Sustainability Series at Buder Library: Wildflower Garden Planning

6 pm May 12th St. Louis Public Library Sustainability Series at Carpenter Library: Locally Sourced, Mindfully Made with Erin Luna. A hands-on workshop on indigo dyeing, includes make & take tea towel. Registration opens March 6th.

2 pm May 14th St. Louis Public Library Sustainability Series at Buder Library: Nee Kee Nee (Osage Nation), Tower Grove Park’s East Stream

9 am to 5 pm May 16th Metropolitan St. Louis African Violet Council Show & Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free until Noon on Saturdays and Wednesdays to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents, except during MoBot special events, otherwise Garden Fee applies.

May 16th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at The Nature Institute, Godfrey, Illinois

2 pm May 19th St. Louis Public Library Sustainability Series at Buder Library: Pollution Solution, presented by River des Peres Watershed Coalition

28 Seats remaining. 1 pm May 23rd St. Louis Public Library Garden to Table Series at Central Library: Tomato Transplant Class. Register

9 am to 5 pm June 20th Carnivorous Plant Society Show & Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free until Noon on Saturdays and Wednesdays to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents, except during MoBot special events, otherwise Garden Fee applies.

26 Seats remaining. 1 pm June 27th St. Louis Public Library Garden to Table Series at Central Library: Garden Party Strawberry & Basil Mocktails! Register

29 Seats remaining. 1 pm July 11th St. Louis Public Library Garden to Table Series at Central Library: Tomato & Basil Health Clinic. Register

9 am to 5 pm August 1st-2nd Greater St. Louis Iris Society Plant Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free until Noon on Saturdays and Wednesdays to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents, except during MoBot special events, otherwise Garden Fee applies.

26 Seats remaining. 1 pm August 8th St. Louis Public Library Garden to Table Series at Central Library: Garden Party Caprese Salad. Bring tomatoes & basil from your garden. Register

Noon to 5 pm August 9th Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Auction at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Fee applies.

9 am August 15th Seed St. Louis Fall Seedling Sale at Carriage House

9 am to 5 pm August 15th Missouri Botanical Garden Daylily Society Plant Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free until Noon on Saturdays and Wednesdays to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents, except during MoBot special events, otherwise Garden Fee applies.

9 am to 5 pm September 12th Gateway West Gesneriad Society Show & Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free until Noon on Saturdays and Wednesdays to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents, except during MoBot special events, otherwise Garden Fee applies.

September 12th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at The Nature Institute, Godfrey, Illinois

September 24th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at Roeslein & Associates, St. Louis County

October 17th Seed St. Louis Garlic Sale at Carriage House

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Plant of the Week: Melons.

Hey, parents, teachers, child care providers: Storybooks on Pollinators

Sign up for University of Missouri Extension Online Food Preservation Class: pressure canning, boiling water bath canning, steam canning, dehydration, and freezing. $30. Register

Plan your garden with  Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar, good for Zones 6a, 6b, 7a, maybe more. Sow Outdoors: Beets, Bok Choy, Chard, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Peas, Radish. Transplant: Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chard, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce.

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: Two St. Louis County Library Plant & Seed Swaps

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

Good Reads/Views/Listens —

Gardening By Month: August Gardening Tips, Tasks, and Problems (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Time to head out and sow some Chinese cabbage (University of Missouri Extension)

‘It’s ours now’: St. Louis farmer expands community garden to serve more neighbors. Leah Lee-Pulliam started with a garden in her backyard. Now she’s transforming vacant lots into a shared space for growth, healing and access to healthy food. (KSDK St. Louis)

The Potato’s Mysterious Family Tree Revealed—And It Includes Tomatoes (Scientific American)

Wolf in Queen Anne’s clothing: Beware the poison hemlock (Arkansas Times)

Podcast. Midsummer Lessons: What’s Growing (and Dying) in Our Yards. At 34:04 check out Ken’s passive mosquito control – mosquito bucket of doom! (University of Illinois Extension)

July 2025 Native Plant News. Includes news from Illinois. (Wild Ones)

2025 Missouri Hunger Atlas (University of Missouri Extension)

‘Bee Atlas’ project turns up 26 new or rare species buzzing around Washington (Washington State Standard)

A century of data reveals declining forest diversity (University of Illinois Extension)

YouTube. Native Plants Planted Right: A Practical Guide for Beginners (Wild Ones)

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 —–

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 9th Benton Park West. Register
August 9th Tower Grove East. Register
August 16th Old North. Register
August 16th Benton Park. Register
August 17th Shaw. Register
August 23rd Bevo. Register
September 6th Hyde Park. Register

Now thru August 29th St. Louis City Public Library Art Exhibit at Schlafly Library: Sun Liu: Thousand Years Brilliant–Flowers & Birds from Song Dynasty

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

August 31st Deadline to submit entries for Missouri River Birds Observatory 10th Annual Bird Photography Contest. Prizes $100 to $1000. $25 Entry Fee per photo.

Now thru August 31st St. Louis Public Library Art Exhibit at Buder Library: Carolyn LewisEmpowering 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 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 to 5 pm Sunday, August 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

1:30-3 pm Friday, August 8th, St. Louis City Public Library Art Exhibit event at Schlafly Library: Reception for Sun Liu- Thousand Years Brilliant–Flowers & Birds From Song Dynasty

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

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

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

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

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

11:30 am Saturday, 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 Saturday, 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 Sunday, August 10th, Piasa Palisades Sierra Club event in Alton, Illinois: Wadlow Restoration Work Day. The former site of a municipal golf course is being restored to native plants. Register

Noon to 5 pm Sunday, August 10th, Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Auction at Missouri Botanical Garden. Plant List. 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

6 pm August 12th The Nature Institute Workshop in Godfrey, Illinois: Plant Identification Workshop– Basic plant anatomy, Field guide instruction, IL wildflower identification. $25 fee wnhich includes a copy of Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. 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

6 pm August 14th Edwardsville IL Public Library event: How to Find an Owl in Your Neighborhood, presented by naturalist Mark H.X. Glenshawof Forest Park Owls fame

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.

For Kids 5+ years. 25 Seats remaining. 10 am August 16th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center: Conservation Kids- Sun Printing for Kids. Register

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

6:30 pm August 19th Missouri Botanical Garden event at  Cohen Amphitheater: St. Louis Shakespeare Festival presents A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream. Doors open 5:30 pm. Free

7 pm August 19th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center: Moments in Nature by Wildlife Photographer Danny Brown. Learn how he “makes the shot” and how he locates critters and photographs them with minimal intrusion into their daily activities. Register

Noon August 20th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Program:  Wild Foxes. Register

1 pm August 21st University of Illinois Extension Webinar: Saving the World, One Box Turtle at a Time. $5. 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

For families. 10 am to 2 pm August 23rd Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Peanut the Turtle’s Birthday Bash. Peanut turns 41. 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

6 pm August 25th University of Missouri Extension Workshop at EarthDance Organic Teaching Farm, Ferguson MO: Twilight Farm Tour – Integrated Pest Management for small farmers. $10. 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.

1 pm August 26th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual program: Dragonflies, The Sky’s Apex Predators. Register

25 Seats remaining. 10 am August 27th Missouri Conservation Department program at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Bobcats. Register

For Kids ages 0-7 years. 20 Seats remaining. 10:30 am August 28th Missouri Conservation Department program at Tower Grove Park: You and Me under the Canopy- Aqua Adventures. Register

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.

7 pm August 29th Missouri Conservation Department program at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Conservation Trivia Under the Stars. Register

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.

9 am August 30th Urban Harvest STL workshop at Grandel Square Center for Urban Agriculture: DIY Compost Tumbler Class. You will be responsible for transporting the barrel to your site. $10. Register (not available yet)

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

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am September 11th Heartlands Conservancy event at Poag Sand Prairie, Edwardsville, IL: Monarch Tagging and Stewardship Day. Register

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

5 pm September 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

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

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

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, please let me know.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

Join us Sundays on Bluesky for #GardenSunday.