A Night to Remember: Dr. Doug Tallamy Inspires at Our Inaugural Distinguished Lecture Series

Dr. Doug Tallamy speaks to nearly 300 attendees of the Inaugural

Distinguished Lecture Series on October 3, 2025.

Wild Ones member, Dr. Ellie Jenkins performs on the natural horn.

Solstice Handmade served as the featured artist for the event and created

custom artwork inspired by Dr. Tallamy's work.

The Book & Cover was the featured book vendor offering a selection of

 Dr. Tallamy's work for purchase at the event.

The Certificate in Native Plants program is designed to expand students' knowledge of botany, ecology, conservation and uses of native flora in the southeastern United States. The CNP offers a blend of classroom instruction, hands-on learning and guided hikes.  Discounted class fees are available for members of Wild Ones, the Tennessee Native Plant Society or Reflection Riding. Classes are open to all, including interested individuals who may not be working toward the Certificate.

Those working toward the Certificate are asked to volunteer in various capacities to support approved native plant projects in our region. Volunteer requirements have changed slightly. More information and a downloadable volunteer form are available on our website.

For more info about the Certificate in Native Plants program, click here.

To access information and registration links for all upcoming programs, classes, hikes and members-only events presented by the Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones and Wild Ones national, click below:

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Thank You, 2025 Volunteers!

As 2025 winds down, we are filled with appreciation for the incredible volunteers who have made this year one of growth, impact, and connection for Tennessee Valley Wild Ones.

Thanks to your dedication, we’ve reached new audiences with our message of native plant advocacy, ecological restoration, and community stewardship. From hosting events to planting gardens, educating neighbors to supporting outreach—you have been the heart of our mission.

But our work is far from over.

Let’s keep the momentum going into 2026!

We invite you to stay involved, bring a friend, and help us expand our reach even further. Whether it’s volunteering at events, joining a committee, mentoring a Seeds for Education recipient, advocating for biodiversity and responsible development, leading a book discussion, organizing a POD in your area, or simply sharing our message, your continued support is vital. There are so many ways YOU can make a difference! 

Together, we’re building a healthier, more biodiverse future—one plant, one person, one place at a time.

Thank you for all you’ve done—and all you’ll continue to do.

With gratitude,

Tennessee Valley Wild Ones Leadership Team

Rethinking Mulch: Is There Ever a Good Reason to Use It in a Landscape?

Mulch has been a hot topic in the horticultural world as of late. A scathing essay by Radovan Hajek, a co-owner of US Perennials Nursery, on the American aesthetic of too much mulch and too few plants has been making the rounds in popular garden newsletters. Read more.

Article: Gardenista.com

Image: Refugia

Study Finds Pesticide Residue Widespread on Urban Butterfly Plants

A new study published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry found nearly ubiquitous pesticide contamination on butterfly host plants across two U.S. cities, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Sacramento, California. In 20% of the plants tested, pesticide residues were at levels known to kill or otherwise harm butterflies and moths. Read more.

Article: Xerces.com

Image: Shutterstock

New England Aster



Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, commonly known as New England Aster s a species of flowering plant in the aster family (Asteraceae) native to central and eastern North America. New England aster generally grows in wet environments but can also be found in dry soil or sand.

The seeds and nectar of this mostly conservationally secure species, which blooms August to November, are important to a wide variety of animals, including birds, bees, and butterflies. 

Photo by Mike O'Brien

Red-banded Hairstreak butterfly on Tall Boneset



Eupatorium altissimum, commonly known as Tall Boneset or Tall Thoroughwort is a stout native perennial whose stems are hairy in the top half of the plant. The flowers are clustered loosely at the tops of stems in narrow, flat-topped configurations; there are only 5 florets in each head, and the flowers are dull white. The bracts beneath the flowerheads are broad and rounded. Blooms August–October.

Photo by Mike O'Brien

White Snakeroot



Ageratina altissima, also known as white snakeroot is a perennial herb in the family Asteraceae, native to eastern and central North America. The plant blooms in the fall, from July to October and its nectar attracts many species of butterflies and moths, bees, wasps, and flies.

Photo by Mike O'Brien

Becoming a Wild Ones member shows your commitment to the native plant movement and is a great way to connect with a helpful and knowledgeable native plant community that will prove invaluable in your native garden journey!

Benefits of a Wild Ones membership include:

• Access to the current electronic issue of the quarterly Wild Ones Journal
• Invitations to workshops, garden tours, seed exchanges, plants sales, and stewardship project
• Discounts for partner educational webinars such as NDAL, etc. and Wild Ones chapter programs
• Participation in an annual national photo contest
• Access to the Wild Ones Member Center for learning resources
• Participation in Wild for Monarchs and Native Garden recognition programs
• Involvement in citizen science and networking with conservation partners
• Receiving Wild Ones National e-Newsletters
• Invitation to Wild Ones' private Facebook discussion group and the national Wild Ones Annual Member Meeting
• Networking opportunities and camaraderie with like-minded people who care about native plants and our planet

Additional benefits for members of the Tennessee Valley chapter:

• Discounted admission to all Certificate in Native Plants classes year-round.
• Free admission at members-only programs, including local and regional guided hikes, garden visits (Landscapes in Progress), the annual meeting, an annual plant swap, and other member social events.
• Annual Welcome Party and Orientation for new members.
• Monthly email Member Update, with news about chapter activities.
• All members of the family who live at the same address are entitled to member benefits!
• 10% off plants at Overhill Garden's Native Plant Nursery
• 15% off plants at Reflection Riding's Native Plant Nursery

Your membership dollars help forward our mission of promoting the restoration of native landscapes by allowing us to:

• Provide free, educational resources and learning opportunities that are open to the public from respected experts like Wild Ones Honorary Directors Doug Tallamy, Neil Diboll, Heather Holm and Donna VanBuecken
• Support the efforts of over 65 local Wild Ones chapters in 23 states
• Publish a quarterly, award-winning, online journal featuring current native plant information and resources
• Share free, professionally-designed native garden templates for multiple regions in the United States.

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