Start In Your Yard
Join others who are planting native plants and learning to share their yards with the butterflies and birds, bees and bugs.
Click here for getting-started videos.Click here to research native plants and more.Click here to see images of plants we often recommend.Under Our Feet
Our Annual Winter Series, January - April
with Gail Borden Library and Elgin Sustainability Commission
Click here for information and registration and videos Rachel's Graphic Notes
A new member of Wild Ones, Rachel Balk, has drawn highlights of Mark Bramstedt's talk on soil basics and Emma Leavens' talk on soil drama. She's shared her delightful graphic notes from these sessions of Under Our Feet for our edification and enjoyment.
Thank you, Rachel
Thank you, Rachel
Our Latest Videos
Under Our Feet
Wild Ones Meetings
Composting Plant Canes in the Spring
Now that you're planting (or planning) native plants, what will you do with the old plant material in the spring? You'll want to leave it standing for overwintering insects, for snow sculpture, and for bird food. When you remove the leaves and canes in the spring, you'll want to return these resources to your gardens.
If you decide to compost them rather than burning them to return ash to the gardens, there are multiple ways to proceed. This very informative video from The Conservation Foundation can help you get started.
If you decide to compost them rather than burning them to return ash to the gardens, there are multiple ways to proceed. This very informative video from The Conservation Foundation can help you get started.
Elgin Residents -- ALERT
The City is offering residents financial assistance to plant rain gardens and to deal with standing water.
Click here to read about the program and download the application.If you've been thinking about putting in a rain garden or just recently heard about them, this is an opportunity to be reimbursed for part of the cost. You can do it yourself or hire it done.
To begin researching rain gardens, go to our Resources page (scroll up to see the tab) and click the button for Rain and Pollinator Gardens to go to the lists and links to get you started.
If you're looking for a landscaper who can create a native rain garden, it's in the Support section on the same page under Commercial / Landscapers.
If you have a problem with standing water, you can use this same program for reimbursement, and often many of the same plant species.
To request a call or site visit with an experienced Start In Your Yard gardener, email nancylamia@gmail.comTo begin researching rain gardens, go to our Resources page (scroll up to see the tab) and click the button for Rain and Pollinator Gardens to go to the lists and links to get you started.
If you're looking for a landscaper who can create a native rain garden, it's in the Support section on the same page under Commercial / Landscapers.
If you have a problem with standing water, you can use this same program for reimbursement, and often many of the same plant species.
The Rainwater in Your Yard with Jessica Mino
Monday-night Roundtables
Click here at 7:00 to join the roundtable. You're invited!
If you’re a beginner with natives, we designed these roundtables for you. You can listen to people who enjoy talking about what’s possible, who know a lot, and are always eager to learn more. They’ll answer questions, speak from direct experience, and listen to your concerns.
If you’re experienced with natives, please join us to talk about what's on your mind. We expect to leave each session with more energy, enthusiasm, and appreciation than we came with. That tends to happens when we get together!
March 27: opening night presentation,
Meet Our Native Plants
April 3, 10, 17, 24 unstructured
May 1 unstructured
If you’re a beginner with natives, we designed these roundtables for you. You can listen to people who enjoy talking about what’s possible, who know a lot, and are always eager to learn more. They’ll answer questions, speak from direct experience, and listen to your concerns.
If you’re experienced with natives, please join us to talk about what's on your mind. We expect to leave each session with more energy, enthusiasm, and appreciation than we came with. That tends to happens when we get together!
March 27: opening night presentation,
Meet Our Native Plants
April 3, 10, 17, 24 unstructured
May 1 unstructured
Subscribe to Our Wild Ones Newsletter
If you don't already receive the newsletter from Wild Ones,
Greater Kane County Chapter, click below to register.
Sign up to receive notice of meetings and tours.Greater Kane County Chapter, click below to register.
Our Demo Gardens
Wild Ones is committed to planting gardens in public spaces to acquaint people with some of our many native plants. We use them to pique people's interest, demonstrate how native plants can be used in landscaping, and to support our site visits.
Visit our demo gardens to see native plants
The Cobblestone House
corner of Chicago and Crystal Streets in Elgin
Click here to see the list of plants in these gardens.Click to see pictures of the plants in the tree bank.Click to see pictures of the plants around the house.Gardens at Tyler Creek at Lyle Avenue
in Elgin's Valley Creek
Click here to see the list of plants in these gardens.Click for pictures of the plants in the large gardenClick for pictures of the plants in the little gardenClick for pictures of the plants in the garden at the bridgeParkway Garden
at the corner of S.DuBois and Erie in Elgin
Click here to see the list of plants in this garden.Click for pictures of plants in this garden.Gail Borden Library
both side of center walkway from parking lot to entrance
If you have an idea for a place to locate a demo garden, let us know. It should be visible from the road or street, with a place to stop, get out of the car and look up close.
Click here to submit your idea.Join Our CREW
Captivated, Ready and Eager to Weed
If you don't have a place to garden at home, or
If you like to garden with other people, or
If you want to learn about gardening with natives, or
If you haven't yet started with natives at home, or
If you want to help educate the public about natives, or
If you're willing to support SIYY in this way...
Click here to sign up.If you like to garden with other people, or
If you want to learn about gardening with natives, or
If you haven't yet started with natives at home, or
If you want to help educate the public about natives, or
If you're willing to support SIYY in this way...
The demo gardens listed above, as well as the swales in the SWAN neighborhood, need care and attention. Sign up and choose how you want to participate, and how often.
Our guarantee: You'll get dirty and have fun!
Our guarantee: You'll get dirty and have fun!
Building habitat in our neighborhoods and public spaces.
Start in Your Yard is a movement of people who are realizing that we have become disconnected from our natural world and our place in it. Recognizing that we are part of nature, we are learning what we need to know to be cooperative partners and share the land we live on.
Restore
Starting in our own yards with regional wildflowers, we build sustainable corridors for the flora and fauna that were intended to thrive here.
Advocate
Together, we encourage our neighbors and our communities to join in the movement to preserve this area for generations to come.
Participate
Attend one of our many local events to visit local projects or learn from conservation experts.
COMING SOON!
Watch Presentations from
Our 2020-2021 Community Read
Learn from and engage with experts in conservation, resource management, ecology, and sustainability.
Share Your Patch!
We'd love to see what you're doing in your yard! To share your patch, send an email with the following to info@nkcwildones.org
- Your name as you'd like it to appear. Only share as much as you're comfortable. Initials are OK! (e.g. T. Starling or Nancy L.)
- The name of your town
- A poetic title (e.g. "A Splash of Purple" or "The Finches Have Returned"). Please limit to 25 characters.
- A short description of your patch. Please limit to 70 words.
- A picture. Please take pictures in a landscape format and only send files under 1MB
We reserve the right to edit your submission for space and style reasons.