On a sunny summer day, Wild Ones WNY gathered for our first Member-to-Member (M2M) Yard Tour in the Ken/Ton area, and what a great day it was! We had 15 participants join us to explore two gardens, with members sharing stories about how their native plant landscapes have evolved — from sourcing plants to trial-and-error problem solving.
Both hosts guided participants through their spaces, pointing out what’s working (and sometimes what’s not!) and sharing valuable lessons learned. A highlight throughout was plant identification — participants eagerly pointing, guessing, and asking questions. There was real curiosity about how plants labeled for “partial to full sun” were thriving in unexpected conditions at Val’s yard.
And while the tour felt informal, it was full of rich education and engagement:
- We had spontaneous conversations about invasive species — including moments of surprise from participants who realized some familiar plants they see in local forests are, in fact, invasive.
- We took a deep dive into local ecotype, discussing why sourcing plants from regional seed sources matters for supporting local pollinators and ecosystems.
- Val shared her method for bed expansion using cardboard and free woodchips from the Town of Tonawanda, a great takeaway for anyone thinking about growing their native garden sustainably.
At Devon’s home, people were fascinated by her creative trenching and water management features — so much so that five folks walked a couple of blocks to check out a nearby rain garden at Lincoln Park.
By the end of two hours, brains were full and bodies were a bit tired (especially under that hot sun!), but the tour proved to be just as valuable — if not more so — than any formal program we’ve offered.
Thank you to everyone who came out, asked thoughtful questions, shared ideas, and made this first M2M Yard Tour a wonderful success. We look forward to doing it again soon — maybe with a little more shade next time!