Knowing Native Plants: Wildflowers in Winter – In-person and online options available
Sponsored by: Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
When: Saturday, January 22, 2022  10:00 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Even in winter, native plants can be seen all around us. Join naturalist Mary Anne Borge to learn how to identify the standing winter skeletons of some common native plants, what characteristics to look for, the common types of fruit you might see in winter. The focus will primarily be herbaceous plants. We will also discuss the many benefits native plants offer to both wildlife and your own gardens during the winter months. Some plants even take special advantage of the winter months to photosynthesize. Join us to find out how they do it.
Open to all. Advance registration required. Call the Preserve at 215-862-2924 to register, or register online at BHWP.org.

Knowing Native Plants: Signs of Spring – In-person and online options available
Sponsored by: Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
When: Saturday, March 26, 2022  10:00 a.m. –  1 p.m. 

As the sun gets higher in the sky and the days get longer and warmer, the subtle sights, sounds and smells of spring begin to emerge. Among the most exciting sights are the first flowers of the spring season. Meet the early flowering plants—including snow trillium, skunk cabbage, hepatica, and some early blooming woody species—and learn how they have adapted to this potentially harsh time of year. We’ll also look at shoots just beginning to poke through the soil, some for spring blooming plants, and others that may surprise you! We’ll talk about some of the signs of spring in the animal world, too.

Indoor presentation followed by an outdoor walk. Online option available. Open to all. Advance registration required. Call the Preserve at 215-862-2924 to register, or register online at BHWP.org.

 

Knowing Native Plants: Spring Ephemerals – In-person and online options available
Location: Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
When: Saturday, April 9, 2022  10:00 a.m. –  1 p.m.
Spring wildflowers such as Dutchman’s breeches, Bloodroot, Virginia bluebells, spring beauty, and twinleaf color the forest floor for a fleeting moment at this time of year. Join Naturalist Mary Anne Borge to learn why these wildflowers are called spring ephemerals, how their life cycles work, and how their seeds are dispersed.
Indoor presentation followed by an outdoor walk.
Open to all. There are two registration options: in-person which includes a guided walk, and virtual only.  Advance registration required. Call the Preserve at 215-862-2924 to register, or register online at BHWP.org.

Knowing Native Plants: Late Spring Lovelies – In-person and online options available
Location: Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
When: Saturday, May 7, 2022 10:00 a.m. – 1 p.m.
A lot happens at the Preserve between the burst of spring ephemerals and the peak of flowering shrubs. Join Naturalist Mary Anne Borge to learn about the wildlife and landscape value of the later blooming spring wildflowers, including woodland phlox, eastern columbine, Solomon’s seal, shooting star, wood geranium and the beautiful yellow lady’s-slipper orchid.
Open to all. There are two registration options: in-person which includes a guided walk, and virtual only.  Advance registration required. Call the Preserve at 215-862-2924 to register, or register online at BHWP.org.

Knowing Native Plants: Flowering Shrubs – In-person and online options available
Location: Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
When: Saturday, May 21, 2022 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
The Mid-Atlantic region has one of the best flowering shrub displays found anywhere. Come learn about the wildlife value and landscape beauty provided by native shrubs. Instructor Mary Anne Borge will pay particular attention to azaleas, dogwoods, and viburnums. Indoor presentation followed by an outdoor walk.
Open to all. There are two registration options: in-person which includes a guided walk, and virtual only.  Advance registration required. Call the Preserve at 215-862-2924 to register, or register online at BHWP.org.

Invasive Species ID and Management – In-person and online options available
Location: Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
When: Saturday, June 18, 2022  10:00 a.m. – 1 p.m.
What is an invasive plant?  What problems do invasive plants cause?  Join us to discover the answers to these questions, as well as how to identify the most common and troublesome invasive species in the Delaware Valley region.  You’ll also learn about several methods that can be used to control these exotic intruders. Open to all. There are two registration options: in-person which includes a guided walk, and virtual only.  Advance registration required. Call the Preserve at 215-862-2924 to register, or register online at BHWP.org.

North American Butterfly Association Butterfly Count
Location: Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
When: Saturday, July 23, 2022, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Join us for an event focusing on our fluttering friends. Why count butterflies? It helps scientists piece together the big picture, including changes over time, of the distribution and population size of each species counted. And it’s fun! You’ll learn to identify the different types of butterflies and the native plants they utilize at the Preserve. Please bring binoculars, or a camera with a zoom lens, and a field guide, if available. Make sure you have plenty of water and appropriate sun protection. All experience levels are welcome, from beginners to experienced butterfliers. Please check-in at the Visitor Center. $3 per participant, all proceeds will be donated to the North American Butterfly Association.
Open to all, but space is limited. Advance registration suggested. Call the Preserve at 215-862-2924 to register, or register online at BHWP.org.

Knowing Native Plants: Meadow Magic – In-person and online options available
Location: Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
When: Saturday, July 30, 2022 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
This program will introduce you to native plants that thrive in a meadow habitat, including wildflowers, grasses, sedges and rushes. Learn what defines a meadow, the benefits it provides, meadow successional stages, the actions necessary to maintain a meadow, as well as the animals that depend on this type of ecosystem. Find out why it is important to plant native species and avoid non-native ornamentals that may escape from cultivation. Whether you are looking for ideas for your own meadow or want help identifying plants in the meadows where you hike, this program is for you.
Open to all. There are two registration options: in-person which includes a guided walk, and virtual only.  Advance registration required. Call the Preserve at 215-862-2924 to register, or register online at BHWP.org.

Knowing Native Plants: The Amazing Aster Family Part 1, Confusing Yellow Composites – In-person and online options available
Location: Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
When: Saturday, August 27, 2022 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Join Naturalist Mary Anne Borge as we focus on the late summer and fall blooming confusing yellow composites, including goldenrods, sunflowers, coneflowers, beggar-ticks and more. Mary Anne will cover the features that make aster family members unique, as well as the relationships these plants have with the insects, birds, and other animals that depend on them. Find out which of these species might be good candidates for your own garden.
Open to all. There are two registration options: in-person which includes a guided walk, and virtual only.  Advance registration required. Call the Preserve at 215-862-2924 to register, or register online at BHWP.org.

Knowing Native Plants: The Amazing Aster Family Part 2, Classic Asters and Their Colorful Companions – In-person and online options available
Location: Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
When: Saturday, September 24, 2022 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Join Naturalist Mary Anne Borge to find out what makes aster family members different from all other plants, and learn their importance to both wildlife and people. You’ll learn about classic aster family members such as New England aster, aromatic aster, and many other species found in different habitats, some that bloom into November, as well as bonesets, white snakeroot, mistflower, and many others. Learn which of these species might be good candidates for your own garden. Attending ‘The Amazing Aster Family Part 1, Confusing Yellow Composites’ prior to this class is recommended, but not required.
Open to all. There are two registration options: in-person which includes a guided walk, and virtual only.  Advance registration required. Call the Preserve at 215-862-2924 to register, or register online at BHWP.org.