Dave's Prairie Garden Walk
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Dave Raymond’s Garden Walk
Saturday, August 22, 2026, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm (Central Time)
2701 41st St., Sioux City, IA 51104
My native plant journey began in fall 2022, three years after we moved into this house. I had become frustrated with trying to maintain a traditional grass lawn in compacted clay soil without an irrigation system. I realized that I was wasting my time and money trying to keep grass alive on life support (water and chemicals) and that the traditional lawn serves no purpose other than to impress the neighbors and alienate nature.
I wanted a yard that is not just a big green carpet, that attracts, feeds, and shelters birds, butterflies, and other creatures and that does not pollute or poison the land and animals. I needed plants which had evolved to live in this region, with this climate, soil, and animals.
I made my first garden bed in the back yard and added some perennial “nativars” from the big box garden centers. I saw a Facebook post about the Wild Ones Fall Plant Sale and picked out a couple of goldenrods, blazing stars, and little bluestem. I remember thinking that my parents would have thought I was crazy to buy “weeds” to plant in a flower bed.
I bought more plants at the 2023 Spring and Fall Wild Ones plant sales. In 2024 I became a Wild Ones member and received a grant of plants at the Spring Plant Sale. Native plants became my new hobby. I enjoy learning about them through books, videos, websites, and organizations like Wild Ones. My yard is on the map with Homegrown National Park and is certified with National Wildlife Federation.
Since adding native plants, we see larger numbers and varieties of birds, butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, beetles, flies, spiders, frogs, and toads. A few native plants have shown up in my yard on their own. Last winter I was able to supply many varieties of seeds for the seed library.
My yard is still very much a work in progress, but I hope that people will see some beauty in it and want to add at least some native plants to their own yards. I would love to see the City of Sioux City support native plantings. Host: Dave Raymond
All garden walks are free, open to the public, and open yard style. Come and go as you please. The Loess Hills chapter of Wild Ones is a non-profit organization that promotes planting native landscapes, both small and large, in Iowa, South Dakota, and Nebraska. Native plants attract pollinators and other wildlife, enhancing your home and the environment. For more information visit https://loesshills.wildones.org; Loess Hills Wild Ones on Facebook, or email [email protected].
Saturday, August 22, 2026, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm (Central Time)
2701 41st St., Sioux City, IA 51104
My native plant journey began in fall 2022, three years after we moved into this house. I had become frustrated with trying to maintain a traditional grass lawn in compacted clay soil without an irrigation system. I realized that I was wasting my time and money trying to keep grass alive on life support (water and chemicals) and that the traditional lawn serves no purpose other than to impress the neighbors and alienate nature.
I wanted a yard that is not just a big green carpet, that attracts, feeds, and shelters birds, butterflies, and other creatures and that does not pollute or poison the land and animals. I needed plants which had evolved to live in this region, with this climate, soil, and animals.
I made my first garden bed in the back yard and added some perennial “nativars” from the big box garden centers. I saw a Facebook post about the Wild Ones Fall Plant Sale and picked out a couple of goldenrods, blazing stars, and little bluestem. I remember thinking that my parents would have thought I was crazy to buy “weeds” to plant in a flower bed.
I bought more plants at the 2023 Spring and Fall Wild Ones plant sales. In 2024 I became a Wild Ones member and received a grant of plants at the Spring Plant Sale. Native plants became my new hobby. I enjoy learning about them through books, videos, websites, and organizations like Wild Ones. My yard is on the map with Homegrown National Park and is certified with National Wildlife Federation.
Since adding native plants, we see larger numbers and varieties of birds, butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, beetles, flies, spiders, frogs, and toads. A few native plants have shown up in my yard on their own. Last winter I was able to supply many varieties of seeds for the seed library.
My yard is still very much a work in progress, but I hope that people will see some beauty in it and want to add at least some native plants to their own yards. I would love to see the City of Sioux City support native plantings. Host: Dave Raymond
All garden walks are free, open to the public, and open yard style. Come and go as you please. The Loess Hills chapter of Wild Ones is a non-profit organization that promotes planting native landscapes, both small and large, in Iowa, South Dakota, and Nebraska. Native plants attract pollinators and other wildlife, enhancing your home and the environment. For more information visit https://loesshills.wildones.org; Loess Hills Wild Ones on Facebook, or email [email protected].
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Where is it happening?
2701 41st St, Sioux City, IA 51108-2005, United States
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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Host or PublisherLoess Hills Wild Ones
