We see you, we hear you and what’s unique about our community is the hunger to learn more about the gardens DC Natives installs. In the spring and summer of 2026, DC Natives was happy to offer you ten workshops, all over the District, with the hope that we could help turn your thumb even greener!

The workshops, thanks in part to funding from the Chesapeake Bay Trust and DC Department of Energy and Environment, provided free opportunities to explore how to increase the District’s pollinator pathway right in front of your own home or apartment, in your garden or in your community by gaining hands-on experience to create your very own pollinator garden. Here’s a quick and dirty breakdown of the workshops we presented in case you missed out and want to connect with a neighbor to get the crib notes:

January

Winter Sowing & Seed Swap: Cold Stratification by Nature’s Own Cycle in the Anacostia neighborhood

Led by our wonderful block captains Kate and Julie, we shared the process of how to winter sow native seeds in preparation for the spring

March

Common weeds & how to deal with wiregrass in Brightwood/Manor Park neighborhood

Our Executive Director Thorne and block captain Victoria helped demonstrate several methods of removing or terminating one of the most common weeds in DC as well as how to install edging to prevent entry of the wiregrass into the native pollinator space

How to select the right space for a native plant habitat in Hill East & Kingman Park

Pollinator garden site preparation and installation workshop in Capitol View neighborhood

April

New garden design and installation workshops in Trinidad, Hill East, and Brightwood

Led by our block captains Humberto, Ayanna, Julie, Rodrick, and Kristin, we discussed key tips on proper site selection for a native plant pollinator garden, layout and design methods, and how to install native plant gardens.

June

Pollinator Week: Butterfly weed pollinator garden installation in Marshall Heights to welcome the Monarchs

Board members and block captains helped celebrate the most wonderful time of the year (Pollinator Week) across the city by installing two pollinator gardens primarily with several species of milkweed to help the monarch butterflies find their host pollinator plant and conserve the species. We installed three different species of milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa, Asclepias incarnata, and Asclepias syriaca) with the hopes that we can feed hundreds of monarchs on their migratory path and keep them returning to DC year after year. You can read more about the journey of the monarchs and what you can do to help conservation efforts at Local roots, global impact. The quest to save Monarch butterflies | DC Natives

and Historic Anacostia

We want to express a HUGE thank you to all the people that volunteered to help educate our community as well as all the community that showed up to get their hands dirty without any hesitation. Thanks to the families that brought their children, the furry four-legged friends people brought along that acted as impromptu site supervisors, DC Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists that entertained questions and shared endless knowledge, and the DC Natives Block Captains and Ambassadors that really are the glue that holds this organization together!

We look forward to bringing more demonstrations in the next year and hope to see all of your friendly faces wherever DC Natives grows.

We are also always seeking feedback on programming you would like to see. Please reach out to us on Instagram, YouTube, of Email if you have any ideas or would like to collaborate with us! Keep an eye out on our Events page for new and upcoming events!