Native Plant Rescue Squad

10/11/2026

This season NPRS is giving some well-deserved recognition to Ran Brady with Burwell Gardens for cultivating a truly exceptional, multifaceted community garden and being named a Sassafras Award Finalist this year. Ran's commitment to making the garden accessible through open garden hours, educational events, sliding-scale community garden beds, and the Common Good Garden, advancing their ultimate goal of making the community garden an open space for events. Burwell Gardens excels on many fronts, fostering both native biodiversity and community stewardship and we will be honoring them at this year's Sassafras Awards as a finalist.
Join us at the Sassafras Awards Event
Date: Sunday, November 1st, 2026
Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Joy Grissom - Director

.knoxville nativeplantrescue

10/08/2026

CHEROKEE TRAIL BLUFFS - PART 1: FERNS

Cherokee Trail Bluffs 1028 Cherokee Trail, Knoxville, TN 37920

If you’ve only explored the main trails at Cherokee Trail Bluffs, there’s a whole other world tucked beyond them.

This place is a mix of rocky cliffs, steep slopes, shaded hollows, ponds, and rugged trails that wind through the bluffs. Some of the less-beaten paths are rough, and it’s definitely possible to lose your at. I've used my GPS for years to figure out where I am.

All these varied habitats come with a lot of biodiversity. Ferns are especially abundant in the damp, shaded areas along the rocks and slopes, with different species tucked away.

So we’re starting this series with FERNS.

More Cherokee Trail Bluffs experiences coming soon.

09/25/2026

Riverdale Nursery is opening their wholesale nursery for a special benefit to all native plant enthusiasts to come and shop for heaps of plant varieties not often spotted in many retail nurseries. Bring native plants you’ve thinned, divided, or simply have extra to share, along with seeds from your garden. Swap, trade, or donate what you bring, then browse and purchase something new for your home or community garden from Riverdale Nursery. Address: 3220 Rush Miller Rd, Knoxville, TN 37914

09/25/2026

09/24/2026

This coming Monday, September 28th, 9:00 am-11:00 and Tuesday September 29th (same time), NPRS, along with Knox County Parks & Rec BLOOM committee will be at John Tarleton Park, 3201 Division St., where an established native meadow needs to be moved and saved. If you'd like to join or have any questions, please email me at [email protected]
There’s swamp milkweed, American boneset, prairie grasses, lobelias, cup plant, and plenty of other native goodness hiding in the mix. It’s a little hard to count exactly how many species are in there because some renegade goldenrods and cup plants have taken over.
Nonetheless, it is a valuable native meadow, and it deserves a second chance.
Rescue. Restore. Educate. Grow Community.

09/10/2026

Sassafras is back! 5 years strong, this event celebrates local native gardens and their stewards in the Knoxville community and raises awareness about the importance of native plants. Come enjoy a yummy dinner, silent auction, sassafras cocktails, music, and of course, the awards!

Ticket Cost:

Sliding Scale: $40, $60, and $80. Pay what you can (plus fees) to celebrate the NPRS!

Table of 10: $450

Go to our website to purchase tix and learn more: nativeplantrescuesquad.org

09/10/2026

Join us as we celebrate eleven years of the Native Plant Rescue Squad. We are launching the fifth annual Sassafras Awards. The event celebrates local native gardens and their stewards in the Knoxville community and raises awareness about the importance of native plants. Come enjoy yummy dinner, a silent auction, sassafras cocktails, music, and of course, the awards!
Ticket Cost:

Sliding Scale: $40, $60, and $80. Pay what you can (plus fees) to celebrate the NPRS!

Table of 10: $450 go to our website, nativeplantrescuesquad.org for tix and more info

09/09/2026

Riverdale Nursery is opening their wholesale nursery for a special benefit to all native plant enthusiasts to come and shop for heaps of plant varieties not often spotted in many retail nurseries. In addition we are having a NATIVE PLANT + SEED SWAP

Bring native plants you’ve thinned, divided, or simply have extra to share, along with seeds from your garden. Swap, trade, or donate what you bring, then browse and purchase something new for your home or community garden from Riverdale Nursery. The plant and seed swap is FREE! Seed envelopes and repurposed plastic bags provided. Try to label your donations if you can! Can't wait to see you there!

These are the first 2 slides: here is the description. Tell me what i need to add if im missing something: Bring native plants you’ve thinned, divided, or simply have extra to share, along with seeds from your garden. Swap, trade, or donate what you bring, then browse and purchase something new for your home or community garden from Riverdale Nursery. The plant and seed swap is FREE! Seed envelopes and repurposed plastic bags provided. Try to label your donations if you can! Resist the urge to bring daylilies or irises. Can't wait to see you there!

09/06/2026

The Labor Day Sunflower Celebration is a uniquely Knoxville participatory public art installation. This year is in honor of Andreas Bastias. Andreas is still with us, but has a brain injury, and recovery is slow and uncertain. Bring all of the sunflower and sunflower seed heads you can to help create our ginormous Labor Day Sunflower art installation Labor Day morning.
Date: Mon., Sept. 7th 2026
Time: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: Knoxville Botanical Gardens and Arboretum 2743 Wimpole Ave. Knoxville, TN 37914

08/31/2026

Join us!
Bring sunflowers & sunflower-seed heads
to help create a sunormous sunflower installation.

Music by: SUNFOLD

Labor Day morning, Monday, September 7th, 9-1 at the Knoxville Botanical Gardens and Arboretum in East Knoxville.