The Sustainable Backyard

09/27/2025

Please join us at our new co-production with Open Space St. Louis.....
We'd love to see you!

DON'T FORGET--THIS IS A PLANT SALE--SO GET YOUR PLANT ORDERS IN TODAY!

Fall Fest: A Native Plant Sale & Sustainability Fair in Creve Coeur, October 12, 2025

Help celebrate a new conservation easement at the Church of the Open Word with a fabulous family-friendly Fall Festival and native plant sale on Sunday, October 12, at 1040 Dautel Lane in Creve Coeur, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

Meet Blossom, the beautiful spokes-chicken with Second Hen’d. Explore Forest Bathing, hear from native landscaping experts Susie van de Riet, Jay Doty and author Besa Schweitzer. Pick up some pumpkins from Three Girls & A Tractor, enjoy Greek food at Mr. Souvlaki, music by The Mound City Slickers and take advantage of one of the last plant sales of the year. Missouri Wildflower Nursery, Papillon, River City Natives and Forest Keeling will all be there (and accepting preorders).

“Landscaping with Missouri native plants is one of the best things homeowners can do to support healthy environments and add beauty to their yards,” says Carol Davit, Executive Director of the Missouri Prairie Foundation and Grow Native!, one of the organizations tabling at the event.

Shoppers may purchase specific plants in advance and pick them up at the Sale, or browse the selection on hand for new ideas.

The following vendors are accepting pre-orders. When placing your pre-orders, please include your phone number and note that the order is for the Church of the Open Word Sale on October 12.

River City Natives

Visit https://www.rivercitynatives. for selection available and send species and quantities requested to [email protected] by Wednesday, October 8.

Missouri Wildflowers Nursery

Order by calling 573-496-3492, by email at [email protected], or online by midnight Tuesday, October 7. See http://mowildflowers. for a plant list.

Papillon Perennials

Order by calling or texting Cathy at 314-974-4921 or email [email protected]

by 10 a.m. on October 10.

Forest Keeling Nursery

Please call 800.356.2401 or email [email protected]

Other exhibitors will include:

Missouri Prairie Foundation/Grow Native!, St. Louis Audubon/Bring Conservation Home, St. Louis Beekeepers, Missouri Master Naturalists, Wild Ones, Dark Sky Missouri, Waldorf School of St. Louis, St. Louis Teachers Recycle Center, Waste Connections, the Sierra Club, and others.

Jay Doty, P.L.A., will give a demonstration of non-chemical invasive plant removal at noon and 1:00 p.m., and local garden designers will talk about the benefits of native plants at 11:00 and 1:00 indoors.

To learn more, visit https://www.gardenchapelsanctuary.org. or email [email protected].

09/21/2025

https://www.idealhome.co.uk/open-house/amanda-jones-sustainable-living-decluttering

09/21/2025

Composting can be a great way to improve the soil in your garden. You can turn your yard waste and food scraps into a valued addition to your soil.

09/20/2025

Sunday, October 12, 2025.
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
1040 Dautel Lane
St. Louis, Missouri 63146

Help celebrate the new Conservation Easement at the Church of the Open Word’s Garden Chapel Sanctuary in Creve Couer with a fabulous family-friendly Fall Festival!

Meet Blossom, the beautiful spokes-chicken with Second Hen’d. Experience Forest Bathing with Kindred Forest.
Come out and join the family fun to learn about sustainability and native plants!
Presented by: The Garden Chapel Sanctuary, The Sustainable Backyard Network, Open Space St. Louis and Nature Partners Foundation

This event is free and open to all!!

Line up of Activities, Speakers & Music:
10:30am & 1:30pm: Guided Forest Bathing Meditations
10:30am, 12pm, & 1:30 pm: Swedenborg Nature Teachings
11am: Eco-Friendly Landscaping Talk
12 noon: Honeysuckle Demo with Jay Doty
1pm: Discovering Pollinators Talk
10am - 2pm: Interactive Kids Nature Based Activities
The Mound City Slickers will be playing bluegrass music all day!

Three native plant vendors will sell wildflowers, grasses, and shrubs, donating a portion of proceeds to support the construction of the Church’s new walking trail.
Pre-orders are available with:
River City Natives:
Visit https://www.rivercitynatives.com for available selections & send species and quantities requested to [email protected] by Wednesday, October 8.

Missouri Wildflowers Nursery
Order by calling 573-496-3492, by email at [email protected], or online by midnight Tuesday, October 7. See http://mowildflowers.net for a plant list.

Papillon Perennials
Order by calling or texting Cathy at 314-974-4921 or email [email protected] by 10 a.m. on October 10.

Booths:
Missouri Prairie Foundation/Grow Native!
Audubon/Bring Conservation Home
Missouri Master Naturalists/Miramiguoa Chapter
Wild Ones - National Native Plant Club
Waldorf School of St. Louis
Second Hen’d
Sierra Club
St. Louis Teachers Recycling Center’s Great Green ReRead (free library)
Susie Van de Riet (Landscape Designer and Certified Forest Bathing)
Sustainable Backyard Network
Olivette Sustainability Associates
Dark Skies Missouri
Open Space STL

Tell your friends and join us

River City Natives offers nearly 100 species of wildflowers, grasses, shrubs and vines native to the St. Louis region.

05/23/2025

Senate Bill 105, which awaits the Governor’s signature, will end the sale of six plants in Missouri, helping to reduce the negative impacts of invasive plants in the state.

04/17/2025

The Sustainable Backyard Tour will not be presented this year.

We are grateful to the nearly 500 Backyard Hosts, our sponsors, and the thousands who’ve attended the Tour over the last 15 years.

Kudos to our Core Organizers and Indispensable Volunteers:

Brenda Adams, Vivian Brill, Patty Carleton, Suzanne Carron, Francine Case, Terri Clifton, Toni Easter, Veronica Erb, Justin Kussman, Ashley Jamieson McNair, Mark O’Brien, and Samantha Padilla.

You can keep up the good work by growing organic food, producing renewable energy and eliminating toxic chemicals from the planet that it is our human privilege to protect and steward.

Stay tuned…

04/17/2025

Join us as we travel back in time and examine 15 traditional garden features that were once common in American backyards but are now essentially gone. These ...