March 10 - May 9 2026 

Our 6th Annual Native Plant Sale

Lexington Living Landscapes and the Lexington Conservation Office are once again collaborating to bring you native plants for sale for your garden. 

This year, we are again offering a sun kit with plants that do well in sun to partial sun and a shade kit with plants that do well in shade to partial shade. The kits will include three plants each of four different species. In addition, five different species will be offered a la carte, and (new this year!) we are offering plugs of two species often used as lawn replacements. According to Go Botany, all are native to the northeastern U.S., with all but two native to Massachusetts. 

The plants are grown at a certified organic native perennial farm in New Hampshire and come in quart-sized biodegradable pots (except for the plugs). Plants must be pre-ordered through the Lexington Recreation Department’s website. The sale opened online on March 10th. With quantities limited, put in your orders now. Plants will be available for pick-up at 201 Bedford Street (the DPW facility) the morning of May 9. 

For additional details, including the species offered and how to order, see our Native Plant Sale page. 

Thursday, April 9, 7:00 – 8:15pm

Stormwater Management for Homeowners with Trevor Smith

Discover what you can do to manage, capture, and reuse the water on your own property. Hear an overview of multiple water capture mechanisms, including rain gardens and permeable pavements. Get inspired to think about stormwater in new ways, and to take practical steps towards working with it.

Trevor Smith is an award-winning regenerative landscape designer and the founder of ReEarth Solutions. He is passionate about the natural world which inspires his commitment to sustainable landscaping practices in an era of climate change.  He specializes in green infrastructure, native plant design, habitat creation, and implementation of ecological design principles. Trevor is also passionate about sharing his knowledge and experience and is the host of the podcast Peace, Love & Pollinators and the live, online, “ask the expert” seasonal programs Tuesdays with Trevor and the Hive-Mind for Business Owners hosted by the Ecological Landscape Alliance.

For more information and to register, click here.

Presented by Lexington Living Landscapes, the Lexington Field and Garden Club, and Cary Memorial Library

City Nature Challenge 2026 -- Upcoming Programs in Lexington

Lexington’s Conservation Division and Lexington Living Landscapes are teaming up to promote Lexington’s participation in the City Nature Challenge: a “bioblitz” event that focuses on finding and identifying as many species as possible over a short period of time, involving volunteer scientists as well as families, students, teachers, and other members of the community. The City Nature Challenge was launched in 2016 and quickly became a worldwide phenomenon. Last year, more than 100,000 people in 669 participating urban areas on six continents recorded more than 3 million observations! Find more info on CNC here.

Lexington Conservation & LLL are hosting three events to support local participation:

Thursday, April 23, 7:00 pm

Online iNaturalist Tutorial for the City Nature Challenge

Join us as Lexington resident and iNaturalist expert Barbara Katzenberg walks us through how to record observations for the City Nature Challenge that begins the next day and runs through Monday, April 27. If you haven’t already, please download the iNaturalist app to your smartphone (it’s free!) and create an iNaturalist account. iNaturalist is an online social network of people who care about biodiversity and want to contribute to knowledge and learn from each other. Also have a sprig handy of something with leaves to practice on (a conifer or evergreen broadleaved plant like holly). Register here to receive the Zoom link. Questions? Email barbara.katzenberg@lexingtonTMMA.org.

iNaturalist observation walk at Paint Mine

Saturday, April 25, 1:00 – 2:30 pm

This walk is an opportunity to learn to use iNaturalist to observe and share biodiversity information in Lexington's conservation land and to participate in this year’s City Nature Challenge that seeks to document biodiversity (plants, birds, bugs, fungi, etc.) in urban and suburban communities around the world. The walk will take about 1.5 hours.

Please download the iNaturalist app to your phone (iPhone or Android) and create an account before you arrive. Come even if you don’t intend to make official observations yourself; help us find plants and animals to record, and see how the process works.

Meet in the Estabrook School parking lot. Heavy rain cancels. No dogs, please.

Leader: Evan Paige - epaige@lexingtonma.gov

iNaturalist observation walk at Dunback Meadow

Sunday, April 26, 12:00 – 1:30 pm

This walk is an opportunity to learn to use iNaturalist to observe and share biodiversity information in Lexington's conservation land and to participate in this year’s City Nature Challenge that seeks to document biodiversity (plants, birds, bugs, fungi, etc.) in urban and suburban communities around the world. The walk will take about 1.5 hours.

Please download the iNaturalist app to your phone (iPhone or Android) and create an account before you arrive. Come even if you don’t intend to make official observations yourself; help us find plants and animals to record, and see how the process works.

Meet at the Allen Street entrance to Dunback Meadow. Parking is available on Allen Street. Heavy rain cancels. No dogs, please.

Leader: Barbara Katzenberg - barbara.katzenberg@lexingtonTMMA.org

Pollinator Month Film Festival!

The Little Things That Run the World, Wednesday, June 10, 7:00 pm, online

The Extraordinary Caterpillar, June 16, 7:00 pm, in person at the Lexington Venue Movie Theater

Ever attend an insect film festival? No? Well, here’s your chance to check that item off your bucket list! During Pollinator Month (June), Lexington Living Landscapes and the Massachusetts Pollinator Network are teaming up to bring you two great new films about the wonders of the insect world:

On Wednesday, June 10, at 7 pm, the Massachusetts Pollinator Network will be streaming The Little Things That Run the World, an award-winning 105-minute documentary that introduces viewers to a diverse group of scientists, nature lovers, gardeners, farmers, and general bug enthusiasts in exploring the importance of flying insects amid rapid declines in their numbers. The film documents the mysteries of the declines alongside creative and heroic human efforts to change the course of evolutionary history. What is causing this extinction crisis? What can be done to reverse the trend? "The Little Things That Run the World" attempts to find answers to those questions and more.

You can view a trailer here and learn more and register here.

Then on Tuesday, June 16, at 7 pm, we’ll be hosting a free showing of The Extraordinary Caterpillar at the Lexington Venue, our intown movie theater at 1794 Mass. Ave.

From blooming meadows to city parks and backyard gardens, this inspiring film celebrates the magic of nature while showing all of us practical ways to make a difference. Along the way, you’ll see the groundbreaking work of The Caterpillar Lab, entomologist David Wagner, and Doug Tallamy, co-founder of Homegrown National Park. You can view the 2-minute trailer here.

What you’ll get:

•   Inspiring stories about why caterpillars are essential to healthy ecosystems;

•   Simple steps you can take to create habitat in your own yard or community; and

•   A chance to ask questions during an after-film Q&A with staff from The Caterpillar Lab (who are bringing along some of their little friends!).

This is a chance to see nature in a whole new light—and to be part of the movement to bring it home. Please join us!