MDC offers free virtual class Feb. 25 on designing a native plant landscape garden

by Bill Graham, Missouri Department of Conservation 


     Having a good planting plan can help gardeners develop a native plant garden that meets their goals. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will offer a free virtual DIY Native Landscape Design class from 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25. This online course will help gardeners make choices about what species to plant and how to design their placement for a successful garden.
     Native wildflowers and grasses can provide year-round color and texture. They’re adapted to Missouri’s soils and climate, and once established, maintenance can be more minimal than for non-native plants. Plus, natives better serve songbirds, pollinating insects, and wildlife. Thoughtful species choices can also provide a series of wildflower blooms from spring into autumn. Native prairie grasses provide backdrops in summer, golden-red color in autumn, and interesting patterns in winter.
     Late winter is a good time to prepare for spring planting. Cydney Ross, MDC native landscape specialist, will provide suggestions and talk about how selecting the right plants and designing with intent can help a gardener achieve the colors and patterns they seek. A backdrop for the class will be the extensive native plant garden at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center in Kansas City, where Ross is based. That garden showcases how natives can be used in landscape designs.
​     The DIY Native Landscape Design class is open to participants ages 18 and older. Registration is required. To register, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/4Y4.