Tips and Resources for Growing and Landscaping with Sustainable Native Plants

Partners for Native Landscaping United!

By Scott Woodbury

Alittle over a decade ago, a group of assorted native plant nuts came together to do something for homeowners and wildlife. At the time, there were a number of organizations and agencies that were working in parallel, but separately, to promote native landscaping. St Louis Audubon Society was developing Bring Conservation Home for backyard landscape consulting. Shaw Nature Reserve had Native Plant School to educate native gardeners. Wild Ones-St Louis Chapter, the largest chapter in the country, was providing native plant grants to non-profits and hosting monthly gatherings in native plant gardens. The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District was developing its green-infrastructure initiative, Project Clear. The Missouri Department of Conservation was funding all sorts of native landscaping projects in metro areas. Meanwhile, Grow Native!, a program of the Missouri Prairie Foundation, was developing a network of classes, plant sales and workshops across Missouri.

These organizations came together in 2011 to form the first Partners for Native Landscaping planning committee. They were later joined by BiodiverseCity, a community networking initiative of the Missouri Botanical Garden, and St. Louis Community College-Horticulture, which is developing native landscapes on campus and training the next crop of native plant horticulturists.

Today, Partners for Native Landscaping has solidified its identity and effectiveness with a logo and a website through which people can access its annual Spring Series of native landscaping events. These include a webinar series (March 7 to

Healing

Celebrating our 25th Anniversary!

April 5) and two in-person events in April. Register for these through the website: https://partnersfornativelandscaping. stlouisaudubon.org/home

Together the activities of the individual organizations and the partnership account for most of the native landscaping outreach in the St. Louis area. They are both cause and effect of a large and enthusiastic audience. The St. Louis region can be proud!

Missouri Wildflowers Nursery

9814 Pleasant Hill Rd Jefferson City MO 65109 www.mowildflowers.net mowldflrs@socket.net 573-496-3492, fax: 573-496-3003

Meet us at one of these locations in St. Louis. Give us your order by Tuesday before a sale, and we will bring it to the location.

Kirkwood Farmer’s Market, 150 East Argonne Dr. Kirkwood MO 63122. Give us your order by Tuesday before a sale, or pick from the selection at the market. April 1,8,15,22, & 29, and May 20 & 27; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Shaw Nature Reserve, 307 Pineton Loop, MO 63039. Event: “Shaw Nature Reserve Spring Wildflower Market,” May 6, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Member’s only sale Friday, May 5, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. www.shawnature.org.

Beyond Housing Headquarters, 6506 Wright Way, St. Louis 63121 Native Plant Fair/Sale. April 30 (Sunday), 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.