Kansas City, Mo. – Native wildflowers and grasses make attractive and hardy landscaping plants in home gardens. But they do require some planning and maintenance. The landscape specialists at the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center in Kansas City will host a Native Landscape Chat on the first Friday of each month. Experts will answer questions and provide tips on using native plants to enhance outdoor greenery at homes and businesses.

The next chat will be from 1 to 2 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 5, in Discovery Center’s native plant garden at 4750 Troost Ave. Late winter months are a good time to plan for spring planting and to address concerns in existing gardens. The sessions will be led by Alix Daniel, MDC native landscape specialist. Native plant gardens are friendly to butterflies and song birds. They often require less watering and maintenance than gardens with non-native plants.

These sessions will help participants learn what plants work best in sites according to soil, sunlight, and the gardener’s goals. The Feb. 5 session will also give attendees a chance to see how native growth can also provide texture and color to gardens during winter. This program for those 14 and older will be held outdoors, and participants should dress for the weather. All COVID-19 precautions will be followed including physical distancing and face masks. Registration is required.

To register, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZXo. For more information on the Gorman Discovery Center, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Z6s.