The groundhog may have seen his shadow but that won’t stop the seed catalogs from popping up in mailboxes. But before you invest in seeds for flowers from Zone 9, Wild Ones West Michigan Shore-to-Prairie would like to have a word. The local chapter is offering programs in February and March that may persuade you why, when it comes to plants, native is best.
The Oceana Conservation District, in Shelby, will play host to the Wild One’s Saturday, Feb. 21 program, which begins at 10 a.m. Participants will view two short films from Michigan State University, including Smart Reasons to Choose Native and Matching Native Plants to Your Yard’s Needs, and have opportunities to connect with other area gardeners and specialists.
Nancy Roggers will explain why to Plant This, Not That, beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 21 at the Muskegon Conservation District office in Twin Lake. Roggers presentation introduces gardeners to a number of native Michigan species which prove to be a rewarding replacement for typical non-native, and often invasive, ornamentals.
Wild Ones West Michigan Shore-to-Prairie is the local chapter of the non-profit Wild Ones Natural Landscapers. The tri-county group is inviting people to go native by building a community of gardeners and landscapers to help restore native plants in Muskegon, Newago and Oceana Counties. The local Wild Ones chapter will offer gardeners and landscapers the camaraderie of working together, teaching and sharing expertise within the three counties. Presentations, field trips and hands-on activities are scheduled monthly throughout the year, rotating within the three counties.
The monthly Saturday gatherings are free to the public. Please preregister for the February program through the Oceana Conservation District website and for the March program through the Muskegon Conservation District website.
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