This class is sold out, but we’ll 0ffer it again! Sign up for the interest list and we’ll let you know when registration opens.

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Do you want to incorporate more natives into your yard but are afraid it will look messy or don’t know where to start?

You can support the environment in your own backyard—without losing control (or ornamental appeal). Native Plants for Homeowners will show you how. In this five-part series, we’ll cover everything from why native plants are important to how to integrate them into your own garden designs to how to transform gardens into native habitats. Adding native plants doesn’t have to mean completely converting your yard to a tall-grass prairie habitat. Instead, you can strategically close the gaps created by completely useless ecological spaces to create functional, self-sustaining systems that appeal to people and animals alike—right in your own backyard.

This series is designed for urban and suburban homeowners of all skill levels who want to use native plants in their landscaping. You don’t need to know anything about using natives starting out—we’ll teach you! Whether you’re redoing your landscaping, tackling a new-to-you yard, managing a public or community space, or just want to incorporate more native plants into the landscaping you have, this series will help.

You’ll walk away feeling more confident in your native plant knowledge as well as your ability to create a garden with native plants that meets your aesthetic preferences. You’ll also have a personalized native garden plan that’s self-sustaining and ecologically valuable and a list of resources and plant sources. And you’ll have met others in our area who are doing the same thing you are.

Classes run every Thursday in March from 6:30-7:45pm. While the five classes can be taken individually, we highly recommend taking the whole series, as each class will build on knowledge learned from the previous class.

Class 4: Getting Started

Once you have a design, it’s time to get started. In this class, we’ll head outside and talk through the initial steps for installing a native plant garden. We’ll explore topics like site preparation, soil amendments, planting and invasive plant removal. Weather permitting, participants will have a chance to get their hands dirty putting some of these techniques into practice.

Cost: $15 for one class / $65 for the full five-part series / free for active CGC volunteers!