Landscaping with Native Plants

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Landscaping with Native Plants

The Master Gardeners of Hamilton County (MGHC), in association with the University of Tennessee Extension, continue their 3rd Saturday Free Public Gardening Classes online via Zoom in 2021. The next class takes place on Saturday, April 17 at 10:00 a.m., featuring “Landscaping with Native Shrubs” presented by Master Gardener Ron McKitrick. The Zoom link to access this public class is available on the MGHC website: https://mghc.org/public-classes/.

Master Gardener Ron McKitrick comments, “Since April is National Native Plant Month, I will be discussing what is a native plant, why we should use them in our yards, and how they benefit in so many ways. Native plants play a very important role in our ecosystems being more naturally adapted to local soil and water conditions and being more favorable for supporting local wildlife. My interest in native plants was rekindled after building a home in Ooltewah and thinking about how to landscape my property. With a background in Wildlife Ecology, I wanted to use native plantings to create a habitat that would encourage a wide range of native wildlife, including birds and pollinators be they bees, butterflies or other insects, as well as assorted mammals. My talk will cover using native shrubs in general, as well as in my own yard: should they be planted in sun or shade; will they survive in rocky clay or do they need a humus soil; are they better suited for a dry or wet environment? Also how to create beauty and diversity with native plants. My own yard is 85% natives, and I enjoy watching the many pollinators and birds that visit my plantings. So let’s learn about Landscaping with Native Shrubs!”