Photo: Before planting the native plants garden
We can all do something to fight climate change and support wildlife, without ever leaving our own backyards. One major impact people have made on the planet is planting yards full of non-native turf grasses, flowers, bushes, and trees. These exotic and, sometimes invasive plants do not provide adequate food sources for native wildlife, especially pollinators. Worse, non-native plants (and all the fertilizers, non-native mulches, herbicides, and pesticides needed to support them) over time can change the composition of the soil so that native plants may never be able to grow in the changed micro-system.
You can transform your garden into a haven for native birds, bees and butterflies, while conserving water, ending dependence on fertilizers, and reducing your gardening workload. There are hundreds of gorgeous native plants that also provide food, nesting material and shelter for many species of wildlife.
I am offering a class in gardening with native plants at Yavapai Community College Community Education program in October, 2023. Students will assess and map their garden space, learn the basics of planting, and maintaining a native plant garden, and learn to replicate nature’s gardening strategies. I have training as a Master Gardener and National Wildlife Federation Habitat Steward. I have worked for 22 years to restore native plants and wildlife habitat in my yard, both in the Texas Hill Country and Prescott. I also have 5 years experience as a college instructor, an M.A. in Anthropology, and an Ed.D. in Adult Education.
After planting my native plant garden:
