The Missouri Department of Conservation, in partnership with the MCC-Longview Agribusiness/Grounds and Turf department, is encouraging residents to Grow Native.
On Friday and Saturday, gardening professionals, landscaping experts and plant enthusiast came to campus to teach professionals and hobbyists alike how to use native Missouri plants, flowers and trees in their own yards.
"It is important for people to understand how they can participate in their own local ecosystem by using native Missouri plants that will not only look beautiful, but also become a benefit to the surrounding area," MDC spokeswoman Barbra Fairchild said.
Both days of the conference were filled with detailed lectures and demonstrations on how to use the wide variety of flowering plants and shrubs.
Outside of just understanding the kinds of plants to use in your garden, Alan Branhagen from Powell Gardens, also talked about how important it is to simply understand the land in which you are planting and how different areas and soil types and allow you to create completely unique and amazing native plant bed.
"When looking at your yard you have to first determine what can grow," Branhagen said. "If you have a glade-like area, then focus on plants that thrive in that kind of ecosystem."
MCC-Longview is already participating in the state-wide Grow Native project. Last fall, officials stripped the grass from the large south east field and started planting native Missouri grasses in its place. In about a year, the grasses will become a major attraction for butterflies and other animals in the area.
For more photos, head on over to the MCC-Longview photo blog.
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