Iowa City Today

Do you want to attract more pollinators and other wildlife to your yard? Maybe change up a landscape design by replacing invasive plants with native ones?

Plan for your spring and summer gardening season by attending Iowa City Parks and Recreation’s Native Plant Symposium from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at the Robert A. Lee Recreation Center, 220 S. Gilbert St.

The event will begin with a keynote address by Carol Davit, Executive Director of the Missouri Prairie Foundation. Following the address, participants can choose from multiple discussion topics during three different breakout sessions throughout the afternoon. A catered lunch will be provided as part of the registration fee, which is $25 per person. There will also be an opportunity to purchase native plants and seeds.

About the program

Topics featured during the day’s breakout sessions include: 

• Rainscaping and Bioswales: Municipal Homeowner Incentive Programs
• At Home with the Prairie: prairie plants in home gardens
• Plants for Birds
• The Ashton Prairie Living Laboratory (APLL)
• Designing Your Rain Garden
• Redefining Your Lawn
• Planting Native: How to support and conserve pollinators at home
• Invasive Plant ID & Removal
• Native Edibles for Your Yard.

How to participate

Preregister online today by visiting our website. The deadline to register is April 21, 2023.

Who should attend?

Whether you are new to gardening, or you’ve got the greenest thumb in town, there will be something for everyone at this event.

Shop for native plants and seeds at the event

Attendees will also have the opportunity to purchase native plants and seeds from Forever Green Nursery and Allendan Seed Company.

For more details about the day’s programming and presenters, visit our website.

This program is made possible by our many collaborating partners and speakers, as well as sponsorships from Hills Bank, Forever Green Nursery, and Phoebe Martin, Realtor. 

Original source can be found here.