Native Plants in the Landscape
Author: Susan Fox
Planning Unit: Lyon County CES
Major Program: Forest Education: Health, Management, and Utilization
Plan of Work: Natural Resources Management
Outcome: Initial Outcome
Native plants are of interest to many gardeners and people that enjoy the outdoors and natural resources. Native plants support a healthier ecosystem than non-native plantings as the relationships between plants, insects, animals, and fungi have developed over millions of years. Native plant program efforts included the following:
- This year, a Lyon County Master Gardener and the Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources worked together on a presentation for the statewide “Horticulture Wednesday” webinar series to present on Native Plants in the Landscape. There were 118 participants in the program which was presented online on April 7, 2021.
- A request was made by a local garden club and the presentation was made for a group of 12.
- A 15-minute version of the presentation was prepared and presented on the UK Forestry Department Wednesday webinar, “From the Woods Today” on June 30.
- The Lyon County Master Gardeners held their 5th annual Native Plant Sale and Program on April 24. Over 200 native plants were sold. A member of the Kentucky Native Plant Society made a presentation on native orchids and frost flowers and a second speaker on spoke about Monarch Waystations. The Facebook Live orchid presentation link was shared in the Kentucky Native Plant Society’s Lady Slipper newsletter.