Gardening with Native Plants

The Council Bluffs Public Library and Pottawattamie Conservation have teamed up to offer a FREE 4 class series focused on giving you the confidence and background knowledge you need to grow a beautiful native garden that supports wildlife and provides benefits to you and your community. Each class builds upon the previous class, when registering please plan to attend all 4 classes.

February 21st: Introduction to Pollinators & Native Plants  From pollinating the plants that grow the fruits and vegetables we eat to providing food for birds and wildlife, insects fuel the food web and the best way to fuel our native insects is with native plants. In this class we will discuss all the ways native plants benefit us and our environment as well as things we can do to support our native insects.

March 20th: How to Plant a Native Garden  This class will teach you how to choose a site for your garden, things to consider when choosing plants, and provide information about working with city ordinance and HOAs. We’ll also discuss basic gardening skills, resources for successful gardening, and start planning your native garden!

April 17th: Garden Design with Lucky Toad Resorative Gardens  Getting the right plant in the right location is the key to a successful native garden. Our guest speaker Lucky Toad Restorative Gardens, will discuss how to prepare your garden site, select species for your site conditions, and design elements to consider in order to grow a garden that thrives and re-weaves the food web.

May 15th: Ask an Expert  We’ll have experts available to answer all your questions. Whether you want to grow native plants in pots or seed 5 acres with prairie plants, we’ll have a local expert available for you to talk to!

Those who participate in all 4 classes will receive a selection of native plants and seeds.