Johnson County Conservation will host its annual Native Plant Series featuring four plant sales and speaker programs in the spring and fall: May 4, June 1, Aug. 3, and Sept. 7. 

The program and plant sale will be held at F.W. Kent Park at the Education Center, 2048 US-6 NW, Oxford, Iowa.

The native plant vendor is Troutleaf Native Plants, based in Johnson County. You do not need to register to attend the plant sales; registration is free but required for the native plant series. Note: Seminar attendees must register for each date of the Native Plant Series. 

Click here for details and to sign up for a spot on the waitlist.

May 4 program schedule: 
9-9:40 a.m. – Troutleaf’s native plant sale
9:40-9:45 a.m. – Welcome and introduction
9:45-10:45 a.m. – “Sedges and Grasses: Creating a Matrix” with Tyler Baird
10:45-11 a.m. – Break and shop plant sale
11 a.m.-noon – “Spring Ephemerals” with Eric Miller
Noon-1 p.m. – Plant sale continues

In “Sedges & Grasses: Creating a Matrix,” Iowa City’s Superintendent of Parks and Forestry Tyler Baird will cover the role of sedges and grasses in designed and natural plant communities. Often overlooked, sedges and grasses connect plantings, fill voids, and provide cover for insects and wildlife. Baird will highlight design techniques, plant selection, and guidance to create a plant matrix. He holds a B.S. in Landscape Architecture from Iowa State University, an M.S. in Human Dimensions of Ecosystem Science and Management from Utah State, and an M.P.A. from Drake. With certifications as an arborist, a Park and Recreation Professional, and a Public Manager, Baird enjoys teaching others about plants, natural resources, and design to share knowledge that enhances habitat and beauty in all types of places. 

In “Spring Ephemerals,” Eric Miller will cover basic facts about and photos of Iowa’s native spring ephemerals and discuss incorporating and growing ephemerals in the home garden. An Iowa Master Naturalist, retired sociology professor, and cooperative natural food store worker, Miller is co-president of the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City chapter of Wild Ones. He has led numerous groups on field trips that highlight the unique qualities of the Iowa prairie. 

Johnson County Conservation encourages residents to build conservation practices at home by adding native plants to their landscape. The plant sales and speaker series are supported by the Johnson County Master Gardeners and Troutleaf Native Plants.