BY KAREN BOSSICK

Discover how native plants might fit in your garden or yard when the Wood River Chapter of the Idaho Native Plant Society hosts a free tour of the Hunger Coalition’s native plant gardens.

The tour will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13, at the Hunger Coalition’s campus at 110 Honeysuckle St. in Bellevue. Please, no dogs.

Lynea Newcomer, the Hunger Coalition’s director of Strategic Initiatives, will address how native plants can bring year-round beauty to home landscapes. They use less water than non-native plants and they support biodiversity, especially for pollinators and birds.

“Everyone enjoys our beautiful native plants while out recreating, but they often don’t realize that they can be gorgeous in our home gardens, too,” said Wood River Chapter board member Kristin Fletcher, “This is a great opportunity to actually see mature wildflowers and shrubs in a handsome setting”

Native Plant Society members hope the tour will inspire the community to include native plants in their landscapes to help mitigate vexing environmental problems.

“We’ll share local and regional resources for purchasing native plants that work well in our area so folks can start planning for next year's gardening season,” said Fletcher.

The Idaho Native Plant Society is a non-profit, statewide organization with more than 600 members.  It is dedicated to fostering an understanding and appreciation of Idaho’s native flora and its habitats. And it strives to preserve this rich heritage for future generations. 

For more information, call 559-696-9953 or visit https://idahonativeplants.org/wood-river/.