MISSOURI — Are you wishing for a bit more color in your mid-summer gardens? If so, consider adding native wildflowers and grasses as ornamentals. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will offer a free virtual Native Plants at Noon program from noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, July 21. This program will be a virtual tour of the gardens at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center in Kansas City. The program is offered in partnership with Deep Roots KC.

Alix Daniel and Cydney Ross, MDC native landscape specialists, will showcase a walking tour of the Discovery Center Garden. They will talk about wildflowers currently in bloom and how native grasses can add backdrop color and texture. Topics such as soil and sunlight needs will be covered. They will also touch upon maintenance of native plants in gardens.

Native Plants at Noon is a suitable program for all ages. Please register through the Deep Roots KC website. To register, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/4Sp. For more information about the Gorman Discovery Center, 4750 Troost Ave., visit https://mdc.mo.gov/discoverycenter.