Program Guide Summer 2024

Matthew Hicks, the botanical gardens superintendent with Parks and Recreation, said native plants can be difficult to source. Many species popular in local gardens – including certain roses and daffodils – did not originate in the southeastern United States. But Hicks and Dorestant said there is value in planting species that thrive naturally in the local environment. They often require less maintenance, are more drought resistant, and need less fertilizer to thrive. Parks and Recreation has worked to eradicate invasive species in parks and had taken on efforts to bring in native plants. Hicks said the new Windsor Chavis Nocho Community Complex, for example, has been designed

intentionally with a high percentage of native plants. The policy does not apply to private property. It allows for non-native turf grass for athletic fields and lawns, edible plantings like fruit trees or vegetables, and species used for soil and water remediation, the feeding of zoo animals, or educational purposes at a botanical garden.

Learn More For more information, visit the NC Native Plant Society’s recommended species list and invasive list, or the USDA plants database.

Bicentenial Gardens

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