Kansas City, Missouri – Kansas City is moving closer to a greener future by combining a new landscaping law with hands-on education to help people make the most of it.
The City is starting a native plant program in partnership with Deep Roots KC and the Missouri Department of Conservation. This program complements the City’s new code, which allows for “managed natural landscapes.”
The new rules make it clearer for property owners who want to plant native species, which helps with bigger goals like sustainability, biodiversity, and making neighborhoods seem more appealing.
The effort is not just about policy on paper. It is about practice.
Deep Roots KC, with support from the Missouri Department of Conservation, is holding free community education sessions all across the metro area. There were four sessions planned, one of which was virtual, to talk about the benefits of native plants and show people how to take care of their native gardens. These sessions were held in North, Central, and South Kansas City.
Kansas City Community Gardens on Kensington Avenue hosted the first in-person presentation on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. That session has already happened, and organizers anticipate that interest will spread across the city from now on.
Three more chances to sign up are still available, but space is limited and you must sign up ahead of time.
The next meeting will be on Saturday, March 7, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center on Troost Avenue. On Wednesday, April 8, 2026, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., there will be another in-person training at the Kansas City North Community Center on NE Antioch Road.
Each lecture is about useful information, like why native plants are important, how they help local ecosystems, and what it takes to keep a garden up to speed with the City’s new rules.
You can sign up online at www.deeproots.org/Built-to-Bloom. If you want further information, you can email Cydney Ross at [email protected]
Read also: Revive the Vine initiative invites Kansas City creatives to compete for $165,000 commission
Kansas City’s message is clear: sustainable landscapes are not only allowed, they are also encouraged, supported, and now easier than ever to flourish. One session is over and two more are scheduled.
