(Mission, TX) – Grab a shovel and get growing becauseSaturday, September 7, is National Planting Day! Established by Keep America Beautiful, this special, volunteer initiative celebrates the value and power of native plant species in restoring ecological balance to the environment while creating greener, more beautiful communities.

The National Butterfly Center, in Mission, Texas, is celebrating by inviting everyone to join our staff in planting new beds of native trees and flowers to kick off the fall planting season. For National Planting Day, the entrance fee to the Center will be waived for all who volunteer to labor and learn more about the value of native plants and good gardening practices. Planting will take place from 8:30 am – 10:30am, and all participants will be given their own packet of tropical milkweed seeds to plant at home, as a token of our appreciation.

“Native plants are a precious resource that provide many benefits to people and animals,” explains Marianna Trevino Wright, executive director of the Center. “They are specially adapted for the environment in which they belong, so our South Texas natives are naturally drought hearty. This means a native plant landscape requires less water and costs less to maintain; it also provides vital feeding and breeding habitat for wildlife. If you want to have a beautiful yard that thrives in our climate and attracts colorful butterflies and birds, the recipe is simple: plant native!”

The National Butterfly Center's cultivated gardens contain approximately 100 native plant species that provide food for butterflies, caterpillars and birds. Many of these plants are available for sale in our nursery, where pollinator-friendly plants are grown without harmful pesticides or herbicides. Don't miss this excellent opportunity to learn to more about building your own butterfly garden and creating a low-maintenance landscape that is both beautiful and beneficial.

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The National Butterfly Center is committed to ‘Growing Connections’ between people, plants, and the winged wonders that pollinate and propagate all that grows around us. We do this through educational and environmental initiatives that cultivate meaningful understanding of the processes that create sustainable ecosystems. The Center is open to the public, for visitors and members, seven days/week.

To learn more about the National Butterfly Center, and how you can join us, visit www.nationalbutterflycenter.org, or call 956.583.5400. Your annual membership or charitable gift impacts the beauty of our community and helps preserve the biologically diverse, natural treasures of deep South Texas.

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