Things have changed in landscaping for residential, commercial and municipal use. Thirty years ago, there was a very limited choice of plants available for all three uses. Now it’s known that native plants are equal in beauty to non-native plants and they are readily available in nearby nurseries. The natives are hardy and can support more wildlife – like butterflies and other pollinators – than non-natives. They are adapted to the local environment and. need less water. Listeners can learn to create ‘outdoor rooms’ by using native plants. More information is available at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/soil-water-conservation/nativeplants and from the National Audubon Society (www.Audubon.org) and from the Virginia Native Plant Society (https://vnps.org/).