Native plants thrive in Eastern Washington’s dry climate. This organization is working to bring more to yards in the Tri-Cities
By Courtney Flatt
You had to be a little invested to find West Richland’s annual Tapteal Native Plant sale, located along a hidden back road. Once there, people bustled about rows of multicolored bunchgrasses and baby shrubs that stood less than an inch tall.
The sale also had some more established shrubs. Valerie Landon studied the chokecherry and golden currants, asking what kind of sunlight they needed.
“ I always plant a tree on top of a dog that I buried, and I’ve buried a couple of dogs in the past few years,” Landon said. “It’s a good way to memorialize them and bring a little bit of life to where they are.”
For years, Landon has adorned her yard in Finley, Washington, with native plants to feed local pollinators and birds.
“ You need to buy into the idea of something that looks a little wild. If you want the traditional idea of gardens, everything lined up neat and tidy, you’re probably not going to get that effect,” she said.
Native plant people evangelize their gardens like seeds in the wind.
Read more at: https://www.opb.org/article/2025/11/02/native-plants-thrive-in-eastern-washington/