When you think of landscaping, you usually think of green, but a different "native way" of landscaping is a different kind of green.

Staunton Green 2020 held an informational meeting about native grasses and plants Wednesday night.

About 40 people showed up that were interested in native landscaping, which goes back to the native cycle of seasons and with indigenous plants that work best in the area.

About seven years ago, Bruce Dorries started planting native shrubs, flowers and grasses in his yard instead of using traditional landscaping plants.

"Some people really like that and they're wedded to that. I'm just more interested in what's native, what was here before Europeans, and what benefits the native species," says Dorries.

Habitat planter Austin Jamison says he usually works on bigger projects like farms, and this is the first year landowners in a city like Staunton are wanting a change.

"I want to get rid of my lawn. I want to replace it with native plants. Something lower maintenance, something that would benefit the wildlife, where I wouldn't have to mow as much, wouldn't have to fertilize, not as much maintenance," says Jamison.

He says the lawns will definitely have a different look, but still a beautiful one.

"It'll be a wilder, more unkempt look. It'll be a lot more colorful, a lot of wildflowers different times of the year, taller grasses," says Jamison.

Along with less maintenance and better stormwater protection, Dorries says it adds something else.

"The bird life, it brings in lots of bird species we didn't see before. Lots of beneficial bugs, butterflies we didn't see before. Lots of other bugs that are kind of cool," says Dorries.

As the trend gains interest inside city limits in places like Staunton, Jamison thinks others will join in as well.

"It's a good example for other people to see what can be done, rather than traditional mowing your lawn every week, fertilizing it, herbiciding it. A way to help pollinators that are really needing it, like bees and butterflies," says Jamison.

One thing Dorries mentions is that the seasons are different for native plants and grasses.

The species don't become colorful until the summer months, but Dorries says it pays off in the fall.