PIERRE, S.D.(DRGNews)- When it comes to lawns, gardens and community spaces, more and more people are taking an interest in using native plants.

Sara Ogan (oh-gan, like logan) works out of the Pierre Regional Center as a Consumer Horticulture Assistant for South Dakota State University Extension. She says she’s been working on a native plant area at home.

Ogan says SDSU Extension Master Gardeners have a variety of resources available about native plants for South Dakota.

Ogan, who is a Master Gardener herself, helps answer questions from central South Dakota that come in to the SDSU Extension Garden Hotline. She’s in the office on a part-time basis, but says she’ll respond as promptly as possible.

Along with Pierre, there are seasonal Garden Hotline staff in the Aberdeen and Rapid City Regional Offices. Brookings has staff year-round. Having regional points of contact provides people with local experts on plants that thrive in their area.

People can also submit garden and yard questions on the Problems and Solutions page of the SDSU Extension website.