Get a Free Seed Packet!

Water – Use It Wisely has never given away a Plant of the Month before – but this time they’re kicking things up a notch with a free wildflower seed packet! Sign up for their monthly newsletter and they’ll mail you seeds to start your own spring bloom.

Check out their Wildflower blog to learn more and get inspired!

Native plants are more than just beautiful... they’re powerful, nature-based solutions to climate change. In Mesa's Climate Action Plan, Target 3.2 highlights the importance of protecting natural open space and conserving native wildlife, plants, and habitats.

When you plant native wildflowers, shrubs, and trees, you’re doing more than adding color to your yard – you’re helping the planet. Native plants:

• Support a diverse web of bees, butterflies, birds, and other pollinators.
• Build and sustain healthy soils, which capture and store more carbon.
• Require less water and maintenance, reducing your overall environmental footprint.

So, every wildflower seed you plant this fall is a small step toward a more resilient, climate-friendly desert landscape. 🌸

City of Mesa Kicks Off Tree Planting Season Mesa is partnering with community organizations and volunteers to plant hundreds of trees across the city as part of Trees Are Cool, a citywide initiative launched in... 

See two volunteer opportunities below!

Honoring Memories and Culture: Mesa Arts Center's Beloved Dia de los Muertos Festival Returns The nationally recognized, award-winning community festival offers nonstop live entertainment featuring mariachi music, folklorico dance, contemporary bands and...

Plant of the Month - Queen's Wreath This beautiful late summer blooming vine is one of those show-stopping plants that has likely caused near auto accidents with its stunning display of the bright...

The Water – Use It Wisely campaign has been named Best Community Awareness Campaign in Green Living Magazine’s 2025 Best of Arizona Awards! 

The campaign was launched by the City of Mesa in 1999 as a local effort to inspire smarter water use. It has since grown into one of the state’s most recognized conservation campaigns with 22 statewide partners.

Through engaging, practical tools – like watering guides, landscape ideas, and classroom resources – the campaign helps Arizonans save water in ways that are simple, sustainable, and effective.

A “green carpet” gala honoring this year’s winners will take place Sat., Oct. 18, 5–9 p.m. at Culdesac Tempe. Get the details. 

Sat., Oct. 18, 10-11 a.m. Planting for Butterflies Part of the Xeriscape Done Right: A Water-Wise Landscaping Series from Mesa’s Grass-to-Xeriscape Program! Meet our expert, Noelle Johnson (AZ Plant Lady), and discover how to turn your desert garden into a butterfly haven! In this class, Noelle will teach you how to attract butterflies using the four key elements of a butterfly-friendly landscape. You could win great prizes, including one of Noelle's books, a $50 gift card for a local nursery, or tickets to National Geographic Live's Chasing Monarchs.

BONUS: There will be a quick wildflower seed planting demonstration following the program at the library's Monarch Haven & Reading Sanctuary Garden. This will be part of the Monarch Waystation dedication mentioned below. Red Mountain Library, 635 N. Power Road.

Sat., Oct. 18, 9 a.m. to Noon. Join the Rewear Revolution and opt for second-hand clothing instead of purchasing new! Bring clean, gently used clothing – men's, women's, children's, hats, scarves, coats (no stained or ripped clothing, and no socks or undergarments, please). Each item you donate gets you one ticket (no money is exchanged) that you can use to shop for 'new' clothes. There will be clothing options for all ages. 

Girl Up Club at Red Mountain High School, the event organizer, is a 2025 grant recipient of the Mesa Youth Climate Action Fund (MYCAF) supported by the City of Mesa and Bloomberg Philanthropies. Learn more in this Mesa Tribune Article.

Location: Red Mountain High School Cafeteria Patio, 7301 E Brown Rd, Mesa.

Sat., Oct. 18, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Join Eagle Scout, Morgan W., Arizona Wildlife Federation, and the City of Mesa for an official opening and dedication of Mesa's newest Monarch Waystation.

A waystation serves as a much-needed rest stop for migrating monarch butterflies, providing nectar-rich flowers, native milkweed, and safe shelter to rest and refuel during their 3,000-mile journey. 

Morgan W. with Troop 3030 is a 2025 grant recipient of the Mesa Youth Climate Action Fund (MYCAF) supported by the City of Mesa and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

🦋 Come celebrate this pollinator-friendly space and learn how you can help monarchs thrive!

Location: Red Mountain Library (NE area of parking lot), 635 N. Power Rd.

Ever heard of “food miles”? It’s the distance your food travels from farm to fork – and the farther it goes, the more fuel and CO₂ emissions it creates.

One of the best ways to reduce your food miles is to grow your own garden. But if that’s not an option, there are plenty of other ways to eat local:

• Shop your nearby farmers markets for fresh, seasonal produce.
• Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program to buy a share of a local farmer’s harvest.
• Get involved in a community garden and enjoy the rewards of growing alongside your neighbors. 

Mesa has great options close to home! Check out Farm to Mesa Market in downtown and Steadfast Farm on the east side.

And if you haven’t yet, check out Mesa Urban Garden in downtown! 🌿

With the holidays on their way it's time to get those household leaks fixed (well, it's always time). Dripping faucet? Leaky toilet? We can help! The City of Mesa had a blast partnering with the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) to create a series of short Do-It-Yourself videos. Each one will help you identify and fix simple plumbing issues to save you water and money. Find all six videos!

It's the perfect time to get some fall landscaping done. Water – Use It Wisely has the ultimate Arizona fall landscaping and planting microsite with a slightly different name, Water – Plant It Wisely.

The site showcases low-water use plants, design ideas, how to plant, sowing wildflowers for spring bloom, helpful videos, demonstration gardens, local workshops, and a listing of fall plant sales. You'll also find a link on how to hire a landscape professional. Visit the site and dig in!