The use of plants that are native to our geographical region is important for several reasons. These plants typically conserve water and in turn require less irrigation. They are hardier and less susceptible to unwanted garden pests. Native plants typically require less care and are easily adapted to the local environment. Many times they offer food and shelter for wildlife. Consideration for incorporating native plants into your garden is very important.
Most every state has a native plant society. The organization for New Jersey, as an example, is the Native Plant Society of NJ. Their web site is http://www.njnps.org and the site is full of great information. There is a speaker series on a variety of topics and interests; list of plants; sources, references and other valuable information. You can sign up for their newsletter. And there are valuable tools that can help you create native plant areas in your yard, such as rain gardens, that capture the stormwater and utilize it within your own property. As we know,
Native Plants offer winter interest
rain water can do more to provide the nutrients that plants need far better than we could ever do using the tap water from our home.
I can’t agree more! Educating gardeners and homeowners about the benefits of incorporating native plants into their landscaping is a great service to your community.
I am a professional gardener myself and I like to blend natives which enhance your animal ecosystem with more ornamental annuals to provide season long bloom. As the natives can sometimes be somewhat of a waiting game for exciting color.