Gardening with Native Plants
Native plants are those that have grown in one part of the world for many years. They are adapted to the local environment and climate. They usually don’t require special treatment to thrive.
Monarda didyma, bee balm
They support beneficial insects, including bees and butterflies, which helps ensure that all our plants get pollinated.
These insects are also needed to feed baby birds, while the native seeds, berries, and nectar feed adult birds.
Lobelia cardinalis, cardinal flower;
with Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies
Asclepius tuberosa Packera aurea Pycnanthemum muticum
Many native plants, such as these, have natural defenses against browsing by deer and other mammals.
What you get with a lawn:
non-native grass
lawn maintenance
stormwater run-off
no gratitude
What you get with a native plant:
healthy soil
a tiny self-sufficient ecosystem
rain infiltration
perpetual gratitude
from nature!