When I first heard about drought tolerant plants and native gardens some years ago, like many people, I was immediately picturing cacti in desert found in Arizona. But I was curious and started to go on the annual Native Garden Tour (see related blog about the tour this year). To my pleasant surprise, native gardens can be beautiful and full of colors.
A native garden means use native plants grow in the area where you live. These are plants that have been around long before people settle in the area and they are able to thrive without having people to take care of them.
You can find plants and flowers of many different colors and shapes to suit your liking. A native garden can be very attractive.
There are three major advantages of using native plants.
- Less watering. Native plants have adapted to the local climate environment, such as rainfall seasons. They require little to no watering after they are established, usually takes about one to two years. For instance, plants in California have learned to grow in winter when it rains and to stay dormant in summer when it is dry. There is no need to water dormant plants in summer – it is a mere waste of water.
- No pesticide. Native plants attract beneficial insects and birds. Beneficial insects and birds do not harm the plants but rather eat troublemakers such as aphids and mites, which destroy the plants. With natural forces to combat the non-beneficial ones, there is no need for pesticides. In fact, beneficial insects are far more sensitive to pesticides than the non-beneficial one, so applying pesticides can create the opposite effect. Furthermore, we all know the far reaching environment impact pesticide may cause.
- Less fertilizer. Native plants require little to no fertilizing. Again, they have adapted to the local soil conditions.
While a native garden generally requires less maintainance than a conventional lawn, native plants still need trimming and pruning. Native grass will need to be mowed if you wish a more uniform look. Native plants will grow because right conditions exits, only at different times and different ways from what we are accustomed to.
