Everyone has that one neighbor with the strangely impeccable yard. It's often filled with odd looking flowers, funny shrubs, and intricate garden art.
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The yard is undeniably beautiful, but one often shakes their head at such a neighbor. The time and effort put into such a garden are beyond belief! Though some true green thumbs are quite happy to put those resources into such a garden, it is not a reality many homeowners can handle. Fortunately, popular landscaping has taken a new twist in the direction of local plant life.
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Trading in the exotic ornamental flora for native plants is a rapidly growing trend with quite a few benefits. For many homeowners, the most important element is beauty with little effort. Native plants are ones that also grow wild in an area or region. They are resistant to many natural damages such as freezing, drought, and local insects. Planting increases local population, allowing self-sustaining communities to blossom. This means less maintenance from the gardener, as the plant is primed for the elements. No more wasting water on finicky plants and no fighting nature to have a beautiful landscape! This is one easy and sure-fire way to "go green" in your garden. Planting flowers and shrubs that do not fit within the natural landscape will no doubt require additional water, fertilizer and other garden products to keep it looking its best. But, sticking with local varieties of plants will allow your garden to thrive without wasting water and resources. Plus, the garden will still be beautiful with the surrounding landscape.
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Additionally, promoting natural plantlife has quite a positive affect on the surrounding environment. Fungi, insects, and wildlife rely on the area's natural plantlife for survival. Removing or limiting these plants destroys these ecosystems. Promoting area plants also means long root systems are established which control soil erosion from infiltrating water.
The beauty and heritage of local plants cannot be ignored. In addition to better maintaining resources, local plants fit in perfectly with an area's appearance. As lovely as a flower from the heart of the rainforest may look, it really has no place in a suburban Midwest garden. It is undeniable that a flourishing local garden that requires little investment has just as much appeal as a single stunning blossom. Keep this in mind as you focus on your landscape. Do you have the green thumb to keep up with a demanding exotic garden? Or would your dream home be better suited if framed by the local flora that grabs attention but does not require it?
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