Gardening became a national pastime during the COVID-19 outbreak, with some reports stating that over half of those surveyed had taken it up. One type of garden that some people are creating is a native pant garden.
Native plant gardens fill an interesting space in the gardening world. While many gardeners like to use beautiful exotic flowers and shrubs to spice up their yard, native plant gardeners use local specimens to make their garden beautiful while reducing the risk of negative impact on the environment.
Native plant gardens can be an amazing addition to your home, but there are things you should know before investing in one. We'll discuss some of them in this article.
Difficulty Level
Tending to a native plant garden will be a different beast than other types of gardens. For instance, the soil outside your home is already suited to native plants, so they should grow much easier.
Since the plant is native and has built up defenses to environmental threats, you won't need as many chemicals or other inorganic treatments. This means that fewer chemicals are likely to get into the soil, which prevents damage to the soil and other plants.
The flip side of this is that other local plants have evolved alongside it and are equally adapted to compete for resources. This means that, for better or worse, you can't breed native plants as easily as an invasive plant.
Sustainable Lawn and Ecosystem
Another advantage of having a native plant garden is that it will work in tandem with the environment. Native insects and other animals will have no trouble pollinating these plants, whereas they might struggle with invasive species.
You also don't need to worry about cross-pollination scattered seeds, either. These plants are in their native environment, so having them breed outside your yard won't affect the ecosystem in any significant way. This is great if you're in grounds maintenance and don't actually own the property the plants are on.
Unfortunately, native plants will likely have to deal with garden pests, both native and invasive. Your plants might need a little extra care in this respect.
Soil and Weather
We don't often think about weather and soil when we argue about native vs non-native plants, but it is important. Native plants have roots that are suited to the soil, which makes them less likely to get uprooted when faced with harsh weather or other challenges.
Native plants make for some of the best landscaping plants because they're easy to take care of and won't damage the environment.
Keeping a Native Plant Garden
Growing a native plant garden is an excellent hobby, not to mention a fairly simple one. Native plant gardens provide all the fun of gardening while mitigating some of the risks that come from exotic plants.
We've discussed some of the realities of native plant gardening, but there's always more to learn. If you want to know more about landscaping please visit our site. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions, concerns, or are in need of landscaping services.
