Native Plants Support Life

Native plants are those that occur naturally in a specific ecoregion and share an evolutionary history with native wildlife. There are many benefits to gardening with native plants; the most important is that they support biodiversity, and in doing so, improve the habitat around us. When we reintroduce native plants into our gardens, we have the unique opportunity to tip the scale in nature's favor by restoring lost and fragmented habitats.  Native plants are not only beautiful and ecologically beneficial, but they are also easier to care for and require fewer resources and maintenance than exotic species from other parts of the world. They thrive under their natural conditions - soils, moisture, and climate - requiring less watering and time-consuming maintenance.

There is a strong correlation between native plants, insect populations, and insect and bird populations. While bird feeders are a popular means of attracting birds to one's yard, they are an incomplete food source, leaving out two important elements of a bird's diet: berries and insects. It is also important to note that birdfeeders are not a viable food source for baby birds, who depend on insects to survive; insects whose survival is dependent upon the plants they have co-evolved with for thousands of years. Native plants are the base of local food webs and therefore are fundamental to a healthy ecosystem.