Native plants are usually very reliable – they have adapted to the climatic conditions of the area and serve a variety of functions within the ecosystem. More important they are proven performers – hardy, fitting into a wide variety of habitats, valuable to wildlife, useful for stabilizing stream-banks and/or controlling soil erosion.
Native plants are also useful if you are reducing the size of your lawn. Naturalizing areas around your home will lead to lower maintenance costs, pesticide reduction and improved biodiversity in the area. Planting rare species of native trees and shrubs on your property can have far reaching impacts, since birds, small mammals or the wind can transport seeds to nearby woodlands.
Many native plants are also excellent choices as specimen plants in more formal landscapes. Look at the beauty of plants all year long, not just for showy blooms. Since most plants in this climate are leafless for more than six months a year, textured bark, colorful twigs, exotic structure and fruit that hangs on over the winter will greatly add to the attractiveness of a landscape. We offer the following planting maps as we would seeds from our nursery – they will grow differently in every area. Feel free to make the actual plantings larger, change plants, add different plants in the years to come. Or throw the plans away and come up with something totally different. Please make use of our other publications (listed on back cover) to help you choose the proper plants for your site. When planning your plantings, keep the following in mind: