Going Native: Gardening and Landscaping with North American Plants

By J. A. Young

Returning to a region's native roots is more than just a gardening trend. Replacing many of today’s plants with native alternatives can result in a healthier garden and a more befitting landscape. In many cases around North America, as foreign more invasive species were introduced to the environment, natural habitats were destroyed. You can add beauty to your own landscape and protect its natural habitat by replacing invasive species with native plants for a healthy terrific look.

Many invasive plants are lovely. There’s no getting around that fact; but that doesn't mean they are the right plant for your place. Take the very pretty multiflora rose. A lovely botanical - but so rampant it has been banned in many states. By taking the time to investigate more befitting native species, you can mitigate the damage that invasive plants cause and you can literally renovate your corner of the environment with plants that nature intended for that bit of earth.

Trees:

You might be surprised to learn that many trees that seem perfectly commonplace have actually been classified as invasive such as the following:

Amur Maple
Sycamore Maple
Mimosa
European Alder
Paper Mulberry
Weeping Willow
Sawtooth Oak
Figs

Great alternatives to these trees include such native beauties as:

the American Smoke Tree
Red Maple
Black Gum
Big Leaf Maple
Quaking Aspen
Black Willow
River Birch and Pecan

Keep in mind when consider native trees that beauty stretches beyond the bloom. Consider autumn foliage, tree shape, and the barks texture and coloration.

By adding these trees to your landscape, you will be providing all the beauty that nature originally intended. Certainly there are many imports that are equally lovely and will not necessarily impact or damage your garden's eco-system, but always be sure to do a little research about any foreign variety you introduce to your setting. You might be surprised that upon gardening with native species you become hooked on the challenge of authentically replicating what the land might have looked like centuries ago.

Shrubs:

When it comes to shrubs, there are many common invasive varieties. Some of these include: Japanese Barberry, English Hawthorn, Butterfly Bush, Scotch Broom, Rose of Sharon, Dwarf Honeysuckle and Privets. If you want to replace any of these or other invasive shrubs, consider the following native choices: Wild Lilac, Creeping Blueberry, Virginia Sweetspire, Bush Honeysuckle, Tree Lupine, Black Chokeberry, Climbing Hydrangea, Winterberry, Witchhazel, Carolina Buckthorn or Climbing Prairie Rose.

Shrubs are functional ornaments of the garden - they provide borders, they offer privacy and they fill in that wide vertical space between the groundcover and tree canopies. Native species are lovely and sure to provide classic character to your region - region being the operative word. When doing your research on native North American plants and cultivars, be certain that a native Floridian species won't become a troublemaker in your California landscape.

Grasses:

There are all sorts of invasive species when it comes to grasses and herbaceous plants. Just to name a few common invasive varieties: Bachelor’s Button, Chicory, Fennel, Foxglove, Crown Vetch, Queen Anne's Lace (really!), Sweet Clover, Pampas Grass, Crested Wheatgrass, and Fountain Grasses. So what do you do if you want native character and health instead? Look for alternatives like Mountain Hollyhock, Baby's Breath, Carolina Phlox, Wintergreen, Queen-of-the-Prairie, Western Wheatgrass, and Indian Grass.

Native plants may not solve all your gardening problems, but they will restore a traditional look and inherent health to your setting. To enhance the beauty of native plants, choose those that are native to your specific region. Then, if you decide to introduce other imports, try to space their introduction to your garden and watch them closely. If they show signs of taking over their designated spot or the plants around show signs of dismay or ill health, it might not be a good selection for your garden. Again, by researching your specific plant choices, you might be able to head off problems before they touch ground.