North American Native Plant Society

Why Garden with Native Plants?

Natural ecosystems provide innumerable benefits.  Some of the more obvious are:

By using native plants in our landscaping, we can apply some of the natural benefits of ecosystems to our own gardens, at home, at work, in parks, schools, shopping malls, and entire subdivisions.  True native plant gardens could be termed "100 mile gardens" since they are composed of native species that naturally occur locally. 

Native plants are often defined as species that were found in an area before settlement by Europeans.  Indigenous peoples, however, played a role in moving plants around the continent long before the arrival of Europeans.  Another aspect that should be included therefore is how well a species is integrated into the local ecosystem.  Most native insects, for example, are only able to feed on native plants.  More recent arrivals, like butterfly bush, may be able to provide some nectar, but do little to aid in other stages of a butterflies life-cycle.  

The benefits of using local species aren't confined to their utility within the ecosystem. 

• because they originate here & are perennial, transportation emissions are virtually eliminated

• because they are evolved for local conditions there is no need for chemicals or municipally-treated water

• no water treatment + no pumping = reduced power use

• no chemicals = no manufacturing, no transportation, no disposal = reduced power use & reduced emissions