Selecting native plants for the gardens

Plants used in a garden can make a large difference to water consumption. Plants should be chosen based on:

• their adaptation to the zone’s climate
• the hours of sunshine required by the plant
• the water consumption (low and medium requirements)
• the resistance to disease or insect infestations
• the pollution resistance of the plant

We have been taught to remove native plants, often viewed as "weeds" and to replace them with plants that are common in the nursery industry - plants that we will refer to as "industrial plants." The industrial include the standard ornamental shrubs and perennials and are promoted based on the function they provide (hedge, groundcover, etc.) and/or the aesthetic they exhibit, yet not for ecological reasons. They are mass produced and distributed widely, the same way consumer goods are mass produced and distributed. As a result, landscapes, whether residential or commercial, typically have the same plants and the same appearance, regardless of where located.

We would like to encourage you to select native plant that grows naturally at the site. Since native plants evolved to grow under local conditions, they do not require that the site be changed or soil be replaced. They do not need the life support of watering, except during establishment or regular synthetic chemicals - they do not require fertilizer beyond that provided naturally and they are not prone to the diseases of many industrial plants.

Use the opportunity of the garden and label native plants and herbs growing in the garden and inform customers of how they are used in food and beverage, for example, herbs in cooking and mint in cocktails.

There are many benefits:

• Low Maintenance - Native plants evolved to grow in local conditions and to predictable sizes. They do not require watering (except during establishment), chemical pesticides and fertilizers, or frequent cutting.
• Public Health (lowers cancer rates) -Traditional landscaping uses large amounts of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, some of which are suspected carcinogens. During rains, these chemicals often run off into public water supplies. Traditional landscaping also contributes to air and noise pollution.
• Saves you money - The cost of maintaining is dramatically less than that of a traditional landscape because nature essentially takes care of itself. The modern lawns are expensive as you need irrigation system and lawns are huge water consumer.
• Enhances Livability - An ecologically functional landscape offers so much more than a sterile, static landscape. It offers imagination to our children, and color, sounds of birds and insects and wonder to all of us. It is cleaner, quieter and healthier, and may increase property values

Source: http://www.plantnative.org/how_intro.htm