Native Plants

“What if each American landowner made it a goal to convert half of his or her lawn to productive native plant communities? Even moderate success could collectively restore some semblance of ecosystem function to more than twenty million acres of what is now ecological wasteland. How big is twenty million acres? It’s bigger than the combined areas of the Everglades, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Teton, Canyonlands, Mount Rainier, North Cascades, Badlands, Olympic, Sequoia, Grand Canyon, Denali, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Parks. If we restore the ecosystem function of these twenty million acres, we can create this country’s largest park system.” – Douglas W. Tallamy

Made for Here

OK, what’s all the fuss with native plants? Well here’s the thing, a species that evolved over thousands of years to thrive in this particular environment has a natural advantage over the newly introduced species from elsewhere. These babies are tough! Georgia native plants tend to be heat-tolerant and drought-resistant, with deep roots and other adaptations for an edge in resilience. This also benefits your wallet: native species are a smart investment because, once established, they can easily thrive for generations with very little maintenance.

Superheroes of the Plant World

With their deep, extensive roots, native plants are especially good at sequestering carbon and putting it back into the soil. A homegrown CO2 pump for offsetting your carbon footprint! On a micro level, a healthy native root system can host beneficial microorganisms in the soil, which produce and deliver nutrients back to the plant. This symbiosis can improve the soil quality overall, boosting other plants nearby and possibly your vegetable garden too.

Look Great and Do Great

Not only are they beneficial to the environment, native plants are versatile enough to look great in just about any style of landscape. If you thought you’d have to pick between either the modern planting style that you crave for your mid-century modern home, or the responsible choice of growing natives as a good land steward, we’re here to tell you that you can do both. Our designers are well-versed in using native plants to create formal gardens, as well as more informal and naturalistic planting plans. So, why not?

Miniature Parks in the City

Your backyard is your opportunity to restore a little patch of land back to what it once was: a slice of the ecosystem where nature is in equilibrium. A lofty dream, some might say… but just imagine if enough of your neighbors did the same thing, creating a patchwork of tiny green havens that connect through the town. As the native plant trend grows stronger, this is actually starting to happen more and more.

For the nature-lovers among us, native plants are important because they play an integral role in the local food web. Most local insect species rely on a particular set of plants (some on just one!) for food and reproduction. Native plants, and the pollinators they attract, sustain the birds and other species we love to see, which in turn disperse the seeds so that the cycle can start over. Plants that are not naturally from the area just can’t offer the same benefits.

As with most things, you know you’ve nailed it if the system is balanced. If the thought of all the bugs bothers you, remember that the birds will keep them in check. A self-contained pest control system! Nature will reward you for creating new wildlife habitat. So, set up your cute birdhouse, hang the new hummingbird feeders and then… find yourself a lounger and relax.

Everything in Moderation

That said, we live in the real world. While we love a good native planting, we believe in making room for what’s important to you, so there’s no need to be absolute about using natives. After all, it’s your home, and maybe you’d like a little lawn area. Maybe you still want to enjoy the scent of tea olive. That’s ok, we get it!