Why You Should Grow Native Plants in Your Garden
The Netherlands is famous for its water management—from dikes to the Delta Works, we’ve created systems to live in harmony with water. Yet, heavy rains still overwhelm our neighborhoods, leading to water damage in homes. Next to these water issues, our native insects suffer and are decreasing every season, and in the summer we’re complaining about too much heat.
Over the past few decades, the trend of low-maintenance, tidy home gardens—dominated by pavement, non-native plants, and short-cut lawns—has worsened things. These choices not only harm native insects but also turn gardens into heat traps in summer and fail to absorb excess rain, contributing to flooding. And these problems aren’t limited to the Netherlands—they’re happening worldwide.
By transforming your garden with native plants and reducing paved areas, you can enhance biodiversity, support pollinators, and help manage water more effectively, keeping your garden cooler and your home safer from water damage.
What Are Native Plants?
Native plants, and native trees as well, are species that have naturally evolved and adapted to a local area for thousands, or even millions, of years without human intervention. They belong to the landscape of a particular area and have coexisted with local wildlife, soil, and climate long before modern agriculture or landscaping practices introduced non-native species. This deep connection with their environment means native plants form the backbone of a local ecosystem, supporting other plants and the animals and insects that rely on them for survival.
Native plants can be found at different scales—locally within specific regions, across countries, or even continent-wide. What makes them unique is their role in maintaining the natural balance of ecosystems. For centuries, these plants have coevolved with native insects, birds, mammals, and other wildlife, creating a mutually beneficial relationship. For example, many insects, such as bees, butterflies, and beetles, are specifically adapted to feed on native plants. Without these plants, various insects either decline in number or disappear altogether, leading to a ripple effect through the food chain.
In addition to supporting wildlife, native plants thrive in the specific soil, weather patterns, and climate of their home regions, requiring less water, fertilizer, and human intervention than non-native species. This makes them ideal for sustainable gardening and landscaping. They are naturally resistant to local pests and diseases, reducing the need for chemical pesticides, and they also have a better ability to manage environmental challenges like drought or heavy rainfall. These adaptations come from centuries of surviving and flourishing in their native habitat, making them well-suited for modern gardeners looking to create low-maintenance, resilient landscapes.
Moreover, native plants play a critical role in improving soil health. Their roots help prevent erosion, absorb excess water, and maintain the natural water cycle, contributing to better groundwater retention. By planting native species, you are not only reducing your garden’s upkeep but also helping to restore natural landscapes that may have been damaged by urbanization, industrial agriculture, or invasive species.
A few examples of native plants are:
- Native plants in the US: Eastern Red Columbine; Swamp Milkweed; Stinging nettle; Coneflowers.
- Native plants in Central Europe: European Blueberry; Elderberry; False Dandelion.
- Native plants in the UK: Hazel; Common juniper; Ox-eye daisy, Bluebells; English ivy.
Benefits of Native Plants in Your Garden
Native plants offer a wide range of benefits to gardens, especially when it comes to sustainability, biodiversity, and environmental resilience. Here are some key advantages of incorporating native plants into your garden:
1. Low Maintenance and Cost-Effective
- Adapted to Local Conditions: Native plants are already suited to the soil, climate, and weather conditions of your region, meaning they require less watering, fertilizing, and overall care.
- Less Prone to Pests and Diseases: Because they’ve evolved in harmony with local ecosystems, native plants are often more resistant to pests and diseases that plague non-native species. This reduces the need for chemical pesticides and treatments.
- Cost Savings: Over time, you’ll save money on water, fertilizers, and maintenance, as native plants are more self-sufficient than ornamental or exotic species.
2. Water Conservation
- Drought Tolerance: Native plants are adapted to the local rainfall patterns and, in many cases, are more drought-tolerant. This reduces the need for excessive irrigation and conserves water, which is particularly important in areas prone to water shortages.
- Natural Flood Control: Native plants, with their deep and complex root systems, help absorb rainwater more effectively than non-native species. They reduce runoff and help prevent flooding, which can protect your home from water damage.
3. Support for Pollinators and Wildlife
- Attract Pollinators: Native plants are crucial for local beneficial insects such as native bees, butterflies, and birds. These species have evolved alongside native plants, which provide the food and habitat they need to survive.
- Biodiversity Boost: A garden filled with native plants supports a wide range of wildlife, from insects to birds and mammals. This, in turn, fosters a balanced, healthy ecosystem.
- Natural Food Source: Many native plants provide seeds, nectar, and berries for local wildlife, offering food for birds and other animals that non-native plants might not.
4. Improved Soil Health
- Erosion Control: Native plants often have deep root systems that stabilize soil, and reduce soil erosion. Their roots also enhance the soil’s ability to absorb water, minimizing runoff and protecting against soil degradation.
- Nutrient Cycling: Native plants contribute to a healthy soil ecosystem by encouraging beneficial organisms, such as earthworms and microbes, to thrive. This natural nutrient cycling helps maintain soil fertility without the need for chemical fertilizers.
5. Climate Resilience
- Adapting to Weather Extremes: Native plants are better able to withstand the weather conditions typical of their region, whether it’s harsh winters, heavy rains, or long periods of drought.
- Cooling Effect: By reducing paved areas and planting native vegetation, you can cool your garden. Native plants provide shade, lower soil temperatures, and reduce the “heat island” effect caused by concrete and non-native lawns.
6. Sustainability and Ecosystem Restoration
- Preservation of Native Species: Introducing native plants into your garden helps protect them from being outcompeted by invasive species. This contributes to the preservation of biodiversity in your area.
- Ecosystem Restoration: By planting native species, you help restore local ecosystems that have been disrupted by urbanization, industrial agriculture, or non-native plant invasions. A garden filled with native plants can become a small refuge for wildlife and help reintegrate natural cycles in developed areas.
7. Reduction of Chemical Use
- Less Need for Pesticides and Fertilizers: Native plants are typically more resistant to pests and diseases, reducing or eliminating the need for pesticide use. This contributes to a healthier garden environment and lessens harmful runoff into local waterways.
By choosing native plants for your garden, you create a more sustainable, biodiverse, and resilient outdoor space that benefits not only your home but the wider environment.
How to Get Started with Native Plant Gardening
Now that you understand the importance of native plants in your garden, you’re probably wondering how to get started. Luckily, with the internet at your fingertips, it’s easier than ever to find out which plants, shrubs, and trees are native to your particular region. Simply search online for lists of native species or visit local garden centers. Once you’ve identified them, start incorporating these native plants into your garden. You’ll quickly begin to enjoy their many benefits. You’ll have less maintenance, more biodiversity, and a garden that works with nature, not against it!
Incorporating a Native Garden in Your Vegetable Garden
Incorporating native plants, flowers, trees, and shrubs into your vegetable garden can significantly boost its productivity and resilience. Native wildflowers attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, essential for the pollination of many vegetable crops. By planting native flowering species alongside your vegetables, you’ll increase the number of pollinators visiting your garden. The pollinators will increase harvest yields and healthier plants. Additionally, native shrubs and trees can create beneficial microclimates, providing shade and protection from wind, which helps reduce stress on heat-sensitive vegetables.
The deep roots of native plant species also absorb and retain water, reducing runoff and keeping your garden well-hydrated during dry spells. Integrating native species into your vegetable garden not only supports your crops but also enhances biodiversity. This will lead to a balanced and sustainable ecosystem that thrives with minimal intervention.
Overall, choosing to plant native species is an environmentally responsible choice that benefits both your garden and the surrounding natural world. It helps preserve local biodiversity, strengthens wildlife populations, and creates a more harmonious, self-sustaining environment. By returning to what naturally thrives in your region, you allow nature to work with you, not against you. You’ll create a healthy, thriving outdoor space.
