Why Natives?
Why plant native?
Less than 1/10th of 1% of intact prairie remains in the United States.
The time is now to heal the land if we want to continue to inhabit our homes.
More and more sensible people are realizing that we can no longer afford to import exotic species to our landscape from faraway lands. At best they look pretty but they can put a strain on resources that we need to conserve. At worst they disrupt natural rhythms that can sometimes never be recovered. Bermuda grass needs constant mowing, weeding and application of toxic herbicides. St. Augustine gulps water and needs frequent doses of pesticide to control grub worms which, in turn, make their way into our water systems.
The simple truth is that native seeds belong in your landscape. Once they are established they'll work for you, not the other way around. They are at home here, and they know how to take care of themselves. They need no extra watering once they've established their roots. They are naturally disease and bug resistant. Fertilizing is not required, and in fact, like any good homeowner, they even work to improve the land on which they live.
As we come to know more about the interdependence of all life, we understand more and more how important it is to make intelligent choices about how we use the precious resources of nature. The quality of the water we drink and the air we breathe depends on it.
It's hard to do very much about the vanishing rainforests of South America when you live in Texas or Oklahoma. But it's easy to do something about your own back yard. You have a choice about what to plant on your land, whether it's an 80 x 100 urban lot, or hundreds of acres in the countryside. You have the power to make a difference!
Become native to your place.
Choose a path of stewardship and a lifetime of wonder and enjoyment.