Garden Moxie Newsletter

North American Native Plants

There are tons of reasons to grow native plants in your garden. The biggest selling point for me is that native plants require less maintenance. 

I planted natives last season when we had a dry, hot summer. Those plants handled the heat and didn’t need a lot of supplemental water.

Here are 3 reasons why you might consider planting native plants in your garden:

1. Adaptability: Native plants are adapted to local environmental conditions, like temperature, rainfall, and soil types so they are easier to grow and require less maintenance than non-native plants.
2. Biodiversity: Native plants provide habitat and food sources for local wildlife, including pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. By planting native plants, you can help support local ecosystems and promote biodiversity.
3. Water conservation: Native plants are adapted to local rainfall patterns and soil types, which means they are often more drought-tolerant and require less watering than non-native plants. This can help conserve water and reduce your water bill.

While I love the idea of growing natives, it’s not straight forward to know which plants are native to your area and where you can purchase them.

I found a couple helpful resources to help us learn more about native plants and where to buy them.

Plants recommended by region
Businesses that sell native plants in your region

Resources and Inspiration

Wildtype Native Plants – A plant nursery that grows plants native to Michigan

Plant Finder Database – A great search tool to help you find suitable plants for your garden by light requirements, zone, water, etc.

Midwest Invasive Plant Network – A great resource to help you learn about plants to avoid in your landscape. This resource also suggests non-invasive replacements.

Garden Moxie – I’ve been working to update my website and I’d love to hear what you think.

That’s it for this week’s newsletter.I hope you found something helpful. Thanks for being here.

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