Native plants are the plants indigenous to your area. Native plants can thrive with no human intervention and they are vital to your local ecosystems. And because native plants require no extra attention to grow, they make for a low-maintenance choice when choosing plants for your landscape design project.

It might be tempting to choose exotic plants but since these plants are most likely not used to the local climate, they are not the best options. Just keeping them alive could be a struggle and they can be quite expensive. Expect exotic plants to be high maintenance. Are you up for that challenge?

Our advice, ditch the exotic plants. You can find native plants that look just as good as those coveted exotic plants. There are plenty of reasons why you should use native plants for your landscape design project.

Low Maintenance

Native plants are well-adapted to your local surroundings. They will grow fine with your area’s temperature and soil condition. At times, they might need some pruning if you want them looking their best. You should also watch out for pests. Most native plants will also do well in garden pots and planters. Even if you’re working on a commercial project, you can still consider using local plants.

Less Expensive

Designing a landscape can cost a fortune and sourcing local plants can help bring that cost down. That’s not even counting what your client saves on maintenance costs. Your local nursery can help you choose the best local plants for your project but here are a few that come to mind:

• Callistemon viminalis
• Grevillea ‘Winter Delight’
• Banksia hybrid ‘Giant Candles’
• Banksia Serrata ‘Pygmy Possum’ Banksia

Preserves the Local Ecosystem

Native plants will attract the local wildlife like bees, butterflies, and birds as it provides different natural food sources such as seeds, fruits, and nuts. Attracting the local wildlife can help control pests. It’s a win for both parties. The local wildlife will also help plant pollination. Your project could be a mini sanctuary for native wildlife.

Helps Preserve Biodiversity

People are occupying more and more land. Pastures and forests are being converted into residential areas. People need a place to live but so do the local wildlife. If you make use of local plants in your designs, you are doing your part in helping to preserve biodiversity. Local plants and wildlife should not have to disappear even when people move in.

For urban spaces especially, the use of natives is the best way to support natural biodiversity. Choosing location-appropriate plants ties into the fundamentals of good planting on design planting.

Do you usually use native plants for your projects? Share it with us in the comments.