Native Plants

Why use native plants?

Native plants are easy to maintain, good for the soil and benefit the Great Lakes, too.  Many native plants are low maintenance, require less water and do not require synthetic or high nitrogen fertilizers to grow.  When pesticides or insecticides are used in a landscape, a rain storm can wash these harmful chemicals out of the yard and into a nearby water source.  Ultimately, these chemicals can end up in our drinking water.

Take a look at two hardy native plants that are beautiful to the eye and healthy for the earth.

Two examples of hardy native plants are the White Wood Aster (aster divaricatus)

Sprengel's Segde (carex sprengelii)

 

What is a rain garden?

A rain garden is a shallow depression filled with native plants designed to naturally collect run-off from hard surfaces like roofs, driveways and sidewalks.  Native plants are used in rain gardens since they are typically able to survive through a drought as well as a flood.