Plant breeding is very popular. The sale of these plants has increased recently compared to the purchase of other plants. Consumers are driven by environmental preferences, the desire to provide habitat for pollinators and wildlife, and other factors. Who buys the most native plants? People over 30 years old.
All plants grown in the garden are native, but not necessarily from our region. All plants require certain soil types, sun/shade exposure, moisture requirements and other factors to thrive. Hostas from Japan, for example, prefer to grow on hillsides with select plant communities and specific needs. They are not like Baptisia or Liatris from the Flint Hills. Indigenous peoples prefer local conditions in their ecosystems.
This may be controversial, but there is nothing "native" about urban and suburban gardens filled with native plants. Construction and human intervention have destroyed our original soil types. The vast acres of land, forests and other ecosystems where these plants originally evolved have disappeared. The only natural thing about these natives in the garden is their choice of plant species.
Don't get me wrong, I fully support native plants. They may be better equipped to withstand heat, drought, soil, and better support our beneficial native insects than plants like hostas. But these are plants with special requirements.
Do you remember the right plant, the right place? This old saying applies to native and non-native plants alike. Just because it says native on the label doesn't mean it will grow somewhere in the garden.
Just because a plant behaves the same way in its natural environment doesn't mean it will grow or adapt the same way in our garden. The tree is no longer in its original habitat. The floor is different; There are no consistent plant support levels. A perfectly happy and spoiled native cannot thrive in your garden. Large and rolling, the seeds can grow freely or spread unchecked. They can even be garden tyrants.
A garden is where plants grow. That's all you can get from being born naturally. It is manufactured and we can only imitate nature. Every garden needs maintenance. Yes, the dreaded word: work.
The issue of proper use of native gardens has been raised not only here, but also in other parts of the country. Concerns are often service-related. The debate revolves around the level of care, as the local population is underserved. For many, ease of maintenance is a major selling point.
The truth is that a native garden requires just as much maintenance as a non-native garden. Reducing the use of water, fertilizers and pesticides. But like any garden, it needs to be weeded, divided, removed and cleaned every spring to revive and preserve the aesthetic. You are a plant and not a forgotten plant, free from traditional gardening problems.
Let's all continue to plant native trees because they provide many benefits. With proper placement, planting and care, they adapt well to the landscape and do not pass the test of a city or residential community. Be careful not to use native plants as an excuse to forgo proper care in the name of supporting the environment.
Denise Patton is the Kansas State University Research and Extension horticultural agent. Do you need a computer? Contact the Johnson County Horticulture Hotline at 913-715-7050 or email garden.help@jocogov.org.
