Today more and more gardeners are using native plants and trees in their landscapes that create a natural habitat for local birds and animals. Planting native species to create natural habitats in urban landscapes is definitely on the increase across the country.
Landscape installers are seeing increased demands from ecology-minded homeowners for naturalized landscapes. People are now more aware of the benefits of using native plants in their landscapes. In the past homeowners wanted plants just like they saw in a magazine or while on vacation.
Plants should be native to the area. Using local plants also has the benefit of attracting local wildlife. Local plants are not only easier to grow in your environment, which includes soil types and weather conditions, but they also provide food that local wildlife has learned to live with.
By choosing native plants suited to the site conditions, little maintenance, chemical fertilizers and herbicides or additional watering will be necessary for the plants to thrive.
Including a source of water is also an essential ingredient to attract local wildlife. The water should be provided year round, which may mean installing a small heater to keep water from freezing in colder climates.
Some people think that a naturalized landscape means less work since there will be no extensive lawn mowing, trimming, and fertilizing. However, the amount of work is actually about the same.
For the naturalized landscape to be successful, it will need regular management instead of the more formal maintenance. Some naturalized plants can be invasive and take over everything if left alone. For the urban environment and the desire to have an evolving landscape picture throughout the season, means having a variety of natural plants that will come and go throughout the year.
