Native & Drought Tolerant Gardening

Gardening With Native and Drought Tolerant Plants

Native plants are those that are traditionally found in a specific region and have not been introduced through recent horticultural activity. Native plants have adapted to their climate and hardiness zone over thousands of years. These plants are essential to local ecosystems and, when used by homeowners, can provide a relatively carefree, easy-to-maintain, beautiful wildlife haven. We only need to take a walk in a local forest in spring to be awed by the fantastic variety of perennials in flowers on the forest floor.

Why Use Native Plants?

If you are a lazy gardener, appreciate wildlife, want to conserve water or just like beautiful plants, then native plant gardening is for you. There are many benefits to gardening with native plants. Native plant gardens are:

  • Low maintenance - once established native plants thrive with relatively little care. In fact, over tending to them can, in some cases, lead to their demise.
  • Habitat for birds and other wildlife - certain native plants can attract pollinators such as hummingbirds and butterflies to your backyard.
  • Water savers - after initial installation, native plants often require very little water. This saves water, money and time.
  • Biodiverse - introduced species such as broom, ivy, holly (to name a few) take over non cultivated or disturbed areas and often hinder the growth of native plants thereby reducing the abundance of plant types in the affected area.
  • Aesthetically pleasing - native plants such as flowering red currant, bleeding hearts, vanilla leaf, camas, sword ferns and lilies are a beautiful addition to any yard.
  • Unique - native plant gardening is gaining popularity on Vancouver Island. Start the trend in your neighbourhood. Watch as neighbours stop when waking by your garden to admire your native plants. And don't be scared to experiment - adding natives to your existing landscape can improve interest!

Tips and Hints

How to Get Native Plants

 

Saanich Native Plants
741 Haliburton Rd, Victoria BC
778-679-3459

Streamside Native Plants
7455 Island Hwy W, Bowser, BC V0R 1G0
250-757-9999

Dinter's Nursery
2205 Phipps Road #1, Duncan
Phone: 250-748-2023



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