By Tudi Arneill
Butterly Milkweed helping a friend.
Many gardeners grow vegetables and flowers, shrubs, and trees. When choosing what to add to your yard this spring, please consider selecting some native plants.
There are many benefits to using Colorado native plants for home landscapes. They are naturally adapted to Colorado’s climates, soils, and environmental conditions. This means when choosing native plants, gardeners can work with nature, rather than against – toiling to grow plants not suited to our local conditions.
Another great reason to go native is to restore habitats. Gardens planted with natives, even in urban areas can add food, shelter, and other important resources for wildlife, including mammals, birds, and native pollinators.
Gardening with native plants also prevents the introduction and spread of noxious weeds. Many noxious weeds were intentionally introduced as garden plants and only after they escaped their confines did gardeners realize they would crowd out native plants and reduce plant biodiversity.
Finally, using native plants in landscapes helps provide a special sense of place, celebrating Colorado’s uniqueness and beauty versus creating a cookie-cut landscape. A garden with native plants feels more harmonious with its surroundings than one transplanted from another locale.
Want to know more? This publication of the Front Range Wild Ones has ideas and resources to get you started