We all want our yards to look their best and that means we need to focus on the art of landscaping. A little landscaping can really add to the curb appeal of your home! The difficulty for those of us without the greenest of thumbs is choosing plants that work well for the different areas of your yard. But you can choose plants that are already adapted to local conditions here in Ohio. Pollinators, like bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and bats are on the decline, and we can do our part to help our environment flourish.
Using native plants provides many benefits, not only for our local environment but for you as well. These hardy plants are adapted to Ohio’s soil and climate conditions, don’t usually need extra water, and don’t require much of your time or energy. A native plant is defined as one that has been in a region prior to being settled by others (in our case, European settlement).
Top 4 Reasons Using Native Plants Benefits Your Yard
Time to do other things
Our time is filled with work, kids, chores, and hopefully time for ourselves. While some of us love to spend time nurturing plants, some of us want to spend our free time doing other things. The beauty of native plants, especially low-maintenance varieties, is they are already established and work well for Ohio’s climate and soil conditions. And because of that, they usually don’t require extra watering—freeing up your time to do other things!
Pollinators can play
We all know the importance of bees for our environment. Butterflies, bees, and other bugs and birds all need native pollinator plants. These host plants benefit all wildlife! We need animal pollinators to locate and spread pollen to other plants. This enables plants to make seeds and fruit, keep our ecosystem healthy, and provide a food source and shelter for birds and insects.
Less water = lower water bills
While Ohio can be rainy, the summer can also have long periods of little rain. Having native plants, trees and bushes is a good way to save money—as you won’t have to water them as frequently as you do non-native plants. If you want flower baskets on your porch, do that (and try to use pollinator plants in it)—and try to have more native plants as part of your landscaping plan as well.
Cost
Due to the abundance of native plants found at garden centers, you’ll find they tend to be cheaper than other plants. The fact they are perfect for Ohio’s temperatures and seasonal changes means they will survive better than non-native plants. In the long run, you’ll spend less money, and you don’t have to replace plants on a yearly basis. Another benefit is native plants don’t need to be fertilized and are resistant to most diseases and pests.
Landscaping Trade Partners We Collaborate With & Trust
When our Team needs landscaping help for our remodeling projects, we seek guidance and advice from GreenScapes Landscape and Hidden Creek Landscaping. We work closely with industry professionals from both companies and are always amazed at the transformations they create for our clients. We appreciate their expertise, their ability to design and install just what our clients want, and their knowledge, especially of native plants.
Watch this video tour of our design-build outdoor living space project in Upper Arlington OH that we completed in collaboration with GreenScapes!
Resources
- This Fact Sheet is a great place to find out what trees and shrubs work in Ohio.
- If you are really on the native plant bandwagon, you might want to replace some if not all of your lawn with pollinator plants. Just taking one area, maybe in your backyard, and planting with some of these plants, can make a difference.
- This resource provides you with ideas to create a pollinator garden.
- Attract pollinators to your garden with these tips.
Beware of Invasive plants!
An invasive plant is just that—invasive. It can cause environmental damage by crowding out native plants and taking water from local native plants. One invasive plant, honeysuckle, has become a big problem in Ohio and is not allowed to be sold. Many of the metro parks and other areas routinely clear it away.
Ready to Get Started on Your Next Project?
No matter what your remodeling needs are, our Team at The Cleary Company is ready to collaborate with you to make them happen. If a new landscape plan is in the scope of your project, we work with the best, so you get the best. Contact us at 614-459-4000.
