In 2002, I bought my first house, and finally had some space of my own to start gardens. I had really caught the botany bug (you can read about this in the botany section) and was all rarin' to be the next in a wave of folks who use native plants as a landscaping alternative to water and nutrient thirsty turf grass and ornamentals. The native plants, by any other measuring stick are weeds, which is just the kind of hands off gardening busy folks like myself would appreciate. The plants have some of the most goregous blooms, and are islands of food for native insects and birds (all sorts of butterflies and hummingbirds, for example).

As well, we've been able to seal our watershed footprint by capturing almost all impervious surface water (roof and driveway) and turn it into ground water using rainwater gardens. These particular gardens are much like the detention ponds you see in front of shopping centers and housing developments. Instead of grass and piped outlets that still send the water directly into the watershed as surface water, the gardens use plants geared for the feast and famine of water in these sites. Through their massive root systems, these plants provide routes for water back in our heavily compacted urban soils. People may not realize it, but on compacted soil, turf grass is only slightly better than pavement. I often refer to it as "The Emerald Asphalt". Just because it's green, doesn't mean it's "Green". :)

Another advantage to native plant gardening comes on the conservation front. First of all, by growing these plants, and only using local types, you're preserving the genes that have evolved with your region's climate. In some cases, the plants grown can be used for reintroduction on degraded tracts that are being preserved, either as plant stock to be transplanted at a later time, or from the massive seed production that occurrs when the plants are relieved of the competition and harsh conditions they face in the wild. By having the plants in cultivation, the gardener has a lot more control over soil conditions, and can see when seed is ready for harvest by walking out the front door. While a rain garden is one good example where a slight modification is made to control conditions for an ecological benefit, let's look at an extreme example of control over soil conditions...

We had an area between the black pavement and the house where it would be difficult to control the moisture necessary for many species of plants without watering. We came up with the idea to make a dune garden, as the Oak Openings Region is a conservation concern in our area, and I was going to miss some of the plants I had kept now that I would be living on the fine clay of the former Great Black Swamp. We ordered up some sand, and here's what happened:

Cleared and ready to fill.	I thought 8 tons sounded like a lot.	Lookin' good!
Now, what do we do with the rest?	Let's make another garden, then.	The neighbor has to think we're NUTS.
Oh, but she loves the garden now! This is only the second year.	Two weeks later. I haven't been home all summer. I haven't touched these gardens.	Be nice if I got the right light :)

As I mentioned, this only the second year (2007). Last year we produced so much seed from a few key sand barrens species that we couldn't even give it all away. There are 3 state endangered, 5 state threatened, and 3 state potentially threatened species in this garden (all legally obtained either through conservation sales or in front of bulldozers at rescue sites). I know exactly when seed is ready to harvest, and I also have control over things like germination and seedling success. Pretty cool deal, huh? :)