The Importance of Native Plants

 Native plants have evolved to be the most efficient and beneficial         plants for our area. They are the best suited species for interacting with   the local climate, soil types, and animals. There are many benefits to   gardening with native plants such as less water usage, lower   maintenance, natural pesticide defense, and native wildlife attraction.   Native plants can also be just as beautiful as invasive species.

 The Dangers of Non-native and Invasive Species

Some invasive species look pretty, but if they escape from your garden they may become serious wildland weeds that can cause extensive damage to our natural ecology and biodiversity. How does this occur? While our native species evolved, different pests and animals evolved with them to help cultivate and control their populations. Non-native species on the other hand have left their natural counterparts behind and are free to spread and take over massive quantities of land. These new plants can choke out our beautiful natives by stealing resources and changing the composition of the soil. 

How do I know what to plant?

There are many resources available for any gardener looking to create a beautiful native garden:

• California Native Plant Society

Native Plant Tours

Bringing Back the Natives hosts an annual Spring Native Garden Tour every year in May. Various gardens in the Bay Area will be open for self tours and registered participants are welcome to browse these gardens and are encouraged to attend various talks that will be going on throughout the day. This is a free event, registration required. For more information or to register visit: www.bringingbackthenatives.net

Native plants sales occur at various nurseries throughout the Bay Area all the time. Take advantage of this opportunity to purchase a great selection of hard-to-find natives and talk to experts about creating your own native garden. For a full list of participating locations near you, click here

Contra Costa Water District is offering rebates to customers who replace their front lawns and other publicly visible lawns with water efficient landscaping. For more information on this program and how you can participate visit: www.ccwater.com.  You can also check for more rebates at EBMUD's WaterSmart Gardener page

Check out the City's page on Professional Native Landscaping Best Practices for information on native plants, certifications and other useful resources.