Landscaping adds vivacity and eye-catching dimension to just about any property. But the benefits go even further when landscaping is done with native plants.
“You can’t go wrong with native landscaping,” Clark Public Utilities Invasive Species Coordinator Brad Mead said. “Our region is home to many beautiful native ornamental plants that require little or no care once they’re established in a site.”
Many nonlocal plants often require extra care and resources to survive.
Native plants on the other hand, are ideal for the person who wants a garden that practically raises itself. They’re adapted to this region’s climate, conditions and insects so they typically require little if any additional water or care than what nature provides. That saves a person time and money, in the form of less water, fertilizer or other chemicals they might otherwise need to apply to their gardens.
Beyond their beautiful aesthetics and welcoming shade, native plants and trees offer far more habitat and food resources to native animals than nonnative varieties. You may be surprised how quickly bees, hummingbirds and other critters visit your property once they discover your new plants.
“They strengthen the entire food web. For example, a native shrub will provide many resources to beneficial bugs and native pollinators, which, in turn, provide food and other benefits for native birds, and other wildlife,” Mead said. “Local animals and insects, besides the already abundant generalist species, often can’t utilize nonlocal plants.”
Whenever you’re thinking about landscaping, it’s important to consider the characteristics of your site before you start shopping for plants. Look at your property, is it shady, sunny or mixed? What’s the soil like? Is it heavy with clay and slow to dry out after the rain or is sandy and quick to lose moisture? Are there overhead or buried power lines or other utilities nearby?
Make a list of your site’s characteristics and bring them with you to a native plant nursery. They’ll help you find the flora that will thrive on your site while still producing the colors, smells, and other features you desire.
“It can be a recipe for disaster if you fall in love with a plant first, then try to force it to grow in conditions it’s not suited for,” Mead said. “At the very least you’ll find yourself working extra hard to keep it alive, and that’s the antithesis of what growing a native garden is about.”
If your land hosts a green electric utility box, you may be tempted to hide it with some lush shrubbery or flowering plants, but you must resist temptation. You could strike a buried power line while digging around those boxes and could have dangerous consequences.
During power outages, crews may need to access those boxes. If your landscaping isn’t at least 10 feet away for the box, they may be forced to dig your plants out to access the underground facilities.
When planting trees, remember to look up before you dig in. Install trees a good distance away from overhead lines. Remember: a 6-foot sapling can easily mature into a 50-foot giant that could cause an outage. If planting near overhead lines is unavoidable, choose a variety that grows to 25 feet or less when fully mature.
The Clark Public Utilities website has more information on the benefits of native plant gardens at clarkpublicutilities.com/resources/native-plants-grow-happy-here.
More information about the Pacific Northwest’s native plants and more resources are also available at www.nativeplantspnw.com/design-shopping-guides.
Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.
