Transform Your Troubled Landscape: How Native Plants Can Solve Your Biggest Outdoor Challenges

If you’re struggling with persistent landscape problems like soil erosion, high water bills, pest infestations, or plants that simply won’t thrive, the solution might be simpler than you think. Native plants are those that occur naturally in a region in which they evolved, having formed symbiotic relationships with native wildlife over thousands of years. These indigenous species are experiencing a remarkable revival as homeowners and professionals discover their power to solve common landscape challenges.

The Science Behind Native Plant Success

Native plants are adapted to the local climate and soil conditions where they naturally occur. These important plant species provide nectar, pollen, and seeds that serve as food for native butterflies, insects, birds and other animals. Unlike their non-native counterparts, research by entomologist Doug Tallamy has shown that native oak trees support over 500 species of caterpillars whereas ginkgos, a commonly planted landscape tree from Asia, host only 5 species of caterpillars. A native oak species can support over 550 caterpillar species in just one region. A non-native tree like a ginkgo supports zero.

This biodiversity support translates into practical benefits for your landscape’s health and sustainability.

Solving Water Management Problems

One of the most significant advantages of native plants is their ability to address water-related landscape issues. Because native plants are adapted to local environmental conditions, they require far less water, saving time, money, and perhaps the most valuable natural resource, water. Native plants require less water than lawns and help prevent erosion. The deep root systems of many native Midwestern plants increase the soil’s capacity to store water. Native plants can significantly reduce water runoff and, consequently, flooding.

For properties dealing with erosion challenges, native plants are an excellent choice for erosion control due to their remarkable adaptability to local climate and soil conditions. These plants have evolved to thrive in their native environments, developing deep roots and extensive root systems that help stabilize soil and prevent erosion. Using native plants for erosion control is an excellent biological method to help protect the landscape from erosive forces. Native grasses and sedges are particularly effective due to their fibrous roots that grab and hold the soil, keeping it from washing away.

Reducing Maintenance and Chemical Dependency

Traditional landscapes often require intensive maintenance and chemical inputs. Lawns and the ubiquitous bark-mulched landscapes are notorious for requiring profuse amounts of artificial fertilizers and synthetic chemical pesticides and herbicides. The traditional suburban lawn, on average, has 10x more chemical pesticides per acre than farmland. By choosing native plants for your landscaping, you are not only helping wildlife, but you are creating a healthier place for yourself, your family, and your community.

One of the significant advantages of using native plants is their low maintenance requirements. They are naturally resistant to pests and diseases and can tolerate drought, making them a sustainable option for controlling erosion. Once established, native plants generally require little maintenance, and native plants do not require fertilizers and require fewer pesticides than lawns.

Supporting Climate Resilience

Native plants play a crucial role in creating climate-resilient landscapes. Landscaping with native plants can combat climate change. In addition to the reduced noise and carbon pollution from lawn mower exhaust, many native plants, especially long-living trees like oaks and maples, are effective at storing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Plants lock up planet-warming carbon dioxide as well as provide food and shelter for bees and butterflies, and make a neighborhood more attractive and livable. It is estimated that nature-based climate solutions can account for 30% of the carbon sequestration needed to limit warming to 3.6˚F (2°C) by the end of the century.

Professional Plant Health Care Makes the Difference

While native plants offer numerous advantages, successful implementation requires expertise in selection, placement, and establishment. This is where professional plant health care services become invaluable. Plant health care is an integrated approach to nurturing and maintaining the health of plants in any landscape. At Jones Tree and Plant Care, we focus on proactive treatment strategies that enhance the natural environment of your plants, helping them thrive in their natural settings. By addressing issues like nutrient deficiency, disease prevention, and pest control, our plant health care services in Suffolk County ensure your greenery is robust and beautiful year-round.

Jones Tree and Plant Care is owned and operated by Thomas Jones – New York State Board Certified Arborist, and member of the Long Island Arborist Association. As a licensed arborist, Jones is committed to providing scientifically based landscape management and delivering quality services. Jones Tree and Plant Care will inspect your landscape, diagnose any problems, and make recommendations based on knowledge and expertise gained through over 10 years of experience in the industry.

The Path Forward

The native plant revival represents more than just a landscaping trend—it’s a return to sustainable, regionally appropriate gardening that works with natural systems rather than against them. Recent studies clearly show the benefits to birds, butterflies, native bees, and other wildlife of landscapes and gardens with higher concentrations and diversity of native plants. A study conducted across backyards in Washington, D.C., found that Carolina chickadees are not able to successfully raise enough young to maintain their population numbers in areas where less than 70% of the plants are native species.

Whether you’re dealing with erosion problems, high maintenance costs, water management issues, or simply want to create a more sustainable landscape, native plants offer proven solutions. Investing in professional plant health care services brings numerous benefits to your landscape. Enhanced plant health leads to a more robust and vibrant garden, increased property value, and a reduced need for chemical interventions. Our services help in promoting biodiversity, improving soil health, and creating a more sustainable environment.

The transformation of your landscape begins with understanding that the solutions to your biggest outdoor challenges may already exist in the plants that evolved in your region. By embracing native species and working with knowledgeable professionals, you can create a beautiful, functional, and sustainable landscape that thrives for years to come.