Why not go native when landscaping

Why not go native when landscaping. Patricia Crowly transformed her Scarborough backyard into a native oasis. Photo/COURTESY

Patricia Crowley, who lives in a new subdivision at Morningside Heights, transformed her empty backyard to fit naturally with the creek and green space her property backs onto.

"It's the most beautiful micro-world." She says, "In the summer, it's bustling with bees, butterflies and birds, unlike some of my neighbours' gardens. And when the wind blows through the wildgrass, the sound is so lovely."

Crowley created a Japanese-style garden with one exception in mind: all the plant life be native.

"When I moved into the area, the city told everyone we were not allowed to grow invasive plants," she said. "This got me thinking about having something natural, something that would incorporate natural plants."

She describes her native garden as a realm of its own, teeming with wildlife, complete with a waterfall and a pond, sprawling with strawberry and spice bushes nestled between rocks and peppered with wildflowers like clematis and honeysuckle.

Native gardening guru Paul Heydon says a garden such as this one also has tremendous benefits for the ecosystem.

"Next to habitat loss, invasive plant species are the second biggest threat to ecosystems." He says, "This is why people should look more seriously at what native gardens have to offer."

Heydon, a biologist who specializes in botany, has worked for the Toronto Region Conservation Authority, and spent his fair share of time outdoors conducting botanical surveys. He said after coming across numerous areas suffering from damage caused by foreign plants, he decided to start educating gardeners about the benefits of native planting and has given speeches to garden clubs across the city.

But despite his efforts, he said it's still a relatively unknown subject.

"The awareness level isn't so good," he said.

Native plants are widely considered to be ones that have grown here prior to European settlement. This means they have been growing here for centuries, so they have adapted to the environment, and the ecosystem is better-equipped to nurture their growth.

Native plants tend to use less water and don't require special fertilizers, they aren't excessively disruptive to other plants, animals or insects, and don't require as much maintenance. Native plants can also provide aesthetic appeal, since they naturally fit into an area's existing wild flora.

Heydon says "I think the whole 'buy local' movement has strengthened the support for native gardening."

He adds, residents are becoming more inclined to grow native plants because they are best-suited to thrive in their area of origin, which provides the maximum benefits for the surrounding ecosystem and the gardener who plants them.

Sandra Pella is the head gardener at the Toronto Botanical Garden, a volunteer-based, charitable organization working to inspire respect and understanding of gardening, horticulture and the natural landscape.

Pella said it's worth considering going native. She maintains native plants at the North York gardens and has first-hand experience working with them.

"These plants, once they've settled in, don't really need to be watered," she said. "They're also more resilient to crazy weather patterns, because Toronto can have really hot summers or very cold winters. Native plants have adapted to that."

She points out that keeping native gardens in check isn't always a simple cakewalk and that some plants can grow aggressively.

"It's not uncommon for some plants to spread very quickly, but that is because this is their turf and they grow easily here," she said. "But then others will just sit there."

This is why research is important when selecting plants for a native garden. And like every garden, Heydon says gardeners must to be prepared to roll up their sleeves from time to time.

"I would say native gardens require less work, which means they cost less to maintain," he said. "However, whenever mother nature is involved, there is still work involved."

Work aside, Scarborough native plant gardener Crowley admitted she isn't the most knowledgeable person when it comes to botany, but she took the time to get the right advice to assure her garden would be both beautiful and manageable.

"Of course there's maintenance involved and I have to spend a couple hours a week weeding and pruning, but that comes with any garden, and I expected that," she said.