Going Native ~ part 2

There are distinct advantages to Going Native. (Again, What ARE you thinking???)

Native plants are more disease resistant, take less water, and are generally hardier. When choosing the Native Plants for your yard, take in to consideration not only what species is NATIVE to your area but also the MACRO and MICRO climatic zones in your yard.

• Does your planting area face North? Or South? 
• How much sun does it receive? And during what time of day does the sun shine there? Early morning sunshine has a different effect on a flower bed than sunshine at midday or evening.
• Does the area receive a lot of wind? 
• Does water stand there after a rain? 
• Or is the bed located under a tree?

Once you have these zones identified, try to place plants needing similar conditions in these locations. Not only will your planting "look right" but the work involved in maintaining the flowerbed will be minimal.

So many things to take into consideration but, once again, the time you put into identifying these climatic zones will pay off in the end!