Landscaping with Natives

The way we manage our landsapes, whether at a personal level (yards), at a community level (parks, public buildings), or regional (natural areas and restoration areas) makes a difference.

FNPS advocates the use of natives in our landscapes for multiple reasons:  conservation of water, maintenance and improvement of water quality, honoring our heritage, and providing habitat for pollinators and wildlife. 

Pollinators and other insects are incredibly dependent on native plants.  Birds, in turn, are almost all dependent on insects especially as food for young chicks.  Even species that we think of as vegetarians, such as hummingbirds, need insects as a critical part of their diets.  Research is showing that even relatively small areas with natives can bring butterflies and birds  to urban neighborhoods.

We all depend on water.  We want adequate water in our lakes and streams and springs.  Landscaping with species that do not need supplemental water protects our lakes, streams, and springs.  Indirectly, it protects our drinking water supplies.  FNPS recommends planting based on "right plant, right place" and we provide information on native plants that will be appropriate to specific site conditions.

We also want clean water.  FNPS advocates minimizing fertilizer use.  As a generality, most Florida soils are naturally low in nutrients, and the plants that are found naturally in those soils generally need little or no supplemental fertilizer.  By contrast, plants most easily purchased from bulk sale nurseries are chosen by the growers largely for fast growth to meet their volume needs.  Such plants are those adapted to fast growth and tend to need more water and nutrients than generally available in Florida soils.  Planting native plants is a good way to get plants that won't need heavy fertilization to be attractive, grow, or flower.

FNPS provides support for proper landscaping through rewarding those who create beautiful native landscapes, providing guidance, and encourages landscaping ordinances that encourage wise use of resources.