Saturday, May 26, 2012

Going Native!

For many years, my family home in the San Rafael Hills above the Arroyo has been surrounded by lawn and Ivy and other commercial plants that are not native to California.

Following a major remodeling project, I convinced my mom to re-landscape with native California plants.  She was hesitant at first about removing the lawn and going all-native, but the transformation has enriched our lives daily as we observe the seasonal changes of plants and the renewal of life which the native habitat provides.

Native landscaping repairs the environment which we have disturbed and encourages the return of native species of birds, bees, butterflies and other wildlife.  It drastically reduces the maintenance and water needs of your garden and conserves our natural heritage as Californians.

Every native plant in the wild is exactly where nature intended.  By planting native plants in our gardens and cities, and by protecting their remaining habitat in the wild, we can recognize the balance maintained by nature, and strive to create balance between ourselves, our civilization and the environment.