Native Plants of Northern New Jersey

Proper plant selection |  almost PERFECT Landscaping

Utilizing native plants and restoring native plant habitat is vital to preserving biodiversity. By creating a native plant garden, each patch of habitat becomes part of a collective effort to nurture and sustain the living landscape for birds and other animals.

Native plants can be used around homes and in gardens to create sustainable landscapes. Most native plants are perennial and have extensive root systems that hold soil and slow runoff. Persistent stems, leaves, and flower parts which remain through the winter also reduce runoff, especially in the spring, as snow melts and rainfall begins before new growth is present. Particulate matter accumulates around these native plants and the plants themselves absorb chemicals such as nitrogen and phosphorous that would otherwise enter the runoff. Native plants have many positive characteristics. Native plants used as buffer strips along water margins slow runoff and absorb nutrients. They are also self-sustaining, and they support wildlife including beneficial insects, pollinators, and native birds.

There’s no getting around it: Using native plants makes your landscaping plans more complicated. Instead of just driving to the nearest garden center and picking out plants that look nice, you have to do some research to find plants that are native to your area and fit into your goals for your garden. But the extra effort you put into planning your garden now will pay you back in the time you save on yard work every year from now on.