Native Plant Gardens
What are Native Plants and Why They Matter
What is a Native Plant?
There are many definitions for native plants. Several references say native plants are those that grow naturally in a particular region without direct or indirect human intervention. Other references place a historical timeline on native plants, saying they are plants that were present in a particular area prior to European settlement of that area. Others say they are plants that have inhabited a particular region for thousands of years. Even the federal government published an "official" definition in the Federal Register, defining native plants as those that are "naturally occurring, either presently or historically, in any ecosystem of the United States."
Before the development of the nursery industry, native plants were the only choice for landscape plantings. Early settlers transplanted dogwood, redbud, oak-leaf hydrangea and other plants with appealing qualities from the woods into their landscapes. Today, nurseries and garden centers offer a wide variety of native plants, and some even specialize in native plants exclusively. For more information, click here.
Why Use Native Plant?
Low maintenance:
A certain degree of maintenance is needed to grow landscape plants, However, when considering non-native/introduced ornamental plants from outside of Georgia, native plants require less routine maintenance (pruning, fertilization, watering, etc.).
Beauty:
Many native plants offer beautiful flowers and produce colorful fruits and seeds. In the fall, natives offer many vibrant yellows, red, and oranges.
Healthy Places for People:
Lawns and heavily managed landscapes often need increased fertilizers and pesticides. By choosing native plants for your landscape, you are not only helping the ecosystem, but you are creating a healthier place for everyone.
Conserving Water:
Because native plants are adapted to local environmental conditions, they often require less water once they are established. This saves time, money, and perhaps the most valuable natural resource, water.
Wildlife:
Many species of wildlife benefit from native plants. A colorful array of butterflies and moths are dependent on very specific native plants to complete their lifecycles. They also provide nectar for pollinators including hummingbirds, native bees, butterflies, moths, and bats. Without these plants, many insect populations would suffer. This would impact animals dependent on them for their food sources., thus impacting the entire food web. Native plants also provide protective shelter and food sources for our native mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. So, as you can see, maintaining a balanced ecosystem is perhaps the most compelling argument to add native plants to the landscape.
Selecting the Right Native Plant for Your Space
1. Audubon Website: Enter your 5-digit zip code to use Audubon’s native plants database. Explore the best plants for birds in your area and to find local resources with links to more information. By entering your email address, you'll receive an emailed list of the native plants you've selected, get additional tips on creating your bird-friendly habitat, and help us keep track of your contributions to our efforts to get 1 million native plants for birds in the ground.
2. PlantNative Website: A "starter" list of native plants for Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. It is intended for residential or commercial landscapers who want to create attractive and varied native landscapes.
3. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Website: Welcome to the Native Plants Database where you can explore the wealth of native plants in North America. Use the options below to search over 13,000 native plants by scientific name, common name, or plants family.
Demonstration Gardens/Arboretums in Bibb County and Surrounding Areas
1. Native Plant Garden at the Museum of Arts and Sciences: The native plant garden, a project of local Master Gardener Extension Volunteers, started in the 1990’s as a trial garden on the campus of Wesleyan College. When campus expansion was imminent, the group worked collaboratively with the Museum to move the garden to the top of the Sweet Gum trail.
2. Fringed Campion Chapter of the Georgia Native Plant Society Gardens: Native plant gardens in Macon include sites at Amerson Park, Old City Cemetery, and in Houston County at the Centerville in Perry libraries.
3. Wesleyan College Arboretum: The arboretum comprises 104 acres of mixed pine and hardwood forest and lies within the boundaries of Wesleyan's suburban Rivoli campus.
4. Dauset Trails: Located in nearby Jackson, GA; Dauset Trails is a non-profit animal sanctuary. Other features includes a marked tree trail, native plant gardens and other numerous nature trails to explore.
5. Lockerly Arboretum: Located in Milledgeville, GA; Lockerly offers a number of plant collections and educational programs.
Native Plant Nurseries
- Juniper Creek Natives: For more informtion, visit their Facebook page
Native Plant Resources
1. Mimsie Lanier Center for Native Plant Studies at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia
2. Books from William Cullina; including: Native Ferns, Moss and Grasses & Native Trees, Shrubs and Vines.
3. Georgia Native Plant Society
4. University of Georgia Extension Publications
5. Doug Tallamy's Home Grown National Park
6. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service