There is some confusion when determining if, or how, a plant is considered \u201cnative.\u201d In my opinion, the best definition for a \u201cnative\u201d comes from the Virginia Native Plant Society:<\/p>\n
“Native plants are those that were growing here when the settlers first arrived and have adapted to the environmental conditions of this region over a long period of time. This gives them an advantage over introduced species by being resistant to drought, insects, and diseases and are ideal for growing in a natural garden.”<\/em><\/p>\n Why should someone consider native plants? It is advantageous to use native plants because they require less maintenance than horticultural varieties that have not adapted to our local weather patterns and soil conditions. Also, as land is being developed for commercial and residential growth, we are losing our native plants. It seems to be our responsibility to help preserve our natural plants for future generations by just adding a few native plants to our landscape.<\/p>\n Gardening with native plants is becoming a strong gardening trend with homeowners. More and more we are reading about gardening symposiums being conducted by local Master Gardeners and other horticultural professionals that include gardening with native plants as a topic. Matter of fact, this past month our very own, Eve Roemhildt conducted a seminar on native plants and it was very informative and very well attended. Eve compiled an extraordinary handout listing our native plants (trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, and grasses). We have this as a handout for anyone interested.<\/p>\nHere are some reasons to grow native plants:<\/h4>\n