Landscaping is the addition of plants to a property to improve its attractiveness and reduce its maintenance.
Using native plants can achieve both these goals and bring a bit of wilderness for the owner to enjoy up close, whether natives are used exclusively or mixed with existing non-natives.
A native plant is one that grows wild in a local region. Our local region is called the “Puget Trough,” which lies between the Cascade Mountains and the Olympic Mountains and includes Mount Vernon and Burlington.
Before European settlers arrived, coniferous forests dominated the region, and even today, tall Douglas firs dot the urbanized landscape. For the purposes of this article, however, all native plants in Washington will be considered native.
The key to success in choosing native plants for landscaping is matching the plants to the site — the closer the…
