Trends: Going Green with Native Plants

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Water restrictions, higher bills and the "going green" fever are causing people to change the way they landscape their lawns.

"I'm hoping it's because there is more education out there and people are learning that native plants will do better," says Leslie Pierpont.

She should know. Pierpont opened the Native and Uncommon Plants nursery in her own yard.

When she moved to Florida almost 10 years ago she wanted to find plants that would survive in the changing conditions and require less water and fertilizers.

She opted for a landscape that has several plants native to Florida. She and other native plant users have found several benefits.

"Less water, less fertilizer and no pesticides are some of the advantages," says Pierpont. "I use absolutly no pesticides in my nursery. And you shouldn't fertilize natives. If you put them in the right place where they belong, you can actually harm the plant by fertilizing it."

Native plants are those that have adapted to naturally survive in the environment. Because of Florida's changing conditions native plants survive much better than some plants brought to this area.

Pierpont says the popular trend of "zero-scaping" (landscaping requiring no water) doesn't work in Florida. "People try to use plants to survive in the desert," says Pierpont. "But during Florida's wet summers, those plants will rot."

Landscapers are catching on to this growing native trend. "Just two or three years ago they never called me for native plants," says Pierpont. "Now that's what a lot of landscapers are looking for."

Many of the plants native to the First Coast can take both sun or shade and be wet or dry. "That is how they survive our chaning conditions," says Pierpont.

Pierpont has become one of the leading experts in our area on native plants. Even she regularly refers to books to help learn about the native plants. The ones she recommends are:

"Florida's Best Native Landscape Plants" by Gil Nelson"Native Florida Plants" by Robert G. Haehie & Joan Brookwell"Manual of Woody Landscape Plants" by Michael A. Dirr

She also recommends before making major changes to your landscape to check the PH levels of your soil.

"Your county extension office will do a free test for you," says Pierpont. "You'll bring them soil from various parts of the yard. They will determine what your PH level is and what your soil is lacking."