Photos by Rimas Zailskas
All gardeners—from the landscape professional to the apartment-dweller with a patio container garden—know that making things grow where and when required is both an art and a science. The Southeast has been suffering under drought conditions for years now and the word “xeriscaping” has become part of gardener jargon in places where too much water used to be a common complaint.
Spring has surprised gardeners this year with a return to overabundance. What’s a gardener to do when one year is wet and another dry? The answer may lie in leveraging the natural diversity of native plants.
Diana Cerce of Urban Oasis in West Asheville outlines the start of her love affair with native plants. “When I moved to Austin, Texas in 1998, I went to work at a plant nursery that propagated and sold, almost exclusively, native plants.” She discovered that Austin had a perfect storm of gardening problems: “The harsh climate, months without rain and triple-digit daytime temperatures combined with a soil called caliche—mostly soft, limey rock.” It is a challenge for plant, as well as landscaper. “It was truly survival of the fittest,” Cerce says, “and the fittest plants were the natives.”
Local garden guru Peter Loewer concurs. The author of numerous books on a wide range of plant and garden subjects, Loewer admires the resilience of these green neighbors. “Native plants are genetically programmed to go along with weather fluctuations from drought to over-abundant rain.”
Cerce thought her problems with soil were over when she moved to Western North Carolina, but found that the local conditions were challenging in different ways. “I found hard-packed, acidic clay soil, lots of rain in short amounts of time, followed by periods of hot, dry weather, early thaws, then late freezes.”
She became somewhat philosophical about green-craft. In her study, she discovered a basic truth of permaculture: “It takes much less energy to find a plant that can thrive in its surroundings.” That’s when she turned again to trusty native species, this time in her new home in the mountains of southern Appalachia.
Loewer and Cerce both suggest finding a good local nursery.
Cerce reiterates the importance of sustainable acquisition and how critical it is to leave wild plants alone in their habitat. “I’m really glad that growers are propagating native plants and we can find them for sale now. I believe that when a non-disturbed property is slated for construction, then by all means, save the native plants. Otherwise, leave them be to thrive, multiply, feed insects, birds and animals, and be part of an underground root system that supports eco-habitats.”
The experts at a local nursery can also be a great source of information about the conditions in which new plants will thrive. Gardeners love to share their wisdom and are an indispensable guide for the newcomer. The North Carolina Cooperative Extension office is another great resource.
Nothing fires the imagination like seeing native plants growing in an established garden. Look to botanical gardens for both ideas and stock. Many areas also have native plant groups, like the North Carolina Native Plant Society, to help you get started in finding that unusual specimen.
As to the biodiversity of local species, Loewer says, “I began working with native plants upon arriving in WNC, as the plant population here is so diverse and fascinating that one need not travel to Europe or Asia for inspiration.”
Both gardeners see a need to monitor what’s happening with climate change within our bioregion. Cerce adds, “I also feel that our current native plant territories may move as the climate changes. What may be native here today, may not be in the future.”
Native plants come in a wide variety of options. There are plants for sun and shade, plants that sport gorgeous blooms and plants that produce fruit. As you explore native landscaping, you’re sure to find many species for your gardening needs.
