Native plants have few
pest problems and usually don't need watering except in the first
year or two to get them established. This is truly low maintenance.
Many of our Pacific Northwest
natives are beautiful, highly valued in landscapes and flower arranging
in other parts of the world. Sometimes we need to look at our familiar
plants with new eyes, to see their strong points. Many are evergreen
and highly adaptable, growing in both sun and shade. They provide
food and shelter for birds and butterflies. They help hold soil
on slopes, keeping silt out of the streams to benefit the salmon.
In the coming century,
with our growing population and dwindling wilderness, it may be
the gardeners who preserve native plant communities and the wildlife
that depends on them.
Some
choice native plants are:
Kinninnik mixed with
wild strawberry as evergreen groundcover for sunny areas.
Salal with its
leathery evergreen leaves, small pink bell-shaped flowers, and edible
berries as a low shrub in shade or sun.
Red-flowering currant,
with showy deep-pink blooms which attract the first hummingbirds
of the season.
Wax myrtle, a
lovely evergreen shrub for hedges and screen plantings that does
well even in sandy areas, thriving in sun or part shade.
Pacific rhododendron,
especially attractive growing as an understory among large conifers.
Serviceberry,
a small tree or large shrub with white blossoms in spring, and edible
berries.
Evergreen huckleberry,
with its small shiny leaves and edible fruits.
