About Native Plant Gardening

Many native plants are attractive as ornamentals and adapt easily to garden conditions in the Pacific Northwest. Fall is the best time for planting to create a woodland, wetland, or meadow in your own western Washington landscape. Or, if you live in eastern Washington, try landscaping with dryland shrubs, perennials, and grasses which can be planted in the spring or fall. 

Did you Know?

• Native plants are adapted to our climate of wet winters and dry summers.
• Require less water than most non-natives once they are established.
• Resist native pests and diseases better.
• Improve water quality by needing less fertilizer and no pesticides.
• Save resources and encourage a sense of Stewardship.

Native plants will need a little care in their infancy in order to develop a healthy root system so provide them with supplemental water the first couple of years, but after that most natives planted in a favorable site require little additional attention.

Native Plants for Landscaping

Which native plants already grow in your garden? Here’s a great opportunity to hone your plant identification skills. Of our 3000 natives, one author suggests that only 250 are of residential scale and merit. Books by Pettinger, Kruckeberg, and WSU guides give practical advise on selecting, situating, and creating compatible plant communities.

The key to landscaping with any plant, including natives, is threefold: plant the Right Plant in the Right Site and Conditions for its Mature Size.

Soils are the key to where you may grow a plant. Evaluate the texture (% sand, loam, clay) and tilth (ability to absorb and hold water over time), water content, and drainage rate and capacity. Assess whether you have sun/shade and if it’s full/part time. Finally, exposure to weather and winds is important. Taller plants sited in saturated soils and exposed to high winds may topple.