I think the push for native-only gardens in our area is missing a big point

I've been watching my neighbor's yard for about two years now. They went full native plant garden, pulling out everything else. At first, it looked great and attracted local bees. But over the last six months, I've noticed a real drop in the variety of insects and birds visiting. It's like the ecosystem got simpler, not richer. My own mix, which has some non-invasive non-natives like a couple of lavender plants from a local nursery, seems to support more life year-round. I think the strict native-only rule can sometimes create a monoculture that's less resilient. Has anyone else seen a garden become less lively after going all-native?

3 comments

3 Comments

spencerr8220d ago

Have you talked to your neighbor about what you've noticed? I've seen something similar in a community garden plot that went all native. It was buzzing at first but then got quiet, like all the early bloomers finished and nothing else took over. My own messy yard with a mix of stuff always has something going on. Maybe some gardens need a bit of variety to keep things going through all the seasons.

michaeladams20d ago

Yeah, I threw in some late bloomers and it totally helped.

the_piper3d ago

My own "native" garden is basically just a patch of dirt now. I got too excited and killed everything but the weeds.