The fact is, once your native landscape is established, it can reduce the time you spend on upkeep from hours per week to hours per year. And forget about toxic chemicals. A healthy native landscape attracts predator insects the way rock concerts attract teenagers. When we spray pesticides we kill many of those beneficial insects, and we also reduce vital protein sources for birds. In a diverse landscape, disease will likely affect only a small percentage of your plants.
Diseases have much greater impact on landscapes of one or two species.
But best of all, your native landscape will reflect your region's unique beauty and character. Unlike those lawn-centered landscapes that have been cloned from coast to coast, a native garden in southern California looks like a southern California garden, and not like one in New Jersey or Wisconsin. Andy Wasowski is a New Mexico writer and photographer. He and his wife, Sally, have written nine books, including The Landscaping Revolution. Okay, you've decided to make the big step and replace your conventional backyard with an environmentally friendly native landscape.