Tinkering with plants during the last hundred years has changed modern life as profoundly as any Detroit motor. So it s a little jolting to realize that in the current world of gardening, a small revolution insists on going in the opposite direction. You ll find it emerald and crisp with leaflets emerging from the snow. Either way, spinach is a versatile vitamin-packed leaf. Even if your garden is filled with beautiful non-native shrubs and flowers, there s one essential reason why you should consider native plants.
Natives are hosts for butterflies.
Historically, the Conservancy has preserved pockets of land in a wide variety of places, says Sharyl Massey, the group s education and outreach coordinator for the San Luis Valley. But many species need a greater landscape. You can t recognize political boundaries, especially with migratory species. You have to work to save the entire habitat. Shivering from a chilly gust and wiping watery eyes, I suddenly comprehend that the smoke-colored blurs fading into the darkening fields are cranes.