The Benefits Of Using Native Shrubs In Landscaping

by Bailey Sons – December 22, 2023

Using Native Shrubs in Landscaping

 

Landscaping has evolved over the years, from ornamental gardens filled with exotic and non-native species to a more sustainable and environmentally conscious approach that embraces native plants. Among the various native plant choices, native shrubs hold a special place in landscaping for their remarkable benefits. These indigenous woody plants offer aesthetic appeal and ecological and practical advantages, making them valuable to any landscape design. This article will study the benefits of incorporating native shrubs into landscaping projects.

Water conservation is a pressing concern in many regions, and landscaping plays a significant role in water usage. Native shrubs are typically drought-tolerant, thanks to their long-established roots in the local ecosystem. Their ability to thrive with less water conserves this precious resource and reduces the need for costly irrigation systems. By incorporating native shrubs into your landscape design, you can vastly decrease your water usage and contribute to a more sustainable future.

Beyond their environmental benefits, native shrubs offer aesthetic advantages that enhance the visual appeal of your landscaping. These plants often feature beautiful flowers, foliage, and berries adapted to attract local pollinators and wildlife. Whether you prefer a colorful springtime display of flowering shrubs or a rich tapestry of fall foliage, native shrubs can provide year-round visual interest and create a vibrant and inviting landscape.

Moreover, native shrubs can be a natural haven for local wildlife, attracting birds, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. The nectar, pollen, and berries produced by these plants offer essential food sources for pollinators and create a thriving ecosystem in your backyard. Observing the various forms of wildlife that native shrubs attract can be a source of delight for homeowners and a valuable educational opportunity for children.

Native Shrubs Are A Budget Friendly Way To Transform Your Garden

When it comes to landscaping, maintenance costs are a significant consideration. Native shrubs are often more cost-effective in the long run because they require less attention and resources than their non-native counterparts. With reduced needs for irrigation, pesticides, and fertilizers, homeowners can enjoy lower water bills and fewer expenses related to garden care. Native shrubs' hardiness and adaptability also mean they have a lengthier lifespan, decreasing the need for frequent replacements.

Incorporating native shrubs into your landscape can positively impact property values. Homebuyers increasingly value landscapes that require less maintenance and have a positive environmental impact. A well-designed native shrub garden can boost curb appeal, attracting potential buyers and increasing your property's overall value. Additionally, native landscapes are often seen as more attractive and desirable by environmentally conscious individuals, which can make your home more appealing to a more expansive range of potential buyers.

Native shrubs can also enhance the overall health of your soil. Many native species have symbiotic relationships with mycorrhizal fungi that help improve soil structure and nutrient availability. As these shrubs grow and thrive, they contribute to healthier soil, which, in turn, benefits other plants in your landscape. Improved soil health can improve overall garden performance and reduce the need for artificial fertilizers.

One of the often-overlooked benefits of native shrubs in landscaping is their capacity for privacy and noise reduction. Native shrubs can be strategically planted to create natural barriers or screens, shielding your property from prying eyes or unwanted noise. These natural barriers offer privacy and create a more peaceful and tranquil outdoor environment.

For those interested in supporting local ecosystems and preserving biodiversity, native shrubs are a compelling choice. By planting native species, you can help maintain and restore the balance of local flora and fauna. This is especially crucial in the face of habitat loss and the decline of many native plant species due to urban development and land conversion. Your landscaping choices can directly impact the conservation of native species and the general well-being of your local environment.

Fire resistance is a critical consideration, particularly in areas prone to wildfires. Native shrubs are often better adapted to fire-prone landscapes as they have evolved with natural fire regimes. These shrubs are more fire-resistant than non-native alternatives, reducing the risk of wildfires spreading to your property. This added layer of defense can be valuable in regions where wildfires are a constant threat.

Native shrubs are not limited to traditional garden designs; they can also be incorporated into various landscape styles, from formal to informal. Whether you prefer a structured and orderly garden or a more natural and wild appearance, native shrubs can be adapted to suit your aesthetic preferences. Their versatility makes them a valuable addition to any landscape design toolkit.

In addition to their aesthetic appeal, many native shrubs possess aromatic qualities. Fragrant native shrubs can infuse your outdoor space with delightful scents that change with the seasons. This sensory experience adds another layer of enjoyment to your outdoor environment, making your landscape visually pleasing and a treat for the senses.

Another compelling reason to use native shrubs in landscaping is their ability to mitigate erosion. The extensive root systems of native shrubs help stabilize the soil, preventing erosion from wind and water. This is especially important in areas with sloping terrain or near bodies of water where erosion can be a significant issue. By choosing native shrubs, you can help protect your property from soil loss and preserve the integrity of your landscape.

Native Shrubs Can Enhance The Air Around You

Native shrubs can also play a role in improving air quality. Through a process known as phytoremediation, some native shrubs can absorb pollutants from the air and soil. This natural cleansing process helps reduce air pollution and makes the environment healthier for you and your neighbors.

Furthermore, native shrubs can be part of a strategy to create a more autonomous landscape. By choosing edible native shrubs, such as blueberries or elderberries, you can incorporate elements of a food forest into your landscape. This provides fresh, homegrown produce and reduces your reliance on commercially grown fruits, contributing to a more sustainable food system.

The benefits of native shrubs extend beyond residential landscaping. Public and commercial landscapes can also reap the rewards of using native shrubs. Parks, corporate campuses, and government properties can create environmentally friendly and visually appealing spaces by incorporating native shrubs into their designs. This enhances the aesthetic and demonstrates a commitment to sustainability and ecological responsibility.

In recent years, there has been a growing movement to promote the use of native plants in landscaping and gardening. Many organizations, such as native plant societies and environmental groups, advocate preserving and restoring native ecosystems. By choosing native shrubs for your landscaping projects, you align yourself with this movement and contribute to protecting and enhancing the environment.

Educational opportunities abound when using native shrubs in landscaping. If you have children or are involved in educational programs, native shrubs can be a valuable teaching tool. They offer opportunities to learn about local flora and fauna, the importance of biodiversity, and the interconnectedness of ecosystems. Children can observe the life cycles of pollinators, watch birds nest in the shrubs, and witness the changing seasons, promoting a more profound appreciation for the natural world.

Local communities can benefit from the collective use of native shrubs in public spaces. Community gardens, school campuses, and neighborhood parks can all serve as showcases for the benefits of native plant landscaping. By creating attractive and sustainable outdoor spaces, communities can promote environmental stewardship and encourage more people to embrace native shrubs in their landscapes.

Native shrubs are not only beautiful but also practical. Many species offer practical uses beyond aesthetics. For example, some native shrubs have medicinal properties, making them valuable additions to herbal gardens. Others can be used for crafting materials or as natural dyes, providing a sustainable source of materials for creative projects.

In conclusion, the benefits of using native shrubs in landscaping are vast and varied. These indigenous woody plants offer hardiness, beauty, and ecological value, making them valuable to any landscape design. By incorporating native shrubs into your landscaping projects, you can conserve water, reduce maintenance costs, support local wildlife, and contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly outdoor space. Whether you are a homeowner, a landscape designer, or a community planner, native shrubs offer many advantages that enhance the beauty and ecological integrity of your outdoor environment.

Products from the article

Carolina Allspice - TN Nursery

Carolina Allspice

Carolina Allspice - Calycanthus Floridus Carolina Allspice blooms delight the senses, emitting a sweet and spicy fragrance reminiscent of ripe strawberries, which adds a delightful ambiance to any outdoor space. The maroon to brown blooms are eye-catching and long-lasting, ensuring a beautiful display throughout the growing season. It is a captivating and versatile plant with numerous landscaping benefits. Native to the southeastern United States, it is cherished for its unique characteristics and aesthetic appeal, making it a famous choice landscape.< Formally named Calycanthus floridus, the plant is a rounded deciduous shrub that grows in the eastern United States. It's often called sweetshrub in honor of its fragrant deep-red blooms, which are said to carry the scents of strawberry, pineapple, and banana. The shrub adapts to various settings and grows taller in shady areas. Carolina Allspice Shrub is a Shrub That Offers Aromatherapy It is native to the Southeast. In the wild, it grows along streambanks, shady woodlands, and mixed deciduous forests. When you find this understory shrub on hillsides, clearings, and by woodland edges, its structure will likely be open and sparse. Appearance Of The Carolina Allspice it grows six to nine feet tall and equally wide in cultivated settings. From April to May, the plant produces a bountiful supply of large, solitary, magnolia-like blooms at the ends of its branches. These clustered, maroon to reddish-brown flowers will continue to appear less frequently in June and July. As the weather warms, the blossoms become quite fragrant. The plant itself is aromatic and dense. Its dark, oval-shaped green leaves and smooth grayish-brown bark emit a pleasant scent when scratched or bruised. The plant's glossy foliage will turn yellow to yellow-green in the fall as the flowers yield to form leathery, brown, urn-shaped seed capsules. These pods ripen in September and October and last through the winter, emitting a lovely fragrance when crushed.  They make beautiful all-season additions to various garden settings. They are wonderful when planted near outdoor living spaces, walkways, patios, and entrances, where they can serve as privacy screens. The shrub also does well in naturalistic settings, like woodland gardens, and it makes a lovely cutting plant for flower arrangements.  Its closely packed branches provide nesting habitat and protective cover for songbirds and small mammals. They also host moths, such as the double-banded zale and the oblique-banded leafroller moth. During the spring and summer, beetles pollinate the shrubs in a process called cantharophily. If you're looking for fragrant, floral shrubs that add richness and depth to your garden, consider planting it. With their gorgeous blossoms and lush green leaves, you will surely be delighted by their presence. It has an interesting aroma reminiscent of cloves or cinnamon. This makes them ideal for scented gardens. Also, they produce a rich, sweet smell in the later part of spring.  It has a amazing and warm fragrance that makes it stunning as it flaunts its warm colors. The reddish-brown flowers symbolize warmth and a connection to nature. Its hues bring out a sense of home and make it a perfect choice for gardens that celebrate seasonal cycles.  It prefers highly productive, well-drained, moist soils and a position of partial to full sun exposure. It prefers USDA hardiness Zones 4-9 and is perfectly suitable for a range of garden conditions, including the woodland garden-shaded borders.  Not only does it look stunning, but it also possesses aesthetics all year round-leaves, flowers, and fall colors. It's also a relatively simple plant that requires little care when planted and is good for pollination by bees and butterflies.  Carolina Allspice requires little advance planning since it grows at a moderate rate, usually gaining between one and two feet per month and up to 12-24 inches. It grows to around 6 to 9 feet in height and spread, which qualifies it for both shrubbery and hedging uses.
From $19.98
From $19.98
Witch Hazel - TN Nursery

Witch Hazel

Witch Hazel: Hamamelis Virginiana Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is a deciduous shrub with sparse, spidery flowers and is versatile throughout the seasons. As it blooms brightly in fall and needs very little maintenance, this shrub is a popular choice for bringing visual interest to any garden. Witch Hazel - A Fall  Blooming Shrub It is very easy to grow and prefers a well-drained, slightly acidic soil type. It does well in full and partial shade and suits most gardens. Put the root ball in a hole twice its size and fill it with dirt and water to keep it moist. Once established, it is spartan, requiring only occasional watering in dry conditions and a bit of pruning to shape or slash off damaged branches.  Seasonal Blooms and Color Changes It is prized for its unusual and beautiful flowers, which open late in the fall or winter when most other plants are hibernating. The flowers contain long, rolled petals of different colors, such as yellow, orange, or red. The plant's ovate leaves shade it in spring and summer, becoming yellow before the flowers appear in autumn. Shape and Longevity Of This Native Shrub  The shrub is spreading and rounded and reaches 10 to 15 feet. Its small size and graceful branches make it wonderful for borders, woodland gardens, or as a specimen plant. It will survive decades of neglect. Life Cycle - TN Nursery  Witch Hazel shrubs are hand-harvested at TN Nursery and shipped as healthy, ready-to-plant plants. These plants set themselves quickly, leaving you with distinctive, fall-flowering, long-lasting flowers. Add this shrub to your yard for an old-school and classic touch!
From $19.98
From $19.98
Forsythia - TN Nursery

Forsythia

Forsythia - intermedia The forsythia shrub was introduced in the eighteenth century. Plant hunter Robert Fortune discovered it, which is known for early spring flowering on bare branches. This deciduous shrub with flowers is said to produce lactose. The early arrival of spring is signaled by the explosion of yellow flowers from the ground to the tips of each descending branch of the shrub. Before the leaves even appear, the bare branches fill with sunshine-colored blossoms shaped like golden bells. Forsythia Has Golden Bells For Blooms  Extremely fast-growing, between one and two feet per year, these shrubs benefit from regular pruning. Pruning encourages thicker growth and an increase in flower production. Because of their popularity, they are appealing grown either as hedgerows or as single bushes.  The golden yellow shrub takes up a lot of space in a garden. However, many gardeners like using flowering stems to frame or form backbones in different arrangements. This popular plant is often called "Golden Bells" due to the yellow, bell-shaped flowers born along the arching stems. Forsythia Colors and Characteristics The yellow flowers can range from light buttery to deep, rich gold. The narrow toothy leaves grow two to ten cm long and are aligned opposite each other down the gray-brown, long, weeping branches. Joining together only at the base, the four-lobed flower's petals are deep and protect the reproductive organs during rainy weather.  Height at Maturity Typically, the shrub can grow up to 9 feet 10 inches tall and sometimes even up to 20 feet and up to 9 feet wide. The winged seeds are encased in a dry capsule. These vase-shaped shrubs generally grow in a splay-like or drooping pattern, and when pruning is not kept up, the shrub can end up looking as if it were having a bad hair day. Hardy Planting Zones and Propagation Success The hardy zones are 4 – 9 and thrive in sun and well-drained soil. They grow best in full sun and well-drained soil. This plant makes for a spectacular border; with individual shrubs spaced about 10 inches apart, they will grow into a naturally dense border. Forsythia plants have big, bright yellow flowers and mid to dark-green foliage. The propagation of the shrub is simple by anchoring low-hanging boughs to the soil. Once new roots have developed, they can be dug up, cut from the main branch, and transplanted. Another method is taking cuttings from the soft wood in late spring and early summer when there is new growth and planting them in well-drained but moist soil. Cuttings can also be taken from November through February. Fertilizer and Plant Attractants An all-purpose fertilizer can be added mid-February through mid-May as a light feeding to benefit the shrubs. It is best to transplant the newly propagated plants during the dormant winter season. These plants do not attract wildlife such as butterflies or birds, so adding native plants to your display is advised.
From $19.98
From $19.98
Carolina Allspice - TN Nursery

Carolina Allspice

Carolina Allspice - Calycanthus Floridus Carolina Allspice blooms delight the senses, emitting a sweet and spicy fragrance reminiscent of ripe strawberries, which adds a delightful ambiance to any outdoor space. The maroon to brown blooms are eye-catching and long-lasting, ensuring a beautiful display throughout the growing season. It is a captivating and versatile plant with numerous landscaping benefits. Native to the southeastern United States, it is cherished for its unique characteristics and aesthetic appeal, making it a famous choice landscape.< Formally named Calycanthus floridus, the plant is a rounded deciduous shrub that grows in the eastern United States. It's often called sweetshrub in honor of its fragrant deep-red blooms, which are said to carry the scents of strawberry, pineapple, and banana. The shrub adapts to various settings and grows taller in shady areas. Carolina Allspice Shrub is a Shrub That Offers Aromatherapy It is native to the Southeast. In the wild, it grows along streambanks, shady woodlands, and mixed deciduous forests. When you find this understory shrub on hillsides, clearings, and by woodland edges, its structure will likely be open and sparse. Appearance Of The Carolina Allspice it grows six to nine feet tall and equally wide in cultivated settings. From April to May, the plant produces a bountiful supply of large, solitary, magnolia-like blooms at the ends of its branches. These clustered, maroon to reddish-brown flowers will continue to appear less frequently in June and July. As the weather warms, the blossoms become quite fragrant. The plant itself is aromatic and dense. Its dark, oval-shaped green leaves and smooth grayish-brown bark emit a pleasant scent when scratched or bruised. The plant's glossy foliage will turn yellow to yellow-green in the fall as the flowers yield to form leathery, brown, urn-shaped seed capsules. These pods ripen in September and October and last through the winter, emitting a lovely fragrance when crushed.  They make beautiful all-season additions to various garden settings. They are wonderful when planted near outdoor living spaces, walkways, patios, and entrances, where they can serve as privacy screens. The shrub also does well in naturalistic settings, like woodland gardens, and it makes a lovely cutting plant for flower arrangements.  Its closely packed branches provide nesting habitat and protective cover for songbirds and small mammals. They also host moths, such as the double-banded zale and the oblique-banded leafroller moth. During the spring and summer, beetles pollinate the shrubs in a process called cantharophily. If you're looking for fragrant, floral shrubs that add richness and depth to your garden, consider planting it. With their gorgeous blossoms and lush green leaves, you will surely be delighted by their presence. It has an interesting aroma reminiscent of cloves or cinnamon. This makes them ideal for scented gardens. Also, they produce a rich, sweet smell in the later part of spring.  It has a amazing and warm fragrance that makes it stunning as it flaunts its warm colors. The reddish-brown flowers symbolize warmth and a connection to nature. Its hues bring out a sense of home and make it a perfect choice for gardens that celebrate seasonal cycles.  It prefers highly productive, well-drained, moist soils and a position of partial to full sun exposure. It prefers USDA hardiness Zones 4-9 and is perfectly suitable for a range of garden conditions, including the woodland garden-shaded borders.  Not only does it look stunning, but it also possesses aesthetics all year round-leaves, flowers, and fall colors. It's also a relatively simple plant that requires little care when planted and is good for pollination by bees and butterflies.  Carolina Allspice requires little advance planning since it grows at a moderate rate, usually gaining between one and two feet per month and up to 12-24 inches. It grows to around 6 to 9 feet in height and spread, which qualifies it for both shrubbery and hedging uses.
From $19.98
From $19.98
Witch Hazel - TN Nursery

Witch Hazel

Witch Hazel: Hamamelis Virginiana Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is a deciduous shrub with sparse, spidery flowers and is versatile throughout the seasons. As it blooms brightly in fall and needs very little maintenance, this shrub is a popular choice for bringing visual interest to any garden. Witch Hazel - A Fall  Blooming Shrub It is very easy to grow and prefers a well-drained, slightly acidic soil type. It does well in full and partial shade and suits most gardens. Put the root ball in a hole twice its size and fill it with dirt and water to keep it moist. Once established, it is spartan, requiring only occasional watering in dry conditions and a bit of pruning to shape or slash off damaged branches.  Seasonal Blooms and Color Changes It is prized for its unusual and beautiful flowers, which open late in the fall or winter when most other plants are hibernating. The flowers contain long, rolled petals of different colors, such as yellow, orange, or red. The plant's ovate leaves shade it in spring and summer, becoming yellow before the flowers appear in autumn. Shape and Longevity Of This Native Shrub  The shrub is spreading and rounded and reaches 10 to 15 feet. Its small size and graceful branches make it wonderful for borders, woodland gardens, or as a specimen plant. It will survive decades of neglect. Life Cycle - TN Nursery  Witch Hazel shrubs are hand-harvested at TN Nursery and shipped as healthy, ready-to-plant plants. These plants set themselves quickly, leaving you with distinctive, fall-flowering, long-lasting flowers. Add this shrub to your yard for an old-school and classic touch!
From $19.98
From $19.98
Forsythia - TN Nursery

Forsythia

Forsythia - intermedia The forsythia shrub was introduced in the eighteenth century. Plant hunter Robert Fortune discovered it, which is known for early spring flowering on bare branches. This deciduous shrub with flowers is said to produce lactose. The early arrival of spring is signaled by the explosion of yellow flowers from the ground to the tips of each descending branch of the shrub. Before the leaves even appear, the bare branches fill with sunshine-colored blossoms shaped like golden bells. Forsythia Has Golden Bells For Blooms  Extremely fast-growing, between one and two feet per year, these shrubs benefit from regular pruning. Pruning encourages thicker growth and an increase in flower production. Because of their popularity, they are appealing grown either as hedgerows or as single bushes.  The golden yellow shrub takes up a lot of space in a garden. However, many gardeners like using flowering stems to frame or form backbones in different arrangements. This popular plant is often called "Golden Bells" due to the yellow, bell-shaped flowers born along the arching stems. Forsythia Colors and Characteristics The yellow flowers can range from light buttery to deep, rich gold. The narrow toothy leaves grow two to ten cm long and are aligned opposite each other down the gray-brown, long, weeping branches. Joining together only at the base, the four-lobed flower's petals are deep and protect the reproductive organs during rainy weather.  Height at Maturity Typically, the shrub can grow up to 9 feet 10 inches tall and sometimes even up to 20 feet and up to 9 feet wide. The winged seeds are encased in a dry capsule. These vase-shaped shrubs generally grow in a splay-like or drooping pattern, and when pruning is not kept up, the shrub can end up looking as if it were having a bad hair day. Hardy Planting Zones and Propagation Success The hardy zones are 4 – 9 and thrive in sun and well-drained soil. They grow best in full sun and well-drained soil. This plant makes for a spectacular border; with individual shrubs spaced about 10 inches apart, they will grow into a naturally dense border. Forsythia plants have big, bright yellow flowers and mid to dark-green foliage. The propagation of the shrub is simple by anchoring low-hanging boughs to the soil. Once new roots have developed, they can be dug up, cut from the main branch, and transplanted. Another method is taking cuttings from the soft wood in late spring and early summer when there is new growth and planting them in well-drained but moist soil. Cuttings can also be taken from November through February. Fertilizer and Plant Attractants An all-purpose fertilizer can be added mid-February through mid-May as a light feeding to benefit the shrubs. It is best to transplant the newly propagated plants during the dormant winter season. These plants do not attract wildlife such as butterflies or birds, so adding native plants to your display is advised.
From $19.98
From $19.98
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