When it comes to your yard, you want a look that’s beautiful, timeless, and easy to maintain. The solution? Native New England plants.

When you choose trees and shrubs that are native to your home’s region (New England, in this case), you can trust they are well-suited to existing soil and weather conditions. You’ll find yourself sharing a yard with plants that are not actively fighting against you. After all, it’s a lot easier to help a plant thrive in its original habitat. Transplanted species, on the other hand, require special care and constant intervention in order to stay healthy.

Native Plants

Native plants for the New England area are plants that were found in the region before the arrival of the European settlers. These include types of ferns, mosses, wildflowers, trees, shrubs, and vines. These tend to be well-established for the regional conditions. But due to interference from other kinds of plants that have been introduced throughout the years, some of New England’s native plants are no longer thriving.

Native plant preferences in New England can even vary from the ideal growing conditions in surrounding states. In New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont, for example, shrubs such as the gray dogwood and the beach plum do well in full sunlight; while in New York and New Jersey, silky dogwood and inkberry shrubs thrive in partial to full shade. Finding native plants that will thrive in your area means doing a little bit of research and consulting with professional landscape designers.

Soil Conditions

In addition to knowing the right plants for your region, it’s important for you to know the soil conditions of your land. From one property to the next, soil composition can vary in terms of sand content, alkalinity, and other factors. Using the right plants and shrubs for the soil in your region means that you’ll save time and money when it comes to watering and caring for plants. Landscapers can explain which species are naturally able to withstand the conditions of your immediate environment.

Sustainable Landscapes

Choosing plants that do well in the New England climate and soil mean that you’ll also be able to engage in sustainable landscaping. This means you’ll be able to reduce erosion and runoff volume by planting native species that require less maintenance. When purchasing native plants, you’re also helping to reduce transportation emissions, since nothing needs long-distance shipping.

With a little effort and design support, you can landscape your property in full, New England fashion. New England plants and shrubs will increase the natural beauty of your property and help to reduce your environmental impact. More and more homeowners are discovering that native plants offer a true “win-win” situation for their gardens and beyond.