Earthly Garden

Native plants also are of tremendous benefit to bees, butterflies and native insects, many of whom have difficulty harvesting and using pollen and nectar from non-native plants. Wild Ones is a nonprofit organization that seeks to restore landscape diversity through the conservation and establishment of native communities.

Native plants number in the tens of thousands but are few and far between in most home landscapes. To boost interest in beautiful native plants, some native plant societies sponsor plant-of-the-year programs.

Another way to go sustainable is to recycle your own garden and other waste. Every landscape generates waste in the form of grass clippings, fallen leaves, shrub pruning and expired plants. In a sustainable landscape, these materials, combined with vegetable and fruit trimmings from the kitchen, can be used to create compost, which will improve soil fertility. You can make compost in an open pile or use an enclosed barrel or bin. In most states, yard waste is no longer allowed in landfills, which has given rise to numerous community-sponsored compost education programs. Contact your local extension service office or solid-waste agency to learn about composting resources in your area.

Many stores sell compact composting bins made of recycled plastic, but you may be able to buy one for less than half-price through a local composting program. The following models, available at Composters.com, are most widely used by community-sponsored programs. All are made from recycled materials.

Some of the best recycle and compost bins:

Earth Machines $69.95 10 cubic feet

Brave New Composter $85.50 11 cubic feet

Garden Gourmet $75.50 11 cubic feet

The Home Composter $89.50 13 cubic feet

No matter where you live there are native plants and flowers that simply thrive on the temperatures and rain conditions where you are. Here is a quick list of the types of plants that are suitable for your areas.

1. Pacific Northwest:
• Red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum Zones 6-8): Plant in full sun and semi-part shade. Water good during dry spells until the plant is established. Prune only to remove damaged branches.
• Cascade grape (Mahonia nervosa Zones 5 to 7): Dig up low suckers if they wander too far. Makes a great high ground cover. Spikes yellow flowers in spring and then turn to spikes of blue berries.

2. Northwest:• Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa Zones 4 to 8): Forms a dense, twiggy stand about 8 feet tall and wide. Prefers moist soil, but can tolerate some drought. Grow in full sun and partial shade at times.

3. Southeast:
• Sweet Shrub (Calycanthus floridus Zone 5 to 9): Place them near entryways so the fruity fragrance can linger around your doorways. Shrubs grow to about 6 to 10 feet and even 6 to 10 feet wide at times. Can bloom in maroon or light yellow blooms. Pair with other native plants like Oak leaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) andYaupon Holly (Llex vomitoria).
• Summersweet (Clethra spp.): Low maintenance border plant. Prefers moderately moist soils. Slow spreading into a clump and growing new stems from shallow bud-bearing roots.

4. Southwest:• Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa Zones 6 to 10): Featherlike seed heads seem to finish off the autumn season with their amazing white flowers. Thrives on poor soils and can tolerate extreme heat as well. Perfect desert plant.
• Curl-Leaf Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius Zones 4 to 9): Silvery grey bark with glossy green leave. Can be pruned back and used as a hedge. Can be used as a border.

5. Midwest/ Mountain:
• Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius Zones 3 to 7): Clusters of white to pinkish flowers from May to June. Birds eat the seeds during the fall. In winter the bark peels away in strips as well. It can grow up to about 10 feet tall and wide.
• Smooth sumac (Rhus glabra Zones 2 to 8): Shiny dark leaves on top and white underneath. Grows easily in most soils in full sun and light shade and can grow to about 9 to 12 feet tall and wide. Only the female plants bear fruit, but place near a male plant to ensure pollination will happen.