Native plants are on everyone’s mind these days, and local retailers are getting the message. Jarratt Calvert, owner and CEO of Shades of Green Nursery & Landscaping, says, “Native plants thrive in this environment because they have been around here a lot longer than us. These plants have found a way to survive anything our climate throws at it. With the new reservoir the state of Texas recently brought online (Bois’d’arc Creed Reservoir), it was slated to provide the DFW area with water through 2050 and beyond, but there was a caveat. This would only be possible if citizens adopted drought-tolerant practices, one of those being planting native or adapted plants in their landscapes! It’ll take everyone doing the small things to ensure water for generations of Texans to come.”

When talking about native plants, drought-tolerant plants or xeriscaping, people tend to think about rocks, cactus and yuccas. But that look isn’t the only thing that will thrive in North Texas conditions. With bright colors and lush leaves, natural, low-maintenance plants can create the desired look in a landscape while keeping everything native.

“Every year people come to Shades of Green with small success stories from the year before,” says Green. “They are going on and on about the beautiful butterflies that visited their garden the year before. Hummingbirds bouncing all around their garden, tasting the different blooms around the yard. Native plants bring life to the garden. Slowly, more of their lawn is turning into a native plant paradise. Kids are seeing the butterfly life cycle happen in their back yard by incorporating host plants. A garden is the best classroom!”

Her advice is to start small, with the sunniest location in the yard. Plant perennials in groups of three to have the biggest impact and don’t forget to amend the soil with compost.

For more information, visit ShadesOfGreenInc.com.