Went to the Atlanta Botanical Garden last weekend and totally flipped on native plants

I used to think native plants were just boring green stuff that you couldn't do anything with. Like why would I want a plain old oak tree when I could have a Japanese maple? But then I walked through the native plant section at the Atlanta Botanical Garden and saw this patch of purple coneflowers and goldenrod mixed together. It looked wild and messy but also kind of perfect, like a painting. The volunteer there told me those plants support like 20 different types of bees and butterflies, way more than any exotic flower. I counted like 8 bees on one plant in two minutes. Now I'm ripping out my front yard English ivy and putting in a native pollinator patch. Has anyone else had that moment where a public garden changed your whole view?

2 comments

2 Comments

sage_rodriguez10d ago

I read somewhere that native goldenrod can host up to 100 different insect species.

cora56210d ago

Wait I gotta push back a little. 8 bees on one plant sounds neat but are we really supposed to tear up our whole yards over that? My neighbor did this last year and now his front yard just looks like an overgrown ditch with gnats everywhere. The HOA sent him a letter. Also not all native plants bloom all season so you get like two weeks of color then it's just sticks. Not saying exotics are better but maybe don't go full scorched earth on your lawn just yet.