When you think of adding plants to your yard, the first thing that comes to mind is flowers and trees that add aesthetic appeal to your home's exterior.
While these are essential aspects of landscaping, there are other benefits, such as improving air quality, reducing water runoff, and supporting native pollinators that many homeowners don't consider when planting their landscape areas.
If you are looking for ways to improve your community, adding native plants to your landscape areas will do more than beautify your property—it will positively impact the well-being of you and those around you!
1) Easy to Maintain
Like most community associations, you're always looking for ways to save your community money. One way to do that is by planting native plants in your landscape. Native plants are low-maintenance because they adapt to the local climate and soil conditions.
They require less water, fertilizer, and pesticides than non-native plants. Plus, they're often more resistant to pests and diseases. This can save your HOA money on landscaping costs and help you avoid dealing with unsightly problems in your community.
Communities that plant native plants report a reduced need for irrigation, fertilizers, weed killers, and other chemicals used to maintain lawns. Landscapers have also said that heavy rains or snow melt have made it easier to keep organic matter in the soil and stop erosion.
Less money spent means more money for other activities. With so many needs in your community competing for funding, it's essential to prioritize and get the most for your buck. Adding native plants is a great way to make money and save money on maintenance costs at the same time.
2) Low Cost
As any good association board member knows, maintaining a beautiful and well-kept community doesn't come cheap. But what if we told you there was a way to spruce up your community's landscape without breaking the bank? Introducing native plants! Not only are they low-cost, but they also offer several benefits for your community:
- They're drought tolerant and need less water than their non-native counterparts. One study found that landscapes with native plants require an average of 30% less water than those with non-native plants.
- Many types of non-native plants won't be able to take root in natural communities because they can't find the soil or nutrients necessary for growth.
- When homeowners have a yard full of native plantings on their property, it reduces runoff by 45%!
For these reasons and more, it's clear that adding native plants is not just environmentally friendly-it's also a wise financial decision!
3) Healthier Communities
When it comes to creating a healthy community, one important factor is the introduction of native plants into the landscape.
By definition, native plants have been growing in an area undisturbed by humans for an extended period. As a result, they have a perfect adaptation to the local climate and soil conditions.
These plants have evolved as part of your local ecosystem, their roots are just right for your soil, and they are the correct variety to feed local birds, butterflies, and other pollinators.
Additional Benefits
- They require less water than non-native species.
- They can help reduce pollution in our waterways
- They attract beneficial insects, which will provide natural pest control.
Adding native plants to your landscaping plan is not only good for you and your family but also good for the entire community!
Final Thoughts
If you manage a community association, you know that one of your primary responsibilities is to keep common areas looking their best. Not only does this improve curb appeal and property values, but it also makes residents happy.
One way to achieve this is by adding native plants to your landscape areas. In addition to being beautiful, native plants require less water and maintenance than non-native species. They also provide vital habitats for local wildlife.
Contact us today for more information about how we can help beautify your HOA community.
Camille Moore
Amanda Causey
Jennifer Harvey
