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Sunken Gardens: The Advantages of Using Native Plants
If you have a space in your backyard that has a lower elevation or has a natural basin like structure when rainwater naturally drain off, it would be a good idea to convert that area into a sunken garden. Sunken gardens are one of the best ways to convert some unsightly spots in your yard into something beautiful without really interfering too much in natural flow of the storm water.
What is more interesting about creating sunken gardens is that they do not just make you backyard look beautiful. They also help protect the environment by preventing dirty storm water from getting directly washed into the drainage system.
Sunken gardens are not really very difficult to create especially if your backyard already has those natural low lying areas. All you really need to do is to follow the natural flow the storm water and then design a garden in the place where the water usually gathers after a storm.
Once you have plotted the flow of the water, you can start cultivating that area and set up your sunken gardens. Although sunken gardens are not difficult to build, it will usually take a lot of time and effort on your part to get the plants growing in your sunken gardens. To make sure that your plants grow properly, it would be a good idea for you to choose native plants for your gardens instead of those exotic species.
Planting Native Plants in Your Garden
There are many advantages of using native plants in your sunken gardens. Native plants are natural habitants for native birds, butterflies and wildlife. If you want your backyard to be filled with birds and butterflies, forget about those exotic plant species and go for the native variety.
Another advantage of using native plants in your sunken gardens is that native plants can adapt well to harsh weather conditions. So, you need not worry about your plants during cold winters, hot summer or the wet spring.
In fact, if you plant your sunken garden well with native plants, you will not need to exert too much effort in keeping your garden healthy and alive during the different seasons of the year. With minimal mulching and watering, native plants can already survive without much problem.
Using native plants in your sunken garden has many environmental benefits. Since native plants are well adapted to the changing conditions of its environment, you will not really need to use much pesticides and herbicides on it. On the other hand, since native plants have extensive root zones, it can help prevent soil erosion. |
