Going Native: Making It Easy with Dominique Biondi of Ecologic

Going Native is our gardening series highlighting the contribution of native plants to building resilient landscapes. MyRye.com will introduce you to native plant experts that will tell you ways to get started with a small garden patch, a complete property or just a few garden containers.

Today we speak with Dominique Biondi of Ecologic.

MyRye.com: Can a homeowner make it easier to care for their property and help nature at the same time?

Biondi: The answer is a resounding yes. Native plant species, when selected appropriately, have low levels of maintenance, look amazing, save on water, feed birds and butterflies, and cost less in the long run. Any new plant brought into a landscape should be excruciatingly investigated. 

Is this plant from my ecosystem, and can thrive here, or is it from across the world where it has adapted to a totally different set of circumstances? Might this plant escape my garden and start growing in the neighboring woodlands, and cause a shift in balance? I know this looks pretty, but shouldn’t I find a plant that looks pretty and will help play the role a flower is meant to all along?

Also read: Going Native: Gardening with Ecologic’s Dominique Biondi and our Going Native series.