Gardening with Native Plants

Many Vancouver Island residents want attractive, easy to maintain, drought tolerant gardens that attract birds and butterflies. The best plant choices for gardens are often the native plants that thrive naturally in our region. A native plant includes those species that were here prior to European settlement. Rewarding and dynamic, “naturescapes” are functional gardens that reflect the native richness and beauty of our unique region.

Feel free to browse our oneline resources for ideas, suggestions, and inspiration.  Much of this information is also in HAT's Gardening with Native Plants brochure.  Download it now (1.1mb pdf file) or contact the HAT Office about getting a print copy.

What is a Naturescape?

Many Vancouver Island residents want attractive, easy to maintain, drought tolerant gardens that attract birds and butterflies. The best plant choices for gardens are often the native plants that thrive naturally in our region. A native plant includes those species that were here prior to European settlement. Rewarding and dynamic, “naturescapes” are functional gardens that reflect the native richness and beauty of our unique region. This guide will help you improve your garden: the best plants, design tips, recommended nurseries, and other expert recommendations are inside.

Why are native plants great for gardens?

South-eastern Vancouver Island is one of Canada’s top nature hot spots, but our rare native ecosystems like the Garry Oak meadows and older Coastal Douglas Fir forests are now gone from over 95 percent of their former range due to urban development. Invasive introduced plants escaping from gardens are quickly changing natural habitats for the worse. Creating a naturescape (native plant garden) on your land is part of the solution to habitat loss. The actions of many individual landowners can make a big difference for wildlife in our region. A changing climate and booming population growth are forcing communities to rethink our prolific outdoor water use. Using showy native plants in your garden can also save you time and money; forget about watering, artificial fertilizers, and toxic pesticides. Because native plants have evolved in this climate for countless generations, they attract local song birds and insect pollinators. The various plants in this guide fit into any type of garden setting.