Hyperlocalism: How Planting Local Provides Year-Round Beauty

Going green, supporting local businesses and communities…these buzz-worthy concepts are top of mind, and gardening is no exception.

There’s a certain magic to gardens featuring native, local, or even endemic plants. Locally sourced gardens tie us to nature more firmly by inviting in native birds and insects, deepening our knowledge of local ecology, and reminding us that nature is largely outside our control. Many local gardens and yards are designed to withstand weather events like drought or extreme snowfall. The more we embrace the unique microclimate around us, the less time we have to spend working on our garden and can enjoy being in the garden.

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The difference between local and native planting

While native species are separated by state, local species are more specific and can be found by microclimate or at the county level.

A native plant is one that is believed to have been in that state before European settlement.

In larger states, simply choosing native plants is not enough. For example, in the West, the marine air creates a drier climate at variable degrees of progression over the mountain ranges.

Hyperlocal planting represents a more intense devotion to creating a natural garden by only using plants from that unique area. So in certain states, you’ll want to focus on local plants and not just natives to reap the benefits of low maintenance.

 

Hyperlocalism as a design trend

 With more extreme weather patterns, gardeners are adopting the use of local plants to increase the chance that their garden will thrive. Beyond sheer necessity, gardens and yards featuring local plants have a beautiful ability to blend into the environment and create opportunities for gorgeous, high-quality design.

The balance between natural and manmade elements is more harmonious when locally sourced plants are used. You can create a striking landscape while supporting local ecology.

 

The benefits of regional planting

Regardless of how narrowly you define “local,” there are tons of benefits that prompt gardeners to jump on this trend. In general, native plants offer gardeners the following:

• Less watering: Once established, native plants need far less watering than other varieties and can typically be satisfied by rain water
• Less need for pesticides: When using all native plants and embracing the local ecology, you can experience the benefit of largely self-regulating plants, as many pests will be taken care of by larger pests and critters via “natural pest control”
• Less pruning: While native plants do require some attention, they are not nearly as demanding as non-natives and can often be left to grow wild

More encounters with wildlife: Native plants welcome birds, insects and animals to your yard, which can even be used as thoroughfare from habitat to habitat

 

How to find the right plants for your zone and region

To begin the hunt for the right plants for your area, begin by understanding what generally performs best in your zone and geographical region.

Start by searching for your zip code in the USDA Hardiness Zone Map that divides North America into eleven unique planting zones based on average winter temperatures. Phoenix is a 9A while Fargo is a 4. When you know your zone, you can search for perennials that do well there. This is only the beginning of choosing to work with nature, rather than against it. Going with the right zone will help lower the maintenance of your garden, but won’t necessarily foster wildlife, as a Zone 4 can be anywhere from the Northern interior of the US to Southern Alaska. However, discovering your zone is a great start because nearly all nurseries include zone information on their plants.

Learning about your region—whether Northeast, Southwest, Midwest, Pacific Northwest, Mountain West, or South—provides substantially more information about what is needed in your area. Heat resistant? Winter hardy? Perennials that are low maintenance in the Southwest would be impossible to keep up in the South.  

 

Narrowing down further to find local plants

If you want to jump on the hyperlocal trend and do more than just plant for your zone and region, then you’ll have to do a bit of research.

Your best sources of information will likely be local colleges, universities, and plant societies. For example, the Monterey Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society lists out the endemic species in the very isolated climatic conditions of Monterey and San Benito counties.

The University of Rhode Island has created a Rhode Island Native Plant Guide that can be searched by coastal regional, moisture level and other factors.

Search around (and ask around) until you find a helpful resource specific to your area.

Where to source hyperlocal plant species

Unfortunately, local plants can sometimes be hard to find. Your local nursery might not carry what you’re after.

So how do you find them?

Restoration nurseries propagate plants from local watersheds and keep track of the source of their plants to keep gene pool diverse and maintain the health of the species as a whole. If you can’t find a restoration nursery in your area, a local college or university is a worth a try. Many horticulture departments have plant propagation classes, and to help fund the courses, propagated plants are sold at annual or semi-annual plant sales. To top it off, college plant sales are typically reasonably priced.

 

Combining local planting with other gardening goals

The beauty of local planting is that it can easily help you achieve other goals that you have for your garden.

Maybe you want to draw in local bird species and take up bird watching.

Or you want a wild, overgrown look.

Maybe you just want something really low maintenance. Or to lower your water bill.

When you plant local, you’re able to achieve these and other goals all at the same time. By choosing to blend in with your natural environment, you can create a beautifully designed landscape that stands out from the rest.