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Natural Landscaping Why use native plants? For More Information… Below are additional sources to help further your knowledge of natural landscaping: Native Plants… • Require little to no watering or Center for Sustainable Living: fertilizing and no pesticides, which https://www.simplycsl.org/ improves air, habitat and water quality. • Reduce or avoid the need for mowing, Environmental Protection Agency: which saves fuel, thus reducing air www.epa.gov/greenacres pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions. Indiana Native Plant and Wildflower • Promote biodiversity by providing food Society: www.inpaws.org and shelter for wildlife. • Create a stable landscape by decreasing National Wildlife Federation, Backyard erosion and invasive plants. Wildlife Habitat: www.nwf.org/backyard • Provide public education through learning more about the local eNature: www.enature.com/native_invasive/ environment, as well as how different parts of a landscape are connected to Wild Ones: www.for-wild.org each other. NNATURALATURAL • Create a sense of place by connecting Plant Conservation Alliance: us with Bloomington’s unique natural www.nps.gov/plants/ splendor. LLANDSCAPINGANDSCAPING • Help you save more money when Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: compared with other landscaping www.wildflower.org/ options. A beautiful, healthy and Center for Plant Conservation: economical alternative To be whole. To be complete. Wildness www.centerforplantconservation.org/ for your yard reminds us what it means to be human, what we are connected to rather than National Coalition Against the Misuse of what we are separate from. Pesticides: -Terry Tempest Williams www.beyondpesticides.org/main.html This brochure was created by Becky Barrick with the City of Bloomington Environmental Commission and Indiana University City as Ecosystem Service-Learning students www.bloomington.in.gov/boards/environment Phone: 812-349-3423 E-mail: [email protected] Printed on recycled paper What is Natural Landscaping? Are Native Plants weeds? The idea behind “natural landscaping” is to create yards and gardens that come as close as There is often confusion about what qualifies as possible to what is found in nature. By natural landscaping. Bloomington has a weed mimicking what works naturally in our own ordinance to prevent land within city limits from geographic location, green spaces created by becoming overrun with weeds. This ordinance is humans can bring the same benefits that in place to protect public health and prevent natural, untouched areas bring, including rain unsightly yards. However, native landscaping, and stormwater filtration, habitats for which involves clear intentions and goals, does animals and low-maintenance ground cover. not pose the same threat that simply neglecting Use of natural landscaping favors local, native your yard can cause. For example, unwanted plant species over harmful invasive exotic pests attracted to unkept yards are not drawn to species that are a threat to a stable ecosystem. “Landscaping with native wildflowers areas with well-designed natural landscapes. By providing natural landscaping in Due to the environmental and economic benefits and grasses improves the environment. of natural landscaping, many communities are Bloomington, you can promote healthier Natural landscaping brings a taste of relationships between natural ecosystems and attempting to modify weed ordinances to support human communities, create beautiful spaces wilderness to urban, suburban and naturalized yards. Planned natural landscaping and save money too! corporate settings by attracting a variety will not be cited as violating Bloomington’s of birds, butterflies and other animals. ordinance, and any concerns may be discussed What are Native Plants? Once established, native plants do not with the Housing & Neighborhood Development Native plants are species that have naturally need fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides or (HAND) Department (349-3420). Additional evolved in a specific geography and climate. watering thus benefiting the environment clarification on this topic can be found in the They are adapted to the local environment, and reducing maintenance costs. Natural Landscaping HANDbook. including soil, moisture, weather conditions, Gardeners and admirers enjoy the variety microbes and animals. Native plantings of colors, shapes and seasonal beauty of Where should I purchase Native promote natural biodiversity, or a rich variety of these plants.” Plants? life at multiple scales, from genes to species to -Environmental Protection Agency Plants? whole ecological systems. Native plants contribute a rich source of nutrients to the soil • See the Natural Landscaping Factsheet and also provide great food and habitat for “What to Know and Where to Go” created by native wildlife. You’ve probably seen these the City of Bloomington Environmental plants before or heard of them and not realized Commission for a listing of local garden they were “native” to our area. centers that sell native plants. What Native Plants should I use, • You also may wish to contact the and where? organizations listed on the back of this The City of Bloomington Environmental brochure or check the local Farmers’ Commission has created a list that will help you Market. choose which native plants to use based on soil and sun conditions in your yard. The list is on A community should not consider it an our web site: honor how much spontaneous vegetation it www.bloomington.in.gov/environment. destroys; it should rather be a point of Also, a list of plants native to the Bloomington honor for every community to protect as area can be found in the Natural Landscaping much of its natural landscape as possible. HANDbook, available from the HAND web site -Friedensreich Hundertwasser at: www.bloomington.in.gov/hand. .
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