The Importance of Being Native

Of the handful of people that have checked out the humble blog here, most of you know how I love to get up on the soapbox about using native plants in the garden. A customer lingering in the gardening section? Same thing: blah blah native plants blah.

I'll be the first to admit that I have been ridiculously lazy about the garden this year. In fact, I have done no gardening at all... and I desperately need to weed all of the beds in both the front and back yards. However, with nothing but neglect and last year's mulch, I present to you the native plants in the front garden (most of which were half dead and on clearance at the end of last summer).

Blackberry lily (with daisies in the background).

Double purple coneflowers.

Some spindly variety of black eyed susans.

The view from the front walk. There's althea in front of the windows, as well as a mounding sunflower and a cup plant. They should all start blooming in the next week or so.