Look for us in our new location soon! - Townsite of Redwood Meadows

Native Plants: Better for the Environment, Less Work for Gardeners
In May, the Redwood Meadows Sustainability Committee
(RMSC), in partnership with the Alberta Native
Plant Council and Rocky View County, held a
native and invasive plant species seminar to help
educate residents about the importance of gardening
with native plants and avoiding the use of invasive
plant species. The seminar was also part of the
RMSC's goal of achieving Audubon International
Green Neighbourhood certification by bringing a
focus of native landscaping to our community.
Invasive species are considered those that are not
native to an area, have been introduced (usually for
ornamental reasons), and thrive to such a degree
that they severely outcompete native species. Typically,
they grow aggressively in the absence of natural
controls and adversely impact native habitats.
These species fall into two categories:
prohibited noxious – known to be detrimental to
human or animal health or the general environment;
landowners are required to eradicate these
weeds under the provincial Weed Act ; locally, this
includes species such as Spotted Knapweed, Orange
Hawkweed and St. John’s Wort
noxious – also detrimental to human/animal
health and the environment, but only need to be
controlled (not eradicated), usually by preventing
seed production or transport of seeds in substances
such as hay or dirt; includes the Canada Thistle
and Ox-Eye Daisy.
Native species, on the other hand, are those that
have evolved over time and have become adapted to
our local climate and soil conditions. They grow
well and easily in our green spaces, requiring little,
if any, additional help. (In fact, because they are so
perfectly suited, any extra “food” applied to your
garden ends up helping your weeds the most!)
Plants are natural sources of food and shelter for
many living creatures. From an ecological perspective,
animals and other critters follow the plants they
require to survive, so if native plants are abundant,
so will be the other living things that depend on
them for their survival.
Native plants need less water, fewer chemicals
16 CHATTER IN THE WOODS, June 2012
(which means less pollution entering our natural
systems), less work to help them grow, and less
maintenance; they can save you a lot of time, frustration
and money. Most importantly, they support the
natural ecology of the area. Additionally, supporting
native plant growers helps to support local business,
as these species are not well offered at conventional
garden centres.
There are several native plant growers operating
within a short drive to Redwood. The following
were presenters at our seminar, offer a wide variety
of native plants, and are amazing resources for
planting your own native garden:
Wild About Flowers – located in Turner Valley;
www.wildaboutflowers.ca
Bow Point Nursery – located in Springbank;
www.bowpointnursery.com
Eastern Slopes Rangeland Seeds – located in
Cremona
www.nativeplantproducer-esrs.com
The Alberta Native Plant Council is another great
resource to check out at www.anpc.ab.ca.
To plant a native garden, follow these simple steps:
Site evaluation – determine sun, drainage,
shade and slope aspects of the site
Plant preference – decide on what kind of
plants you want: shrubs, biennials, etc.
Plant characteristics – look into the height,
width, time of flowering, fall colour, etc.
Special features – consider bloom time, attraction
to pollinators, deer resistance, etc.
The native grower websites above will allow you to
find all the information you need to fulfill these four
steps when you select a species of choice. Using these
resources will make it easy for you to plant your
own native garden that will thrive without a lot of
work from you and which will help to support the
natural systems in our area.
Shana Barbour-Welsh, RMSC