Jane
Palm Bay 32907
My motivation to go native started when I realized my youngest son would soon be leaving for college and I would have to learn how to use a lawnmower to mow a lawn that didn’t look very good to begin with. I didn’t want to use poisons in the yard or fertilizers and although I had made a few attempts at landscaping, they weren’t usually successful.
So hearing about Maple Street Natives, they did a landscape plan for my yard and I tackled it in sections which worked out well for the budget and for sporadic time commitments. Thank you Sharon and Brent! I did get a little overly ambitious in the front yard and tackled that all at once covering it with black plastic to kill the grass. Thank goodness my neighbors have been tolerant and patient!
The benefits of using natives are numerous including the ever changing landscape of what is blooming, viewing the wildlife, and a lot less work. We’ve noticed a dramatic increase in the amount of wildlife, specifically different species of birds and butterflies and even bunnies. Now my weeding is to help control the overgrowth and for therapy. What you will see is a yard that looks more like a natural habitat – kind of wild and chaotic and not perfectly manicured.
We’re very proud of our piece of wildlife corridor and hoping it sets a great example for others. My goals now are to plant more edibles wherever I can fit them in, keep learning, and maintain the yard as a learning opportunity to share. Enjoy!
