We delight in our yards. Many of us view the plants in them as our aesthetic choices. We want colorful flowers with long blooming seasons, so we plant daffodils for yellow, geraniums for red, and roses for pink.
But what to us is a color palette is also home to thousands of species of insects and plants that we are destroying. Today we know that invasive non-native species like daffodils crowd out natives that would otherwise be blooming early in the spring.
Non-native boxwood hedges host zero species of caterpillars whereas native yaupon holly and winterberry host at least 39 species. Our yards need to serve new purposes—to restore local ecosystems and provide sanctuary for native plants and animals. Plant some native plants this spring.