Go native        Support eco-services                  T rees shade         Canopy and understory                  Leaves cleanse         Breathe deep         Soils nourish         N atural nutrients                  Waters pure         Gulp - swallow                  Blooms galore        S upport pollinators                  Birds & wildlife flourish         Year-round           Spring blooms         S ummer shade         Fall color  ...

  Native plants are the best! They provide habitat, food, and resources for birds, critters, and wildlife. Sometimes we inherit non-native plants that we must replace immediately. These are the invasive ones that run out the natives and take over while not providing any benefit to wildlife and the environment. Other plants that are not native we tolerate. Sometimes we have a secret love affair with non-natives we saw in foreign countries or plants that our grandparents grew in their gardens.   My secret non-native plant is Linton rose by its common name and Helleborus is its genus. I am attracted to it because it is one of the first blooms I see in winter. This plant says to me, spring is coming, and I am bowing my head as if in prayer for winter to subside. I have a clump of Helleborus in my garden. It is not tucked away as a family secret. It greets you as you approach the front door.