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Native plants are not only beautiful specimens in themselves; they also offer an <br /> ever-changing environment of color, light, texture, sound and motion that echoes our <br /> natural heritage. Their hardiness, ability to attract wildlife, seasonal change and <br /> winter interest all capture the <br /> essence of our region's unique <br /> beauty and character. Designing $.5 <br /> with native plantings can have a <br /> positive impact on any landscape _ <br /> project and is capable of enriching <br /> P J P g � <br /> everyday life and sense of place. <br /> Installin native landscaping is also <br /> g P g <br /> a cost-efficient way to benefit air Switch grass and <br /> and water quality because it elimi- Common Ox-eye <br /> photo by Jeff Shaw <br /> nates or reduces the need for <br /> fertilizer, pesticides, watering and lawn maintenance equipment. Pesticides and <br /> fertilizers can contaminate rivers and lakes, and gasoline-powered lawn equipment is <br /> responsible for five percent of the nation's air pollu- <br /> tion. Native plants are the key component of natural <br /> stormwater treatment strategies such as vegetated <br /> Ph � <br /> swales, detention basins and rain gardens. <br /> i <br /> This guidebook is one of the first to address directly . <br /> some common reservations people have about using <br /> native plants. These include issues of aesthetics, costs, <br /> weeds and maintenance. The primary goal of this <br /> document is to outline design and maintenance <br /> strategies that will give native plantings an orderly, <br /> Grey Cloud Dunes <br /> neat appearance. :.. Scientific and Natural Area <br /> photo by Dan Shaw <br /> As part of the project we asked design firms and nurseries throughout the region to <br /> send us images that illustrate the successful use of edge treatments, formal plantings, <br /> controllable natives, combinations of native and cultivated species, and other strate- <br /> gies of native-plant design. Major sections of the document will be available as PDF <br /> files on our website at www.greatrivergreening.org. <br /> Introduction <br /> Native plants are an essential component of Minnesota's ecosystems, providing <br /> important habitat for wildlife species and key benefits for regional environmental <br /> quality. But, less than one percent of Minnesota's native prairies and less than half of <br /> 7 <br />