Property News · May 29, 2016

Going native isn’t always best | James Wong


Most garden plants in the UK are a mix of the flora of six continents. So there is no reason for gardeners to limit their optionsI hear it at least once a week: “To help our British wildlife we must focus on growing native plants.” It’s evangelised on gardening TV shows, in horticultural magazines and has even found its way into planning legislation. The one problem with this ubiquitous piece of science advice is that it really isn’t very scientific, and may even hamper your attempts to support local biodiversity.The “native is best” hypothesis rests on three basic premises: first, that British wildlife is somehow a clear-cut group that is dramatically different from wildlife abroad. Secondly, our native plants are equally unique, with highly specialised adaptations. Finally, that these highly specialised adaptations create a perfect ecological fit, which renders non-indigenous plants measurably worse sources of food and shelter for local animals. Continue reading…

Source : theguardian.com
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