Andrew Bort is the co-founder of Nightshade Urban Gardens, a company at the forefront of the DC-area green revolution. Nightshade specializes in designing, installing, & maintaining customized native gardens & edible landscapes for folks who want to make a positive impact on the ecosystem and local economy.
With so many problems facing our city and the world today, it’s easy to feel that, as an individual, there is no way to make an impact. This can be particularly true when it comes to healing the environment and combating climate change.
However, if you have an outdoor space of any size, I’m here to tell you that you can make a difference. It might be a small one, but hear me out. You will see the impact. All you need are a few native plants, and an open mind.
How do Native Plants help?
Native plants serve as critical habitat for indigenous insects. A mature native garden in summer will be thrumming with life; not just honeybees and bumblebees, but countless small native bees, flies and other insects. Those insects in turn support a more dense and diverse population of birds, who need these critters to feed their young.
Native plants generally do a better job at capturing carbon and runoff than their non-native counterparts. They require fewer inputs – less water and mulch, and no fertilizer – making them more sustainable. Using perennial plants that re-sprout every year means less waste replacing plants annually.
What’s the catch?
To someone with a deeply entrenched sense of what a garden “should” look like, native gardens may appear messy. Most popular non-native species have been selected exclusively for their appearance. And while there are plenty of attractive native plants, they are not all going to be the tidy, long-blooming species you will find in a big box store’s garden department.
Furthermore, if you want to maximize the ecological impact of your native garden, that means planting densely. Overlapping and interwoven plants will create a solid mass of vegetation in the body of your garden. This makes for better habitat, excludes weeds, and further reduces the need for mulch and watering. But it’s a departure from the traditional garden aesthetic.
We can help!
It’s not hard to strike a balance between aesthetics and ecological impact. There are many techniques that can be employed to deliver the best of both worlds. And as you observe your native garden brimming with life, you might find your perspective on beauty in the natural world shifting just a bit.
If you are interested in transforming your outdoor space into a native garden, be it large or small, Nightshade Urban Gardens can help you get started on that journey. Check out our website for details and to schedule a consultation. We are still accepting new clients for Spring 2026!