One visitor to Ohio stumbled across a humble but beautiful example of native plant gardening in action, and they made a TikTok about it.
Most landscaping uses plants from different parts of the world that have been chosen for their looks or for the sake of tradition. Because they're far from home, these plants need extra water, fertilizer, and upkeep to make sure they stay healthy.
Native plants, on the other hand, come from the same geographical area they're planted in — and that means they've adapted to the conditions there. The rain and soil are already just right, and the plants will thrive on their own with a minimum of care, making them easy and cheap to grow.
@megan.corwin A native plant display and islands full of local plants was a great way to start a road trip. Proud to see my home state making some native landscapes. It's a start. #nativeplants #landscaping #gardening #gardentok #ohio ♬ Sweet City Woman - Stampeders
That's probably one of the reasons that native plants were chosen to beautify a rest stop in Ohio, which TikToker Megan Corwin (@megan.corwin) found while passing through.
"Wasn't expecting to discover something this exciting at an Ohio rest area," she says in the video she posted about the site. "A native plant display!"
Corwin walks viewers through a variety of "island" style garden beds full of native plants and flowers. "With a sign legend detailing the benefits," she adds, showing colorful displays that list each and every native species present.
They also provide information about the plant, including its role in the ecosystem and other trivia. Spotlighted species include butterfly milkweed — the plant that monarch butterflies rely on for food — black-eyed Susans, sugar maple, Ohio buckeye, winterberry, and many others.
As the signs point out, the benefits of these native species go beyond ease of care. They also benefit the environment by feeding and sheltering pollinators like butterflies and bees. Other animals, in turn, feed on the bugs, and the entire web of life in the area benefits.
You can get many of these same benefits at home by rewilding your yard with species native to your area. Even a small garden patch makes a difference.
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