In recent years, the popularity of native plant lawns has grown exponentially. But while people may enjoy the natural beauty and relatively low maintenance of these plants, most do not know where they come from or the history behind them.
User @showme_yourmask recently took to TikTok with an important message. She reminded everyone that Indigenous people and communities are the ones who cultivated these plants in the first place.
@showme_yourmask Put me on #gardentok "The complex case of growing native plants" from High Country News #indigenous #native #plants #garden #discuss #nativeplants #plant #plantsoftiktok #gardenersoftiktok #fyp #share #seeds ♬ Solas x Interstellar - Gabriel Albuquerqüe
She urges everyone to make sure to keep Indigenous people and their communities at the center of this burgeoning plant movement and not let corporations take over. As she says, "If it wasn't for Indigenous communities saving seeds over generations despite displacement and colonization, we would not have these native plants today."
She closes the video with some suggestions on how to do this, including establishing relationships with Native Americans and becoming familiar with organizations like the Diné Native Plants Program.
It is easy to see why native lawns populated by such plants have exploded in popularity over the last few years. The cost savings for native lawns are significant. They don't require the expensive maintenance traditional lawns do, nor do they need as much water.
And the environmental benefits are also substantial. Native plants are natural pollinators, meaning they attract insects, bees, bats, and even hummingbirds. They are essential to the health of our ecosystems as well as the health of many of our food crops.
Even a partial lawn replacement with natural plants, such as clover, buffalo grass, and xeriscaping, can reap both financial and environmental benefits. If you are considering switching to a native plant lawn, check out this helpful guide.
Commenters on @showme_yourmask's video appreciated her public service announcement.
One user commented, "This is so important thank you for sharing!!"
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Not enough time ⏳ Another was excited to gain this knowledge. "[F]or a while now, I've wanted to take native knowledge into account with my landscaping; this gives me some starting points, thank you!"
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And some focused on the pollinator benefits: "Love my native plants so much and the hummingbirds do too[.]"
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