Eco-friendly local plants and smart gardening practices can help to create healthy and beautiful coastal landscapes.
As spring approaches, many people begin to think about their gardens and landscaping. Knowing which plants will thrive, support local wildlife, enhance the beauty of a space, and provide benefits — like reducing erosion and flooding — can be challenging to navigate.
Benefits of Eco-Friendly Plants
Coastal habitats are unique and often experience a wide range of conditions — including storms, intense heat, flooding, and salt exposure. Plants and animals that are from coastal North Carolina are well-suited for these extreme conditions and support each other.
Some introduced plant species outcompete local plants for resources and spread quickly, unchecked by environmental conditions or predators. These problem plants can rapidly take over and leave no room for local, native species, which in turn harms the environment and wildlife. Examples of such plants include kudzu, the common reed, and beach vitex.
Using eco-friendly local species offers a host of benefits.
Building Resilience
Vegetation can help to reduce flooding, stabilize shorelines, and provide habitat. Local plant species have complex root systems adapted to local soils. Native plants help soak up stormwater and can reduce erosion by holding the soil in place. Some local coastal species, like sand live oaks, are salt, wind, and drought tolerant — and can absorb thousands of gallons of water per year.
Supporting Local Wildlife
Coastal North Carolina wildlife relies on plant species that are local to this area. For example, pollinators have adapted to thrive on local plant species and help the plants reproduce. Birds like painted buntings rely on native plants for food and shelter. Waterfront shorelines with native plants like smooth cordgrass also help fisheries that rely on salt marshes for food and shelter.
Better Water Quality
Because native plants are adapted to a local area’s conditions — sunlight, temperatures, soil type, and precipitation levels — they need fewer costly fertilizers and pesticides. They also require less irrigation. Reducing the use of additives and chemicals benefits the environment and, in turn, human health. Excess nutrients from fertilizers also can enter waterways and lead to algal blooms.
Steps to Beautiful Eco-Friendly Landscaping
1. Know Your Property Before Digging In.
Understanding the physical conditions of the specific planting locations is crucial for successful landscaping. Observe the area to determine the number of sunlight and shade hours it receives throughout the day.
Assess the soil characteristics; soil quality greatly influences plant health and growth. Local resources, such as your county’s NC Cooperative Extension, provide free and valuable guidance about understanding soil, plants, and improving conditions. Local extension centers offer expert advice tailored to the region’s unique landscaping needs. Find a nearby extension center here.
Another effective way to understand the landscape is by observing the plants growing throughout your neighborhood. Many plant identification apps are available to assist in determining if a plant is local to an area. These tools provide valuable insights into local flora, helping to make informed decisions about what to include in a landscape design.
2. Determine Your Landscape Goals, and Find a Design that Inspires You.
Landscaping serves various purposes: creating an appealing and enjoyable space, managing stormwater, supporting pollinators, growing food, minimizing maintenance needs, and much more. Defining the specific goals for a space helps refine the project’s budget and design options. Inspiration can come from local arboretums, nature parks, and plant nurseries, each of which showcase a variety of ideas and techniques.
An invaluable free resource for coastal landscaping in North Carolina is the Coastal Landscapes Initiative. CLI addresses landscaping at every stage, including planning, design, installation, and management, helping to foster landscapes that are visually appealing, functional, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable. Find inspiration here.
When designing a space, consider whether managing stormwater is an important goal. The incorporation of rain gardens, rerouting downspouts, rain barrels, and permeable surfaces can be cost effective and attractive solutions for soggy yards. Find options here.
3. Decide Which Plants Are Right for Your Purposes.
With a landscape goal in mind — and a general idea of how much flower, grass, bush, and tree coverage you want — the next step is to select plants that meet these goals.
CLI offers Plant This Instead! — a guide that provides alternatives to introduced ornamental plants that do not provide the same benefits as native plants, as well as landscaping templates and information specifically for coastal North Carolina.
The NC State Extension Gardner has also created a Plant Toolbox that can sort through over 4,700 plants that grow in North Carolina based on site conditions and desired plant characteristics.
More Resources
With so many choices, sometimes it can be helpful to chat with someone in person. NC Cooperative Extensions have “Master Gardeners,” volunteers who are trained experts in supporting fellow community members in creating resilient landscapes. To find a Master Gardener, contact a county NC Cooperative Extension office. Learn more about the North Carolina Extension Master Gardener Volunteers Program(including how to become one) here.
NC State Extension Horticulture also provides resources to support growing food and ornamental plants, as well as on managing pests.
Other resources include the North Carolina Botanical Garden’s Green Gardener Clinic, which is a free public resource from provided by horticulturalists.
The Guide to Coastal Living provides quick and practical information about how to live and thrive in a coastal environment.
Ashley Caine recently completed her internship with North Carolina Sea Grant and received her bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences from UNC Wilmington. Mariko Polk is North Carolina Sea Grant’s coastal processes specialist.
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