Did you know there's a way that you can make your lawn, garden, or porch more beautiful while also helping the environment at the same time? That's right -- all you need to do is take advantage of native foliage.

As the name suggests, native plants are those that naturally grow in a certain place in the wild. Non-native plants can become pests and choke out other plants that insects, birds, mammals and people depend upon. Adding native species to your outdoor plant collection can help keep the balance of nature in check.

The best part about growing native plants is that they're far more likely to thrive when they're growing in an environment that they've developed to live in! You'll get to enjoy your new plants even more when you see them growing happy and lush.

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Native flowers like butterfly weed and Black-eyed Susans will add color to your garden, while flowering dogwood and green hawthorn trees will make your yard even more beautiful. Don't forget about grasses and ferns! Blue sedge and Christmas fern will make your great green yard even greater.  

Want to know where to find nurseries that sell Maryland native plants? MDFlora has a great collection of nurseries that you can browse -- with such an extensive list, you'll be sure to find one near you. You can also check out the Maryland Department of Natural Resources for more information.

Do you cultivate any native plants? Tell us about them in the comments!