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Learn More About the Native Garden
Native Plants
Native plants are species that exist naturally in an area (that is, without the help of people). British Columbia native plants occur in BC, but many are also native to other areas, too. Native plants survive here because they are adapted to the particular conditions that exist here. For example, Acer macrophyllum (bigleaf maple) is a common species in southern BC, but it only grows near the coast where there's plenty of moisture and the winter climate is not too cold. Growing local native plants in gardens is a good idea because they can usually take care of themselves (they need less water) and they look like they belong here. Native plants are important because native animals and smaller organisms are adapted to living with them, relying on them for food or shelter. The continued survival of native plants does not require them to be grown in gardens, but it does require that native habitats are protected.
First Nations Uses of Plants
First Nations people have always used native plants for a variety of purposes, including for food, shelter, transportation, clothing, medicines and ceremonial use. This traditional knowledge was passed down the generations by word of mouth. Now it is mainly elders who know about useful native plants, because traditional plant uses and their collecting methods are no longer practiced in most First Nations communities. Luckily, some of this knowledge has been written down, and some elders who can remember the old ways, are passing it on to younger people. Many useful native plants can be found in the BC Native Plant Garden.