Real estate with distinctive, well-done natural landscaping actually possesses a marketing edge and has a positive effect on property values. Developers cite the natural landscapes retained in their developments as an asset and charge more for naturally landscaped homes than for homes in areas with traditional landscaping. High-quality natural features like woodland corridors can preserve
Wind-borne pollens are the primary cause of hay fever. Any plant with showy flowers (like the much-maligned goldenrod) is pollinated by insects, not wind. The main hay fever culprit in our area is ragweed, which thrives in disturbed or eroded areas like roadsides. Other major allergenic plants are pigweed, goosefoot (both non-native "weeds"), and the
Mosquitoes need standing water to breed. Even the fastest-maturing breeds require standing water for at least 10 consecutive days. A turf lawn, with its shallow root system, is more likely to be unable to soak up all the water from a heavy rain and have long-standing puddles than a natural landscape with its deeper-rooted native
To reduce exposure possibilities, the natural landscape should have setbacks or paths for the human visitor to walk on without brushing against vegetation. The best prevention against Lyme disease is a careful check of body and clothes after being in an area likely to have ticks. More details on Lyme disease are available from your
Deer ticks (Ixodes dammini), the primary vectors for Lyme disease, can be found wherever there are suitable hosts. Because a benefit of natural landscaping is that it attracts and provides habitat for wildlife, the landscape may also harbor the ticks associated with that wildlife. As deer ticks move through their life cycle from larva to
Snakes may find a hospitable habitat in either a traditional or a naturally landscaped yard if prey species, water sources, sunny areas for basking, and shelter are present. Snakes may find shelter under outbuildings, in rock walls, or in log piles; they are valuable neighbors because they eat true pests, such as mice, harmful insects,
The most feared "vermin" are rats and snakes. The vegetation in a natural landscape does not provide the type or quantity of food required to sustain a population of black or Norway rats. These nonnative rats do not eat the seeds of our native grasses and flowers. Rats are more likely attracted to human-produced food