'Cos they won't be weeds.

They belong here. They can't become weeds. Contrast plants from similar environments to ours. They too are tough, and they have come without their burden of pests. Many have already become our worst weeds.

'Cos they are beautiful

When Europeans first came to live in Australia, they pined (pun intended) for their home environment. They wanted to see trees with soft green leaves, bushes with bright berries and flowers they were familiar with. So they planted them. A major source of today's weeds.

They hated our plants. It took many years before we began to see their beauty. They are beautiful - but in a different way. The leaves are often tough but of fascinating shapes and colours. And the flowers! So many of them are bird pollinated and consequently they are large and showy. Just look at these examples. Are you sophisticated enough to see their beauty - or are you still tied to an Eurocentric view?

'Cos you are Australian

So much of the world is uniform. Our plants are one of the things that make our country different. They are our heritage. Why should we not celebrate them? 

'Cos they use less water

Don't believe the story that our native plants never need watering. Even the toughest may need some water to get through the first summer - especially if they are planted late. But if you choose the correct plants, once they are established, they can thrive on many Perth soils with no watering. Supplying water is a serious problem in Perth and likely to become more serious. Look at our "all about water" page.

'Cos they are difficult to grow

Just kidding! You see gardeners are funny people. They really like to grow plants that are hard to grow. I see people in Perth proud of their plants from much cooler and moister climates - even when they are not all that flash. So I think we should pretend that native plants are difficult to grow! Mind you, some are. That is why we study their cultivation.