Remember that every plant is "native" to somewhere, but not every plant is a good design choice. (Poison ivy, anyone?) Take a look at which plants are native to your area. These are plants that have proven they can survive on their own, in your specific environment. Very likely, they are some of your best design candidates for a healthy, low- maintenance landscape.
Sometimes, though, an introduced plant will give you better performance. One such instance is Chionanthus retusus, which is often preferred over the native Chionanthus virginicus.
