Uncommonly dry weather this early in the summer means having a water conservation plan in mind. Maintaining an attractive garden requires about one inch of rain or other watering per week. As we head into our typically dry summer, the case for using native plants in the landscape becomes more apparent.

Native plants are attuned to the climate and other environmental conditions. Of course, there is some debate among aficionados as to what constitutes "native". Is it a plant native to North America, native to the Pacific Northwest, native to Washington, Western Washington, or Puget Sound?

A number of "natives" are attractive in leaf and in flower and some have been used for breeding new plants. Our native Oregon grape comes in several species offering low growing to high groundcover options.

Bees welcome the yellow spring flowers and the berries provide fodder for birds late in the year.

Heuchera and Tiarella are also represented in native species. While their leaves are less showing than their over-bred cousins, the native varieties will perform better in our climate than the hybrids.

The same applies to columbine. The native species can tolerate our dry summers with only occasional watering, while the hybrids will require more care and even staking of the over-sized flowers.

Few would dare deny the beauty of the vine maple. Native nearly everywhere west of the Cascade Mountains, this small, usually multi-trunked tree is an easy replacement for Japanese maple. With the prevalence of verticillium wilt in local soils, vine maple is a better bet for resisting this sudden heart-rending killer of prize maples.

The Washington Native Plant Society offers considerable resources for finding the right native plants for your situation. The Society promotes native plants and works with local governments to salvage plants from development sites. Contact the society through their website, www.wnps.org.

Q: I recently learned I have Giant Hogweed on my property. I'm told it's a noxious weed and can be harmful. What should I do?

A: That was nice of someone to advise you of this beautiful but dangerous weed named after Hercules. Heracleum mantegazzianum (say that 3 times fast!) is a non-native that easily made the King County Noxious Weed list for the hazardous chemicals in its stems. Susceptible people handling the plant can get a nasty chemical burn, leaving a scar that will last for some time.

Children can get severe injuries if they play with the plant. They may rub the stem when gathering the large attractive flower heads for mom then rub their eyes, nose or mouth. The resulting chemical burn can be painful and may cause lasting injury. This alone is a good reason to remove Hogweed.

Good control can be obtained by lopping off the flowering heads before they go to seed. Since Giant Hogweed is a biennial, it grows leaves the first year and flowers in the second.

If you plan to root it out, be sure to wear protective clothing and gloves.

It's OK to compost Hogweed along with the rest of your vegetative debris. Again, avoid contact with skin, eyes or other sensitive areas.

King County has lots of information on the identification and control of noxious and invasive weeds (not necessarily the same thing). Check their website at http://dnr.metrokc.gov/weeds. You'll find some common garden plants on the list including Scotch thistle, Oxeye daisy, Milk thistle, yellow garden loosestrife, English Ivy (not every ivy species is considered invasive or noxious), Clary sage and more.

Remember July is Garden Tour month, so get out there and tourist! The 7th Annual Federal Way Symphony Garden Tour happens on Saturday July 15th. With a history of stunning garden, everyone should make time for this event. Calling 253-529-9857 gets you more information. Cost is $18.00.

Keep your walking shoes warm because the West Seattle Garden Tour gets going on Sunday July 16th. This tour benefits Arts West and community garden projects. Get information by calling 206-938-0339. $15 gets you into eight beautiful gardens.