Your choice of plants to populate your landscape plays a very important role in preventing home pests. As a general rule of thumb, these should be native plants whenever possible.
In fact, the single most important thing you can do to "pest proof" your landscape, is to build it with plants that are native to your area. Native plants will decrease your pest problems, lower your water and nutrient needs, and do a big favor for the environment!
Native plants, are naturally resistant to the types of pests you have in your region, and are already acclimated to your soil types, your weather conditions, and your seasons. Native plants are accustomed to the average annual rainfall in your area, and they won't break out of your landscape and swallow the forests of your area.
Every year we see thousands of acres taken over by "non native," alien pests. They destroy the native plant life and in doing so, destroy the biodiversity of the area. The cost is into the millions for controlling them, and we are just seeing the tip of the botanical iceberg.
Integrated pest management, should start with prevention, and the place to begin is with the right plants for your area. At the very least, you should avoid the use of anything that is known to be "invasive."
Go native, and make your landscape and your world a better place.
Your areas native plants are:
1. Acclimated to your temperatures.
2. Accustomed to your areas rainfall.
3. Accustomed to your seasonal changes
4. Resistant to your pests
5. They won't eat the local forests or lakes.
This site is designed to lead naturally from one subject to the next. It can be used without doing this. To follow in sequence, go to Tree Care As Prevention
For more on plant choices, see Alternative Plants For Pest Prevention