Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens
Healthy Gardens. Healthy Planet
A type of wildlife friendly landscape that is attracting a lot of attention these days is the meadow garden. Even though this style of garden is considered one of the most beneficial and informal there are key points one should take into account before jumping in with both feet. One of the main considerations [...]
It could be said that the most important component of what we as native plant gardeners/designers do is educate people. We feel an inherent value, Joy, and necessity to set an example for others; to provide for wildlife in our suburban landscapes. Historically some claim the idea of the native plant wildlife garden began in [...]
Any discussion of native plants, whether for your garden, a restoration project, or simple curiosity about the flora on your back forty, has to eventually arrive at the question, “is this plant native or introduced?” You’d think it would be an easy question but it turns out to be more complex than you might imagine. [...]
Many people and organizations these days are looking for ways to reduce excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, in the hope that this might slow the warming of the planet. Even the turf industry claims that “well-managed” lawn absorbs carbon and thus should be considered a good thing. “Lawn is a valued resource for sequestering [...]
Not only are there plants that are protected from herbivory by ants , there are plants with a mutualistic relationship to ants for their seed dispersal. Readers who live in the eastern deciduous forest may know some of the plants: Erythronium americanum, Sanguinaria canadensis, Asarum canadense, Dicentra canadensis, Viola species, and Claytonia virginica. Many of [...]
Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest It seems that any time I talk with somebody about landscaping for wildlife or make a book recommendation, this is the first one I mention. There is simply no better book for this region, and in fact this book contains information useful for nearly every region when it [...]
This time of year always brings fond memories for me. As a child, upon arrival at my grandparents’ house on Christmas day I would see a large wreath hung on the front door. The wreath was aromatic and made up of cedar, small pine cones and, of course, English holly. Or was it? As [...]
One of the questions I always ask my clientele during the preliminary design phase is if they like California native bunchgrasses. From a design perspective, bunchgrasses offer a plethora of benefits both aesthetic and functional. Attributes include contrast, the element of motion, habitat restoration, visual interest, and historical value. Experts conclude that native grasslands in [...]
California’s indigenous people utilized native wildflowers for thousands of years. Along with other sources of sustenance such as acorns from local oaks, California’s wildflower seed provided a reliable food staple known as Pinole. Pronounced [pi-noh-lee], these seeds were ground into flour in mortar pits many of which are still visible in undisturbed areas of our [...]
As a landscaper, my focus hasn’t always been on designing with natives. In fact, until a year or two ago, I only used a few sturdy natives in my designs. But once I realized that native plants play a role in sustaining local wildlife that no other types of plant can fill – well, I [...]
