Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens
Healthy Gardens. Healthy Planet
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Sometimes it’s as important to know what ‘not to do’ as it is what ‘to do’ in the wildlife garden. With that thought in mind, here’s some simple tips wildlife, if they could speak, would pass along to people: Do not surround your properties with fences.We have a hard enough time moving around and finding food. Plus, we get [...]
One of the greatest joys as a designer of native gardens in California is working with Arctostaphylos, a.k.a., Manzanita. I can trace my interest in these plants all the way back to my early childhood. One of my favorite pastimes at this early stage of life was taking road-trips with my grandpa to the back [...]
Most Californians understand that swelling populations in the southwest are and will continue to outpace water supply both from the California State Water Project sources and the Colorado River. Additionally, Golden state residents are learning that water-wise habits in our landscape and gardens can save up to 60 percent of this precious resource. But something [...]
As a native plant garden designer or home gardener, understanding how plants are naturally arranged in their environment is critical. Understanding what species occur together in their plant community takes this understanding a step further. Several plant communities exist within the boundaries of Chino Hills State Park in Orange County, California. The lower elevations in [...]
Where do you start when you want to transform your yard into a wildlife habitat? Most of us have gotten many of our ideas from other gardens and gardeners. Whatever the situation, challenge, or dilemma may be, someone else has tackled it. Don’t work in a vacuum! Gardeners are some of the most sharing people [...]
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 is [...]
“The path follows an old path which a hundred years ago was used for sleds to bring cordwood down the hill. I found that along both sides of it small hemlocks were predominant. Twenty-five years ago I started cutting out almost all of the deciduous trees edging the path…. It has gradually developed into a [...]
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 [...]
When people think of creating a native garden the first thing that typically comes to mind is plant material. Images of specific varieties pop up in the mind’s eye along with characteristic flower color, aroma, foliage texture and ability to attract one’s favorite garden-friendly wildlife. Rounding out the general idea is how said plants will [...]
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 [...]
