by Dianne Weyna
I visited the Martha Walker Native Habitat Garden in Skyline park and while it is winter and most plants were not in all their glory, I was able to see plant markers to make a list of plants that interested me. If they are growing there, I am hoping they will grow in my yard.
My garden is west facing, receiving mid-day sun with shade in the morning and late afternoon with plantable space of 134 square feet. Knowing pollinators like groups of plants, my design will be to add to the natives I already have. Yarrow, dudleya and California fuchsia (Epilobium canum) will be the major groupings. Pollinators need a variety of plants, but I am unable to add too many more different species. My street space has a well-established eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), which attracts bees in the spring with many pink flowers along the stems, and a Washington hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum), which attracts bees in the spring with its white smelly flowers and birds in the fall with red berries.
A manzanita shrub has already been transplanted from another area where it wasn't doing too well and placed in my new garden where it will get more sun. Santa Barbara daisies(UC Davis All-star plant) are in a lot of areas, very easy to grow and help to shade early plantings. I'll select plants that are drought tolerant, like full sun to partial shade and will not grow too large.
Western columbine (Aquilegia formosa), a perennial, small and mounding, needs sun to part sun and some water and/ or
Serpentine columbine (A. eximia) another possible choice and another UC Davis all-star.
Western dog violet (Viola adunca), attracts silver spot butterfly and can be full sun to partial shade and partially dry.
Yellow eyed grass, (Sisyrinchium californicum) full to part sun and moderate water.
Douglas Iris (Iris douglasiana) a purple iris that grows short and self-spreads.
Penstemon Margarita BOP (Penstemon heterophyllus), another UC Davis all-star grows 1-3 feet tall, likes clay soil, is perennial and likes sun.
Golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum) to add to my other yarrows.
I may also grow buckwheat (Eriogoinum fasciculatam), California rose (Rosa californica) and milkweed (Asclepias california or A. tuberosa). Tropical milkweed should NOT be grown (A. curassavica), which is dangerous for the Monarch butterfly. I would also like a bush lupine (Lupinus albifrons).
Here is more information I garnered from various websites: Gardening with native plants, US forest service, fs.fed.us. Why native plants matter, Audubon.org has a “find your bird friendly plant” guide that you can put in your zip code and get a list of plants that attract birds. Calscape, California native plant gardening guide.
Master Gardeners are following recommended social distancing guidelines that keep everyone safe, Napa Master Gardeners are available to answer garden questions by email: mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. or phone at 707-253-4143. Volunteers will get back to you after they research answers to your questions.
Visit our website: napamg.ucanr.edu to find answers to all of your horticultural questions.
Photo credits: Creative Commons 2.0; Jane Callier, Silver Bush Lupine
Information links:
California Native Plant Society https://www.cnps.org/gardening
Audubon Society-Native plant database https://www.audubon.org/native-plants
US Forest Service-Native Plants https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/Native_Plant_Materials/Native_Gardening/index.shtml
Calscape-Garden planner https://gardenplanner.calscape.org/
UC Davis Arboretum https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/blog/creating-diy-pollinator-garden
https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/plant-database
Martha Walker Gardens Skyline Park Napa https://skylinepark.org/park-info/martha-walker-gardens/
Lasagna or layer composting https://afghanag.ucdavis.edu/irrigation-natural-resource/files/soil-lasagna-composting.pdf
UCMG Napa County-Step by Step Garden Design http://napamg.ucanr.edu/GardenDesign/