The Queen of the Valley

“Faith sees a beautiful blossom in a bulb, a lovely garden in a seed, 

and a giant oak in an acorn.”

~William Arthur Ward

No matter where you travel, you always know you are home when the oak-studded grassy landscapes of the Central Coast come into view.  Nothing looks quite the same as these iconic rural California savannas covering the inland valleys and hills, with swaths of colorful wildflowers in the spring and bright green grasses that turn a tawny brittle brown in the fall. The term “savanna” refers to broad expanses where scattered trees are widely-spaced and grasses grow easily underneath and between them. And the reigning queen of the oak savanna is our own majestic Valley Oak.

The Valley Oak (Quercus lobata) is the most common tree in the savanna, and the largest of all the oaks, often living 600 years and reaching a height of 100 feet. Unlike the Coast Live Oak, they have a more upright stature with deeply checkered alligator bark and thin, lobed leaves that are shed in the fall, leaving their gnarled and massive trunks, branches and limbs darkly silhouetted against the winter sky.

It’s hard to imagine that oak trees are in any danger of being lost, but actually Valley Oaks are “endemic” to California, meaning they do not grow naturally anywhere else in the world. These particular oaks need a source of moisture located by their 50- to 60-foot long tap roots, so only grow in the rich soil of bottom lands and near creeks and springs, also known as prime farmland. More than 75 percent of California oak woodland and oak savanna ecosystems are grazed by cattle and sheep, eating leaves, acorns, seedlings, and saplings. Residential development has been particularly devastating for Valley Oaks, so several agencies (www.Californiaoaks.org) are now involved with helping towns and ranchers learn to conserve, restore and manage our unique oak populations. 

There are certain perks that go along with being a queen, and the Valley Oak has the distinction of being a “keystone” species: a plant or animal that plays a unique and crucial role in the way an ecosystem functions. Without keystone species, the ecosystem would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether. The number of mammals, reptiles, birds, fungi and insects that depend upon the Valley Oak is staggering: studies show that they provide more food and shelter than any other oak. 

If the Valley Oak is a queen, then her acorns are the tiny jewels she drapes across her leafy canopy. Wrapped in an elongated tough outer coat with their jaunty caps, the meaty nut inside has been a vital food source for animals and Native Americans for centuries.  A single mule deer can eat up to 300 acorns per day when acorns ripen in the fall, just when they need to put on fat. 

It’s hard to talk about oaks without mentioning the multitude of birds who are active in and around them. By focusing on just an individual tree for a few minutes, one might see large gregarious groups of acorn woodpeckers darting in and out on their way to stash their tasty acorns in a storage, or “granary” tree.  Twiggy nests might be seen on tall branches or in cavities on limbs, along with clumps of parasitic mistletoe which has a unique wildlife value all its own: it is the only caterpillar food plant for the Great Purple Hairstreak, a tiny red and green butterfly with an orange abdomen. 

And this queen’s impressive reign doesn’t end where the trunk meets the ground, but continues downward in a vast network of leaves, twigs, and acorns layered between the rich soil. Home to a vital community of insects, amphibians, decomposers and fungi, oak leaf litter is a crucial component of the ecosystem. 

Oaks need an undisturbed understory and should not have paving or trenching between their trucks and drip lines. Their root zone is fragile, and compacted soil from foot traffic or parked cars can lead to problems. Mature oaks do not need supplemental water, so only using native plants under oaks is the best way to landscape. 

Many people shy away from planting oaks, thinking they are too slow-growing or take up too much space, but when you think of the enormous ecosystem that you will be building and the prospect of having it grow and thrive for centuries to come, it makes it all worthwhile. 

Of Magpies and Monkeyflowers

“There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than they way in 

which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before.” ~Robert Lynd 

One of the best things about living on the central coast is getting to share it with the tenacious Yellow-billed Magpie (Pica nuttalli). With the curiosity of a crow and loud chatter of a blue jay, they arrive in small flocks to investigate the yard and show off that blazing black, white and iridescent blue plumage. Often seen hopping along local roadsides (like crows, they will dine on carrion), they need tall trees like oaks and sycamores near open meadows to nest and hunt. Chosen as Audubon’s first California Bird of Year in 2009, this magpie is actually one special bird! 

Although they are a close relative to the more common black magpie, that distinctive yellow bill tells the story of being cut off from the others long ago, and becoming geographically isolated in the central valleys. They are only found from the Santa Ynez Valley to Salinas on the coast, and from Fresno to Redding inland, meaning that they are “endemic” to California, and not found anywhere else in the world. Most other local birds, including our state bird, the California Quail, have ranges that include other states or countries, and thus are not endemic. Being endemic makes the Yellow-billed Magpie one of California’s two most vulnerable bird species, with loss of habitat and disease being their most common foes. And since they do not migrate, once a population dies out, it’s gone for good.

The only other endemic bird in our state lives just off our southern shores, on Santa Cruz Island. The Island Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma insularis) likely became isolated from the mainland species after a period of glaciation around 150,000 years ago. This jay evolved to be larger, with a heavier bill, and interestingly the endemic Island Oak tree (Quercus tomentella) has very large acorns, the jay’s favorite food. Santa Cruz Island is about 95 square miles, the entire range of this jay, and thus is under conservation status as threatened. 

Luckily, most other bird populations rarely become completely isolated since they can move around (both with wings and legs) and perhaps adapt to different situations as needed, but not so with plants! There area at least 25 native plants that have become extinct in California in the past 100 years, primarily due to habitat loss from development. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, there are 218 species, subspecies, and varieties of native plants designated as rare, threatened, or endangered now protected by state law, and over 2000 more that are considered to be of concern. 

A local example would be the little yellow Vandenberg Monkeyflower (Diplacus vandenbergensis), growing in only nine sites around Lompoc including the Vandenberg Air Force Base, the Burton Mesa Ecological Reserve, and La Purisima Mission State Park. Monkeyflowers as a whole are common in California, with close to a hundred described species native to the state. Often found clinging to rocky slopes and cliffs, many varieties and colors can be successfully grown in the home landscape and are available at native plant nurseries.

The Vandenberg Monkeyflower is one of the rarest of those species. It grows on soils mainly made up of sand deposited during the Pleistocene, in canopy openings between larger shrubs. Invasive plants pose the greatest threat to the species; by colonizing those canopy openings, plants such as pampas grass and iceplant can displace the monkeyflower from its habitat. The plant also faces threats from development, fire, and off-road vehicle use, and was granted protection by the Federal Endangered Species Act last August.

Another familiar endemic plant is our own majestic Valley Oak tree (Quercus lobata), native to the inland valleys of Central California, and the largest of all North American oaks. With enormous branches now heavy with acorns, and the jays, woodpeckers and magpies are busy squabbling over their annual fall feast. When Californians learn more about our rare and endangered species, most want to become better stewards of the land to provide the healthy environment these remarkable and vulnerable animals and plants deserve. By taking into consideration the long-term effects of our actions in our backyards, neighborhoods, towns and cities, we can all participate in the long-term successes of our unique local endemic species for generations to come.

Get Ready for Fall Planting

“That old September feeling... of summer passing, vacation nearly done, obligations gathering, books and football in the air...Another fall, another turned page: there was something of jubilee in that annual autumnal beginning, as if last year’s mistakes and failures had been wiped clean by summer.” ~Wallace Stegner

This morning, my neighbor commented that there was a “hint of fall in the air,” and I would have to agree. Days are getting shorter, oaks are heavy with acorns, and the sycamore leaves are decidedly more dusty yellow than apple green. Here in the Valley, we are still having hot days, so summer is not quite ready to go, but it’s definitely time to start thinking about fall planting: the best time to plant natives. 

Planting during October and November is advantageous for several reasons. The dry heat of the summer has subsided, and by the time it comes around again next year, plants have had a chance to develop their root systems and are prepared for the stress. Also, new plants are in a prime stage of development to utilize any winter rains we get between now and February. And lastly, the nurseries are brimming with possibilities, offering the best selection and variety of the year. The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden fall plant sale lasts from September 28 to November 2, and features thousands of plants perfect for our area. Manzanita Nursery in Buellton is open on the weekends and offers a knowledgeable staff for help with the myriad of drought-tolerant choices.

There are many reasons to add more native plants in your landscape, but here are the top five according to the California Native Plant Society (www.cnps.org):

• Save Water

Take advantage of water conserving plants in your landscape. Once established, many California native plants need minimal irrigation beyond normal rainfall. Saving water conserves a vital, limited resource and saves money, too.

• Less Maintenance

In a garden environment, native plants do best with some attention and care, but require less water, fertilizer, pruning, pesticides, and less of your time to maintain than do many common garden plants.

• Reduce Pesticides

Native plants have developed their own defenses against many pests and diseases. Since most pesticides kill indiscriminately, beneficial insects become secondary targets in the fight against pests. Reducing or eliminating pesticide use lets natural pest control take over and keeps garden toxins out of our creeks and watersheds.

• Invite Wildlife

Native plants, hummingbirds, butterflies, and other beneficial insects are “made for each other.” Research shows that native wildlife clearly prefers native plants. California’s wealth of insect pollinators can improve fruit set in your garden, while a variety of native insects and birds will help keep your landscape free of mosquitoes and plant-eating bugs.

• Support Local Ecology

While creating native landscapes can never replace natural habitats lost to development, planting gardens, parks, and roadsides with California native plants can help provide an important bridge to nearby remaining wild areas. Recommend native plants to homeowner associations, neighbors, and civic departments.

In addition to these, the very best reason to plant natives is because they are spectacular! Whether it’s a tree, shrub, vine or ground cover, they are definitely some of the world’s most unique and attractive plants. Some folks complain that natives don’t give them the “all-year color” that they insist represents a well-designed and engaging landscape. I deliberately took this photograph of a native garden in late summer to demonstrate the variety of late summer color and beauty.

Located in front of the Historic Museum in Santa Ynez, this garden has interesting texture, form and color all year-round, and requires little water. In August, there were over twenty-five different salvias, sages, lavenders, penstemon, catnip, and rudbeckia still blooming nicely, with grey boulders and cream-colored gravel nicely adding to the overall naturalistic design. Through its collections, exhibits and educational programs, the Museum honors the Valley’s past for the enjoyment of generations to come, and their landscape honors this mission perfectly. 

Fall is a time of harvest and renewal; orange pumpkins and falling leaves prepare us for homemade pies and crackling fires, and the cycle of cleaning up mature plantings and adding fresh new ones eagerly begins again. Whether you begin with one plant or several, you’ll be glad you started early! 

Meet the Wild Buckwheats

“In the garden, few plants can equal Eriogonum for sheer habitat value.”

~Mike Evans

Buckwheats belong to one of the most robust native plant families and evoke images of original California landscapes with their tawny tans, dark pinks, and rusty hues and long blooming season. Often found growing in masses on rocky hillsides or along dusty country roads, more than 125 species call our state their home. Not related to the buckwheat grain cultivated and used for flour and pancakes (Fagopyrum esculentum), native buckwheat belongs to the large genus Eriogonum in the Polygonaceae family.  They range in colors from whites and creams to pinks, reds and chocolates, and from low-growing and compact to shrubby and waist high. And luckily for the home gardener, many varieties are available at native plant nurseries and can be easily incorporated into sunny, well-drained areas of a butterfly garden and drought-tolerant landscape.

Once you learn to identify the distinctive characteristics of buckwheats, you will be surprised by their wide distribution and diversity in our local costal sage scrub and oak woodlands. Next to hiking in the foothills, my favorite viewing spot is from the passenger seat of our car, driving on Hwy 101 between Santa Maria and Goleta, especially the graded hillsides just west of Refugio Beach. These steep rocky slopes on either side of the highway are generously covered with several different buckwheat varieties, clearly showing masses of flowers as they turn from creamy whites and pinks in the spring, to rusty reds and browns in the late summer, contrasting nicely with their understated grey-green foliage. More buckwheats can be seen growing in disturbed areas next to the asphalt and gravel, providing for interesting contrasts with the wild grasses and sages.

The amazing Channel Islands are home to numerous buckwheats, including the giant of its genus, Saint Catherine’s lace (E. giganteum) often seen covered in a mass of delicate snowy white flower heads. The flowers are often used in dried arrangements and keep their color for several years. Growing 4 to 8 feet tall and wide, they can be a focal point in a border or even a large container.

An exception to the rule about common buckwheat colors, saffron buckwheat has a striking sulfur-yellow blooms from April through August, with bright silver-grey foliage. Any buckwheat fan will want to include this petite variety, also called Conejo buckwheat, into their garden, and it looks best in a rock garden or in the front of a perennial border. In the wild, this plant is found only in the Conejo Valley of Ventura County, and is a California ‘endemic’, meaning that it only grows in that area. By propagating seeds collected from these rare natives, botanists help ensure that endemics do not become extinct through habitat loss, climate change, or disease.  Growers then make these plants available to the public, and the home gardener can contribute to the continued survival of a tiny but vital links to a healthy environment. Be sure to visit the upcoming Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s fall plant sale in October for a fantastic selection.

As with all native plants, they provide a valuable service as food, nectar, and refuge for wildlife. Even more importantly, they provide a vital life line for the local insects, birds, reptiles and mammals that have evolved to rely exclusively on a particular species or variety. For example, the tiny (less than one inch wing span) Western Square-dotted Blue (Euphilotes battoides) butterfly spends its entire life around the California buckwheat (E. fasciculatum). Males patrol all day near host plants to find receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on host plant flowers; caterpillars eat flowers and fruits, and are protected by ants. Chrysalids hibernate in sand or leaf litter, and emerge to spread their wings and look for more delicious buckwheats. 

If you find the natural world to be a source of inspiration and interest, you should consider becoming a UCCE California Naturalist (http://calnat.ucanr.edu).  The certification introduces students to the wonders of the California Central Coast region’s unique ecology and engages volunteers in the stewardship of our natural communities. The next Naturalist training program will held on Wednesdays from 4:00 – 7:30 pm, October 1 through December 10, with classes and field trips at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Sedgwick Reserve, and other locations through the county.

Summer Sunflowers

“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It’s what sunflowers do.”

~ Helen Keller

Whether you spot a few lone volunteers or the dramatic vista of an entire cultivated field, it’s easy to smile when greeted by sunflowers! There’s just something about that nubby brown face surrounded by sunny-yellow fringe that captures our attention and triggers our happy reflex…and perhaps, gently signals that summer is winding down and fall pumpkins are on the horizon. I marvel all the new varieties, from the giant yellow-orange seed-filled heads to the petite deep wine-red varieties that bloom all summer long. 

Members of the large Asteraceae Family, sunflowers are often referred to as Helianthus, with the most common variety being Helianthus annus, an annual grown by gardeners and farmers throughout the U.S. Often mass-produced commercially in California, especially around the Sacramento area, flower heads are processed for cooking oil, edible seeds, livestock feed and bird seed. And what Farmer’s Market would be complete without bundles of fresh-cut sunflowers for sale? A rustic pail full of yellow sunflowers certainly brings in an essence of the summer country garden. 

One of my garden favorites is the hybrid ‘Lemon Queen’ which can grown to 6-8 feet and produces many 2-inch-wide, semi-double, pale yellow flowers with dark brown centers. Not only are they great for cut flowers, they are the “mascot” for The Great Sunflower Project started by Professor Gretchen LaBahn at San Francisco State University. Perhaps one of the simplest projects for citizen scientists to participate in, it’s fun and educational for the whole family. It involves observing sunflowers (or other flowers) in your yard or neighborhood for 15 minutes, and gathering basic data about the pollinators (bees, butterflies, flies) that you notice. Then you input your data on the website (greatsunflower.org) and it joins with the additional data collected by thousands of citizens throughout the U.S. The researchers map this valuable information to  direct conservation efforts, especially for the sensitive bees. The data gathered in the past six years is now the single largest body of information about bee pollinator services in North America!

Sunflowers and children just seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly, and one of my favorite books by local author Sharon Lovejoy ( www.sharonlovejoy.com) is aptly named Sunflower Houses. Celebrating the lore of the garden and the joy of interacting with nature, it’s a unique garden lover's collection of memories, poems, activities, and planting projects, including how to plant a summer playhouse with sunflower walls! Drying the giant seed heads can engage kids with the anticipation of a delicious snack or provides a mini-feast for the local birds!

Although I enjoy having a few sunflowers in and around the vegetable and butterfly gardens, I plant water-wise native California sunflowers in the landscape. A hardy performer, Encelia californica is commonly known as Coast Sunflower, California Brittlebush or Bush Sunflower. A small shrub about 3-4 ft. high, it makes a good large-scale ground cover with 2 inch daisy flower. Native from Santa Maria to San Diego, and found locally here in the chaparral, coastal sage scrub and coastal strand plant communities, it doesn’t tolerate a hard frost. Like most natives, a little summer watering will prolong flowering, along with deadheading the exhausted blooms. They look best planted in mass, along with some blue ceanothus or sage to contrast with the yellow flowers and leafy bright green foliage. A variety called ‘El Dorado’ has larger flower heads with overlapping petals. Look for them at native plant nurseries like Manzanita Nursery in Solvang.

Another lovely drought-tolerent native is Canyon Sunflower (Venegasis carpesioides), often found growing in shaded glens and and along stream beds near the coast and hills in lower elevations. A prolific fire-follower, the Mission Canyon area of Santa Barbara was covered with thousands of these shrubby multi-flowered plants, after the Tea Fire eliminated so much of the underbrush. Canyon Sunflower is a rather large perennial with two inch yellow flowers with yellow centers, and look like dahlias on bushes. By pruning to just a few inches after blooming, new shoots will emerge in the next season, and it will also re-seed readily.

No matter what kinds of sunflowers you plant, they are sure to bring a smile and make your summer just a little sunnier.  Now grab you hat and gloves, and happy gardening!

Life’s a Peach

“Life is better than death, I believe, if only because it is less boring, 

and because it has fresh peaches in it.” author Alice Walker

Nothing seems quite the same when the sweet local peaches of summer have come and gone. Here on the central coast, we are lucky to have an extended peach season, and our farmers’ markets are brimming with possibilities for the long, lazy days of summer. Will it be homemade peach jam on buttered toast at breakfast, honey-glazed peaches on the grill for dinner, or warm peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream for dessert? So many delicious choices…peaches can be enjoyed everyday and surely bring back memories of life in a simpler time.  Whether you plant one tree or start a home orchard, there is a fascinating seasonal dynamic that fruit trees have with the soil, climate, insects and birds, and much can be learned about habitat gardening by tending them. Picking and eating a ripe peach right off the tree is one of life’s most delicious moments.

Local peach growers like Buttonwood Winery and Farms in Solvang have learned through experience how to produce tree-ripened organic fruit all summer long sold at both their farm stand on Alamo Pintado Road and the local Farmers’ Markets. As Orchard Manager Fred Munch notes, “With fruit orchards totaling 250 trees, Buttonwood has become known as the Georgia of southern California! Late June brings the Springcrests. The Flavorcrest follows the Springcrest and usually starts the first week in July, and then the third week in July come the Babcock (a white peach) and the Elberta. The fourth week in July brings the Gene Elberta, which lasts until the first week in August. Then in the first week in August we see the Fay Elberta, after which comes the O'Henry, which lasts until the end of August or sometimes up until Labor Day.” By planting a variety of peaches such as these, you can extend the harvest from your garden. Also, trees will increase production as they mature, so you have a couple years to prepare for larger crops. 

From Farm to Home Garden

For the home garden, choosing the right trees is the key to a good start. Begin by preparing the site and thinking about how to lengthen your harvest time, with dwarf (8’ - 10’ tall/wide) and semi-dwarf (10’ - 15’ tall/wide) varieties the more compact choices. Bare-root season starts in late winter, and YouTube has a variety of instructional planting videos. Even though summer harvesting is the ultimate chore, fruit trees need to be cared for all year long, with a priority on keeping the soil enriched with organic compost (homemade is the most convenient) and mulched for water retention. Pruning should be done every winter and there are plenty of resources to show you how to develop the strongest trees. It will take about three years of pruning to train many varieties to form a sturdy and healthy framework of branches to bear the weight of fruit they will carry. Trees need different levels of cold temperature during dormancy, so you will need to think about your specific micro-climate temperatures. The first bud bursts of dainty white and pink blossoms signal spring has arrived, and bees get busy with pollinating, and then comes thinning the new fruit.

We sometimes hear folks say they are reluctant to plant fruit trees because they can’t eat all they harvest, but there are several ways to tackle that challenge. First, we have three local volunteer gleaning organizations who will harvest your trees (and gardens) for you: Veggie Rescue ( http://www.syvfvr.org) in the Santa Ynez Valley, Backyard Bounty (http://www.foodbanksbc.org) serving the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, and Glean SLO. Thousands of pounds of produce has been distributed to those in need throughout the Santa Barbara community. Second, excess peaches can be canned or easily frozen for later use. Or, you can always let the birds, beetles and ants delightfully dine on the leftover fruit…a sort of natural outdoor cafe!

Additional stone fruits trees that do well on the central coast include plums, nectarines and apricots. Check out the UCCE Master Gardener website to learn more (http://homeorchard.ucanr.edu) Children love to participate in growing fruit and watching those seasonal changes going from bare branches to peach pie. So why not begin to plan now to add a peach tree to your yard this winter? Not only will you have your own fruit to enjoy, but plenty left over for the neighbors and maybe a few birds! Now grab your hat and gloves, and happy gardening. 

Do You Know Your Plant Community?

Living here on the Central Coast is truly an adventure in paradise: clear blue skies, beautiful grassy hills and oak-studded valleys, and an incredibly mild climate that is the envy of the rest of the country. 

Visitors often marvel at the variety of plants we can grow here… from citrus to cactus, roses to redwoods, and orchids to oaks. Although we may like to gloat about the vast variety of exotic flowers, tropical shrubs and swaying palm trees growing around town and available at many of our local nurseries, they may not be the best choice for home planting. 

In fact, learning about your particular micro-climate and the plants that have thrived there for centuries, can really help inform your choices. 

Your yard may not resemble Hawaii (where they experience an average annual rainfall between 85-200 inches), but it can still be a colorful and inviting landscape. No matter what your style is: container, cottage, naturalistic, formal, or a combination, there are sustainable strategies for all of them.

Our distinctive Mediterranean climate is only found in five areas of the world: southern and southwestern Australia, central Chile, the western cape of South Africa, around the Mediterranean Basin, and along the coast of California. 

Characterized by dry, warm summers and cool, moist winters, plants that grow in these environments have adapted to survive by conserving energy during the long hot months and then springing to life after winter rains. 

Some grow on rocky slopes, others prefer sandy bluffs or the gnarly chaparral. No matter where they grow, they support an extended family of insects, birds, reptiles and mammals, and provide the substantial (and vital) base of nature’s food chain.

Communities and Neighborhoods

Learning about the unique California plant community where you live will make your landscaping plans more successful, and time spent in the garden more enjoyable. 

In nature, groups of plants that have adapted to a similar environmental conditions are known as a “community.” On the central coast, the most prevalent communities are mixed chaparral, oak woodland, and coastal sage scrub. Characterized by tough small leaves and hard stems, many of these plants are adapted to fire and some even need fire to break open seed coats, or can regrow from burned stumps.

Majestic and ancient Valley oaks, with their elephant-skin bark and lichen-draped branches, remind us of the Native Americans who made this region their home for thousands of years and relied on acorns as the staple of their diets. 

They found uses for nearly everything that grew around them: clothes, shelter, tools, medicine and food. We always encourage gardeners to learn about the local “ethnobotany” of their area—it’s a fascinating window into our “roots” that can help inform our future choices.

Planning for the Future

Although many of our natural areas have been grazed by livestock, converted to agriculture, or paved for roads and cities, there are still examples out there to inspire any home gardener to blur the lines between their yard and the natural landscape. 

Nurseries and growers are working to create a diverse palette of plants adapted for our area. For example, grasses are no longer just for lawns. Beautiful native wild ryes, fescues and deer grass are becoming popular in the thoughtfully designed low-water landscape and capture the late afternoon sun and breezes with their movement, texture and colors. 

Add in some local sandstone boulders and fragrant sage plants, and you are on your way!

With the reality of climate change and low rainfall, now is the perfect time to re-think the “traditional” garden design and plant choices. 

Changes don’t have to be radical: maybe choose a “wild rose” (Rosa californica) instead of a tea rose, or plant a Santa Cruz Island ironwood tree with their showy ivory and rust colored flower heads and shredding grey and red bark. (Did you know that they are official tree of Santa Barbara County? )

 A selection of native and low-water plants are now available at local nurseries such as Windmill Nursery in Buellton, with fall being the optimal planting season. The Garden Growers Nursery at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Manzanita Nursery in Buellton, and Las Pilitas Nursery in Santa Margarita sell primarily natives and are open to the public. Additionally, several excellent wholesale nurseries such as Native Sons in Arroyo Grande, provide a wide variety of natives to the retail trade, and plants can also be special ordered.

We all have a need to connect and grow with nature: from an herb garden on a balcony to planting an oak tree for future generations to enjoy. Whether you want to create a place for kids and dogs to play and explore, for entertaining friends, to enjoy a quiet respite, or attract more birds and butterflies, understanding and using the clues from your local plant communities are the key to success. Now grab your hat and gloves, and happy gardening! 

Summertime favorite: Wild Rose (Rosa californica) growing near the Santa Ynez Botanic Garden in Buellton

Gotta Love Hummingbird Sage!!

Have you ever forgotten to refill the hummingbird feeder and then realized you were completely out of food? All the while you watch the hummers darting around the yard seeking that elusive red syrup in their frantic panic dance? What a relief to know that those precious zippy little birds can be attracted to your yard with ease simply by planting a few of their favorite nectar plants!

Hummingbird sage (Salvia spathacea) is a local favorite for our little feathered friends, growing naturally throughout the central coast in the oak woodlands and chaparral, and usually found in the dry shade of oak trees or tucked into shady glens. As the name implies, the hummingbirds love the striking red flower stalks with individual tiered whorls of tubular blooms…one of the hallmarks of the salvia and sage families. The blooms are covered with a sticky resin that helps makes it one of the most fragrant sages around, and children love to inspect them up close to see those tiny resin beads, feel their velvety softness, and inhale that rich aroma.

Hummingbird sage makes a striking ground cover and tends to spread for a nice addition to a meadow garden, and needs just a little summer water to keep it looking good. Cut spent flower stalks back and these semievergreen herbaceous perennials will come back next season. It does better with partial shade and can tolerate oak liter under the trees. 

Here on the central coast, we enjoy the year-round resident Anna’s hummingbird with that brilliant rose-red head and throat on the males, but we also can be visited by Allen’s hummers during their fall migrations to Mexico. The amazing Rufous breeds all the way up in the Pacific northwest and elusive Calliope hummingbird is the smallest bird in North American at only 31/2 inches! It’s challenging to identify which hummers are visiting your yard, but a good pair of field binoculars can really help.

Bring on the Red

If you have observed hummers in your yard, you have no doubt noticed how they are perfectly designed for tubular flowers: those long, thin needle-like beaks help them sip up some drops of nectar at the bloom’s base, and they may even get a dusting of pollen on their heads in the process. Zipping from flower to flower, they then deposit the pollen as they feed and provide valuable pollination services for the plants. Although they visit a variety of plants, those with red and orange flowers seem to catch their attention most often, perhaps because bees do not recognize red flowers easily. They also grab tiny insects and spiders as they feed, so be careful not to use insecticides on nectar plants. 

In addition to sages, there are plenty of other choices for the home gardener interested in attracting hummingbirds. A year-round source of blossoms on ground covers, annuals, shrubs and trees all contribute to the hummer’s diet. And as an added bonus: these same flowers also attract butterflies and beneficial insects to your garden. Complete your hummingbird habitat haven with a consistent water source and you are all set to toss those empty hanging feeders. By planting a variety of Salvia and Penstemon species, you will provide natural hummingbird food as well as have beautiful, water-wise plants in your garden to enjoy all summer.

Here are some additional perennial hummer favorites:

Heuchera, coral bells

Mimulus cardinalis, scarlet monkey flower

Zauschneria (Epilobium), California fuchsia

Ribes, current, gooseberry

So next time you find yourself out of feeder food, plant some Hummingbird sage and companion plants instead and watch hummingbirds flock to your yard. All the plants mentioned can be purchased at local and native plant nurseries. And next time you go for a hike or drive, keep your eye out for patches of wild sage in the foothills for a real treat!

Welcome to my Blog!

Summer here on the central coast of California (Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County, and Monterey County) brings a sense of awe to anyone who passes through, and  inspiration to those of us lucky enough to call this place home. Although the green grasses of spring have given way to tawny browns and yellows, they provide the perfect contrast to showcase stands of grand oaks and graceful sycamores, shady glens with ferns and sage, and drying creek beds filled with tule and cattails. If you are a reluctant home gardener, now is the time to get outside and be inspired…because if a plant can grow and thrive in our summer heat, it just might be perfect for your low-water home landscape. 

Most local residents will recall that the wild natural beauty of our area is what originally drew them to make this slice of paradise their home. Centuries ago, magnificent oak woodlands and grassy savannas grew alongside tough chaparral and lush riparian creek corridors teeming with wildlife large and small: black bear, mountain lion, deer and bobcats flourished with the abundant food sources and fresh water streams and rivers. Both the plants and animals evolved over thousands of years to develop their special relationships: they are all uniquely adapted to survive and thrive with our Mediterranean climate, unique soils, limited rainfall, steep slopes and shallow valleys. 

Take a Hike, Cruise, Drive or Walk!We are luckier than most in California, since we can still experience these original landscapes right in our own backyard: take a hike on a mountain trail, cruise on a lake, or visit a state or federal park to get a glimpse of these natural vistas and their unique animal habitats. There are still Bald Eagles nesting here and black bears foraging for wild grapes in the hills, serving as a reminder that we all need to be responsible stewards of this land for them, as well as for our own children and grandchildren. Why not start at home? Is just takes some inspiration and motivation and you’ll be on your way!

Visit the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and retail nursery,  the Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden, and the Leaning Pine Arboretum at Cal Poly, or check out the Lompoc Valley Botanic and Horticultural Society and you’ll find gorgeous displays of drought tolerant plants and useful growing information. Just a few hardy Matilija poppies (in photo above taken at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden) will spread into a spectacular showy mass in a couple of  years. Always learn how small or large a mature plant will become, what amount of sunlight or shade it needs, and how much water it needs to get established. Planting in the fall often produces more successful results than before the long hot summers, so now is the time to start planning and designing your new native gardens. Whether you grow flowers, veggies, or fruit, there are plenty of lessons we can learn from native plants and no better time to start than now! 

Don’t give up on having a beautiful landscape!

Everyone is well aware of our on-going drought by now, and many of us will be re-evaluating our traditional gardening practices. But that doesn’t mean filling your yard with crushed rock! We really don’t need to look much further than our wild and natural areas for direction: we can learn how to make our yards and gardens more closely resemble nature. In this column, we will explore how many of our local home gardeners, organic farmers, and landscape designers are tackling this challenge. There are lovely examples of water-wise and naturalistic landscape designs throughout our area, and nurseries and growers are introducing more natives into the retail trade for homeowners to try.  Feel free to share your favorite gardens, growing strategies, and sources of inspiration with us, and we just might feature them in future columns. Now grab your hat and gloves, and happy gardening!