lawn alternatives 2013

© Project SOUND

Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden

Gardening with Calif. Native Plants in Western L.A. County Project SOUND – 2013 (our 9th year)

© Project SOUND

Life-friendly ‘Lawns’: native groundcover ideas that

provide bird & insect habitat

C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake

CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve

Madrona Marsh Preserve

January 5 & 8, 2013

© Project SOUND

Maybe you’re considering re-

doing your lawn in 2013

© Project SOUND

A traditional sod lawn may be the best

solution... Tough – stands up to

kids, dogs, play and even worse

Evergreen – and a nice medium green color

Smooth – good playing surface

Gardener’s can manage them

Filters rainwater contaminants

http://molkkyusa.com/

May not be the best use of

water, gasoline, time and space

© Project SOUND

Ideally you should make gardening choices based on

conscious weighing of pros & cons…

…rather than simply going

with the ‘usual’ solution

1. Make a garden plan – even though it

may change over time

2. Choose plants (and hardscape) based

on their suitability for your needs and

garden conditions

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

What do you like about your current lawn?

A place for kids to play Green most of the year Cool in summer Mowing – it gets us outside

and working/exercising Looks good with the design

of the house Easy to maintain Reduces erosion; allows

water to infiltrate Takes up CO2 Whatever it is you like about

your lawn

© Project SOUND

What things don’t you like about your

current ‘lawn area’? Too water-thirsty Needs too much fertilizer &

pesticides Time spent mowing could be

spent more enjoyably Cost of gardener to maintain Not used any more – kids grown Poor habitat value Boring Full of weeds Lawn doesn’t grow very well –

too shady or too hot Doesn’t reflect the natural

heritage of western L.A. co.

What can I do to avoid these pitfalls in

my ‘new lawn’?

© Project SOUND

You may conclude that you do need some lawn, but

can reduce its size - or change the type of grass…

… giving you more space to use

as you desire (like providing

better habitat for birds & insects)

3. The ‘Life-friendly Gardening’ Principle:

Choose plants based their

habitat value

4. Also choose plants for their usefulness

to your family (food; cut flowers;

medicinal; dyes; etc.)

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Garden of Dreams: Elderberry area

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December, 2008

Garden theme: Edible Native Plants

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Blue Elderberry

Constraints/conditions:

shade/sun mix (particularly when large plants mature)

clay soil

must take some foot traffic (mostly light)

Native Currants (Ribes)

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Grass? Or something else

http://www.penick.net/digging/index.php?s=wildflower+center

Needs to have both teaching and

habitat value

Native to within a 20

mile radius of

CSUDH, if possible

What habitat resources might a ‘lawn

alternative’ provide?

Food Nectar

Pollen

Seeds

Fruit

Greens/larval food

Insects

Nesting materials

Shelter

© Project SOUND


When considering habitat, think about what creatures you want to

provide for: Birds? Insects? Reptiles? Spiders? Rabbits? Humans?

Look to Mother Nature and Native

Californians for helpful gardening advice

© Project SOUND

Let’s compare two ‘lawns’

Mowed Lawn - typical Mother Nature’s ‘Lawn’

© Project SOUND

http://austindhill.com/how-a-drought-encourages-devotional-life/ http://camissonia.blogspot.com/2010/04/treks-on-santa-rosa-plateau-vernal-pool.html

To many non-gardeners, the two look pretty much alike



© Project SOUND

Single, non-native grass species

Mowed (removing seeds, cover, nesting materials, etc)

Multiple native species: Grasses - at least 3 species

+/- sedges (Carex)

Annual wildflowers

+/- bulbs, ferns, other perennials

Relatively un-mowed: full benefits of foliage, flowers, seeds, dried materials

Simple Complex



© Project SOUND

Food Nectar

Pollen

Seeds

Fruit

Greens/larval food

Insects

Nesting materials

Shelter

Food Nectar

Pollen

Seeds

Fruit

Greens/larval food

Insects

Nesting materials

Shelter

X

X

X

X

X X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Several ways to add complexity to a ‘lawn’

Decrease the lawn area – plant other (habitat) plants around it

Replace the lawn with native sedge/grass lawn (partly un-mowed)

Create a more complex mixture of native grasses + other plants

Replace the lawn entirely with other native groundcovers

© Project SOUND


Two great recent resources

© Project SOUND

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/home_blog/2009/10/emily-green-dry-garden-low-water-

gardening-drought-xeriscape.html


© Project SOUND

Need something

green & grassy


© Project SOUND

Sedges (Carex species) can be a good evergreen alternative to grass

Relatively easy to establish & maintain

Evergreen – look ‘grass-like’ to most people (including your neighbors)

Can take a little more water – good for wet areas near neighbor’s lawn

Some can be mowed (for a more formal look) or left unmowed (for a more informal look)

http://blueplanetgardening.com/art-lawnsubs.html

In general, grasses are better habitat plants for local

insects and birds than are sedges

© Project SOUND

http://www.satoridesigns.net/?p=19

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eastbaywilds/2673289141/

Carex species combine well

with native grasses,

groundcovers and shrubs to

give an interesting, varied

appearance - and better

habitat value!

© Project SOUND

Creeping Wild Rye - Leymus triticoides

http://www.elnativogrowers.com/Photographs_page/leytri.htm

© Project SOUND

Creeping Wildrye is quite versatile

Any soil texture, but should be well-drained

Tolerates alkali soils & salty soils

Low/no fertilizer needed

Full sun to light shade

Water: it takes what it gets – will stay green with some summer water

© Project SOUND

Mowing your Creeping Wild Rye (or

other native grass)

Mowing is tolerated well

Mowing changes how it looks - will look just like a turf grass (Bermuda Grass)

Mow every 3-4 weeks during growth season only – or just once to keep it lower

Set mower high – as high as it will go is best

http://www.albrightseed.com/wildryeswalefilter.htm

Hint: this grass spreads by

runners – may want to grow in

contained area or limit water

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/09/review-push-reel-mower-lawnmower-sunlawn-lmm-40.php

© Project SOUND

Seaside Bentgrass/Thin Grass – Agrostis pallens

© Project SOUND

Dune (Seaside) Bentgrass – Agrostis pallens

Cool-season perennial bunchgrass that also spreads via runners & reseeding

Summer dormant in nature – turns an attractive golden brown

Native to dunes – does great in sandy and clay soils

Full sun to part-shade

Water: Zone 1-2 to 2-3 (for some summer green)

Use as an ornamental grass, meadow grass or (small) mowed lawn

Local cool season

grasses turn to gold

during summer/fall

© Project SOUND

July September

© Project SOUND

Weighing the pros & cons of locally native

‘lawn grasses’ Pros

Locally native

Tough; easy to grow

Can be very drought tolerant – deeply rooted

Can be mowed occasionally – or left un-mowed

Often very good habitat

Cons Some (like Saltgrass) are

coarse looking

Really best – and most water-wise – with some summer/fall drought

Wildflower Farms ‘Eco-Lawn’

© Project SOUND

http://www.anniesannuals.com/

plt_lst/lists/general/lst.gen.asp

?prodid=3421

Contains mixture of 7 fine-textured Fescues – mostly not CA native

Water-wise – extimated water bill savings ~ $200 for 1000 sq ft lawn in Torrance

Reasonable price: ~ $40 + shipping for seed to cover 1000 sq ft

Seed available from Wildflower Farms or Annie’s Annual’s

http://www.wildflowerfarm.com/index.

php?p=catalog&parent=4&pg=1

Native Mow

Free Mix

Product Information:

Low maintenance

Can be maintained as a turf lawn or left unmowed.

Contains: Western Mokelumne fescue- Festuca

occidentalis

Idaho fescue- Festuca idahoensis Molate fescue- Festuca rubra

Notes: Excellent shade and cold tolerance

Deep green glossy leaves

Slow growing, narrow leafed grass with blades that are very lax and flexuous

Provides soil stabilization for sloped area

© Project SOUND

http://www.ssseeds.com/product/Native-Mow-Free-Mix.aspx

5. Knowledge is power: consider where a

‘native grass’ grows for clues to it’s

suitability in your yard

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

But they ARE from northern CA – so need some summer water to look good

http://turfgrassmanagement.psu.edu/species.cfm

http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?cod

e=G880 http://www.soquelcreekwater.com/images/Pho-Grass_festuca_rubra.jpg

Native Fescues can

make nice lawn

grasses

http://www.ibot.cas.cz/krkonose/mm/mm.htm

© Project SOUND

Red Fescue – Festuca rubra

Virginia Moore © California Academy of Sciences

© Project SOUND

Red Fescue – Festuca rubra

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Festuca+rubra

Wide distribution – some sub-species even in Europe

In California: North coast

Foothills of northern mountains, Sierras usually <8000 ft

Sub-alpine forests (including those near the coast)

http://dnr.alaska.gov/ag/PMCwebsite/pmcweb/chapter5/5-chamomile-fescue-

fireweed-fleabane.htm

© Project SOUND

Red Fescue: both clumping and running

Size: 1-2 ft tall (to 3 ft flowering stalks)

2+ ft wide

Growth form: variable Cool-season perennial grass; evergreen

with summer water

Some forms spread readily – usually noted as ‘creeping’

Other variants clumping/mounding if un-mowed; spreading modestly via rhizomes if mowed

Foliage: Fine-textured leaves

Medium green to more blue-green

Larval food for Skipper buterflies

Roots: deep roots + rhizomes

http://www.graniteseed.com/seeds/seed.php/Festuca_rubra

© Project SOUND

Flowers are typical for

fescue grasses

Blooms: In spring – usually Apr-June in

S. Bay

Flowers: On taller flowering stems

Wind-pollinated – flowers wave in the breeze

Seeds: Provide food for seed-eating

birds and other small creatures

Vegetative reproduction: via rhizomes

http://www.answers.com/topic/dudleya

http://www.graniteseed.com/seeds/seed.php/Festuca_rubra

© Project SOUND

Habitat considerations:

Native Fescues

Foliage Larger herbivores: deer, rabbits

Skipper butterflies

Nesting material for birds

Seeds Eaten by many seed-eating

creatures including birds, insects, etc.

Roots Good for the below-ground

ecosystem

http://www.callutheran.edu/wf/chap/flowers/fwr-1381.htm

http://www.callutheran.edu/wf/chap/flowers/picts/bjc-1381.jpg

© Project SOUND

Easily grown Soils:

Texture: just about any – clays are good

pH: any local

Light:

Best in part-sun in our area; good choice for under trees

Fine for shade

Water: Winter: needs good winter

rains/irrigation

Summer: moderate to regular to keep it looking nice – less than conventional sod lawn

Fertilizer: little/none needed; fine with occasional light dose

Other: tolerates garden conditions – easy-to-grow

http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Festuca-rubra-'Point-Molate'/

© Project SOUND

Garden uses for Red

Fescue

Erosion control on hillsides/slopes

As a mowed or un-mowed lawn – creeping forms fill an area

For its habitat value – especially if managed for habitat

http://www.wnps.org/landscaping/herbarium/pages/festuca-rubra.html

http://daamaaextweb.gnb.ca/010-002/Details.aspx?Culture=fr-CA&Id=194&Pid=1884 http://www.anniesannuals.com/plt_lst/lists/general/lst.gen.asp?prodid=422

‘Molate’ Red Fescue

© Project SOUND

http://photobotanic.photoshelter.com/image/I0000Gq_hp6FuY7k

http://www.anniesannuals.com/plt_lst/lists/general/lst.gen.asp?prodid=3439

http://www.bringingbackthenatives.net/betty-nelson

CA native cultivar from N. CA

A creeper/clumper

Mow or not – makes a ‘bumpy lawn’ if not

Needs occasional to regular summer water in our area

Good for part-shade/under trees

‘Patrick’s Point’

Bluer color – like ‘Canyon Prince’ Wild Rye

Narrower leaves – more delicate looking – and smaller than species

Needs part-shade to dappled shade

Not for hot gardens

© Project SOUND

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/yG_BWGyr5gCqdv6QZGPdwg

http://grownatives.cnps.org/2010/08/16/seasonal-color-august-california-fuchsia/

http://caplants.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/cat-leymus.jpg

Life-friendly grass

management

Choose CA native species (or natural cultivars)

Leave some/all un-mowed for seed (at least until seed has set) – some of the best habitat value of grasses lies in their seeds

Don’t tidy up all the dead leaves every year – save some for bird nest-building & insects/micro-organisms

Consider combining grasses with compatible species of annuals, perennials & bulbs

© Project SOUND

http://www.pacifichorticulture.org/articles/a-wind-blown-garden-on-a-sea-ranch-bluff/

http://cdn4.pacifichorticulture.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Beatty.01.jpg

http://cdn4.pacifichorticulture.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Beatty.05.jpg

© Project SOUND

Carex pansa with Nassella tenuissima (Mexican Feather Grass) and Muhlenbergia rigens (Deer

Grass)

#holt_829_520

© Saxon Holt

Red Fescue managed for

habitat

http://www.saxonholt.com/webgalleries/Harris_StockPhotos/link3.html

© Project SOUND

Some bunchgrasses combine the traits of

bunching and sod-forming grasses

Some Fescues [Example: Festuca rubra – Red Fescue]

Bentgrasses (Agrostis)

Wild Ryes (Elymus; Lymus)

Gramma grasses (Bouteloua)

Native Bluegrass (Poa)

http://geoimages.berkeley.edu/geoImages/BainCalif/CAL400/BUNGRASS.HTML

These grasses are often used both

as ornamental grasses (specimen

plants) as well as for natural ‘lawns’

(mowed or un-mowed)

© Project SOUND

Idaho Fescue/Blue Bunchgrass – Festuca idahoensis

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

© Project SOUND

Idaho Fescue: useful in shady areas – or with

regular water Soils:

Texture: any well-drained soil, but prefer sandy; not salt-tolerant

pH: any local

Light: extremely adaptable

Best in part-shade in most gardens; fine under trees, shrubs, north-facing

Full sun in cool gardens only

Water: extremely adaptable

Young plants: keep well-watered (Zone 2-3 tapering to 2) until established (1 year)

Summer: Zone 1-2 (will turn golden) to Zone 2-3 (fairly regular)

Fertilizer: very tolerant

http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php?Genus=Festu

ca&Species=idahoensis

http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/imagelarge.php?ImageNumber=15257&TaxonID=9928&SourcePage=taxon&

© Project SOUND

Idaho Fescue cultivars:

naturally occurring variants

Blue-gray foliage:

‘Siskiyou Blue’ medium size Lighter-colored seed

heads

‘Warren Peak’ Slightly larger Silver-pink flower stalks

Blue-green foliage: ‘Tomales Bay’

Very small, dainty Flower stalks quite

upright

‘Siskiyou Blue’

‘Tomales Bay’

http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/online_album/1311.htm

‘Warren Peak’

http://www.bluestem.ca/images/festuca-idahoensis.jpg

6. It’s often easier to work with the

physical conditions in a garden (soil

characteristics, light, etc.) than to try to

change them dramatically

© Project SOUND


Backbone plant(s) – sunny & shady Thin Grass – Agrostis pallens

Yarrow (Achillea millefolia)

Filler plants: Sunny

Purple Three-awn (Aristida purpurea - self-seeded; may be removed)

Other annuals that have self-seeded

Shady Dune Strawberry (Fragaria

chiloensis)

Southern Honeysuckle (Lonicera subspicata)

Annuals: (edibles)

Miner’s Lettuce

Red maids

© Project SOUND

When designing a mixed groundcover

First choose a backbone species

Should have good spreading/ covering characteristics

Should fulfill other requirements: light, water, drainage, height, etc.

Should be relatively hardy

May be evergreen – or not

Should ‘play well with others’

Should have some ‘value added’ characteristics: Good habitat

Edible/medicinal/dye

Unusual flower or foliage

© Project SOUND

Then choose filler plants that complement

the backbone species

Should be:

Compatible with garden conditions & requirements

Compatible with backbone species

Add something extra to the mix: Foliage shape/color

Flower color

Fragrance

Habitat value

Human value: edible/medicinal/dye

© Project SOUND

Southern Honeysuckle

Dune Strawberry

How we ‘created our mix’ – with a lot of

help from Mother Nature

Grew plugs of Agrostis pallens & Yarrow from seed

Planted central area in backbone grass; edges with yarrow

Planted filler strawberries, honeysuckle and annual edibles around the edges

Let them all grow together

Were patient – Mother Nature takes her time!

© Project SOUND

Management considerations

Never mowed or cut, but could cut all or just the central part

Yarrow flowers cut after seeds utilized (collected; eaten by birds)

Never spray with pesticides/ herbicides – just hand weed

Gophers & an occasional ‘phantom dump’ of sand/gravel provide disturbances – not all bad

Water Zone 2 – once a month from June to Sept

Looks pretty year-round – appropriate for natural-looking garden

Attracts plenty of birds, insects

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

January April

July/August October

Mowed Lawn - typical Elderberry Area ‘Lawn’

© Project SOUND

Food Nectar

Pollen

Seeds

Fruit

Greens/larval food

Insects

Nesting materials

Shelter

Food Nectar (Yarrow,

strawberry are primary)

Pollen (all but grass)

Seeds (all components)

Fruit (strawberry)

Greens/larval food

Insects

Nesting materials

Shelter

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

How does the ‘Elderberry Area’ lawn stack up in terms

of habitat for birds and insects?

© Project SOUND

The ‘lawn’ contributes to the

richness of the ‘Garden of

Dreams’

A shady slope in need of a ground cover

© Project SOUND

Conditions/constraints:

11% slope; need something to hold soil

no-walk zone; discourage walking on

shade (relatively quickly as Mulefat grow)

relatively water-wise (no sprinklers)

Decided to feature herbaceous

groundcovers from the Mint family

© Project SOUND

Backbone plant(s) Woodmint (Stachys bullata)

Hummingbird Sage (Salvia spathacea)

Filler plants Mugwort (Artemisia douglasii)

Wild Mint (Mentha arvensis)

Melic Grass (Melica imperfecta)

Columbine (Aquilegia)

CA Fuschia (Epilobium canum) - sunny edge)

Other (in hedgerow) CA wild Rose (Rosa californica)

CA Bricklebush (Brickellia californica)

Fragrant Pitchersage (Lepechinia fragrans)

Why mints? Should have good

spreading/covering characteristics

Should fulfill other requirements: light, water, drainage, height, etc.

Should be relatively hardy

May be evergreen – or not

Should ‘play well with others’

Should have some ‘value added’ characteristics: Good habitat



© Project SOUND

X

X

X

X

X

X

California Woodmint (Hedgenettle) - Stachys bullata

Characteristics of CA Hedgenettle

Drought deciduous perennial herb; but does like water

Size: 1-3 ft high, 3-4 ft wide (spreading)

Foliage: Dark green, softly hairy,

“wrinkled” Scented: light lemon-mint

Flowers:

pink to lavender-red, with white markings on the lower lips

Blooms Mar-May/June Attracts bees, hummingbirds

Succeeding with Stachys bullata

Does best in part-shade

Plant in well-drained soils

While drought tolerant, does better with moderate water, and tolerates seasonal flooding

Useful in north- and east-facing banks, rockwalls

Use it in woodland gardens or perennial gardens

Remember that it suckers freely – will spread moderately especially if watered – makes a good groundcover

http://biology.fullerton.edu/biol317/im/s03/ft2/ft20-47.html

http://biology.fullerton.edu/biol317/ftm/ft_big_creek_6_03.html

Hummingbird Sage – Salvia spathacea

Hummingbird Sage – great for attracting

birds & butterflies

Hummingbirds collect nectar from the flowers – hummingbirds actually pollinate the flowers

Seed-eating birds eat the seeds

Butterflies are also attracted by the nectar

http://www.laspilitas.com/garden/sages.htm

http://www.laspilitas.com/plants/617.htm

Many attractive features

Fragrant, sweet-smelling foliage

Leaves make a tasty tea – that may help as a decongestant

Brilliant magenta-pink flowers

Flowers make a good cut flower

Bright green foliage

Shade tolerant – can be used under trees

Very drought tolerant

http://www.pgmuseum.org/WildflowerTour/CrimsonSage.htm

Hummingbird Sage: a

versatile ground cover

Likes any well-drained soil Prefers soils with decayed

organic matter

Tolerates clay soils

Can tolerate full sun near coast – but best in partial shade

Water sparingly in summer – monthly – let dry in between

Can tolerate full salt spray – so fine for coastal gardens

© 2003 Michael Charters

Herbaceous groundcovers from the Mint

family and compatible filler plants

© Project SOUND

Backbone plant(s) Woodmint (Stachys bullata)

Hummingbird Sage (Salvia spathacea)

Filler plants Mugwort (Artemisia douglasii)

Wild Mint (Mentha arvensis)

Melic Grass (Melica imperfecta)

Columbine (Aquilegia)

CA Fuschia (Epilobium canum) - sunny edge)

Other (in hedgerow) CA wild Rose (Rosa californica)

CA Bricklebush (Brickellia californica)

Fragrant Pitchersage (Lepechinia fragrans)

Mowed Lawn - typical Elderberry Area ‘Lawn’

© Project SOUND

Food Nectar

Pollen

Seeds

Fruit

Greens/larval food

Insects

Nesting materials

Shelter

Food Nectar (most components)

Pollen (all but grass)

Seeds (all components)

Fruit

Greens/larval food

Insects

Nesting materials

Shelter

X

X

X

X

X

X X

X

X

X

X

How does the Shady Slope ‘Lawn’ stack up?

Maintenance/other

© Project SOUND

Pretty low-maintenance

Clip off dead flowers after seeds are utilized

Cut back dramatically in fall/early winter

Water monthly from May/June to Aug/Sept; at this point used both soaker hose & simple sprinkler on hose

Be patient – takes longer for herbaceous perennials to fill in

Now let’s visit another local garden

© Project SOUND

Notice how the hardscape not only provides access, but

is an important design element

Several ‘lawn alternative’ areas in Mother

Nature’s Backyard

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

* Creeping Sage – Salvia sonomensis


© Project SOUND

Creeping Sage

creeps & drapes

Wonderful groundcover on a shadier slope

Groundcover under trees and shrubs

Cascading over a low wall

http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/viewplant.php?pid=33

http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/viewplant.php?pid=33

http://back40feet.blogspot.com/2008/03/regional-parks-botanic-garden.html

© Project SOUND

Compact growth form

Probably a natural hybrid with Salvia mellifera

Requires well-drained soil – judicious summer water

Tends to be short-lived

Available at Theodore Payne Foundation.

Cultivar ‘Dara’s Choice’

http://ohric.ucdavis.edu/photos/ornament8.htm

http://www.ventura.watersavingplants.com/eplant.php?plantnum=242

95&return=b_aS

MNBY Entry area:

Evergreen groundcover

Backbone plant ‘Yankee Point‘ Ceanothus

good spreading/covering characteristics

fulfill other requirements: light, water, drainage, height, etc.

relatively hardy ?? Compacted soil

evergreen

‘value added’ characteristics:

Good habitat



Filler plants Bulbs (Allium; Camassia quamash)

Filler annual wildflowers (Lupines)

© Project SOUND

What the evergreen entry groundcover lacks

© Project SOUND

Food Nectar

Pollen

Seeds

Fruit

Greens/larval food

Insects

Nesting materials

Shelter

Simple ground covers that lack some habitat elements are

fine, as long as these are provided somewhere else in the

garden

X

X

Conditions/constraints Relatively hot – surrounded by brick pathway

Need to cover the fountain base

First thing you see when you enter the garden

Want to demonstrate importance of habitat plants © Project SOUND

MNBY: Fountain planter

MNBY: Fountain planter

Backbone plants

Pacific Aster (Symphyotrichum /Aster chilense)

California Goldenrod (Solidago californica)

Filler plants

Idaho Fescue just to give some off-season color/ greenery – and demonstrate several choices for around a fountain

© Project SOUND

Watered by ‘soaker drip’ system

with additional slight splash from

bubbler fountain

© Project SOUND

Pacific Aster: a plant

of many habitats

Grasslands

Salt marshes

Coastal dunes and bluffs

Coastal grasslands and scrub,

Even open disturbed habitats in evergreen and Pacific coast coniferous forest

© 2004, Ben Legler

Not surprisingly, there are phenotypic variants

© Project SOUND

Soils: Texture: any – sand to clay

pH: any local

Light: Full sun to light shade;

Probably best color in light shade

Water: Winter: adequate

Summer: wide range (Zone 1-2 to 3); probably best as Zone 2 – too aggressive with more water.

Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils

Other: can be heavily pruned, even mowed, occasionally. Cut back in fall after flowering.

© 2004, Ben Legler

Pacific Aster can do

well with little care

© Project SOUND

Pacific Aster: not for

everywhere…

Best contained, as it is an aggressive competitor: Pots & planters

Areas bounded by walks, or other boundries

Parking strips – if managed

Usually used in combination with native grasses, bulbs, sub-shrubs (Epilobium canum; Goldenrods) in native meadows; can be mowed back in fall

Appropriate for Cottage Gardens

Good for stabilizing slopes

© 2005 Andrea Jesse

Excellent choice for butterfly gardens

© Project SOUND

California Goldenrod – Solidago californica

http://plants.montara.com/ListPages/FamPages/Astera7.html#solcan

© Project SOUND

CA Goldenrod: an adaptable perennial

Size:

1-3 ft tall (flowering stalk may be taller)

2+ ft wide; spreading

Growth form: Bunching perennial

Fast growing; more so with regular summer water

Dies back (to the ground) in fall/winter

Foliage: Leaves dark green to gray-green;

typical of Sunflower family

Roots: Spreads via rhizomes

http://plants.montara.com/ListPages/FamPages/Astera3.html#cirocc

© Project SOUND

Great nectar plant – true

butterfly magnet

Important nectar source in summer/fall in the wild.

Provides nectar for wide range of butterflies & hummingbirds:

Monarch (Danaus plexippus) West Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella) Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus) Mylitta Crescent (Phyciodes mylitta) Acmon Blue (Plebejus acmon) Skippers Others

Seed-eaters eat the seeds

http://www.wildscaping.com/plants/plantprofiles/Solidago_californica.htm

http://www.santabarbarahikes.com/flowers/index.php?action=show_

item&id=27&search=

The insects (and spiders) appear to

approve of our life-friendly choices

© Project SOUND

How many Skippers can you see in

this photo?

Our last area also has some interesting aspects

© Project SOUND

shade developing over time – as the Blue Elderberry becomes a tree

parts are near the rain garden – some seasonal flooding possible

parts need to tolerate foot traffic – other parts not

compacted clay-loam soil

Choice of backbone plants is crucial

Ideally, one species to tie the entire area together visually

Must look fairly nice – at the garden entry

Needs to look appropriate with the ‘Yankee Point’ Ceanothus

Must tolerate several light/water regimens

© Project SOUND

Grass or something else? In your garden, the choice is yours.

Western Yarrow – Achilla millefolia


© Project SOUND

http://www.magney.org/photofiles/CluffVistaParkOther1.htm

http://www.ojaigarden.com/2010/04/

http://www.angieslist.com/articles/different-sea-green-california-lawn-alternatives.htm

Why Yarrow makes a good lawn substitute

Spreads quickly, giving good cover

Super for banks and other areas that can’t easily be mowed

Spreading habit inhibits weeds

Can be mowed – occasionally and on high setting w/ rotary mower

Companion plant – attracts beneficial insects, repels others

Does well on poor, dry, sandy soils - or heavy clays - where other plants grow poorly

http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/yarrow.JPG

Western Yarrow may be just the thing

for your yard!

Slopes, hillsides

Mixtures

Good garden plant for fresh or dry floral arrangements

Foliage is pleasantly fragrant when crushed

Can be mowed to form a highly competitive ground cover to control soil erosion.

Flowers!!!

Good butterfly plant


Managing a Yarrow ‘lawn’: several options

Cutting plants back by one-half to two-thirds before they flower can produce stockier, shorter plants that don't flop as much.

Plants can also be sheared back after flowering to rejuvenate the foliage

Mow with a rotary mower to a height of 4-6 inches after established

Yarrow has importance in many cultures

Medicinal

Young leaves can be used in salads – have a peppery flavor

Mystical uses: It was once associated with evil, as evidenced

by its alternative names Devil's Nettle, Devil's Plaything, and Bad Man's Plaything, and was used in spells.

In France and Ireland, people wanting to be more clairvoyant hold Yarrow over their eyes.

Dried stalks were used to throw the I Ching, an ancient Chinese system for guidance and wisdom.

The Druids used Yarrow stems to foretell the weather.

http://www.viable-

herbal.com/singles/herbs/s585.htm

http://www.ceres-co.com/store/images/products/yarrow.jpg

MNBY: around the Elderberry & rain garden

Backbone plant(s) Yarrow (Achillea millefolia) – sunny &

shady areas

Woodmint (Stachys bullata) – shady areas

Catalina Perfume (Ribes viburnifolium) – shady areas; no-walk area at back of bed

Filler plants Sun/part-sun

Salty Susan

Blue-eyed grass

Carex

Juncus

Shady Strawberry

Melic grass

Southern and Purple native Honeysuckles

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

Garden uses for Evergreen Currant

One of our very best native dry-shade groundcovers

Super under oaks and other large

Zone 1 native trees/shrubs

Great on slopes; and it’s scented!!!!

Will cascade over walls and raised planters

In the habitat garden: hummingbirds butterflies & bees like the flowers. Birds can use for cover. Fruit-eating birds eat the fruit.

http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?strLetter=R&plant_id

=1363&page=

Easy to grow: just prune occasionally to control

or shear with string-trimmer to rejuvenate

MNBY: around the Elderberry & rain garden

Backbone plant(s) Yarrow (Achillea millefolia) – sunny &

shady areas

Woodmint (Stachys bullata) – shady areas

Catalina Perfume (Ribes viburnifolium) – shady areas; no-walk area at back of bed

Filler plants Sun/part-sun

Salty Susan

Blue-eyed grass

Carex

Juncus

Shady Strawberry

Melic grass

Southern and Purple native Honeysuckles

Hummingbird Sage

© Project SOUND

Blue-eyed Grass in nature

Generally a component of grasslands or mixed grassland/ annuals

Water: Fall/winter rains

Dry summers http://www.watershednursery.com/nursery/plant-finder/sisyrinchium-bellum/

Many reason the include Blue-eyes Grass

in your garden

Attractive flowers over a long blooming season

Does well in many situations: rock garden, meadows, borders

Nice in containers

Useful for filling in around plantings of shrubs and trees

Nice with native grasses and other wildflowers such as California Poppy, Blue Flax and Clarkia

Bluedicks – Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum

http://biology.csusb.edu/PlantGuideFolder/DichelostemmaCap/DichelostemmaCapPlant800.jpg

Using native bulbs in the garden

For cultivated beds

Near south- and west-facing walls

In rock gardens and around rocks – or beside a pathway

In rain gardens and near seasonal pools

As a component of mixed prairie plantings

http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/files/Dichelostemma/Dichelostemma_capitatum_Kern.jpg

Remember – must have dry period in summer, so place accordingly

© Project SOUND http://www.cnps.org/cnps/grownative/tips/sunny_slopes.php

1. Knowledge is power

2. It’s easier to work with the

physical conditions in a

garden (soil characteristics,

light, etc.) than to try to

change them dramatically

http://www.flickr.com/photos/82479320@N00/2367503118/

© Project SOUND

http://www.bringingbackthenatives.net/barbara-leitner%E2%80%99s-garden?show=slide

3. Make a garden plan –

even though it may

change over time

4. Choose plants based on

their suitability for your

needs and garden

conditions

http://joansbolton.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/a-new-lawn-alternative-california-native-sod/webnative-bentgrass-2/

http://www.bringingbackthenatives.net/slides/Callahan_2008/index.html

http://joansbolton.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/webnative-bentgrass1.jpg

All other things being equal:

5. Choose plants for their habitat value

6. Choose plants for their usefulness (food; dyes; etc.)

© Project SOUND

copyright © Lee Dittmann

See previous talks on ground cover plants

– now at ‘Native Plants at CSUDH’ blog

2012

Feb - Low and Northerly – Groundcover Plants from the Northern and Central CA Coast

2011

Jan - Lawns Gone Wild: Local Native Alternatives to the Sod Lawn

2009

Jan - Beyond the Lawn Parking Strip - Designing and Growing a Water-wise Native Parking Strip

© Project SOUND

lawn alternatives 2013

Documents