- Author: Leora Worthington
- Editor: Kamille Hammerstrom
People love berries and so do the birds!
Each of these is native to California and attracts California thrashers, western bluebirds, American robins, northern flickers, Nuttall's woodpeckers, mockingbirds, cedar waxwings. scrub jays, northern flickers, yellow-rumped warblers and game birds such as wild turkey, pheasant, California quail and grouse. The blue elderberry on this list can be enjoyed by both people and birds! I have seen all of these bird species except grouse and pheasant in my yard; they are part of our area.
Evergreen:
Holly-leaved cherry -...
- Author: Carol Nickbarg
- Contributor: Native Plant Subject Group
- Editor: Kamille Hammerstrom
Planning a Wildlife-Friendly Garden
A sustainable wildlife-friendly garden rests on habitat creation – the addition of native plants and physical features to your garden, and on diversity of insect species – the wildlife “foundation” of your garden. To plan what to add or encourage, inventory the present state of your garden:
- Observe your garden throughout the year. What types of desirable wildlife are already in your garden? Where in the garden do they appear: plant species/physical feature, shade/sun, feeding/nesting? Do they appear seasonally or year-round? Not all plants (even of the same species) or physical features are alike. For a plant...
- Author: Ed Morrow
Looking for some good ideas for Christmas gifts for gardening friends and family? These are the three best books to keep within reach if you are a California native plant gardener.
Marjorie G. Schmidt's Growing California Native...
- Author: Kamille Hammerstrom
- Contributor: Native Plant Subject Group
Eriogonum is the buckwheat genus, one of the largest in California, with over 125 species. With so many species to choose from, you are sure to find one for your garden!
Native buckwheats come in both annual and perennial forms. They are some of the most popular nectar sources for butterflies and beneficial insects. The flowers last a long time, turning a rusty orange or chocolate brown (depending on the species) when the seed heads develop in the fall, so they add interest to the garden in all seasons. Buckwheats are very drought tolerant and some species can even handle salt spray.
All the buckwheats have dense terminal clusters of flowers at the tips of the branches, so what looks like a...
