- Author: Venessa Smith
- Contributor: Dustin Blakey
It's been a while since we've posted an update to the garden, but there has been a lot of activity since then!
As you can see from the pictures there has been significant work done in weeding and straightening up the site. It looks a lot better.
The rains this summer brought lots of weeds, but also growth of the native plants.
The sun has dry rotted some of our irrigation tubing, so leaks have sprung up in places. We've fixed the leaks and done a bunch of weeding and clean up since leaks encourage their growth, too.
On Saturday October 15th, we will be having a work party of volunteers to install the new native plant signs. The signs will have the common name, scientific name, and a QR code for visitors to scan to learn more about the plants. The new sign design was a collaboration between ESIA, BLM, and UC Master Gardeners of Inyo and Mono counties. ESIA has graciously provided the signs for the garden.
Be sure to check out the new signs on your next visit!
- Author: Edie Warkentine
We're Certified!
The native plant garden at the Eastern Sierra Visitors Center (ESVC) is now a Certified Pollinator Garden!
The Eastern Sierra Land Trust (ESLT)'s Eastside Pollinator Garden Project encourages the creation of pollinator-friendly gardens in Inyo and Mono County. To become certified, the garden must feature:
- Three "food" features
- Both of 2 "water" features
- Two "shelter" features
- Plants native to California (preferably the Owens Valley) make up 50% of the Pollinator Garden space
- Minimal artificial lighting unless illuminating a structure or hazard
These are described below.
On August 27, 2021, Master Gardeners Edie Warkentine and Joanne Parsons met with the ESLT's Americorp Volunteer in charge of the Eastside Pollinator Garden Project, and received the official certification plaque, which we now proudly display at the entrance to the native plant garden.
Food Features
Clump plantings: plant each variety in groups of three (excepting trees)
Seasonality: The garden has three different bloom times
Diversity: The garden has three different scents, three different flower types, and/or three different flower shapes
One bird or butterfly feeder, such as:
- Thistle feeders for Goldfinches
- Fruit feeders for Orioles
- Nectar feeders for Hummingbirds
- Rotting fruit set out during butterfly migration
Larval host plants, such as: Milkweed, Indian Paintbrush, Mallow, Hollyhock, Dill, Sunflower, and more
Water Features
One water source:
- Wet irrigation ditches
- Bird baths
- Natural water features (pond, creek, etc.)
One water conservation measure:
- Mulching
- Lawn removal
- A drip irrigation system
Shelter Features
One natural shelter:
- Bare ground
- Dead wood
- Brush piles
One constructed shelter:
- Bird nesting boxes
- Bat houses
- Bee boxes
- Bee nesting logs
- Author: Edie Warkentine
- Author: Erich Warkentine
After spending more than a year working at the native plant garden, Master Gardener volunteers have successfully “conquered” the intrusion of weeds, death through over-watering of cacti, overgrowth of ambitious native plants, decline of fragile plants, and other challenges of maintaining a demonstration native plant garden in a somewhat hostile environment.
At our most recent work party, we took advantage of the annual native plant sale conducted by the Bristlecone Chapter of the Native Plant Society, and the generous grant of the Eastern Sierra Land Trust through its Eastside Pollinator Garden Project, and planted over 25 new plants. Many of the plants, such as milkweed, datura, and silver cholla were replacements for plants that had died. Others, such as columbine and mountain mahogany, were new natives introduced to bring color and additional diversity to the garden.
Anyone who has an opportunity to visit the garden at the Eastern Sierra Visitors Center in Lone Pine should be sure to stop in and see how diligent maintenance is paying off. Bring your phone and aim the “camera” feature at the QR codes posted on the signs to help identify plants and link to the native plant society's website for more information about each plant.
We all have our fingers crossed and look forward to the new plants taking root and growing healthily and happily into the future.
