- 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.
- 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
Since last July, the Master Gardeners have been working diligently at the ESVC native plant demonstration garden. We have removed the huge weeds (largely bassia) that had overtaken the garden and continue to monitor the area to restrict the growth of new weeds. Some wild mallow continues to try to grow in the open areas of the garden, and Harold with his hula hoe has managed to keep it in check. We have worked on the irrigation system, shutting off the excessive water that has been killing some of the beavertail and cholla. At our last visit, we transplanted some of the plants and hope to see them flourish in the future.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, we were unable to return to the garden during the 2020 spring bloom, so we were an excited group of gardeners when we arrived at the garden for our May 1 work party. We were not disappointed!
Spring is indeed the season for flowering natives. The wild roses are all open. The apricot mallow, purple sage, rose penstemmon, sulfur buckwheat and Palmer's penstemmon are a sight to behold. In addition to the flowering plants, many of the trees and bushes have leafed out. Visitors can enjoy fern bush, desert willow, rabbitbrush, and a variety of native grasses.
Different plants in the garden should be blooming for the next few months. Drop by and enjoy your surroundings if you have a chance! The bookstore at the ESVC is now open seven days a week, so the gates are usually open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Be sure to double check dates and times before your visit as they may change.
- Author: Edie Warkentine
One of the current projects being undertaken by the Inyo-Mono County Master Gardeners is assisting in the revitalization, renewal and maintenance of the landscape at the Eastern Sierra Visitors Center (ESVC) in Lone Pine. Although the major emphasis of the project is the native plant garden, our fearless leader and Farm Advisor, Dustin Blakey, visited the ESVC to consult on some its other landscaping issues, resulting in a proposed landscape plan, which largely has been adopted and is in the process of implementation.
Recently, the BLM brought in a SCO team to assist in creating a saltgrass landscape in a portion of the property in the front of the ESVC. A significant portion of the property around the ESVC is covered in a variety of weeds and unwanted native plants; to create a “barrier” between that part of the property and the more developed property, which is covered in rocks and trees, Dustin suggested creating a saltgrass landscape, by taking plugs of saltgrass already growing on the property and creating a cohesive mass that can ultimately grow together into a beautiful carpet of saltgrass.
Since there was healthy saltgrass growing around the base of some of the trees, we transplanted plugs of that saltgrass to the empty landscape. The biggest challenge was loosening the soil enough to be able to remove plugs and then plant them. Water was used to loosen the soil, and the SCO crew had electronic augers, which they used to dig holes for the new plants. Holes were just large enough to accommodate the plug's root casing and to permit planting of the plug at the same soil depth as its place of origin. As one crew member removed a plug from beneath a tree, another planted it in the hole.
Immediately after planting, the plugs were watered from a nearby garden hose. The current challenge is keeping the soil evenly moist, but not soaked, until new growth appears. At that point, we will be able to determine a more permanent watering schedule, according to the specific needs of the plant.
It is a bit early in the season to accomplish the task of transplanting saltgrass, but an important lesson is to use human resources when they are available!
For additional information on saltgrass, see:
The native plant demonstration garden was developed as part of a USDA Forest Service Project. In fiscal year 2006, Congress set aside funding for use by the National Forest System and its partners to fund cost-share projects. The Inyo National Forest submitted a project description for the Interagency Visitor Center Restoration and Native Plant Demonstration Project. It described the Project and its benefits as follows:
A newly upgraded Interagency Visitor Center* (IAVC) has recently been completed to better serve an increasing number of diverse visitors. The IAVC serves an international audience, with many visitors from Europe, Asia and across the United States, who are drawn to the area by globally significant scenic and recreation opportunities, including Mt. Whitney, the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, and Death Valley National Park. The previous IAVC, a much smaller facility, has been serving approximately 250,000 visitors annually. This number is expected to rise significantly with the improved facilities.
While the new IAVC was constructed on the site of the existing smaller facility, much of the area needed to be graded in order to facilitate construction. Restoration of the native alkali meadow, in conjunction with the creation of native plant demonstration garden for other local ecosystems, e.g., northern Mojave Desert, eastern Sierra foothill communities, etc., will provide a unique educational opportunity. Visitors may learn about the native vegetation in the local environment, as well as have the opportunity to witness a water-wise fire safe, native plant landscape.
… Approximately 1.5 acres of native plant landscaping will be developed on the grounds of the IAVC. A diverse mix of visitors, ranging from Los Angeles school groups traveling through to international visitors to the Lone Pine area, will gain an increased appreciation of local ecosystems, as well as an introduction to native plants and xeriscaping.
Long before actual work could begin, the Forest conducted preliminary soil/water site investigations. In addition, a botanical consultant prepared reports on potential botanical and wetland resources, as well as a noxious weed risk assessment. Copies of these reports, written in 2000/2001, are maintained at the Inyo NF Supervisor's Office.
Over the years, the garden was maintained by IAVC staff and occasional volunteer work parties. Everyone recognized the need to find a community group to adopt the garden and help with its restoration and maintenance. In late 2019, the Inyo-Mono County Master Gardeners partnered with the Inyo National Forest to research, restore, and maintain the native plant demonstration garden.
Since that time, a dedicated crew of volunteers has been working through the challenges including the closing of the IAVC and other COVID-related restrictions on work parties. The native plants in the garden grew, uninhibited, and many volunteer plants began to crowd out some of the original plantings. The automatic watering system failed. Some plants died due to lack of water, while other plants died due to over-watering. Nevertheless, much of the original skeleton of the garden design has been revived and we hope to continue maintenance of the garden on a regular schedule.
In the interim, we have been trying to unlock the history of the native garden and preserve it for future visitors.
This post is the first in a series that will share some of the history of the garden at the IAVC.
Other thoughts regarding possible future changes to the garden included:
- Making the picnic bench area adjacent to the garden and the Visitor Center entrance more amenable to visitors by creating shade.
- Removing the chain link fence and replacing it with a split rail or more natural fence that blends with the garden. Consider placing a wooden gate that would provide access to the Visitors Center entrance.
- Placing benches on the north side of the Visitor Center, facing out to the garden, to give visitors an opportunity to view the garden.
- Adding rock plantings to the garden to create additional interest.
- Moving the vending machines to provide room for the potential mural.
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* Now called the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitors Center, but referred to as IAVC in this post.