Parking strip gardening 2009
description
Transcript of Parking strip gardening 2009
© Project SOUND
Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
Gardening with Western L.A. County Native Plants Project SOUND - 2009
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Beyond the Lawn
Parking Strip
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSU Dominguez Hills & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
January 3 & 6, 2009
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The parking strip can be one of the
greatest gardening challenges
It’s the first thing you see when someone visits
People walk all over it; dogs poop & pee on it
It may be very shady – with lots of tree roots; or a hot, dry desert – bordered by sidewalk and street
And you may not even own it!
The time-honored solution
was to plant a grass lawn
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But the times, they are a’ changin’
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Despite the challenges, the parking strip can be an important asset
Opportunity to increase your growing space - particularly important for small S. CA lots
Serves as a design transition from the street to your home
May be the sunniest place in your garden
An opportunity to increase the livability of your neighborhood – change to interact with your neighbors
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The parking strip garden requires a careful
design plan Soil is often poor:
Construction ‘dregs’ often put here Compacted by foot traffic & road construction Tree roots from street trees Dog pee
Water is often difficult to control May be difficult to get water to strip May be drainage issues (drainage from
sidewalk, street) Water Zones for existing street trees
Light can often be a challenge Full sun – hot & dry Quite shady – if have street trees
Underground utilities, fire hydrants
Aboveground utilities; city has access rights
Often an unusual – challenging – size/shape
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Parking strips are public places….
http://www.bringingbackthenatives.net/slides/Rheuark/Rheuark-Pages/index.html
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Some rules for a ‘reasonable’ parking
strip gardening plan
Safety Provides good visibility for vehicles &
pedestrians Does not impede foot traffic on sidewalks Does not impede passing/parking of
vehicles Allows safe exiting from vehicles and
access to the sidewalk (if adjacent parking is permitted)
Is not dangerous: poisonous; sharp; trip hazards
Water conservation Promotes infiltration, not run-off
Aesthetics Conforms to ‘weed abatement’ regulations Looks ‘appropriate’ for neighborhood Fits with rest of your front yard
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Steps for designing your ‘New CA Parking Strip’
Get to know your local regulations
Assess your site: Pedestrian traffic patterns
Location of above/underground utilities, water & sewer lines, fire hydrants, etc.
Existing vegetation (that will remain; e.g. existing trees)
Sun & shade patterns; soil conditions (texture; pH)
Design and locate the ‘pathways’
Choose an appropriate planting design
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First things first – what are you allowed to do with your parking strip?
Check your city’s current regulations - lots of variability between cities:
Who owns the parking strip?
What are your responsibilities for upkeep?
What are you allowed to do with your parking strip; what permits are required?
Most cities have this information
available on the city’s website
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Parking strip regulations vary by city – and are changing…
Hardscape (walkways; steps; rocks; planters; etc)
Size of plants: often are height restrictions (18”; may be 3 ft for plants other than trees)
Types of plants:
Street tree: almost always a ‘street tree list’ or specific regulations; city may own the street trees
Other plants : in some cities you are still only allowed to plant grass; other cities may require permits for non-grass alternatives
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Torrance municipal code
SECTION 75.1.6. PLANTING VEGETATION AROUND TREES. No person shall plant or grow or cause to be planted or grown any
ivy, geranium or other vegetation to a height of more than eighteen (18) inches above the top of any curb, sidewalk or ground on, against or around any tree upon any parkway in the City. For the purpose of this Section, the term parkway shall include that area of any public street between the curb or other edge of the pavement and the private property line.
ARTICLE 2 - VISIBILITY AT INTERSECTIONS (Added by O-1288)
SECTION 75.2.1. OBSTRUCTING VISIBILITY PROHIBITED. No person owning or in possession of real property shall install or
maintain, or permit the installation or maintenance or existence of any tree, shrub or plant within that triangular area between the property lines parallel to intersecting streets and a diagonal line joining points on said property lines twenty-five (25) feet from the intersection of said property lines or within twenty (20) feet of said property lines, which growth prevents or interferes with a driver of a vehicle approaching the intersection on one street seeing a vehicle approaching the intersection on another street.
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The ‘visibility triangle’ is used by many cities to
determine height requirements for intersections
Anything within a specified distance of the apex of the street angle must conform to height/planting regulations
Often varies by speed limit: 25-45 ft is common for residential streets
Varies by city: know your regulations
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Street trees Don’t plant anything without city approval; city will usually direct the planting & placement of street trees
Learn your city’s regulations: species, characteristics & placement
If you want to plant a native tree: see if it can be added to the approved list
Qualities of good street trees (in addition to being attractive):
Single trunk Can be pruned up: 7 ft above sidewalk;
14 ft above street is common) Not hazardous: weak wood; sharp
seeds, etc. Non-invasive roots; roots that don’t
damage sidewalks, roadways Water-wise (now figures in most
cities) Non-littering when possible
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11525626@N00/32409044/
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Access features are the first items to locate on your design plan
They determine where & what you will plant
They require careful placement Public safety Location of utilities; street trees
They are often the first thing you install
They have an impact on the ‘looks’ of the parking strip garden
http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/getgrowing/2007/05/25/parking_strips_what_s_a_homeowner_to_do
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Pedestrian access: safety & design
Safety first - parking strips are public areas
Should allow for easy access to parked vehicles
Should be placed to provide reasonable access to the sidewalk: some suggest 1 per car-length
Should be adequately wide (2-2 ½ ft); or 1 ½ ft. in addition to curbing)
Should stay reasonably dry in rainy season
Should provide a firm footing for walking
Ideally should be pervious to water; allow water to percolate
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Pedestrian access: safety & design
Design - many hardscape options to complement the rest of the garden
Concrete pavers (with or without vegetation; crushed rock)
Natural stone (flag stone; PV stone)
Brick (set in sand)
Crushed rock/ decomposed granite
Shredded bark; woodchip mulch (even just between widely-spaced plants)
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Pedestrian access: living walkways
Native sod-forming ‘grasses’
Non-native ‘walkable’ groundcover plants:
Corsican mint - Mentha requienii Baby tears - Solierolia soleirolii Corsican sandwort - Arenaria
balerica
Creeping thymes: Mother of thyme (Thymus
serpyllum) Woolly thyme (Thymus
pseudolanuginosus ) Elfin thyme (Thymus praecox)
Silver Carpet (Dymondia margaretae)
Chamaemelum nobile 'Treneague' (non-flowering)
http://www.smgrowers.com/imagedb/Carex_praegracilis.jpg
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Design can be similar to rest of yard or different – it’s separate enough to be treated either way
http://www.bringingbackthenatives.net/slides/Rheuark/Rheuark-Pages/index.html
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Parking strips are usually narrow; often,
fewer species is better….
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/topic/la-hm-sidewalk2006may18,0,3338874.story
No matter the location, low maintenance and proper scale are crucial.
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“It's good to select evergreens for the parking strip, accented with herbaceous plants. A strip that is completely bare in summer or winter is not only uninteresting, it's an invitation for weed seeds to germinate.”
http://bammorgan.blogspot.com/2008/04/payne-foundation-garden-tour.html
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New CA Garden ‘Parking Strip Combo
Palettes’
Based on sun, drainage & Water Zones
Include a limited plant palette: Heavy on evergreen species All are low-growing All are hardy on parking strips
You can mix & match within a palette, depending on your needs
Palettes can be used to create either a formal or informal design
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Each palette includes three types of plants:
Group 1: Backbone plants Spreading evergreen species
(mostly); many < 2 ft tall Take up 60-80% of parking strip
area Choose 1-3 from list
Group 2: Contrast plants Add interest and fill space
between backbone plants Take up 10-30% of area
Group 3: Color plants Mostly plants with good flower
color Take up 10-20% of area Particularly important during
first several years
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A common parking strip challenge…
Existing street trees – moderate shade
May be pine needles – slightly more acid soil
Soil compacted; roots
Need a low groundcover that looks fairly tidy
Where would you put walkways?
What material would you use?
© Project SOUND
New CA Garden ‘Parking Strip Combo
Palettes’
Based on sun, drainage & Water Zones
Include a limited plant palette: Heavy on evergreen species All are low-growing All are hardy on parking strips
You can mix & match within a palette, depending on your needs
Palettes can be used to create either a formal or informal design
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Creeping Barberry – Mahonia repens
R.A. Howard @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
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Creeping Barberry – Mahonia repens
Western U.S. to S. Canada In CA:
Foothills of the coastal ranges, Sierras
Locally: mountains in San Diego
Often on dry slopes or canyons in grasslands, shrublands, open forest
In many plant communities: riparian, sagebrush, chaparral, pinyon-juniper, mountain brush, oak, aspen, pine, and conifer communities
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In the wild – a groundcover plant
http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Yellow%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/mahonia%20repens.htm
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Characteristics of Creeping Mahonia
Size: 1-2 ft tall
spreading – 2-4 ft wide
Growth form: Sprawling woody shrub; spreads via
stems (stolons or rhizomes)
Evergreen
Rather stiff appearance
Foliage: Leaves holly-like
Dark green; old leaves may turn purple/red in winter
Roots: deep rooted; can resprout from root crowns
© 1984, H. Tim Gladwin
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Roots of Mahonia species
are special
Widely used as medicinal as an antiseptic and healing
wash or poultice on wounds, scorpion bites
As a tea or tincture: Coughs, fevers Enteric infections, especially
bacterial dysentery Kidney problems
Roots & bark produce a yellow natural dye
tincture of root
http://www.localharvest.org/oregon-grape-root-tincture-
mahonia-repens-C2926
http://flickr.com/photos/92071270@N00/497458613
http://flickr.com/photos/22731657@N03/2743052389/
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Flowers are showy against the dark leaves
Blooms: In spring - usually Apr-May in
lower elevations of our area
Depends in part on temperature
Flowers: Bright, intense yellow
Small (1/3 inch or so); but in dense, showy clusters
Sweet scented – to attract the native pollinators (bees, others)
Fruits: Waxy blue when ripe
Tart – but make wonderful jellies, sauces
Birds love them!! (robins, finches and towhees)
Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences
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Plant Requirements Soils:
Texture: any, including heavy clays
pH: any local; does fine with acidic soils – OK under pines
Light: Part-shade to full shade
Will flower and fruit best in part-shade (like under trees)
Water: Winter: good winter water
Summer: Zone 2 once established; Zone 2-3 or 3 for first 1-2 years
Fertilizer: use an organic mulch (pine needles are ideal)
Other: tolerates heat; easy to grow
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Creeping Barberry
Most often used as a low natural groundcover Evergreen; low-growing
Easy to grow
Fills in to cover an area
Interesting, attractive foliage
Bright spring flowers; winter foliage color
Great under trees; other shady areas
In a woodsy garden; or creeping over a low stone wall
To attract fruit-eating birds
Fine in pots/planters
Anywhere you might consider (shudder) planting ivy
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=MARE11
http://www.elnativogrowers.com/Photographs_page/mahrep.htm
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Growing native
woody groundcovers
Choose a species with a moderate growth rate (will live longer than quick-growers)
Space plants appropriately: Distance should be ~ ¾ of the
plant’s mature diameter – allows a little overlap
Can plant as close as ½ mature diameter for quicker cover
Mulch, mulch, mulch
Weed regularly
Start selective pruning early
Consider using filler plants: Short-lived grasses; Yarrow
Annual wildflowers
http://www.wsu.edu/~lohr/wcl/gcovers/mahoniar/wmaredes.html
G.A. Cooper @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
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Native woody parking strips: one species or several
Single species:
More formal, tidy looking
Entire area has same cultural requirements
? Easier to maintain
Looks more like a conventional ‘single species’ parking strip
Several (2-3) species:
More interesting: foliage, flowers
Better habitat value
May be smarter choice – even if one species doesn’t make it
Allows you to include a few (expensive; rare) species
May be more like ‘Mother Nature’s Garden’
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Grasses, sedges and other
groundcovers can provide
an interesting mix…..
http://groups.ucanr.org/slosson/documents/2005-200610656.pdf
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In the mountains of CO, Creeping Mahonia often grows with Kinnickinnick
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Kinnikinnick – Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
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Kinnikinnick – Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?3449,3454,3542 http://www.swsbm.com/maps/Arctostaphylos_uva-ursi.gif
Also commonly called Bear Berry
Found throughout the Northern Hemisphere: N. Asia/Russia N. Europe In North America - from the northern
half of California north to Alaska and across Canada and the northern United States to New England and Newfoundland.
In CA – mostly along the N. CA coast
Rocky outcrops, slopes, sandy soils, coastal dunes, chaparral, coniferous forest
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Occurs in widely variable conditions
http://blackfootnativeplants.com/inventory.html
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Does well in sandy soils along the CA coast
© Clayton J. Antieau
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Size: < 1 ft tall
spreading: 3-15 ft wide
Growth form: Evergreen woody shrub
Very low, dense growth – mat-like
Spreads by rooting stems
Foliage: Like other Manzanitas
Leathery leaves; green but may become red-tinged in winter
Neat appearing – garden-like
Good antibacterial qualities: used for urinary, skin infections
Roots: fibrous; to 6+ feet depth
© 2005 Steve Matson
© 2007 Matt Below
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/aruv2.htm
Kinnikinnick is another low-growing woody shrub
Deer will browse
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Flowers & fruits are pure
Manzanita
Blooms: in spring; usually Mar-May in our area
Flowers: Small; but in clusters
Pink/white
Typical urn-shaped
Sweetly fragrant; attracts butterflies & hummingbirds
Fruits: Little red ‘apples’ in late
summer/fall; very showy
Yum! : birds eat them & you can make jellies, sauces from them
G.A. Cooper @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
© 2007 Matt Below
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Kinnikinnick - well suited
to garden conditions…
Soils: Texture: best in sandy soils, but
fine in most well-drained soils
pH: any, including quite acidic – fine under pines
Light: Best in part shade; tolerates full
shade (but less flowering)
Full sun only near immediate coast
Water: Young plants: Zone 2-3
Winter: needs good water – deep roots
Summer: Zone 2-3 (best); Zone 2 ok once established
Fertilizer: none
Other: delicate roots; don’t move or compact soils
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Mainly used as a low
groundcover
Excellent groundcover under trees
Fine on parking strips in virtually all local cities – very low-growing & looks way better than ivy!
Looks nice cascading over a low retaining wall
Combine with rocks
Nice in a large pot or planter – even on shady patios
Great on slopes – even steep ones!
Fine near the ocean
http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/a/arcuva/arcuva3.html
http://courses.washington.edu/ehuf331/Plant_Pages_subfolders/ERICACEAE.shtml
http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/a/arcuva/arcuva3.html
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Several cultivars
available
‘Point Reyes’
http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/viewplant.php?pid=407
‘Radiant’
‘Wood’s Compact’
http://www.tinytreasuresnursery.com/Genus/Plants%20A.htm
‘Pacific Mist’
http://www.jamesdeandesign.com/Slide_Show/Pl
ant_Catalog/SHRUBS/
‘Green Supreme’
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Plant when plants are young – don’t move them
Mulch & weed until established
Pinch/tip-prune when young to encourage fullness – early spring
Prune out dead/old branches after flowering in spring
Easy to grow – few pest if appropriately watered
Photo by Richard Old, www.xidservices.com
Management is easy…
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Tricks to keeping parking strip plants under the height limit
Choose naturally low-growing species/cultivars Best: see the plant actually
growing under conditions similar to yours
Talk to knowledgeable nursery staff
Start training the plants from the beginning – selective pruning & pinching
Remember Mother Nature’s lessons: Don’t over-water or over-
fertilize
Be sure plant gets adequate sunlight
‘Little Sur’ Manzanita
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A ‘Shady Woodland’ mix works well for many
shady parking strips that need some summer water
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There also are mixes more suited to dry shady situations
Perfect under street trees that need little water (native oaks; Eucalyptus)
Combine low shrubby native groundcovers with:
Grasses/grass-like species A few low shrubs Even some native bulbs and
flowering species
Look great in yards that use other CA native plants
© Project SOUND
What to do with ‘mixed light’ parking strips
Try a ‘Dappled Shadeland’ garden
Choose 1-2 backbone species with wide light tolerances: Yarrow Fragaria
Mix with sun- or shade-requiring species as Contrast & Accent species Dichondra Argentina flowering perennials &
annual wildflowers (at least until the other species fill in)
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For well-drained sandy soils, choose native soil-
binders as Backbone Plants
Yarrow (Achillea)
Strawberries (Fragaria)
Silverweed
Checkerbloom (Sidalcea species)
Native dichondra
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Formal or informal:
the choice is yours
Many plants in the ‘Parking Strip Combos’ palettes look equally good either way
Formal designs using CA native plants can be strikingly beautiful; refreshing
Remember that formal designs require more upkeep
Separate species with barriers
Be ruthless in keeping species in their proper places
Edging between your parking strip and the lawn next door
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Pacific Silverweed – Argentina egedii ssp. egedii (Potentilla anserina vars. grandis, pacifica)
© 2005 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy
http://flickr.com/photos/27830975@N05/3061843001/in/photostream/
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Pacific Silverweed – Argentina egedii ssp. egedii (Potentilla anserina vars. grandis, pacifica)
Immediate west coast from AK to Baja; also coasts in Asia
Name nightmares:
Formerly classified in the genus Potentilla but has recently been reclassified into the new genus Argentina.
Very closely related to Silverweed (A. anserina or Potentilla anserina), the only other species in the genus), and is treated as a subspecies of it by Jepson, plant growers. http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?6677,6824,6825,6827
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Silverweed in nature
Wet to seasonally wet areas: Coastal dunes & sandy
bluffs
Freshwater and brackish marsh edges
Estuaries & mudflats
Wetland meadows
Along streams
Soils: sandy to clay; may also be rocky
© 2004, Ben Legler
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Characteristics of Pacific Silverweed
Size: 1 to 1 ½ ft tall
Spreading to 4-5 ft wide; old plants die – replaced by new
Growth form: Herbaceous perennial
Spreads by stolons (runners) producing new plantlets
Foliage: Almost fern-like; showy
Green above; silvery below
Roots: soil-binding
© 2004, Ben Legler
© Project SOUND
Cinquefoils (including
Silverweed) & Strawberries
Close relatives – both in Rose family: Somewhat similar leaves
Spread via runners – sometimes invasively so
(ah ha – perfect for the parking strip!)
Individual plants live only 2-3 year
Flowers quite similar except in color
© 2004, Ben Legler
http://hanamist.sakura.ne.jp/flower/riben/bara/img/ezoturu.jpg
© Project SOUND
Bright, sunny flowers
Blooms: Spring/summer - usually in
May-Aug in our area
Fairly long bloom period – several months
Flowers: Like strawberry – only yellow
and a bit bigger.
On stalks above foliage
Close on cloudy days
Seeds: Dry – attached to a core
Fairly easy to start from seed in winter/spring – no treatment
© 2004, Ben Legler
© 2005 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy
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Silverweed is easy
to please…. Soils:
Texture: any well-drained sandy or clay soil
pH: any local
Light: Full sun to light shade
Great in dappled sun under trees
Water: Winter: needs good rains/water
Summer: very adaptable; Zone 2 to 3; will die back in drought
Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
Other: tolerates winter flooding, seaside conditions, salty soils
http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/silverweed.html
© Project SOUND
Garden uses for
Silverweed
Great groundcover, parking strip plant
Contained areas like planters
As an attractive pot plant
Under Zone 3 trees
In wet spots in garden – near sprinklers, low spots, drainage areas (rain gardens)
In vegetable garden Taproots baked or steamed
and eaten – native delicacy
Roots also used as an astringent compress or tea (for diarrhea, sore throat)
© 2002 Dean Wm. Taylor
http://roseconnors.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html
© Project SOUND
Tips for designing an ‘informal’ parking strip
Choose plants from the appropriate ‘combo’ palette
Planting several Backbone Species and let them fight it out for real estate.
Aim for swirls and riffs of color, like a living Persian carpet; always plant at least 3 plants of a single species together.
Add flagstones or stepping stones in spots, so you aren't fighting human nature when it comes to taking shortcuts to the street.
Commit to some serious hand-weeding until the ground covers become established
© Project SOUND
Filler and Accent plants add interest
Filler plants May be either spreaders or
smaller shrubs/ perennials that can be massed
Usually are evergreen – at least with a little summer water
Used to provide contrasts to backbone plants: Size/shape Foliage color, type
Accent plants Used to provide seasonal color Foliage may be insignificant May die back in summer/fall
or in winter
Carex species
Silene species
© Project SOUND
Color plants play a key role in the first years
of many native parking strips
Remember the old adage... first year they sleep, then they creep, then they leap.
http://bammorgan.blogspot.com/2008/04/payne-foundation-garden-tour.html
Use mulch between plants
Use signage to let people know what’s in progress
Talk to neighbors before, during and after installation
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California Primrose – Oenothera californica
© 2005 Brent Miller
© Project SOUND
California Primrose – Oenothera californica
Coastal, Sierra, Transverse and desert mountain ranges of CA to Baja – locally in San Gabriels
In foothills (mostly)
Sandy or gravelly areas, dunes, desert scrub to pinyon/juniper or ponderosa-pine woodlands
Same genus as Hooker’s Evening Primrose
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Oenothera+californica
© Project SOUND
Characteristics of CA Primrose
Size: Usually < 1 ft tall
Usually 2-4 ft wide; more in favorable locations (with more water)
Growth form: Sprawling sub-shrub or
herbaceous perennial
Foliage initially in basal rosette – then becomes almost vine-like
Foliage: Lance-shaped; may be incised
Drought & cold deciduous
Roots: 2-4 ft
http://www.timetotrack.com/jay/desert/primcal2.htm
http://www.theodorepayne.org/gallery/pages/O/oenothera_californica.htm
© Project SOUND
Flowers are the reason to
plant native primroses
Blooms: In spring - usually Apr-May in
our area
Flowers open over long period – individual flowers short-lived
Flowers: White, becoming more pink
Fairly large (2 inch) and definitely showy
Sweet, slightly musky fragrance
Seeds: many tiny seeds in a capsule
Vegetative reproduction: sprouting from roots
© 2003 Lynn Watson
http://botany.si.edu/onagraceae/taxalist.cfm?genus=Oenothera
© Project SOUND
Care and management: plant & ignore
Soils: Texture: sandy/rocky best pH: any local to 8.5 (alkali)
Light: Full sun – coastal Part-shade/morning sun inland
Water: Winter: good winter rains
Summer: drought tolerant but takes anything from 2 to 3; best to let dry out in late summer/fall
Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
Other: cut back as needed in fall.
http://botany.si.edu/onagraceae/taxalist.cfm?genus=Oenothera
© Project SOUND
Native primroses
in the garden
Best planted with native grasses, perennials, annual wildflowers
Excellent choice for water-wise parking strip
Lovely in pots on a sunny deck
Attract a wild assortment of insects
http://botany.si.edu/onagraceae/taxalist.cfm?genus=Oenothera
© Project SOUND
Filler plants may also
provide flower color
http://flickr.com/photos/spidra/2430035989/
Penstemon heterophyllus
Epilobium canum
© Project SOUND
Pacific Aster – Symphyotrichum chilense var. chilense
(Aster chilensis)
© 2007 Neal Kramer
© Project SOUND
Pacific Aster – Symphyotrichum chilense var. chilense
(Aster chilensis)
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Aster+chilensis
Northwestern U.S., Canada, coastal CA to Santa Barbara Co.
Locally: mountains of San Diego Co; San Bernardino Mountains
Despite its Latin name, it does not occur in Chile – another mistake handed down to posterity!
http://www.graniteseed.com/seeds/seed.php/Symphyotrichum_chilense_var._chilense
© Project SOUND
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
Pacific Aster – not grown for it’s foliage
Size: 1-2 ft tall
Spreading to 5+ ft wide
Growth form: Herbaceous perennial
Upright, then carpet-like
Drought deciduous – dies back to ground in late summer
Foliage: Thin/sparse; medium green
Roots: rhizomes – by which it spreads, often vigorously
© 2004, Ben Legler
© Project SOUND
Flowers are dainty
Blooms: Summer: usually Jul-Aug in
Western L.A. Co.
Flowers: Typical sunflower head – but
dainty; ~ 1 inch head
White to purple (even pink) ray flowers; yellow disc flowers
Many flowers blooming at one time; very showy
Excellent nectar source for
native moths and butterflies
Seeds: With fluffy tail to aid wind
distribution; birds love them!
Can reseed on bare ground
© 2007 Neal Kramer
© 2004, Ben Legler
© 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 thrive
on your parking strip
© 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
‘Point St. George’ cultivar
is more robust
Native cultivar from N. CA
Generally more robust: Larger, more robust leaves Larger flowers Looks more like a
cultivated plant
‘Purple Haze’ cultivar: Dark purple flowers Otherwise similar to parent
species
© 2003 Charles E. Jones
‘Point St. George’
http://www.calfloranursery.com/pages_plants/pages_a/astchipoistg.html
© Project SOUND
The Parking Strip is the driest, sunniest place in some gardens
© Project SOUND
Sunny Coastal Prairie or Shrubland plants
may be appropriate
http://www.bringingbackthenatives.net/slides/Rheuark/Rheuark-Pages/index.html
© Project SOUND
Bringing Back the Natives – One Pot at a Time
Your commitment:
Materials Pot: 12-16 inches in diameter; 12-
16 inches deep Potting soil: Lowe’s ‘Gardeners’ or
Super Soil (cheapest) potting soil
Time Plant seeds; care for plants After seeds are ripe/dry:
Scatter in your garden Collect and share with others
Photos & feedback Provide us photos and (brief)
written feedback about your successes and failures
© Project SOUND
Bringing Back the Natives – One Pot at a Time
We will provide:
Seeds – enough for 1 pot Baby Blue-eyes Chinese Houses Globe and Bird’s Eye Gilias Goldfields Meadowfoam Purple & Elegant Clarkias Tidy Tips Dot-seed Plantain Several others
Advice and encouragement Garden Information Sheets Advice and encouragement via
e-mail, phone, blog
© Project SOUND
Penstemons do well in a dry, sunny parking strip
Penstemon heterophyllus
http://kristamaxwell.com/garden/photos2.html
http://flickr.com/photos/sierrarainshadow/2098924913/
Penstemon newberryi
http://www.pbase.com/yakteachr/image/30742457
http://botu07.bio.uu.nl/images/Rots/
© Project SOUND
Penstemons: most of the foliage is low
Penstemon eatonii Penstemon laetus
http://www.thequercusgroup.com/XZ-Essentials-Elements.html
http://www.fireflyforest.com/flowers/reds/red12.html
© Project SOUND
White Fairy-lantern – Calochortus albus
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CAAL2
© Project SOUND
White Fairy-lantern – Calochortus albus
California endemic (limited to CA) North/central Sierra Nevada
Foothills
Central & S. coastal mountain ranges, Transverse ranges, Channel Islands
Locally: Catalina & Santa Monica Mtns.
Shady to open woodlands, Rocky outcrops
Chaparral, foothill woodland, yellow pine forest to 6000'
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?8349,8461,8462
© Project SOUND
Calochortus: members of the Liliaceae (Lily Family)
Large family - includes hyacinths, tulips, onions, as well as true lilies.
The flowers have 3 petals and 3 sepals, often very similar
Most CA natives are herbaceous (no woody stem) and die back, after flowering or fruiting, to underground bulbs, corms, or rhizomes.
New plants form from bulb division or sprout from seeds
Many native members of Liliaceae can be grown in the garden, keeping in mind their native situations:
Allium, Brodiaea, Camassia, Lilium and Calochortus species prefer open, sunny areas
© Project SOUND
The genus Calochortus 70 species from British Columbia to
Guatemala and east to Nebraska (28 species endemic to CA).
The genus Calochortus includes:
Mariposas (or Mariposa lilies) with open wedge-shaped petals - dry grasslands and semideserts
Globe lilies and Fairy lanterns with globe-shaped flowers - closed forests
Cat's ears and Star tulips with erect pointed petals - wet meadows & montane woodlands
Calochortus produce one or more flowers on a stem that arises from the bulb, generally in the spring or early summer.
Unlike most other Liliaceae, Calochortus petals differ in size and color from their sepals. Flowers can be white, yellow, pink, purple, bluish, or streaked.
The insides of the petals are often highly hairy. These hairs, along with the nectaries, are often used in distinguishing species from each other.
The word Calochortus is derived from Greek and means "beautiful grass".
C. luteus
C. catalinae
© Project SOUND
Calochortus albus is a dainty Fairy Lily
Size:
1-2 ft tall
<1 ft wide
Growth form: Herbaceaous perennial from a bulb
Upright form; slender
Dormant in fall dry season; dies back to bulb
Foliage: Mostly basal
Grass-like leaves
Roots: bulb
Margaret Williams @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
© Project SOUND
White Fairy-lantern: enchanting flowers
Blooms: Later spring: usually Apr-June in
coastal L.A. County
Flowers: Truly like a little ‘fairy lantern’
White tinged with pink
Flowers hangs from stem; nod in the breeze
Seeds: Dark brown seeds in hanging winged
capsule
Fairly easy to grow; plant fall-winter (with the rains) in pots or in ground
Vegetative reproduction: offsets from bulbs
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CAAL2
© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements Soils:
Texture: best in well-drained clays
pH: any local
Light: Best in part-shade; under
trees is good
Full sun only on immediate coast
Water: Winter/spring: needs good
spring water
Summer: no water after blooming (mid-summer)
Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
Other: easier than most Calochartus; water appropriately
http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/online_album/0829.htm
© Project SOUND
Garden uses for White
Fairylantern
In a pot – alone or with other bulbs & native wildflowers; allows you to treat plants as Zone 1
With native dry grasses (Melica imperfecta; Koeleria macrantha) & annual wildflowers – have same water & light requirements
Take a tip from Mother Nature – these look great when massed!
Great bulb for under native oaks; place where gets part-sun.
Protect the bulbs from rodents, including squirrels, gophers; native Californians roasted bulbs
http://www.bulbsociety.org/GALLERY_OF_THE_WORLDS_BULBS/GRAPHICS/Calochortus/Calochor
tus_albus/C.albus.html
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/CalochortusSpeciesOne
© Project SOUND
Tips from city
planning pros
“Plant low-growing plants, no more than 6 to 12 inches high, and the city won’t make a big deal.”
“Use plants that match the aesthetics of the yard, but don’t let it get out of hand. Avoid thorny things. Keep shrubby plants below 30 inches – no tall hedges or solid green walls, especially near driveways and street corners.”
“The best designs are driven by common sense.” Oishi (L.A. City) recommends that the two feet nearest the curb be planted with grass or some hardy groundcover that can withstand some foot traffic. He also suggests allowing at least one path from the street to the sidewalk.
http://www.bringingbackthenatives.net/slides/Rheuark/Rheuark-Pages/index.html