May 2004
Native Plants
Backyard Habitat Fair and Yard Tour
by Susan Taylor
Susan Taylor is co-owner of Wildside Growers wholesale native plant nursery, which specializes in nursery propagated wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest.
It’s no wonder that the interest in a more “natural” garden is so strong in the Pacific Northwest. We are surrounded by natural beauty. It is the variety of sublimely beautiful native plants that make every adventure into the mountains and islands so very satisfying. The diversity of native plants available through special sales and some retail nurseries has increased dramatically in the past few years. Now you can design your home garden to reflect those natural places that are so special to you.
Gardening with native plants may seem more daunting than it is. You need to know the plants’ cultural requirements (just as you do with your ornamental plants) and provide them. You can naturalize your garden by adding natives in with your existing ornamentals that have similar cultural needs.
Whether you’re an experienced native plant gardener or just want to indulge a growing curiosity, you will find the May 15 Backyard Habitat Fair and Yard Tour enlightening. The Bellingham Parks Department’s volunteer “Backyard Habitat Mentors” team up with the Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society and Village Books to present a full day of informative and fun activities. The event will be held at the Fairhaven Village Green from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
There will be informational booths on plant identification, ethnobotany, landscaping for wildlife, homes for wildlife, and more. Don’t miss the native plant sale. You can pick up some natives to add to your garden. Maps for the yard tour can be picked up at the Backyard Habitat Mentors’ booth. You can tour four wildlife friendly gardens for inspiration.
The Native Plant Society will be on hand to talk about their organization. The local chapter hosts interesting speakers on a variety of topics during the year—you might join them for summer field trips to see native vegetation first hand. There’s even an opportunity to learn propagation techniques at their new greenhouse operation.
The Backyard Habitat Mentors are a group of volunteer native plant gardening enthusiasts. You can request a mentor to come to your garden and offer suggestions for enhancing wildlife habitat and native plant use. They offer this free service to the community to increase the natural food supply, year-round water availability, nesting opportunities and appropriate places for our native songbirds and small mammals to continue to survive in our urban environment. Sign up at the fair or call Sally Manifold at Park Operations: (360) 676-6801 x24.
Village Books will arrange a special display of books on native plants and landscaping for wildlife so that you can easily find the perfect resource for your interest and they also will be providing their meeting space for the day’s speakers. §
May 15 Fair and Yard Tour
Fairhaven Village Green, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Schedule of Events
•10:30-11:30 a.m.: Guided plant identification walk at Padden Lagoon and South Bay Trail.
•12:00-1:00 p.m.: Walt Lockwood will be showing slides of North Cascades wildflowers.
•1:30-2:30 p.m.: Russell Link, a wildlife biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will be speaking. His book “Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest” is a comprehensive guide to techniques and approaches to design and maintain a landscape that welcomes and provides for wildlife.
•3:00-4:00 p.m.: Professor Art Kruckeberg, a botanist at the University of Washington specializing in native flora, will discuss native plant gardening. His book, “Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest” is a must-have for the native plant gardener. The book is a summary of Dr. Kruckeberg’s experience with plants in the wild and in gardens.
