Growing native plants in the willamette valley
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This document discusses growing native plants in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. It notes that gardening with natives is different due to Oregon's dry summers and wet winters, and variable soil types. Gardening with natives is beneficial as the plants are easy to care for, provide natural beauty, and support wildlife. The document provides examples of public and private gardens using natives and discusses pioneers in the native plant movement like Thomas Jefferson. It recommends starting with well-known natives and matching plants to garden conditions before exploring new species, and provides a list of favorite native plants for the region.
Growing native plants in the willamette valley
- 1. Growing Native Plants in the Willamette ValleyLinda R McMahanOregon State University Extension ServiceDeer fern at Connie Hanson Garden, Lincoln City
- 2. What is so different about gardening here in Oregon?Dry summers and wet winters
- 3. Extreme variability of soils clay to rock
- 4. Mild temperatures generallyMaidenhair fern at a public garden
- 5. Why grow native plants?Easy to care for
- 8. Fit into our existing gardens
- 9. Are not invasive plantsits their home!Oregon sunshine (Eriophyllumlanatum) with nasturtium-private garden
- 10. Examples of Gardens with Native PlantsLady fern at the Connie Hanson Garden, Lincoln CityAthyriumfilix-femina is delicate, can grow tall in ideal conditions, but is deciduous and requires wet habitat
- 11. Native plants at Shore Acres State Park near Coos BaySword fern and salal outside of the more formal entrance to the gardens
- 12. B&B native plant garden in the Cascade MountainsNative sedums in whimsical pots-at least 4 sedums are native to Oregon
- 13. B&B, Cascade MountainsSword fern, rock, and an old tree trunk
- 14. B&B, Cascade MountainsOxalis oreganaand Piggy-back plant (Tolmiea menziesii) mixed groundcover
- 15. Private garden, Portland OregonStream plant, Darmerapeltatum used in a garden setting
- 16. Private Garden, Portland, OREmerging false hellebore (Veratrumcalifornicum) growing through decomposing ash leaves
- 17. Private Garden, Portland, OregonSalal (Gaultheria shallon) and sword fern on a decaying stump
- 18. Public Library, McMinnville ORRed flowering currant, Ribes sanguineum
- 19. Native Plant Garden, McMinnville LibraryColtsfoot, Petasitesfrigidus, in early spring
- 20. Waterfront park, Corvallis OregonOregon iris, Iris tenaxwith blue fescue
- 21. Private Garden, Corvallis, ORHedged red flowering currant next to a magnolia
- 22. Private Garden, Beaverton OregonSword fern (Polystichummunitum) and groundcover oxalis (Oxalis oregana) in a side garden path
- 23. Ask yourself: Why do we garden the way we do?We copy what we see and remember: family, friends, neighborsOur gardening traditions are from EnglandToday, we are seeing new ways to garden (restoration for example)and we copy that too, Connie Hanson Garden, Lincoln City, Oregon
- 24. History Lesson on Native Plant GardeningThe Victorian Era in the British IslesFormal gardens of Londons Crystal Palace and the informal lines of a William Robinson landscape Photos: Wikipedia
- 25. The Wild Gardening TraditionIn the 1890s, Scottish gardener William Robinson reacted to Victorian excess by promoting Wild Gardeningnote this was gardening in a naturalistic style, not necessarily with native plants Robinsons house and garden: Wikipedia
- 26. One of Robinsons colleagues promoted new styles that led to border gardensGertrude Jekyll (1843-1932 popularized the idea of the informal border in many publications and garden designs. The natural style caught on and remains popular today. A modern border garden
- 27. Experimented widely with southeast native plants, including Osage orange as a hedge, at his Monticello homeSponsored Lewis and Clark ExpeditionThomas Jefferson(1743-1826)Photos: Wikipedia
- 28. Father of American HorticultureProfessor, CornellCreated first US horticulture compendiaPlantsman & naturalistBegan program for nature study in NY schools, forerunners of native plant societiesLiberty Hyde Bailey(1858-1954)Photo: Wikipedia
- 29. Essentially, two styles of gardening with native plants have evolved side by side Substituting natives for traditional plants and developing garden-worthy cultivarsGardening with native plants for their own sake in naturalistic landscapesVSPhotos: left azalea and sword fern (Polystichummunitum); right coltsfoot (Petasitesfrigidus)
- 30. Another thing -- growing native plants in Oregon is very recent!Only in the past 15 to 20 years in Oregon and perhaps 30 or more years in the US, have we explicitly created native plant gardens Mixed succulents in a private garden, including Sedum spathulifolium, center
- 31. Adding Native to Existing Garden An easy way beginMatch conditions of the plants to those of your gardensun/shade, water use, soil characteristics
- 32. Start first with well-known natives, such as sword fern and red flowering currant, or established cultivars
- 33. Choose colorful flowers or foliage, complementing features, and a tame habit before you explore other species
- 34. Look for wildlife valuebirds, bees, food and shelterSome Favorite PlantsSedum spathlufoliumVancouveriahexandra
- 35. Oregon grape, our state flowerBerberis (Mahonia) aquifolium, likes full sun, can be easily pruned, attracts pollinators and birds, easy to find
- 36. Sedum spathulifoliumBest native sedum, easy for containers or well-drained soil, available at many retail nurseries
- 37. HeucheraPalace PurpleA cultivar of Heucheramicrantha, readily available, moist, rich, and well-drained soil
- 38. Mock orangePhiladelphuslewesii, available at native plant nurseries and SWCD sales. Fragrant and easysun to part shade, moderate water
- 39. Camas (Camassia)Available as a bulb in better garden centers, needs wet winters and dry summersno problem for us!
- 40. Wild StrawberryFragariachiloensis, coast or dune strawberry, and other species--vigorous ground-cover, sun/part shade, bees and birds, easily available
- 41. Epilobiumcanum(Zauschneriacalifornicum)California fuchsia, full-sun, spreads slowly, attracts hummingbirds, fall bloomer
- 42. VancouveriahexandraShade-loving deciduous groundcover, duck-foot plant
- 43. Vine MapleAcer circinatum, best in part shade, some have good fall color, bird-friendly
- 44. Stream VioletViola glabella, accent or groundcover, drought tolerant, butterfly host plant
- 45. Red Twig DogwoodCornussericia, wet or dry, large, prune from the base, berries attract birds
- 46. Red Flowering CurrantRibes sanguineum, February/March bloomer attracts hummingbirds, also bees. Blue/black berries are edible and a bird favorite, many cultivars available
- 47. Check out the recommended requirements for each speciesProvide water to establish, even if the species is drought-hardyRefrain from too much fertilizer-plants are usually adapted to our typical soilsCultural RequirementsDouglas iris and Viola adunca
- 48. Leave enough spacesome natives may grow larger than anticipatedMany can be hedged, but some gardeners prefer the natural formsPrune multi-stemmed shrubs from the baseCultural RequirementsDesert Parsely and snowberry
- 49. Dont assume plants are deer-proofIf you want plants to self-seed or provide berries for wildlife, dont dead-head the flowersCultural RequirementsOcean spray and osoberry
- 50. For More Information!Kruckeberg, Arthur R. 1966. Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest, 2nd edition, University of Washington Press, Seattle, WAYamhill County, OSU Extension Ecogardening at: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/yamhill/eco-gardeningSelecting native plants for home landscapes in Central Oregon at: http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/19858/ec1623-e.pdfOregon Flora Project (interactive maps and photos) at: http://www.oregonflora.org/
- 51. Thank You!Linda R McMahanOregon State University Extension Service, Yamhill Countylinda.mcmahan@oregonstate.eduUnless noted, photographs are by the author. This presentation is copyrighted by Oregon State University. Material may be used freely for educational purposes. For other uses, please contact the author. Rosa sp. wild rose