Bringing Back the Natives: 2024

I recently attended the online version of the Bringing Back The Natives Garden Tour, which spanned a weekend in early April. As in previous years, Green Home Features Showcase tours were interwoven throughout the presentations. The in-person tours take place in early May, so sign up soon! One of these years, I'll attend the in-person garden tours, but in this season of life, I love the convenience of the online version. 

Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour is back!

Doug Tallamy kicked of the event with his talk, "What's the Rush? The Solution to the Biodiversity Crisis". His presentation is a wonderful distillation of the research and ideas he has been developing during his career, and provides a simple solution, in which all of us can participate. We can use our yards, containers, patios, and decks to provide habitat for nature, in a Homegrown National Park. You can hear the presentation on the website.

Celebrating 20 years of Bringing Back the Natives 

Kathy Kramer, tour coordinator, gave a wonderful retrospective on the origin and evolution of "Bringing Back the Natives" in the Bay Area over the last 20 years. She has received numerous awards for her work, and has influenced many gardeners and landscapers to replace their water-thirsty lawns, and to plant drought-tolerant native plants.

Fountains attract many birds

Do-it-yourself bird bath - attaches to the irrigation system

Rocks, gravel, and mud provide a moist and protected spot for butterflies and bees

Providing habitat for birds and butterflies was a recurring theme during both days of the tour. I took note of a few interesting details that could be easily integrated with our landscape renovation. I had never heard of "catios" before (enclosed outdoor patios for cats). They are a great solution for protecting cats in the outdoors (and protecting birds from cats)!

Owl roost

An outdoor "catio"

Finally, I loved the presentations on native plants, street trees, native plant sources in the Bay Area, and year-round color in the landscape using native, drought-tolerant plants. Doug Tallamy has definitely had an impact on gardeners and landscapers in the Bay Area. Many of the presenters brought up his influence on their designs and decisions, including use of keystone species and native plants. There was some discussion about how to handle "pests" in the garden, such as deer and gophers, but a growing consensus seems to be to that gardens aren't just meant to be pretty, but to provide habitat for nature (with many opinions on that continuum).

Field Notes for April

 Welcome back to Field Notes!

April 1, 2024

I'm loving the mix of weather forecasts as we move into April! We have clouds, sun, partly cloudy, rain, and a high of 72 degrees one day and a low of 42 degrees one night. For someone who loves weather, this is a great week! I'm also grateful for the extra rain for our newly planted landscape.

 

Some warm weather followed by a "cold snap" in the Bay Area! 

April 3, 2024

When the sun comes out, the air is sparkly clean this time of year. Any pollutants have been washed away with the rain, or blown away by spring breezes. The flowering trees are in bloom all around the San Francisco Bay Area, no doubt responding to the rain and warm days. I've been enjoying this Prunus spp. on my afternoon walk around Bishop Lake. It's already starting to leaf out.

The beauty of a flowering tree in the landscape

April 6, 2024

I'm excited to be attending the online "Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour & Green Home Features Showcase" this weekend. Doug Tallamy is the keynote speaker and many presentations and online garden tours are scheduled. The online event started in 2020, when the uncertainties of COVID-19 sent everything into lockdown. Turns out the online event was well received - expanding its reach to those out of the Bay Area and those who were unable to attend in person. This year's in-person garden tours are scheduled for the first weekend in May. Visit the website to learn more.

Bringing Back the Natives is celebrating their 20 year anniversary!

April 8, 2024

The wisteria is in bloom here in the Bay Area. This canopy of blossoms provides shelter from the sun over a popular food court. What could be better than eating lunch under the lovely purple flowers! The bees love them, but are too busy among the flowers above to investigate the diners below.

Wisteria is in bloom!

April 12, 2024

Now that the magnolia tree has been removed, I can really appreciate the gnarly, shredding bark of the stately juniper in the lower yard!

Juniper bark

April 17, 2024

A large mural was recently added to Bishop Ranch in San Ramon. The mural is comprised of multiple large, floor to ceiling panels, and depicts many favorite places in San Ramon and beyond. The artist is Julia Gash who specializes in this unique style of travel art. You can view the artwork on the first floor near the Roundhouse, at 2600 Camino Ramon in San Ramon during business hours.

San Ramon (c) by Julia GASH - the Iron Horse Trail is at the top right!

Landscaping: Finished!

The landscaping project is finished. After almost two months of demolition, deep pruning, grading, construction, and planting, our landscaping project has come to an end. The last loose ends have been tied ups, so the only thing remaining is a walkthrough to kick off the warranty period.

The heuchera and grasses are starting to take hold

The property is a triangular shape and on a gentle slope. Its main feature is a large oak that spreads its long branches and casts dappled shade throughout the day. The garden design features several zones including a woodland meadow, a succulent rock garden, a sunny meadow, and the lush lower yard with its vegetation screen. The plants are either local native or Mediterranean, and all are drought tolerant. The landscape is designed as a wildlife garden with keystone plants for food and shelter.

The succulent rock garden is like a mini-desert scape

The old concrete paths have been reset, a new slab path has replaced the old concrete entry path, and wood bark paths have been added throughout the yard. Several railroad-tie steps help you navigate grade changes.

Juniper tree in the lower yard is now exposed

Several legacy trees were removed, including two mature magnolias, a "big-bonsai-ed" juniper, and several self-seeded trees. This makes the property seem very exposed and a little bare now, but it also exposed the beauty of the oak and the juniper tree in the lower yard. It also paved the way for replacing them with native trees and shrubs. We chose to use shrubs instead of fencing. We already have some shrub barriers, but more have been planted. It will take some time to get there.

Path to the lower yard

The broken irrigation system has been replaced by a drip system. Even drought tolerant plants need water to get established. The rain is helping them get a good start, and we will water in the heat of summer, but once established most of the plants will only need a periodic summer drink.

Utilitarian (but beautiful) gate in the lower yard

We added a gate in the lower yard and planted shrubs to replace the old dilapidated fence (on which lichen and moss once grew in beautiful abundance). Once the shrubs are established, this will look a little more protected and provide a shady spot for birds to enjoy their berries and seeds. In the upper yard, the low lights on the entry path guide visitors to the front door. The lights are on a timer, and are not as bright as the original pole light. This should reduce light pollution, while retaining safety.

Pathway lights in the rain

This was a large project for us, but very satisfying. We worked with an excellent landscaping team, which listened to our ideas and then improved upon them. The work crew was also excellent, experienced, and very conscientious. Now, we just need time for nature to do its work. Soon the plants will fill in and gain their full size, and the full vision of a native, wildlife-friendly landscape will be realized.

Urban Pastoral

Spring has come to the San Francisco Bay Area (made all the better because of all the rain we've received). The path around Bishop Lake in San Ramon is well used by office tenants and those from the surrounding community. The landscaping provides a slice of nature in the midst of an urban center, and a great place to enjoy a solitary walk, walk the dog, or meet up with friends or workmates, 

Urban pastoral in San Ramon

On this day, some ducks and geese rested on the water, while a cormorant sits high in a tree surveying the scene. In the foreground, the rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is in full bloom.

Plant Hunters: Alexander von Humboldt

This year I'm continuing my series on plant hunters, especially those who collected in the Americas at different times of history. It's fascinating to read the accounts from the plant collectors themselves and to learn about their challenges and discoveries. Of course the plants were already known by the indigenous peoples, but the discoveries by other explorers helped broaden the perspective from local environments to the world as a whole. This time we are learning about Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859), whose greater contribution was to ecology, climate, and earth systems. He also collected botanical specimens from South and Central America and the Caribbean, and placed them in the context of his other interests.

Humboldt was born in Berlin, Prussia (now Germany) to wealthy parents and enjoyed exploring nature as a child. He started his career in mining and made contributions to the field. He inherited a great fortune from his parents, and used it to fund a five-year scientific expedition to the Americas. He sailed with friend and French botanist, Aimé Bonpland and together they explored, took temperature and barometric readings, and collected plants. Humboldt was intrigued about the relationship between geographical regions and the flora and fauna they supported.

To learn more about the botanical aspects of his scientific pursuits, I read Alexander von Humboldt and the Botanical Exploration of the Americas, by H. Walter Lack and translated from the German by Stephen Telfer (Prestel Publishing, Munich, 2018). The book provides an introduction to Humboldt and chapters describing publications of their scientific results, as well as a large botanical art section. The illustrations portray and describe the many plants collected in the Americas, presented in the chronological order of their publication. The backmatter provides a bibliography, an index of place and proper names, and photo credits. The focus on the publication of scientific information is interesting, but makes sense considering Humboldt's many interests, and the breadth of his scientific endeavors.

I was interested to learn that some of the scientific theories that Humboldt championed include continental drift, the Earth's geo-magnetic field, climate zones at different altitudes, and a general understanding of Earth as a whole system. While researching other sources, I learned that Humboldt is not widely known, even though his research, theories, and findings are important for our current understanding of climate and ecology. Looking back over my own schooling, I don't think I was ever introduced to Humboldt, unless it was a small paragraph in a larger chapter (granted, it was many decades ago). I recommend this book to learn more about Alexander von Humboldt, his scientific publications, and to enjoy beautiful botanical art of new world plants. I also recommending mining some of the YouTube videos, books and movies to learn more about this fascinating person from history.

Learn More

• Who is Alexander von Humboldt? - this Ted-Ed animation describes Humboldt's major accomplishments, and why they are so important. Presented by George Mehler and animated by Flaming Medusa Studios.

• Introducing Alexander von Humboldt - a short animation about Humboldt, his visit to the United States, and his influence on the scientists, politicians, and artists of America. The film was created in conjunction with the Smithsonian Art Museum.  

• Wilderness Men - documentary film about Alexander von Humboldt, with narration by Sir David Attenborough (naturalist) and Redmond O'Hanlon (explorer).

• Alexander von Humboldt in the Americas - a seven-part documentary that retraces the route of his five year expedition and explores his scientific discoveries.

• Part 1: Introduction
• Part 2: Volcanic Visions in Ecuador
• Part 3: In Humboldt's Footsteps
• Part 4: The Humboldt Current
• Part 5: Humboldt Discovers Biodiversity in the Orinoco Basin
• Part 6: Tracing Humboldt's Tracks
• Part 7: Everything is Interaction

• Cosmos: A Sketch of the Physical Description of the Universe, Vol. 1, by Humboldt. Read Humboldt's work online (translated into English), or download it for free. Go right to the source.

• Humboldt and the Cosmos - a biography by Douglas Botting. Provides an account of Humboldt's journey through South America

• The Humboldt Current: Nineteenth-Century Exploration and the Roots of American Environmentalism - a biography by Aaron Sachs. Describes the influence that Humboldt had on American history, science, and thought. 

• Measuring the World - a novel by Daniel Kehlmann that imagines two young Germans setting out to measure the world. One is explorer and naturalist, Alexander von Humboldt, and the other is the reclusive mathematician, Carl Friedrich Gauss. A movie by the same name is based on the book.

Field Notes for March

Welcome back to Field Notes!

March 1, 2024

Have I mentioned that it's been raining here in the San Francisco Bay Area? Today it is pouring and cold and miserable outside, but warm and cozy inside. I'm on Spring Watch, counting down to the vernal equinox in several weeks, and dreaming about warmer days ahead.

All this rain is going to pay off in the garden

March 3, 2024

Despite all the rain, the landscaping team has made a lot of progress on the stone walkway. A canvas fly can be stretched over the steel frame to provide shelter from the rain, while they cut and fit the individual stones. The path is like a jigsaw puzzle, but with giant, heavy pieces!

The stone walkway is shaping up

March 6, 2024

Finally the rain cleared enough to take a shot of the progress. In the foreground, the pavers have been reset, leading up to the rebuilt stairway constructed of railroad ties. The rock garden spans the path and stairs. A wood chip path weaves through the yard. Further in the background, the drip irrigation tubing has been arranged in the future meadow. The oak tree canopy fills the sky!

A wide view of the rock garden, paths, and future meadow

March 7, 2024

Sunshine! The landscapers have laid out the plants among the drip irrigation tubing. After a month of mud, rain, and demolition, it is encouraging to see plants. It will take several years for the perennials to take hold. I recall that Rebecca Kolls, of Rebecca's Garden, used to say about perennials that the first year they sleep, the second year they creep, and the third year they leap. In the meantime, the fresh green is beautiful!

Laying out the plants according to the Planting Plan

March 8, 2024

What a week of progress! The stone walkway is almost done, the irrigation tubing is laid out, the perennials are in place and ready to plant, and we've scoped out the electricity for the automated sprinkler system. Surveying all the progress during Golden Hour is a good way to end the week.

Golden hour on a Friday afternoon

March 11, 2024

Took an invigorating walk around Bishop Lake today. Large groups of migrating (and maybe local) ducks and geese congregate on the lake. It is always surprising to see a heron or a cormorant aloft in a tree, but it's a good place for them to take a rest and survey the surrounding scene. 

Cormorant with a birds-eye view

March 15, 2024

Another week of progress in the landscape! The sprinkler system is set up and programmed, the plants are installed, mulch has been spread, the electrical wiring has been done, and the stone path and pavers have been finished with chinking. 

The gaps between the pavers have been filled with chinking

Detail from the rock garden

A few loose ends need to be finished up next week, but most of the work has been completed!

March 20, 2024

Today is the first day of spring!

Spring is here - leaf buds on a sycamore tree at Bishop Ranch

March 23, 2024

It's been raining all night, it's raining pretty hard this morning, and it promises to rain off-and-on all weekend. No complaints from me - the newly planted landscape will thrive with the extra water!

Mom by a glorious yellow brittlebush at Whitewater Preserve

Dad against a backdrop of yellow brittlebush on the road to Whitewater Preserve

Still, I can't help thinking back to all my spring trips to Southern California, to meet up with my folks from Alaska. Together we explored the desert, took photos of beautiful wildflowers and plants, and enjoyed each others company. In 2017, we experienced a "super bloom" of brittlebush (see Whitewater Preserve). Memories of those cheerful yellow flowers and good times brighten the gray skies and dripping rain here in the San Francisco Bay Area! 

Counting Birds for the GBBC

In late February I participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), hosted by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Audubon, and Birds Canada. Over a long weekend, citizen birdwatchers from around the world, both novice and expert, count birds from wherever they are. Two free apps are available for identifying and reporting observations - Merlin ID and eBird. The GBBC results for the world are reported on their dashboard (use filters to hone in on specific locations). I participated in the count last year and really enjoyed the experience (see Counting Birds).

A few faithful species visited the yard despite the yard renovation

I'm afraid my results were a little spotty this year because of the landscaping project. Despite the turmoil in the yard, hummingbirds continue to visit the hummingbird feeder throughout the day, and a family of mourning doves scratch for insects in the disrupted dirt every morning and evening. Likewise, the little wren stops by for a quick snack of insects. The new yard design is wildlife friendly, so should be worth all the disruption!

Spring Watch

It's been raining for weeks! Several atmospheric rivers have swept through the San Francisco Bay Area, drenching everything. When it's not raining, it's draining. In the midst of our landscaping project, our yard is a sea of mud. We're grateful for both the rain and our hardworking landscaping team, but wonder if spring will ever come!

A moment of sun shines on our plant delivery

Luckily, the clouds clear up periodically and the sun steps out and brightens everything. In just a few more weeks, spring will be here!

The Complete Book of Garden Magic

I recently finished reading The Complete Book of Garden Magic, by Roy E. Biles (1887-1941). Garden Magic was published in 1935 and 1940, and then republished by M.E. Biles and J. G. Ferguson in 1941 and 1947. My copy of the book has some history, which I mentioned in Field Notes for January. The book may have an additional story, in that the inscription reads Hoping that this will prove helpful at Beaumont. With our good wishes, "The Hollands". 'Xmas 1954. Perhaps one of the sisters had lived in Beaumont, CA for a time, or perhaps one of them had picked up the book at a rummage sale while working on their Japanese style garden in Garden Grove. A mystery (and reminds me how much an inscription adds to a book)!

The front matter provides a Forward by the Horticulture Editor for The American Home, E.L.D. Seymour, and the original Preface by the author. Biles recommends reading the first three chapters in their entirety to learn about planning, soil, and lawns and gardens, and then to read the chapters that most interest the reader. Chapters are provided for specific plant groups, such trees and shrubs, coniferous evergreens, hedges, flowers, roses, and bulbs.

Other chapters include basic garden care, plant diseases, equipment, plant propagation, garden construction and operation, and keeping garden records. Additional chapters cover appealing topics such as flower arranging, window boxes, and house plants. The book is augmented with line drawings, infographics and color plates. Biles is very knowledgeable and a gifted writer and teacher of his subject. A Supplement was added 10 years later that surveys horticultural development during the previous decade.

Garden design with hardscape 
(the artist is most likely Joseph Ebertz, according to the Preface)

An infographic for mixing concrete and forming hardscape

I was surprised how contemporary much of the information remains after nearly 90 years. One major shift is that the lawn is no longer the center focus of the landscape (at least here in the West where water is so dear). I was also interested to learn about the history of foundation planting. Apparently the tradition started in Victorian times, when houses were built on a high foundation. Planting shrubs and plants around the house helped hide this eye sore. Interesting! I was impressed how knowledgeable Biles was about drainage and mitigating drainage problems, stemming from his agricultural experience. I was also intrigued with his recipes for mixing soil, fertilizer, pesticides, and concrete (now we typically just buy what we need, premixed). I was a little appalled with the casual use of rat poison and later, DDT, but overall Biles supported organic and earth-friendly garden techniques. 

Houseplants with a view to the garden
(photographer unknown)

I recommend this book for anyone interested in gardens and garden history. Later editions are available with updated information, but the earlier editions have a nostalgic charm.

Field Notes for February

Welcome back to Field Notes! I'm experimenting with a "journal" format this year, in which a single post includes brief entries made throughout the month. The format will likely evolve over the year, and vary from month-to-month or season-to-season (in the spirit of "Sabbatical" and trying something new)! So far I'm enjoying it.

February 1, 2024

Is it really February already? Today's temperature reached a brief high of 73 degrees F. in some parts of the Bay Area, with sunshine (it was glorious)! Later the temp fell back into the 50s, with more rain forecasted. Warmer days are coming, but I don't feel the pull to outside projects yet. I'm still favoring inside projects, like cleaning up "The Lair", which serves as our project room and guest room. With no overnight guests since the pandemic, the room has become a storage room. Time to clean up the clutter! 

Stash of gardening books

In the process, I found a stash of antique gardening books stored in the room! I'm looking forward to reading them and pouring over the pictures for new ideas.

February 4, 2024

The porta-potty was delivered Friday. The landscapers arrive tomorrow morning. The green dumpster will be delivered on Tuesday. Let the demolition begin!

 

Porta-potty is just the beginning!

February 10, 2024

What a difference a week makes. For the last five days, our yard has been under assault from our landscapers! The demolition and severe pruning comes first in the project, so it feels like everything is in chaos. Trees have been cut down, stumps ground, bushes removed. Tools and equipment are stashed everywhere.

Stump removed for the tulip magnolia

But, we have the landscaping plans and know that this work paves the way for the good things to come. The crew is very professional, considerate, and efficient. They also keep us informed, so we are never left wondering about what comes next. I've already done the "letting go" of beloved plants, and know that the chaos will pay off!

February 13, 2024

It is too early to crow, but I have sprouts! I planted chard, lettuce, and spinach seeds in coir pellets last month, and they are starting to appear. It's killing me, but I water only sparingly. I'm hoping to spare them from coming down with dampening off disease. They look a little spindly though, so probably are not getting enough light.

Spindly sprouts (but still alive)!

February 17, 2024

The San Francisco Garden Show is back and will be held at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in April! My Aunt Char and I attended the Garden Show at the Cow Palace and the San Mateo Convention Center for years, until it moved to Sacramento and then closed for the pandemic. I'm thrilled it is returning to the Bay Area, and hope we can find a time to attend!

February 21, 2024

This might be fun to try - Tataki Zome (or sometimes called Hapa Zome). This refers to the Japanese art of printing fabric with flower petals. For best results the fabric should be scoured and mordanted. I like Janelle's technique of using washi tape (similar to masking tape) to arrange individual petals before pounding. This would be a fun take on eco printing, which we tried a couple of years ago (see Eco-dying Spring Flowers and Plants)!

February 25, 2024

Several giant shopping bags of stone and gravel were delivered this week in preparation for the hardscape work to come.

Shopping bags of stone!

February 27, 2024

This week the landscaping team is digging irrigation trenches for the PVC pipes, in order to relocate the valves to an optimal location in the yard. The irrigation system itself will be drip, but we need the infrastructure first. The original irrigation system became inoperable years ago, so we are delighted to replace it with a modern approach.

Irrigation trenches for the PVC

February 29, 2024

Happy Leap Day! I'm celebrating the day with a beautiful Valentine's Day bouquet from Mom and Dad (it still looks great)!

A brief ray of sunshine lights up the rich, jewel colors of the flowers

Landscaping: Demolition

Our landscaping project has begun! We're currently in the demolition phase, in which several trees have been cut down, stumps ground, roots dug up, shrubs severely pruned, and plants cut back or removed. One giant Green dumpster is filled, and that's just the start! Another dumpster is required for hardscape. Part of an old fence, a concrete path, and pieces from a defunct sprinkler system need to be hauled away. The landscaping crew has been swarming over the property for the last week and a half and working through the list of demolition tasks.

It's looking a little bare around here

Oddly, I'm not feeling any regrets or sadness. Instead, I have the opportunity to see the property as a whole (we've never been able to see how glorious the oak tree looks from this angle)! The original design was lovingly planned and planted and enjoyed over the last 75 years. Many legacy trees, shrubs, and plants remain, but the rest is a blank canvas. 

Missing: the aging magnolia and the tulip magnolia

Now it is time to start fresh, retaining some of the original charms but with the opportunity to take the landscape in a new direction.

Drizzly Walk Around Bishop Lake

We're in the rainy season here in the San Francisco Bay Area. We've had some intense downpours, but haven't heard the term "atmospheric rivers" much this year. (Last year was a different story). The downpours have been punctuated with bright sunny stretches, so we get periodic relief from gray skies and rain.

Bishop Lake from the safety of an umbrella

Despite the gray gloom, drizzly days provide a lot of beauty. I relish my afternoon walks around Bishop Lake under an umbrella. There is so much to experience. The air is fresh and invigorating, the color palette is soft and muted, and plants are in their dormant state.

Bishop Lake in winter

The lake attracts local and migrating birds. Herons stand majestically by the shore, songbirds flit among the shrubs feasting on insects and berries, and waterfowl float on the lake in groups. After a brisk and meditative walk it's back to work with renewed vigor and fresh ideas!

Waterfowl in the rain on Bishop Lake