Bringing Back the Natives: 2025

The Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour is back for 2025, and celebrating its 21st Anniversary! I recently attended the two-day online portion of the event, complete with a key note speaker, presentations on fascinating topics, and online garden tours. The online program makes the event available to those who cannot attend the in-person garden tours, including those located outside the Bay Area. One of these years, I'll attend the in-person tours, but in this season of life, I love the convenience of the online version. The in-person garden tours take place the first weekend in May. 

Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour is back for 2025!

Ecologist Doug Tallamy hosted an FAQ session for those looking to transform their yards into ecologically valuable gardens. He answered questions about creating habitat using the questions that he receives from his lectures and email. Many of these questions also appear in his new book, How Can I Help: Saving Nature with Your Yard. Tallamy is leading a grass roots effort across the United States, to convert our yards, containers, patios, and decks to habitat in a Homegrown National Park. You can learn more on the website, and can add your backyard to the virtual wildlife park across the nation.

 

Native gardens are beautiful and exciting (online screenshot)

The online garden tours visited landscapes in San Pablo, Richmond, Berkeley, San Francisco, Oakland, and Walnut Creek. One presenter created a native habitat in the back yard of her rental, and described why the expense, work, and effort has been worth it, despite not owning the property. Benefits include viewing wildlife in an urban setting, relaxing in nature after a busy day, and growing a community of interested neighbors. Seasoned garden designer Lois Simonds of Gardening With Nature’s Design, provided a poetic description of her goals in a garden design.

A restoration project after three years (online screenshot)

The Skyline Gardens Restoration Project presentation was inspiring. A group of volunteers is working to do away with invasive species (such as European bunch grass) in the Oakland Hills. Invasive species have few natural enemies to combat them, and crowd out native species in the area. The three-year process involves weeding to do away with invasives, and promoting re-entry of California natives.  Volunteers donate 2-3 hours a week, and are rewarded with friendship and good snacks while they work, and a beautiful restored landscape in the end!

Sidewalk plantings provide habitat for birds, bees, butterflies, and insects (online screenshot)

Aesthetic pruner, Leslie Buck, gave a demonstration of the three main cuts required to prune California native plants - thinning, heading, and tipping. For more information see her book, Cutting Back: My Apprenticeship in the Gardens of Kyoto, part how-to and part autobiographical.

Native garden at Woodside Library (photo by Kathy Kraemer (online screenshot)

I found out more information about Assembly Bill 1572 (AB-1572), which prohibits the use of potable water for irrigation of non-functional turf. This law will be phased in starting in 2026. AB-1572 will transform the California landscape, reduce water consumption, and provide more habitat for California native flora and fauna. Not to worry - turf used for golfing, playing teams sports, and group events is retained. Rebates are available.

Native gardens provide a respite (online screenshot)

Several presentations focused on making our landscapes more firesafe, which is very timely in light of recent fires in California and Maui. The key seems to be keeping a five foot "clear zone" around the perimeter of the house. I am inspired to look at the zone around our home to see what can be improved.

Making your home firesafe (online screenshot)

Several presentations focused on the need to plant California native plants for bees and insects. Food is important, but so is shelter, and the habitat needed for reproductive cycles. When planting a garden, plan for a year-round banquet for generalist and specific feeders. California is home to about 6000 plant species from which to choose.

Bees gather together (online screenshot)

These are just a few of the highlights from the two-day online event. Check the Bringing Back the Natives website for more information about the 2025 online and in-person topics, speakers, garden tours, and resources. It is clear that Doug Tallamy has 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. The concepts apply to gardens in any climate and location in the United States - go native!

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).

Bringing Back the Natives: 2023

The Bringing Back the Natives garden tour is back for 2023, with both virtual and in-person formats. Last weekend the virtual garden tours took place on Zoom, and in several weeks, the in-person garden tours will take place. As in previous years I attended both days of the virtual garden tours (but will be travelling during the in-person tours, so will miss see the gardens in person).

Doug Tallamy from University of Delaware gave the keynote address, “Restoring the little things that run the world: Why it matters, and what you can do”. Tallamy presented simple steps that each of us can­ take right in our own backyards to reverse declining biodiversity. Tallamy has written several books including The Nature of Oaks, and is a popular speaker on topics such as keystone plants, creating a wildlife corridor in the landscape, and starting a homegrown national park. His latest book is Nature's Best Hope: How You Can Save the World in Your Own Yard is a version of his previous publication Nature's Best Hope that is geared for middle-schoolers. Tallamy has inspired many gardeners to completely change the trajectory of their landscapes (and has deeply influenced our own upcoming landscape project).  

Interesting presentations include tours of landscapes with designers and property owners (some of  whom also embrace "green home" principles with solar panels, off grid electricity, and so forth); how to design and maintain monarch-friendly gardens; harvesting rainwater for irrigating your garden; and native plant sources in the Bay Area, such as East Bay Wilds and Native Here Nursery. I especially enjoyed learning about sunny and shady keystone plants (plants that are not only beautiful, but also support insect and bird life); native plants as street trees (progress is being made in some cities); and the important role that aphids play in the landscape (hint: they are the basis of the food chain, so embrace them). For the soul, I loved the photo-essay "Life and Death on Silverleaf Lupine" and the video "The Beauty of New Life: March and April in the Native Plant Garden".

Upscale bird bath

Resin bird bath and fountain

Neighborhood lending library with succulent roof

It's not too late to sign up for the 2023 in-person garden tours on Saturday, May 6 (Bayside gardens) and Sunday, May 7 (Inland gardens).  Registration enables you to visit the gardens and see the recordings from the virtual garden tours. To learn more about the online agenda from last weekend, see Agenda 2023 Online Tour. To learn more about the in-person agenda in a few weeks, see View 2023 In-Person Tour Gardens. The tours are free, but donations are appreciated to offset costs.

Bringing Back the Natives: 2022 (Virtual)

The Bringing Back the Natives garden tour is back for 2022, and this time with both a virtual and in-person formats. Last weekend the virtual garden tours took place, via Zoom and YouTube. In a couple of weeks, the in-person garden tours will take place. This year I attended both virtual garden tours and may attend some of the in-person tours (first time ever)!

Doug Tallamy from University of Delaware gave the keynote address, based on his most recent book, The Nature of Oaks, which follows an oak tree through the calendar year. Doug is an advocate of planting keystone plants, which provide vital food sources and shelter for other species, and help define entire ecosystems. His favorite example is the oak tree, which hosts whole communities of birds, moths, butterflies, rodents, beetles, spiders, and more. Doug has spoken on aspects of this this topic over the last three years. It's very common to hear other presenters quote Tallamy or report how their landscaping practices have changed because of him (one person even tore out all their agapanthus after hearing Tallamy speak)!

Some of my favorite presentations include organizer Kathy Kramer's plant round up: "Ten Best Native Plants for Sunny Areas" and "Ten Best Native Plants for Shady Areas". And Al Kyte' retrospective on his 50-year old California native garden in Moraga, which is the subject of a six-video series called "Dimensions of Beauty". It's also fun to learn about new tools, like the Sun Surveyor app for tracking sunlight in your garden; native plant sources such as East Bay Wilds and Oaktown Nursery; and landscape designers. 

Sun Surveyor app

Bee condo

How to prune manzanitas

It's not too late to sign up for the 2022 in-person garden tours (April 30 and May 1).  Registration enables you to visit the gardens and see the recordings from the virtual garden tours. To learn more about the online agenda from last weekend, see Online Garden Tour agenda, 2022. To learn more about the in-person agenda in a couple of weeks, see View 2022 In-Person Tour Gardens. The tours are free, but donations are appreciated to offset costs. Hope to see you there! 

Bringing Back the Natives: 2021 Update

So many gardens, so little time! I've been thoroughly enjoying visits to many East Bay gardens, via Bringing Back the Natives virtual garden tours. For the second year in a row, the annual event is being hosted over Zoom and YouTube. I'm amazed at the creativity with which people have shared their gardens. See Bringing Back the Natives: 2021 Kickoff for the basics. 

Former lawn, now planted in natives

The gardens are beautiful - some are very small, others are like parks. Most try to work within the framework of microclimates, low water usage, and native plants. In many of the tours you can hear and see evidence of the birds, bees, and wildlife that are attracted to the gardens. 

Water element attracts birds and wildlife

A meadow of drought tolerant native plants

I've especially enjoyed the emphasis on native plants that attract butterflies, moths, and birds. Several plant lists are posted on the Douglas Tallamy Resources web page, and the Gardening Info web page. The plant lists are a great resource for finding the right plants for your garden. Most plants are available in native plant nurseries in the San Francisco Bay Area. Some presenters noted that even a few local "box stores" provide native plants in a limited way. It's a start!

Ground covers as an alternative to lawn

It's not too late to sign up for the 2021 garden tours. The last event is scheduled for Sunday, May 23, from 10:00 - 3:00. To learn more about registration, the speakers, and the tour schedule for Sunday, see Agenda & Welcome. To see a list of garden tours by city (especially useful if you are interested in your microclimate), see the 2021 Gardens page. The virtual tours are free, but donations are appreciated. Hope to "see" you online!

Bringing Back the Natives: 2021 Kickoff

The Bringing Back the Natives garden tour is back for 2021, and on Zoom or YouTube for the second year in a row. Last year, COVID-19 shelter-in-place had just kicked in, and the team at Bringing Back the Natives had to pivot from in-person garden tours to an online venue [see Bring Back the Natives – Open (via Zoom)!]. The down side was not being able to experience the gardens in person and see friends and fellow gardeners; the upside was being able to visit a wider range of gardens without crowds and view the tours on YouTube all through the year. 

Ecologist Dr. Douglas Tallamy kicked off the event last Sunday with his keynote talk, "Nature's Best Hope", based on his best-selling book. He spoke on the importance of landscaping to attract and sustain birds and insects to ensure their survival, and told his story of restoring a 300 year-old farm to its native habitat, one keystone plant at a time. He also promoted his HomegrownNationalPark.org initiative, which envisions 20 million acres of privately-owned property as a sort of virtual "national park". 

Stefanie Pruegel, Bay Area native plant specialist, provided a list of top native plants to grow, in "Garden as if Life Depended on It: Top Bay Area Native Plants for Wildlife". Later Tallamy was joined by local plant experts, Bob Sorenson, Glen Schneider, and Kelly Marshal, for an "Ask the Experts" Q&A session. The garden tours started with a canyon and creek restoration near Orinda, followed by garden visits in Walnut Creek, Alameda, Oakland, and Orinda. We also had a virtual tour of the Native Here Native Plant Nursery, located in Tilden Regional Park.

Buckwheat hosts 56 species of moths & butterflies

It's not too late to sign up for the 2021 garden tours. The event runs for three more Sundays (May 2, 16, and 23, from 10:00 - 3:00; with no tours on Mother's Day, May 9). To learn more about registration, the speakers, and the tour schedule by day, see Agenda & Welcome. To see a list of garden tours by city (especially useful if you are interested in your microclimate), see the 2021 Gardens page. The virtual tours are free, but donations are appreciated. Hope to "see" you online!

Bring Back the Natives – Open (via Zoom)!

The Bring Back the Natives garden tour is an annual highlight for gardeners and nature lovers here in the San Francisco Bay Area. The private gardens are far flung – from Martinez to Fremont, Albany to Danville, and everywhere in between. Most gardens are water-wise, use California native plants, and are wildlife friendly. They are beautiful and inspiring and full of wonderful ideas. You really have to plan your tour to visit all the gardens you want to see.

Wildlife garden that provides water, food, and shelter

This year, COVID-19 stopped the garden tour cold due to lockdown and social distancing. This was devastating to both planners and would-be participants. Luckily, a few individuals sprang into action and re-architected the show from an in-person event to an online extravaganza to take place over three Sundays – April 26, May 3, and May 10. The event was kicked off on Sunday, April 26 with an online talk by ecologist Douglas Tallamy, author of “Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens” and “Nature's Best Hope”, and a virtual visit to the East Bay Wilds Native Plant Nursery with Pete Veilleux. Technology and some creative hustle saved the day!

Electric blue flowers of the native Ceanothus

Birds love this birdbath

To attend the final day of the virtual tour, you must register at 2020 virtual event. See View 2020 Gardens for photos of the gardens, and Bring Back the Natives to learn more about their mission and resources. Videos of the tours are posted to YouTube (search for "bringing back the natives garden tour").

Mix of native plants line the path

The Ruth Bancroft Garden

Admittedly, visiting a dry, prickly garden in Walnut Creek in the heat of day at the height of summer does not sound that appealing. But I love the desert ecosystem and went anyway. I’m glad I did. The Ruth Bancroft Garden is well established with the perfect combination of trees for shade, a water treatment, and artful beds of succulents, cacti, and Mediterranean plants from all over the world. On the afternoon I visited, there was a continual breeze, lots of shade, and very pleasant. I was surprised to see some plants in bloom, including agave, cacti, and several varieties of trees and bushes. The air hummed with the activities of bees, butterflies, and birds.

Ruth's Folley - houses small store and greenhouse.

Ruth Bancroft started collecting succulents in the 1950s; in 1972 she worked with Lester Hawkins of Western Hills Nursery in Occidental, CA to design the dry garden in Walnut Creek. The three-acre parcel was originally part of the 400 acres of native oak trees that Hubert Howe Bancroft cleared in the 1880s for a fruit and walnut orchard. The garden design is a series of paths and garden beds planted with Ruth’s collection.

The pond forms a focal point for the garden.

The garden has a primitive, primal feel to it – I almost expected a dinosaur to appear around a bed of wild looking plants, or to come swooping in from an opening in the tree canopy. This amused me, but I think it expresses the feeling the garden conveys. Many of the plants are monocots – ancient plants, with simple (but amazing) strategies for conserving water and reproducing. I enjoyed my self-guided tour, but plan to return for a docent-guided tour to learn more about the plants, and the garden design. To learn more: http://www.ruthbancroftgarden.org/.

HTML Tables

 

Monarchs and Milkweed

While in Santa Cruz, we visited Natural Bridges State Beach to view the sand stone arch carved by wind and wave action. Associated with the park is the Monarch Grove, now Monarch Butterfly Nature Preserve. From October to February, thousands of monarch butterflies gather in clusters in the Eucalyptus grove.

Monarch butterflies overwinter in the Eucalyptus groves 

The Visitor Center provides information about the monarch life cycle – from egg, to larvae, to pupa, to chrysalis, and then to butterfly. The butterflies originate in northern United States and Canada, and migrate to the warmer climates of California and Mexico for winter. Each monarch lives about six to eight weeks, with three or four generations living and dying, before a group migrates south. This generation lives about four to five months, spending part of the time hibernation. In the larval stage, caterpillars eat only milkweed (Asclepias spp.) and lots of it. Milkweed contains a toxin, which the larvae can ingest but is toxic to its predators.

Milkweed demonstration garden (off season)

The Visitor Center maintains a demonstration milkweed garden to provide food for the caterpillars. They also encourage gardeners to plant milkweed to attract monarchs. Milkweed was once plentiful in the United States, but has diminished due to urbanization. You can purchase milkweed seeds in the Visitor Center, or obtain them from a number of organizations or seed suppliers such as, http://www.livemonarch.com/free-milkweed-seeds.htm or http://www.butterflyencounters.com/store/products.php.