We've been hearing some alarming statistics about wildlife recently. Research published in the journal Science pointed to a drop of nearly three billion birds in North America since 1970. A recent article in National Geographic, “You'll Miss them When They're Gone,” details the increased rate at which insects are disappearing and the devastating effects that will have on our planet. It's easy to feel discouraged, even hopeless, in the face of such news.
Author Douglas Tallamy, chair of the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, suggests a solution many of us can participate in. His book, Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants (2007) makes a convincing case for using native plants in backyard gardens to increase habitat for insects, birds, and other fauna. Collectively, our gardens can not only be an enjoyable way to spend time outdoors, appreciate the beauty and diversity of plants, and enjoy exercise and fresh air, but they can also contribute to a rich and healthy ecosystem that enhances our sense of place.
Non-native plants can crowd out natives, and often local insects cannot use them for food because they have not evolved together. Although a garden without insects sounds appealing in some ways, Tallamy reminds us that insects provide an essential link: they convert plant tissue to insect tissue, which in turn provides food for a large percentage of bird and animal species.
Recognizing that most gardeners aren't particularly fond of most insects, Tallamy focuses on butterflies as a group that gardeners typically do appreciate. He points out that butterflies and moths need two types of plants: those that provide nectar and those that provide food for their larva. A butterfly bush, for instance, provides nectar but is not a host for butterfly larva, so it is not sufficient to sustain a butterfly species.
Although Tallamy does provide lists of native plants by region in an appendix, he states that his goal was not to write a “how to” book. This is a book to read for inspiration and to gain a new appreciation for the beauty and complexity of ecological systems that evolved together over millennia.
Written in an accessible, conversational style, the book includes sections on designing, planting, and maintaining native plant gardens, as well as helpful descriptions of the characteristics and uses for a variety of native plant families. When planning a garden, Ellas emphasizes that the purpose of the garden is a primary consideration, followed by the design elements of repetition and simplicity; she recommends using a few species that are repeated throughout the garden. Interest is another important design element which can be created by varying foliage type and plant form, not only by flowers. While there should be something interesting to look at in the garden each season, an individual plant does not have to be interesting all year long.
Ellas provides a wealth of information on planting and maintaining natives with advice on irrigation, pruning, and controlling weeds. In the section “Specific Plants & Special Uses,” she describes riparian-community plants—reminding us that it is a myth that all California natives require little water—and other families of plants such as ceanothus, manzanitas, wildflowers, and native grasses, giving examples of suitable plants for specific garden needs.
For more information, there are several online resources for learning about California native plants. Here are a few:
California Native Plant Society. Dedicated to being “the primary and enduring voice for California's native flora and places,” its activities include conservation, education, and gardening. It is also the source for the Inventory of Rare Plants, the Manuel of California Vegetation, and the Calscape databases. Calscape is particularly useful for gardeners who wish to learn which plants are locally native; they can be searched by street address and plant type. It even includes links to nurseries that sell the plants.
Calflora, a nonprofit website and database, has lists of California native plants with detailed information about their characteristics, maps showing where specific plants grow in the wild, photos, and a database of locally native plants searchable by county. Users can also get help in identifying plants by uploading a photo to the Plant ID Help Group.
Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers and Native Plants provides resources on California natives that are searchable by plant type, flower color, and water needs, as well as plants suitable for special situations such as container gardening, pollinator gardens, and heavy soil. Seeds, books, and clothing can be purchased online, including a California poppies face mask!
Websites related to the books reviewed:
Bringing Nature Home is Douglas Tallamay's website with information on his books and lectures. It includes the Native Plant Finder, which lists plants ranked by the number of butterfly and moth species that use them as host plants for their caterpillars, searchable by zip code.
Quercus Landscape Design includes information on the company's services and periodic blog posts written by Peyton Ellas.