THROUGH THE GARDEN GATE

If you’re fortunate enough to have a shady area in your yard
where moisture can be provided year-round, you’ve got the makings
for a woodland rock garden area. First, of course, comes the need
for rocks. I’ll leave you to your own devices to find those, but
landscaping supply businesses come to mind. Then you need good
humus soil, full of organic matter, rich and moist, on which to
build your rock garden.
I have added the botanical names for each plant. They are
difficult to read, but necessary for you to find and purchase the
correct plants.
There are lots of wonderful native woodland plants available to
choose from, the Maidenhair, or Five Finger Fern (Adiantum pedatum)
being a great beginning. Everyone loves its shiny, deep purple
stems (stipes) and lacy green fronds. Its thirsty roots will need
moisture year-round. They do go winter dormant…cut off the old
fronds to keep them looking tidy. Check the nursery for other
ferns, as there are several that will be small enough for a rock
garden.
Add some native species of coral bells, also known as alumroot,
which are members of the saxifrage family. They’ll display pretty
flowers hanging bell-like on tall, slender stalks that will bloom
from spring through the summer. The easiest are Heuchera maxima and
H. micrantha; also H. rubescens.   
You can’t miss with Western bleedingheart (Dicentra formosa) for
its tall pink flowers (careful, it’s “invasive”); piggyback plant
(Tolmiea menziesii) for its green foliage and spidery purple
flowers; wild ginger (Asarum caudatum) for ground cover; brook
saxifrage (Boykinia elata) with airy white flowers; sugar scoops or
Western foam flower (Tiarella unifoliata); or Douglas or Pacific
coast iris.
For spring flowers, our native columbine is a pretty red and
yellow bloomer that will nod a nectar-invitation to the
hummingbirds. Aquilegia eximia and A. formosa self-seed and are
often easily found at nurseries.
We have a native wake-robin, or trillium, Trillium ovatum or
californicum, which is a beloved woodland native that blooms early
in white, fading to maroon. The rhizomes should be planted where
they can left alone to increase.
Native lilies include Lilium pardalinum or “tiger” or leopard
lily. The tiger lily will spread by rhizomes and blooms orange with
brown spotting. Grow lilies with ferns, columbines, and stream
orchids.
Stream or brook orchid, Epipactis gigantea, is an easy orchid to
grow, unlike lady or fairy slippers. The leaves are dormant in
winter, appearing in spring, followed by the orchid flowers of
pink, brownish, green or yellow on 12” stalks.
Another woodland plant worth trying is the “inside-out” flower,
or Vancouveria planipetala or V. hexandra. The winter-dormant
foliage is as bright, delicate and pretty as a maidenhair fern’s,
its airy white or yellow flowers with turned-back petals appearing
from late spring through June.
For a blue-flowering perennial, choose one of our two native
lobelias, Lobelia dunnii. If you want a vivid red flower, Lobelia
cardinalis will attract hummingbirds. Both are winter dormant.
These are suggestions; there are more available, so check with
your favorite nursery. Some may be difficult to find, or may have
to be found on the internet. Also attend the CNPS plant sale in
October. Have fun!
Take an inspirational walk with Dave Henson, the Executive
Director of Occidental Arts & Ecology. He’ll show off the
gardens and talk about his vision and efforts for the Center. The
walk is on July 17 at 10 a.m. Suggested donation is $10.
Their next plant sale will be in August. Visit www.oaec.org or call them at 874-1557,
ext. 201, for more information.
There is no general meeting of CNPS, our local chapter, in July
or August.
Please write me at: jo*******@co*****.net.