Each garden
comes to the present moment with its own unique history. Part of that history is ancient – bound up in
the rocks that form its soils, the rivers and volcanoes that shaped its
topography and the effects of other natural forces. In the more recent past, the land where your neighborhood
lies was host to a number of plant and animal species, as well as the human
inhabitants that subsisted on them.
Perhaps you have
remnant native plant species, such as an oak or Toyon, already growing in your yard. These can form the basis for your landscape
plan. As you look around your
neighborhood you may find other native relicts that can provide inspiration – perhaps
even seeds or cuttings – for your garden.
There is nothing more exciting
than knowing that you’re providing a home for plants that are native to your
immediate location!
Even if your neighborhood
currently includes no native plants, learning about the plants that once
occupied your land can suggest species that may thrive in your garden. Learning about the plant communities that
existed in your local area can also suggest palettes of plants that ‘go
together’ – both in terms of their requirements as well as in how they look. Some good resources for learning about
California’s Plant communities include:
·
Designing
California Native Gardens: The Plant Community Approach to Artful, Ecological
Gardens (paperback)
- by Glenn Keator,
We also have very useful plant lists available for several local plant communities - see the 'Native Plant Gallery' page on right of screen.
You may become
fascinated by the ecology of the plants and animals of your area and want to
explore further. Learning more about
the Native Californians who live in your area can suggest ways to properly
manage your native plants. After all,
the Native peoples were the first stewards of our native plants!
How your
property was developed – and when – can also influence the design of your
landscape plan. Were your soils compacted? Was fill brought in? These and other factors may influence the
plants you choose and the preparations needed to produce a thriving
landscape. Perhaps your garden was once
the site of an orchard, a cattle pasture or an oil field. This
sort of history comes with its own set of challenges. Knowing about your site’s
history will help you to plan for them. Can you find any old pictures of your home/home site or neighborhood? These can often be helpful
Finally,
considering the gardening history of your yard may suggest additional factors
to consider when developing your garden plan.
Knowing whether fertilizers, pesticides and soil amendments were used,
and when, can be useful. Some landscape
plants change the pH or other soil characteristics. Knowing the gardening history of your site
can help you avoid costly mistakes.
Learning about
your site’s history can take time and research.
Some information will be unavailable.
Just do the best you can in filling out the History Worksheet (http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/your-gardens-history-worksheet ). File it and old pictures, articles etc.
that you discover in your Garden Notebook.
Any knowledge of your site’s history will be useful when you – or a
designer you hire – designs you New California Garden.
____________________________________________________________
We
value your comments (below). You can
also contact us directly at mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment