September 2024 Plant Availability

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Greetings Watershed,

It’s back to school time, which we know can be a hectic change of pace for parents and kiddos alike, so this month we’d like to offer some inspiration for creating a sensory garden to help engage your senses, balance your mind, and connect with your kids while supporting the wildlife around us with California native plants!

Sensory gardens can be designed for a variety of specific goals, but at their core is a focus on stimulating several bodily senses. Engaging our senses in a safe, controlled, relaxing environment is remarkably effective at pulling our awareness away from racing thoughts and ushering in a calm, perceptive state. These effects are beneficial for many facets of one’s health regardless of age, but can be especially impactful for kids as they navigate developmental stages while growing! This is particularly true during periods of high stress as is customary for the transition back to school from summer break.

Even a few minutes spent touching a soft leaf, eating a fresh grape straight from the vine, burying your nose in a bundle of sage leaves, and listening to birds singing sweetly from a nearby bush can do wonders for mental clarity, emotional regulation, engagement in learning, and so much more!

Many of our California native plants can stimulate the senses in a variety of ways, but here are some of our favorites for each of the five senses.

We encourage you to stop by the nursery to try their sensory stimulation out for yourself 😉

P.S. we are having our annual Summer Sale this week, so check out the bottom of the newsletter for the details to make sure you don’t miss it!

Sight

Although we believe that all of our native plants are a delight for our sights in their

own uniquely beautiful way, it is well known that particular colors can have effects on our mood and energy, so creating spaces in your sensory garden with specific color themes can be a useful tool for achieving the desired effects of the space on your psyche. In color psychology it is generally thought that bright, warm colors such as red, orange, yellow, and pink can stimulate and energize, while cool colors such as blue, purple, and green can have a soothing effect, evoking feelings of calm and relaxation. With this in mind, it is helpful to group cool vs. warm colored flowers in separate areas of the sensory garden so that you can selectively spend time in these areas to achieve your desired effect.

Roundleaf Harebell

Campanula rotundifolia

Available in D-16 pots for $7.30 each!

Feast your eyes upon the deep blue-violet color of the Roundleaf Harebell with its numerous delicate 1 in. bell-shaped flowers
This species is a petite rhizomatous perennial wildflower with nodding stems up to 4-15 in. tall above foliage.
Blooming can be sporadic but long lasting through summer and fall, especially if the spent blooms are deadheaded.
Roundleaf Harebell’s basal leaves will go deciduous, with narrow stems remaining.
Wonderful for a rock garden or container planting.
Should reseed with good drainage and regular moisture.
Some theorize that the common name Harebell refers to an ancient association with witches that were suspected to transform into hares.

Showy Penstemon

Penstemon spectabilis

Available in D-16 pots (50% off) for $3.65 each!

One of the most spectacular of the penstemons, Showy Penstemon is sure to mesmerize with its vibrant blue-lavender, wide-mouthed tubular flowers that bloom from March to May
In ideal conditions blooming may even occur from winter into late summer!
The bloom period may be extended even more with some occasional water, though it may shorten the plant’s overall lifespan
This species is a short-lived evergreen perennial that grows 2 ft. wide with erect stems reaching 3 – 4 ft. tall
It is best to prune after the blooms are spent to promote new growth
Very drought tolerant, and happiest in full sun, this species is overall super easy to grow and tolerant of a variety of soils including clay

Scarlet Bugler

Penstemon centranthifolius

Available in D-16 pots (50% off) for $3.65, & 1-gals for $14.50 each!

Scarlet Bugler is an upright (2-4 feet tall) perennial, summer deciduous wildflower.
A series of long coral-red flowers burst into show along a tall bloom spike above the silvery green, shiny foliage in the spring through summer.
Hummingbirds love these flowers!
This penstemon prefers well draining soil, but will do fine with clay soil and poor drainage.
If you’ve planted it in a site without full sun, it may grow horizontally to seek out more light
It provides abundant color as a flowering accent plant on banks or mixed with other flowering perennials around rocks and pathways, and pairs well with California Fuchsia or monkey flowers in containers.

Red Bush Monkeyflower

Diplacus puniceus

Available in D-16 pots (75% off) for $2.13, & 1-gals for $15.70 each!

Red Monkeyflower is a small, fast-growing summer deciduous shrub that reaches about 2′ tall.
This southern cousin differs from our local orange Sticky Monkeyflower with its bright red flowers and more compact form.
The glorious trumpet shaped flowers can last for most of the year (depending on rainfall pattern), which is great for the hummingbirds that drink the nectar
Avoid direct watering in late summer or early fall as it may kill this plant.
Best to let it go dormant for the hottest months of the year, and then watch it come back with the fall-winter rains.

Sound

Western Dog Violet

Viola adunca

Available in 1-Gals (25% off) for $10.88 each!

Much like California Poppies, Western Dog Violets rely on ballistic seed dispersal (explosive dehiscence) to spread their seeds. Listen for the “pop” of the pods as they pop open and spread the seeds, or gently shake seed pods as they dry to hear if they’re ready–they’ll sound like a tiny maraca!
This species is a rhizomatous, semi-evergreen, compact perennial that grows 4-6 inches tall, making an excellent ground cover
Dog Violets are a great option for slopes, in beds and borders, under shrubs, in rock gardens, or in woodland gardens.
Grows best in well drained moist soils.
The dog violet’s spade/heart-shaped leaves create the perfect backdrop for the individual flowers that grow out of the end of a long stem.
The brilliant purple-blue petaled flowers bloom throughout spring and summer

Fremont Cottonwood

Populus fremontii

Available in TP4 pots for $15.70 each!

Fremont Cottonwoods are gorgeous, fast growing deciduous trees that provide tranquil shade and a spreading, open canopy.
The sound of the wind blowing through its branches echoes a cascading stream, or a gentle rustling, and evokes days spent along the creeks and rivers of the delta.
These trees are stately and statuesque–reaching 50-75 feet tall, with lovely waxy bright green leaves that shimmer in the sunlight as they move, and silvery-gray bark.
Provide plenty of space, moist soil, and a sunny spot, and you’ll be rewarded with shade and colors throughout the growing season–leaves turn bright yellow, sometimes orange in October and November.
For the kids (or kids at heart)–cottonwood stems, when broken, reveal a star shaped pith of dark brown wood in the center!

Toyon

Heteromeles arbutifolia

Available in D-16 pots for $8.50 and D-40 pots for $10.90 each!

Enjoy the peaceful calm that washes over you thanks to the delightful birdsong of California Towhee, flocks of Cedar Waxwings, and even Warblers by planting this keystone species in your garden!
This evergreen shrub to small tree grows to 15 feet tall and is a great choice for erosion control, fire resistance, and as an informal hedge in the landscape.
With little pruning required, Toyon’s pretty red winter berries attracts birds and bees.
This is also an important nectar plant for the California Tortoiseshell butterfly.
Attractive in flower as well as fruit, this native, noninvasive alternative to firethorn or cotoneaster is a must for bird-friendly gardens.
For crafty folks, the berries and dark green leaves can be used in floral arrangements and decor around the holidays.

Smell

Fragrant Pitcher Sage

Lepechinia fragrans

Available in D-40 pots (75% off) for $2.73, TB4’s for $15.70, and 2-Gals for $30.25 each!

Fragrant Pitcher Sage is one of our best smelling plants with an irresistible clary sage scent that emanates from its foliage.
The attractive pale purple to pink tubular flowers from spring to fall that provide beauty for us and pollen and nectar to hummingbirds and bumblebees!
As a bonus, the large spade-shaped leaves are fuzzy to the touch, so this one is a sensory trifecta for smell, sight, and touch 🙂
Although fast growing, this species is a small evergreen shrub that only grows up to about 3 feet tall with a 2 foot spread
Endemic to California, found in the coastal Southern California Mountains, and the Channel Islands, in canyons and northern slopes where there is a little moisture and shade.
In the garden, Fragrant Pitcher Sage does well in areas with partial sun (4-6 hours direct).
Giving it some summer water will help to retain the leaves, and frequent pinching back will encourage a full, dense appearance.

Vanilla Grass

Anthoxanthum occidentalis

Available in Stubs for $2.30 each!

Vanilla Grass is named for its soothing, warm, sweet vanilla-like scent released by the grass blades when caressed or crushed.
Similar to its more widely known cousin, Sweetgrass, Vanilla Grass leaves provide their lovely aroma fresh or when burned, and can be woven for basketry and fiber works.
This evergreen, spreading perennial grass grows to approx. 2 x 2 ft.
Space 9-12 in. apart in a shady situation that receives summer irrigation.
The whitish flowers are held on 18 in. stalks above broad, bright green, foliage.
Excellent for woodland gardens, Vanilla grass grows well in companion with many redwood forest understory plants, like Wild Ginger, Redwood Sorrel, and Redwood Keckiella.

White Sage

Salvia apiana

Available in D-40 pots (50% off) for $5.45 each!

White Sage is an arcing upright evergreen perennial shrub, reaching 2 – 5 ft. tall and wide.
Considered sacred by many Native Americans who use this plant for ceremonial, medicinal, and edible purposes, including burning dried leaves for purification rituals, and preserving seeds in pinole (a staple food)
Prized by many outside of indigenous communities as well for its beautiful, enticingly aromatic, silvery green-white foliage
Hundreds of pale lavender to white flowers emerge in summer, covering the stems, and attracting numerous bees.
Plant en masse on dry, well draining slopes, and listen as the bumbles zoom between blooms!
Its leaves can be sparse along the stems, so pinch prune frequently for a more filled out appearance

Touch

Pacific Madrone

Arbutus menziesii

Available in D-40 pots for $10.90 each!

Pacific Madrone grows to be ~30 ft tall, and 25 ft wide at the canopy.
This beautiful evergreen tree has rich red-orange bark that peels away (very satisfyingly) from the mature wood, leaving smooth, silvery green colored wood underneath
The smooth underlayer of bark often feels quite cool to the touch, which is why you may have heard this species affectionately called “refrigerator trees”
In spring, established trees explode with sprays of small white to pink urn-like flowers beloved by bees and hummingbirds.
Once pollinated, they’ll produce bright orangey-red edible berries en masse throughout October and November. The berries don’t taste like much, so you might find that they are better left for the birds, who delight in them as a favored fall food source!
Native to forested, woodland canyons and slopes, madrones are slow to moderate growing, and can be challenging to establish–choose a site with good drainage, ideally on a slope, with partial shade, and avoid summer watering once established.

Palmer’s Abutilon

Abutilon palmeri

Available in D-16 pots for $6.38 – 8.50 and 1-Gals for $15.70 each!

Palmer’s Abutilon is a dense semi-evergreen southwestern desert shrub that grows 3-5 ft tall and equally as wide.
Its thick, velvety fuzz-covered, heart-shaped silvery-green leaves and silky apricot orange colored petals are comforting and soft to the touch
Pinching and pruning will help keep this plant looking its best.
Try not to water too much in the winter or keep it too dry in the early summer, and protect it from frost.
Planting in the Bay Area, you’ll want to keep the Abutilon in a sunny, well draining spot or container.

Common Rush

Juncus effusus

Available in 1-Gals for $14.50 each!

Common rush is a spreading evergreen perennial that reaches 2 – 5 ft. tall.
The smooth, bright green, round, upright stems are marvelously stimulating to run your fingers through
Enjoy its frilly pale white flowers in the summer, followed by rusty brown seed capsules that stay on the plant into the winter.
Like most rushes, Common Rush needs moist soils such as along stream edges and meadows. We like it planted as a structural accent in wet spots–swales, or by a downspout.
Birds and other wildlife use the seeds for food in fall and winter, and stems and dense foliage provide excellent habitat for nesting!
Careful not to get poked in the eyes or ears if getting up close and personal with this species!

Taste

California Wild Grape

Vitis californica

Available in D-16 pots (25% off) for $5.48 each!

This fast-growing deciduous vine will twist its way up to 30 ft. tall, with small, edible purple grapes adorning its branches in autumn. The fruit is often sour, but wonderful in a jam or jelly!
Enjoy small yellow blooms in spring and luscious fall color as the vines and leaves go from bright green to yellow and orange, trailing along fence lines or a trellis, creating a living wall and excellent habitat (and food) for birds and other wildlife.
Be sure to plant more than one–California Wild Grape is usually dioecious, and needs separate male and female plants to produce fruit. They’ll do well in clay soils, and thrive in damp areas, but can withstand periods of dryness once established.

Beach Strawberry

Fragaria chiloensis

Available in 4” pots for $7.90 each!

This seriously adorable, fast growing, evergreen, spreading ground cover grows to about 6 in. tall, covering the ground with glossy dark green foliage, bright white flowers, and edible fruits!
Tolerant of light foot traffic, and a particularly great option on broad hillsides, or in parking strips and walkways.
Prune annually to renovate and prevent thick-layered colonies, and share cuttings that have root nodes with friends, or turn them into a garden project for kiddos!
Beach strawberry can handle just about any conditions you throw at it–give it a sunny spot and infrequent moisture (once established), and it’ll produce flowers that attract native bees and butterflies, and fruits to feed birds and small mammals (that is if you don’t eat them all first! 😉

California Huckleberry

Vaccinium ovatum

Available in D-40 pots for $10.90 each!

A slow growing, evergreen shrub that can reach 2-3 ft. tall in the sun and up to 12 ft. tall and 10 ft. wide in the shade.
Prefers well-drained, humus-rich soils.
The small, ovate, evergreen foliage looks good year round, has little pinkish urn-shaped flowers March – May (which are attractive to butterflies), followed by edible glossy, blackish-purple edible berries.
In a partial shade garden, the shrubs are a beautiful backdrop for mixed borders.
In a full shade garden, it can be grown beautifully as a tall evergreen hedge.
In a full sun garden it will produce more berries, but it will not grow as tall as it would in shade
Many species of birds and small mammals consume the berries, and birds and mammals use the thickets as hiding, resting, or nesting sites

Last but not least, we are having our annual Summer Sale this week!

ALL OF OUR PLANTS will be at least 10% off, up to 75% off!!!!

Stay Safe and ‘Bee’ Well from all of us at the Watershed Nursery!

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