$7.50 (Free to Members)

VOL. 36, NO. 2–3 • SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA JOURNAL OF THE NATIVE SOCIETY

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA SPECIAL ISSUE: PUBLIC OF CALIFORNIA NATIVE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY FREMONTIA CNPS, 2707 K Street, Suite 1; Sacramento, CA 95816-5113 Phone: (916) 447-CNPS (2677) Fax: (916) 447-2727 VOL. 36, NO. 2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 Web site: www.cnps.org Email: [email protected] Copyright © 2008 MEMBERSHIP California Native Plant Society Membership form located on inside back cover; dues include subscriptions to Fremontia and the Bulletin Bart O’Brien, Editor Bob Hass, Copy Editor Mariposa Lily ...... $1,500 Family or Group ...... $75 Benefactor ...... $600 International or Library ...... $75 Beth Hansen-Winter, Designer Patron ...... $300 Individual ...... $45 Kathryn Blassey, Editorial Assistant Plant Lover ...... $100 Student/Retired/Limited Income . $25 Brad Jenkins and Jake Sigg, Proofreaders STAFF CHAPTER COUNCIL Sacramento Office: Brad Jenkins (Chair), Larry Levine (Vice CALIFORNIA NATIVE Executive Director . Amanda Jorgenson Chair), Sarah Jayne (Secretary) PLANT SOCIETY Finance & Administration Manager . Alta Peak (Tulare) . . . . Joan Stewart Cari Porter Bristlecone (Inyo-Mono) ...... Dedicated to the Preservation of Steve McLaughlin the California Native Membership & Sales Coordinator . . . Stacey Flowerdew Channel Islands . . . . David Magney The California Native Plant Society Administrative Assistant . . . . . Anna Dorothy King Young (Mendocino/ (CNPS) is a statewide nonprofit organi- Ostrowercha Sonoma Coast) . . . . . Lori Hubbart zation dedicated to increasing the un- East Bay ...... Delia Taylor At Large: derstanding and appreciation of Califor- El Dorado ...... Amy Hoffman nia’s native plants, and to preserving Fremontia Editor . . . . . Bart O’Brien Kern County ...... Lucy Clark them and their natural habitats for fu- Rare Plant Botanist . . . Nick Jensen Los Angeles/Santa Monica Mtns . . . ture generations. Senior Ecologist . . . Julie CNPS carries out its mission through Betsey Landis science, conservation advocacy, educa- Evens Marin County . . Carolyn Longstreth tion, and at the local, state, Vegetation Ecologists . Jennifer Buck, Milo Baker (Sonoma County) . . . . . and federal levels. It monitors rare and Kendra Sikes Liz Parsons endangered plants and habitats; acts to Vegetation Data Coordinator and Mojave Desert ...... Tim Thomas save endangered areas through public- Monterey Bay . . . . Rosemary Foster ity, persuasion, and on occasion, legal Ecologist . . . Eric B. Peterson, Ph.D. East Bay Conservation Analyst . . . . . Mount Lassen ...... Catie Bishop action; provides expert testimony to Napa Valley ...... John Pitt government bodies; supports the estab- Lech Naumovich North Coast ...... Larry Levine lishment of native plant preserves; spon- Legislative Advocate . Vern Goehring North San Joaquin . . James Brugger sors workdays to remove invasive plants; Website Coordinator . Mark Naftzger and offers a range of educational activi- Orange County ...... Laura Camp CNPS Bulletin Editor . . . . . Bob Hass ties including speaker programs, field Redbud (Grass Valley /Auburn) . . . . trips, native plant sales, horticultural Training Coordinator . Josie Crawford Frances Jorgensen workshops, and demonstration gardens. Riverside/San Bernardino counties . . Since its founding in 1965, the tradi- BOARD OF DIRECTORS Katie Barrows tional strength of CNPS has been its Sue Britting (Acting ), Steve Sacramento Valley . . . Hazel Gordon dedicated volunteers. CNPS activities Hartman (Treasurer), Lynn Houser ...... Marty Foltyn are organized at the local chapter level San Gabriel Mtns . . . Gabi McLean where members’ varied interests influ- (Secretary). At Large: Brett Hall, Arvind ence what is done. Volunteers from the Kumar, Brian LeNeve, Vince Scheidt, San Luis Obispo . . . Lauren Brown 33 CNPS chapters annually contribute Alison Shilling, Carol W. Witham Sanhedrin (Ukiah) ...... Vishnu in excess of 97,000 hours (equivalent Santa Clara Valley . . . Kevin Bryant to 46.5 full-time employees). PROGRAM DIRECTORS Santa Cruz County . . . . Brett Hall CNPS membership is open to all. Sequoia (Fresno) . . . position open CNPS Press ...... Holly Forbes Members receive the quarterly journal, Shasta . . . . . Susan Libonati-Barnes Fremontia, the quarterly statewide Bul- Horticulture . . Susan Libonati-Barnes Sierra Foothills (Tuolumne, Cala- letin, and newsletters from their local Posters ...... Bertha McKinley veras, Mariposa) . . . Patrick Stone CNPS chapter. and Wilma Follette South Coast (Palos Verdes) ...... Vegetation ...... Todd Keeler-Wolf Barbara Sattler DISCLAIMER: Tahoe ...... Michael Hogan The views expressed by authors published MATERIALS FOR PUBLICATION Willis L. Jepson (Solano) ...... in this journal do not necessarily reflect CNPS members and others are wel- Mary Frances Kelly Poh established policy or procedure of CNPS, and their publication in this journal should come to contribute materials for publi- Yerba Buena (San Francisco) . . . . . not be interpreted as an organizational cation in Fremontia. position open endorsement—in part or in whole—of their ideas, statements, or opinions. Printed by Premier Graphics: www.premiergraphics.biz

FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 CONTENTS

SPECIAL ISSUE: PUBLIC GARDENS OF CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS This special double-issue of Fremontia is dedicated to a precious resource for everyone interested in California and its native flora: our public gardens. The following nine examples are conveniently presented from south to north. Collectively, these gardens represent nearly five hundred years of hard-won horticultural experience with our native plants. All offer knowledge, inspiration, and beauty to everyone who visits them. As articles become available, additional public gardens of California native plants will be featured in future issues of Fremontia.

GOLDEN WEST COLLEGE NATIVE : A LEARNING EXPERIENCE by Dan Songster ...... 2

HORTICULTURAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF RANCHO SANTA ANA BOTANIC GARDEN by Barbara Eisenstein ...... 8

THE THEODORE PAYNE FOUNDATION GARDENS by John Wickham ...... 14

HORTICULTURE AT THE SANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDEN by Carol Bornstein ...... 20

CALIFORNIA NATIVES IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ by Brett Hall...... 26

GERDA ISENBERG NATIVE PLANT GARDEN AT YERBA BUENA NURSERY by Kathy Crane and Matt Teel ...... 32

SAN FRANCISCO NATIVE PLANT GARDEN by Don Mahoney, Terry Seefeld, and Barbara Pitschel...... 38

THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BOTANICAL GARDEN AT BERKELEY by Nathan Smith ...... 44

CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS AT THE UC DAVIS ARBORETUM by Ellen Zagory ...... 50

THE COVER: An image from each of our nine featured public gardens of California native plants conveys the beauty and diversity of these gardens at all times of the year.

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 1 A view over the sages growing in the community. Mature trees of western sycamore (Platanus racemosa) and Fremont cottonwood (Populus fremontii) frame the northern end of the Garden. All photographs by D. Songster. GOLDEN WEST COLLEGE NATIVE GARDEN: A LEARNING EXPERIENCE by Dan Songster

he oak crunch beneath esting slopes for planting, while pro- in 1975 was to have a native garden your feet, bushtits dash and viding a sense of isolation from the serving as an outdoor classroom and thrash among the branches busy campus. Almost anytime of year lab for the science department’s bi- of the Nevin barberry, a stu- you can sit within its boundaries ology, , and environmental Tdent stoops to identify a monkey- and enjoy the antics of birds forag- studies classes. Back in the 1970s, , sip quickly ing, fighting, and frolicking among this idea was cutting edge. People from the fragrant sage and glowing the plants in a manner unlike the were not acquainted with California foothill penstemon , and the rest of campus. Students, faculty, and natives and I was no exception. So scarlet blooms of island snapdragon staff visit daily during breaks. They began a long study effort with equal hang like jewels from the lower enjoy the Garden’s warmth, breathe parts of the old A California Flora by branches of the bishop pine it has in the sages, stroll the pathways, or Philip Munz, and visits to many na- entwined. chat among themselves much like tive gardens, nurseries, plant experts, The California Native Garden at the birds. I have witnessed a lot of and other native resources through- Golden West College is a small affair thoughtful expressions in the Gar- out the state. As the Garden pro- tucked between our math/science den but have seldom seen a visitor gressed in the mid 1980s, Rod building and a nearby parking lot on wear a frown, at least for long. Wallbank became involved with the the west side of the campus. Less Of course the Garden’s original Garden and we began sharing du- than an acre and a half, it is sur- purpose was not for such whole- ties as Co-Directors. Being assigned rounded on three sides with an eight- some and pleasurable interludes the task of designing and eventually foot tall berm creating some inter- from a day’s studies. The intention installing the Golden West College

2 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 Native Garden has introduced us to many interesting and inspirational plants and people over the last 30 years. I wonder if today’s new of native plant enthusiasts can imag- ine the difficulty we had finding re- liable information about natives or how rare it was to see a native in a landscape back then. But I digress.

GARDEN OVERVIEW The Garden currently allows col- lege students, faculty, staff, and any- one with an interest in native plants, to observe and learn about over two hundred of native trees, , and perennials of various ages, and at least another fifty spe- cies of , , and annuals. Since the Garden’s mission is an- chored in studying these native plants, it was an easy choice to de- sign the Garden in a series of coher- ent plant communities much like Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden’s rear acreage. These plant groupings are found naturally throughout Cali- fornia and are an effective way to study our state’s botany. Of course, the Garden cannot approach the di- versity found in California’s wild plant communities, but we are sat- isfied if we can present a represen- tative variety of plants from a com- munity, deliberately arranged in what could be considered a natural manner. The communities we have in- CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: A favor- stalled include Foothill Woodland, ite, fuchsia-flowering gooseberry ( Redwood Forest, Oak Woodland, speciosum), grows with Munz sage ( munzii). Both provide late winter color. • , Coastal Sage Scrub, and A white sage () in full bloom Mixed Evergreen Forest. We also glows in the morning light. Elegant have a section for some of the in- (Clarkia unguiculata) and lemonadeberry triguing plants from the Channel (Rhus integrifolia) are in the background. • Islands. A is planned be- Chaparral yucca (Hesperoyucca whipplei) provides a stunning flowering accent be- neath a somewhat vacant portion of tween Cleveland sage (Salvia clevelandii) the Oak Woodland, and a small or- and bushrue (Cneoridium dumosum). Last namental meadow, with an empha- year’s dead flower stalk is now a perch. sis on our lovely native bulbs, is intended for the area near the glass- munities (willow, alder, poplar, etc). house. Though we have no moving We also have several pockets for water, a nod to riparian systems was spring wildflowers to catch the attempted by including riparian spe- visitor’s eye. Certainly they attract a cies along the edges of various com- lot of attention and perhaps people

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 3 the northern entrance to the Gar- den, is dominated by three trees, a bishop pine (Pinus muricata), cloaked with dark green needles, that is finally happy after a very slow first 12 years. Nearby is the hybrid island mountain mahogany (Cerco- carpus betuloides var. blancheae X C. traskiae) with tall, sculpted trunks soaring twenty feet, topped with a light canopy of dark olive-green leaves. The arboreal triangle is com- pleted by a multi-trunked, - leaved Catalina ironwood (Lyono- thamnus floribundus spp. asplenifo- lius) with its shredded, cinnamon- colored bark and its large of creamy flowers perched high on the branches. Catalina cherry ( ilicifolia ssp. lyonii), island bush poppy (Dendromecon harfordii), Catalina Island snowflake (Eriophyl- lum nevinii), and Santa Cruz Island gooseberry (Ribes thacherianum) are ABOVE : Early summer bloom of Matilija also thriving here. poppy (Romneya coulteri) with elegant The Coastal Sage Scrub section clarkia (Clarkia unguiculata) peeking is striking with coast sunflower through from slightly uphill. • RIGHT: The Baja, or small-leaved, (Rosa minuti- (Encelia californica), bladderpod folia) is endangered in California but (Isomeris arborea), several Califor- survives the Garden’s clay . nia buckwheats ( spp.), and the drama of chaparral yucca attracted by their vibrant colors will (Hesperoyucca whipplei). Other de- return to enjoy different aspects of pendable plants include coyotebrush the Garden in other months. (Baccharis pilularis var. consanguin- Throughout the Garden, we have ea), lemonade (Rhus integri- included plants with flowers, ber- den, gifts to friends, and occasional folia), and the pungent California ries, and that are attractive to plant sales. Built into the berm in sagebrush (Artemisia californica). Of several kinds of fascinating creatures. the north end of the garden is our course, with many sages (Salvia The variety of birds and butterflies lovely stone amphitheater, and on spp.), the area is deliciously fragrant. are of great interest to our students the south end, perched among the Our Foothill Woodland section and other Garden visitors. coastal sage, is a plateau with seat- holds two of the oldest plants in the Pathways wind through the Gar- ing for study groups and the evening garden, planted in 1975, a coast live den, helping tie the various commu- astronomy class. oak (Quercus agrifolia) and a west- nities together while allowing visi- ern redbud (Cercis occidentalis). tors a close-up view of the plants. COMMUNITIES Nearby, a valley oak (Quercus loba- Stone benches have been placed ta) emerges from a rambling mass of along the paths and in the evening Despite the Garden’s small size, basketbush (Rhus trilobata), spilling simple bollard lighting makes the we have tried to include enough in- down a small hillside. In spring, garden feel friendly and inviting. In dicator species and species of inter- among the nodding needlegrass the northwest corner there is a small est from each plant community to ( cernua), we enjoy bulbs glasshouse, lath house, and potting give our visitors the flavor of that like the single- onion (Allium shed where the botany and biology particular community. Let’s take a unifolium), Ithuriel’s spear (Triteleia classes grow plants for their needs. quick walk through some of the laxa), and various mariposa lilies We also use these facilities to propa- Garden. (Calochortus spp.). gate natives for planting in the Gar- The Channel Island section, at Chaparral is very difficult to rep-

4 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 licate in any garden, but with our heavy it is more than a design challenge. Obviously, it would be easier if we had better-draining soils for some of our favorites, such as manzanitas, woolly blue curls, and flannelbush. We still try to grow them with varying degrees of suc- cess: flannelbush (Fremontodendron spp.) lasts longest for us, averaging about six years; manzanita (Arcto- staphylos spp.) four to six years; and sadly, we often treat woolly blue curls (Trichostema lanatum) as a bi- ennial. We add to these somewhat transient residents more long-last- ing species such as laurel sumac (Malosma laurina), sugarbush (Rhus ovata), mountain mahogany (Cerco- carpus betuloides), Tecate cypress (Cupressus forbesii), toyon (Heter- omeles arbutifolia), scrub oak (Quer- cus berberidifolia), California - berry (Rhamnus californica), and numerous California lilacs (Ceano- thus spp.). The Mixed Evergreen Forest sec- tion carries the sharp scent of the California bay (Umbellularia califor- nica), the stunning spring floral dis- play of the pink flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum var. glutinosum), and includes the astounding green of the incense cedar (Calocedrus de- currens). Next to one of our mad- A western red cedar (Thuja plicata) provides excellent color contrast standing in front of rones ( menziesii), a white- a group of coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens). flowered form of California lilac ( thyrsiflorus ‘Snow Flurry’) and deer grass ( rigens), The most time-consuming and stands over twenty feet tall and al- hummingbird sage (Salvia spath- least enjoyed chore for our under- most as wide, casting dappled shade acea), and blue-eyed grass (Sisyrin- staffed Garden is weeding. We try to beneath for the appreciative coral chium bellum) are starting to spread avoid use, and that means bells (Heuchera spp.), meadow rue beneath these trees. hand weeding where mulch has worn (Thalictrum fendleri var. polycar- thin or in communities in which we pum), Douglas (Iris douglasiana), don’t use mulch. It’s pretty easy get- and California polypody fern (Poly- GARDEN CARE AND ting together a large number of podium californicum). CONCERNS friends for our annual planting day, Our Oak Woodland consists of but it takes a bit of arm-twisting just coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), a As in any garden, maintenance to get a small group for weeding. juvenile interior live oak (Quercus is a year-round activity. Our year is also an important part wislizeni) just starting to assert its begins with fall planting, pruning of this garden’s maintenance. As in size and shape, and the gracefully mainly during the winter months, many gardens created by plant lov- eccentric Englemann oaks (Quercus and weeding all winter and spring. ers, space becomes an issue. Some- engelmannii) staggered on each side Summer months involve mulching, times plants grow larger than ex- of the walkway. Several of these oaks specific watering, and hardscape pected or are simply spaced too are tall enough to plant under now, projects. closely together by an optimistic gar-

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 5 ABOVE: Spring blooms of lilac verbena (Verbena lilacina) and coral bells (Heuchera sp.) in the morning sun. • LEFT: Catalina Island snowflake (Eriophyllum nevinii) provides a lovely accent near the amphitheater.

than a means to enhance the struc- clay soil that is a challenge for grow- ture and beauty of the plants in- ing many of the natives whose de- volved. It is also a way to keep some scriptions in any publication invari- of the shrubs and trees from directly ably read “need good drainage.” We interfering with each other’s growth, do have many gentle slopes that help allow more air movement to combat with drainage and we do make clever potential disease, create planting attempts to improve drainage, but space beneath large shrubs or small these heavy soils have led to the trees, and allow light to penetrate to demise of some of our favorite plants. understory plants beneath larger Possibly the only good thing about trees. Being crowded also means it is growing our native plants in clay essential we remove the fast growing soils is that we have learned a few seedlings of large shrubs and trees things about in such con- such as elderberry, lemonade berry, ditions over the last 30 years. Since oak, and coyote brush or the garden people who live in Orange County will be choked! There is little room generally garden in some form of for just letting the Garden be, al- clay (try as they might to alter it), though that is how it looks to most we understand their plight, tempta- dener who should have known bet- visitors who say they like our “natu- tions, and most of all, we have hard- ter. When plantings become too ral garden.” won advice to give. Sometimes we crowded, pruning becomes more As noted earlier, our Garden has simply offer a shoulder to cry on.

6 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 Using as little water as we can and retaining rainwater on-site has been important to us from the be- ginning. With the exception of the redwood and mixed evergreen for- est areas, the plants don’t normally need or appreciate much more than winter rainfall. (We will be intro- ducing a low-volume irrigation sys- tem for the redwood and mixed ev- ergreen forests.) Very dry winters mean we have to turn on the water for a healthy, presentable garden. We try to do this during cool, cloudy winter days to avoid the chance of or other fungal activity harming the plants. Since we have no sophisticated irrigation systems, we simply set out impact heads to water the garden, moving the sprin- klers to prevent runoff and allowing water to soak in. It works.

ENJOY The Golden West College Na- tive Garden may be small, but it is packed with plants. Although it con- tains several of California’s rare and endangered species, many - loving natives, and dozens of plants attractive to both bird and butter- flies (and more), the Garden is not a pure botanic garden, nor is it a water district showpiece or a but- terfly garden. It is a garden whose mission is the same as ever, to pro- vide a learning experience for its visitors. Whether you are a student studying for the upcoming quiz, a local resident thinking about re- placing the front lawn with a wa- ter-saving landscape, a conserva- tionist, or bird lover preparing for some backyard restoration with lo- cal natives, the Garden has some- thing for you. It is a learning expe- rience.

Golden West College Native Garden, 15744 Golden West Street, Huntington TOP: Point Sal purple sage (Salvia leucophylla ‘Point Sal’) adds a pastel touch to a section Beach, CA 92647; (714)892-7711; www. near the coastal sage scrub community. Shaw’s (Agave shawii) and California sunflower goldenwestcollege.edu/maps/cngmap. (Encelia californica) are in background. • BOTTOM: A winter view in the mixed evergreen forest section with the graceful Claremont flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum var. html • Dan Songster, dsongster@gwc. glutinosum ‘Claremont’) in full bloom. cccd.edu

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 7 White sage (Salvia apiana), in the foreground, contrasts with dark green trees and snow covered San Gabriel Mountains in the Plant Communities area of Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden (RSABG). All photographs by B. Eisenstein. HORTICULTURAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF RANCHO SANTA ANA BOTANIC GARDEN by Barbara Eisenstein

ardeners—whether land- ticultural needs through its various offer with a pleasant way to learn scape architects, profes- programs and departments. This ar- about native plants and California’s sional horticulturists, or ticle begins with a description of pro- natural heritage. Each day, visitors homeowners—span a grams geared for the gardening new- stroll along the paths of RSABG. Gwide range of knowledge and abili- comer, and progresses to programs Some come for planned events and ties. Some have a rich understand- for the horticultural expert and gen- others for informal, outdoor recre- ing of plants and can grow nearly eral contributions to the field of hor- ation. Interpretive signage through- anything. Others know how to grow ticulture. out the Garden provides informa- traditional landscape plants, but have tion on California’s floristic prov- little acquaintance with California FOR THE NOVICE inces, , plant communities, natives. Still others have no knowl- and more. Plants in the Garden’s edge of plants at all, though they Grounds living collection have accession tags, may have a large yard requiring land- The grounds of the Garden pro- and many are identified with signs scaping and maintenance. Rancho vide novice and those that include the common and bo- Santa Ana Botanic Garden (RSABG) with little awareness of the diverse tanical names and plant families. meets this broad of spectrum of hor- plant palette that California natives Experiencing a garden landscaped

8 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 with native plants is a first step to- Hotline and Outreach ward incorporating these plants in one’s own garden. In addition to the casual visitor, Though RSABG has an informal, homeowners with little knowledge naturalistic style, hardscape ele- of gardening often approach RSABG ments, especially in the mesa area, when confronted with ever-increas- provide visitors with examples of ing water bills. Cities and water dis- native landscapes that can be used tributors are making serious efforts as models for residential, commer- to educate the public on the impor- cial, and public gardens. Winding tance of water conservation. An- paths, pergolas, seating, and foun- nouncements in various media in- tains in the Garden provide form the public that use of appro- a backdrop for the native cultivars, priate plants can reduce outdoor wa- many of which make excellent gar- ter and maintenance costs. In 2004, den specimens. The potted plants with funding for a three-year period displayed in the from Metropolitan Water District of offer landscape ideas appropriate for (MWD), RSABG small yards and patios, as well as initiated a horticultural outreach larger gardens. program. Recognizing that more Weekend visitors, often families than sixty percent of residential wa- with children, experience our Dis- ter is consumed outdoors, MWD is covery Carts. These interactive dis- interested in promoting low-water- plays are created by the Education use landscapes. The program goal is Department and are staffed by vol- to facilitate the increased use of Cali- unteers. Though not specifically hor- fornia native plants by home gar- ticultural in scope, these changing deners and landscape professionals. displays provide background infor- Through this program, a Horti- mation on native plants and natural culture Outreach Coordinator was history, again a first step in educat- hired to: (1) answer questions on a ing the public on native plant horti- Garden hotline and through email; culture. (2) develop horticulture informa- tion sheets; (3) give talks at the Gar- Garden Shop den and offsite; (4) develop materi- The casual visitor can purchase als for an informative website; (5) native plants at our Garden Shop. write engaging and educational ar- From late fall through spring, a ticles for newspapers, magazines, changing selection of native plants and newsletters; and (6) further as- is available. This, too, provides an sist people in the successful use of excellent opportunity to educate the native plants in gardens. public. The plants are loosely ar- Since the start of the program, ranged by different plant associa- calls and email contacts have grown tions. Woodland plants are grouped significantly. To provide accurate in- together in the shady section of the formation, the Outreach Coordina- outdoor patio, while the desert plants tor consults with RSABG horticul- TOP: Claremont redbud (Cercis occidenta- occupy the sunny, hot area. Signage turists, researchers, and staff from lis ‘Claremont’), Blue Cascade wild lilac identifying the plant association is the program, , and (Ceanothus ‘Blue Cascade’), and California placed by each group of plants. In nursery. This gives the public ac- poppies (Eschscholzia californica) bloom behind the California Courtyard in spring. late spring, plants are removed from cess to the Garden’s broad horticul- • MIDDLE: California Glory flannelbush (Fre- the shop, except for a small number tural expertise. montodendron ‘California Glory’), true to of container plants, mostly cacti and The internet provides an impor- its name, is in glorious bloom in May. • other plants from desert and ripar- tant way to disseminate information. BOTTOM: Buckthorn cholla (Cylindropuntia ian regions. At this time signage in- Our dynamic website is frequently acanthocarpa var. coloradensis), propagated from a plant collected in 1936 from the forms the visitor that it is best to updated with new horticultural in- Clark Mountains in the eastern Mojave wait until late fall to purchase and formation. Each week a new native Desert, blooms in the Plant Communities transplant most native plants. plant gardening tip appears on the in June of 2006.

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 9 A visitor enjoys Point Reyes meadowfoam ( douglasii ssp. sulphurea) and Pacific Coast Hybrid irises (Iris Pacific Coast Hybrids) in the riparian meadow on the Mesa. homepage. Changing plant images distributed through the Garden Shop need to know where they can buy or reinforce the message that Califor- and can be downloaded from the see native plants. Others want plant nia native plants can beautify gar- website. suggestions for specific garden dens. The “Gardening with Native needs. Others request horticultural Plants” section includes plant lists, Community Education Classes information that are per- gardening tips, and articles. The Community Education Classes forming poorly in their gardens. “Gardening Tips” section contains are offered throughout the year. Again, through the Horticulture short, introductory information on Classes are directed at various lev- Outreach program, these individu- many topics, including how to start els, though many are designed for als have access to the collective hor- a native garden, irrigation options, the novice. Some provide hands-on ticultural expertise of the Garden. sources for native plants, and places experience with horticultural tech- Others who fit in this intermedi- to see native gardens. niques, including propagation and ate group have expertise in tradi- For beginners, native plant gar- container gardening. Other classes tional, non-native horticulture. Not dening is often overwhelming. provide seasonal tips for the native only do they lack information on Hobbyists and professionals throw garden. Attendees are encouraged to appropriate native plants, they of- around long, intimidating share their gardening experiences ten do not understand the need for names. The sheer number of new during these classes. Garden tours different horticultural practices. and unfamiliar plants, even when led by staff and volunteer docents RSABG offers classes and symposia labeled with more understandable also help familiarize the public with to Master Gardeners and landscape common names, is daunting. With native plants in horticultural settings. professionals that highlight the this in mind, the Garden developed maintenance differences between “The California Classics Plant Pal- THE BROAD MAJORITY native and non-native gardens. ette.” This document provides five Much of the information on our lists for different planting situations: Outreach website is geared toward this inter- Oak Woodland, Riparian Woodland, Many people have some back- mediate group. These individuals Chaparral and Scrubland, Mojave ground in horticulture and are aware know enough about plants to ask Desert, and Colorado Desert. Each of the appropriateness of native fairly specific questions. Plant lists list includes a small number of plants for gardens. Often they are with suggestions for high elevation, garden-worthy native trees, shrubs, interested in using native plants, but seaside, slope, and habitat gardens and perennials. This document is lack important information. Some are especially helpful to these gar-

10 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 deners. They often request additional this list. The list helps gardeners information that is handled through learn about the enormous diversity the Garden Hotline or email, and of California native plants, and as- may require research or consulta- sists in plant selection. tion with RSABG experts. Staff members from all depart- ments participate in the plant sale. Annual Plant Sales The Education Department offers In addition to the ongoing Gar- horticulture classes at various levels den Shop plant sales, RSABG holds during the fall. At the sale, custom- two large sales each year. The fall ers find researchers, students, her- sale is scheduled for the first week- barium staff members, librarians, end in November, an ideal time for and the entire nursery and horticul- planting a native garden, especially ture crew eager to assist them in in our hot, inland climate. The spring selecting the perfect plants for their sale is much smaller in size and gardens. It is truly an institution- features perennials that are better wide event aimed at disseminating adapted to spring planting. These both native plants and horticultural plant sales meet several horticultural California fan palms (Washingtonia filifera) information. needs. First of all, despite increas- in the palm oasis display in the Desert The spring plant sale is much ing interest in California natives, Garden. smaller in scope (about 6,000 plants their availability is still woefully in- and 500 different kinds), but draws adequate. Our fall sale offers about sale, a preliminary plant list appears many gardeners who cannot resist 14,000 potted plants of nearly 800 on our website. Gardeners from all planting during our glorious spring. different taxa. Two weeks before the over California and beyond consult Again, its very scope is informative.

Young Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) and pink fairydusters (Calliandra eriophylla) accompany (left to right, front to back) a hybrid prickly pear (Opuntia engelmannii X Opuntia phaeacantha), giant beargrass (Nolina parryi), spiny rush (Juncus acutus ssp. leopoldii), California fan palm (Washingtonia filifera), desert agave (Agave deserti), and Fremont cottonwood (Populus fremontii) in the Desert Garden.

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 11 makes a significant contribution to lic through many of the activities the Garden and its efforts in native mentioned above, especially the Gar- plant horticulture. Nearly 200 vol- den Hotline. As we experiment with unteers donate over 20,000 hours of new IPM approaches, the informa- work each year. Before joining the tion is presented to the public on cadre of volunteers, participants at- our website and with Garden sign- tend classes on native plants for four age. The use of soil solarization for weeks, totalling 12 hours of train- in Fay’s Wildflower ing. Those who become Garden do- Meadow is a good example. Con- cents continue to take additional fronted with a serious weed prob- classes. In effect, the volunteers be- lem in our large annual wildflower come Garden ambassadors who dis- display, the Garden collaborated seminate native plant horticultural with Dr. James Stapleton, Univer- information to the public. In addi- sity of California IPM Plant Patholo- tion to leading tours and working in gist, on soil solarization of the area. every department of the institution, Signage at the Garden and informa- volunteers also participate in “work tion on our website educate the pub- days,” working side-by-side with lic on this practice. Garden staff throughout the grounds. Students from local colleges often NATIVE PLANT EXPERTS join the group. This collective activ- ity allows staff and community mem- Symposia bers to share hands-on, horticultural RSABG hosts and participates in experiences. professional-level symposia to fos- ter the continued development of Integrated Pest Management native plant horticulture. The sixth The Garden recently hired an symposium of the Out of the Wild Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Into the Garden series was held professional to improve its horticul- at RSABG in April 2008. These pro- tural practices. As the Garden con- vide an opportunity for horticultural tinues working toward effective and experts to share information among environmentally sound practices, the themselves and with the public. The information is shared with the pub- last day of the three-day 2008 sym- TOP: California fuchsia cultivars (RSABG’s introduction, ‘Route 66’, is in full bloom on the left) provide vibrant color Outstanding specimens of Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) flower in March in the Plant in October in the Cultivar Garden. • Communities. BOTTOM: White sage (Salvia apiana), deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens), Pigeon Point coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis ‘Pigeon Point’), Russian River grape (Vitis ‘Russian River’), and XChiranthofremontia lenzii ‘Griff’s Wonder’ south of the Lantz Outdoor Classroom on the Mesa.

The absence of native trees and shrubs reinforces the common-sense practice of fall and winter planting in Southern California, and any dis- appointment felt by gardeners is as- suaged by the large variety of grasses, coral bells, Pacific Coast Hybrid irises, penstemons, and numerous other showy and useful perennials. Volunteer Program RSABG’s volunteer program

12 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 A nearly 40-year-old bigberry manzanita ( glauca) in the Plant Communities. posium featured talks on the sea- in plants of California, which con- respondence, and historical docu- sonal performance of California na- stitute nearly 40 percent of the total ments from both the original Or- tive plants in gardens. The general collection. The holdings from South- ange County and current Claremont public was encouraged to attend the ern California are unsurpassed by sites. The library is an outstanding Saturday session. Proceedings of the any other herbarium. The historic resource for researchers and the gen- first three symposia are published distribution of native plants that can eral public. as part of the Garden’s Occasional be gleaned from herbarium speci- Publications. mens provides valuable guidance on CONCLUSION horticultural practices. For example, Cultivars plant lists for revegetation projects Since the Garden’s establishment RSABG has released over 106 along riparian corridors have been in 1927, it has been dedicated to cultivars. It continues to select and developed from both written and research and the dissemination of evaluate promising plants for horti- herbaria research of the historic information on California’s native cultural purposes. A list of these flora. flora. Increasing environmental con- cultivars can be found in Bart RSABG’s Research Library con- cerns have further focused attention O’Brien’s article “The Horticultural tains approximately 48,000 volumes on native plant horticulture. RSABG Contributions of Rancho Santa Ana and 750 current journals and peri- actively promotes the advancement Botanic Garden” (Rancho Santa Ana odicals. The collection has a strong of California native plant horticul- Botanic Garden Occasional Publi- focus on systematic, floristic, and ture through its many departments cations 3, 1999. Claremont, CA, pp. evolutionary botany, horticulture, and programs. It meets a broad range 65-78). California natural history, and eth- of needs, and is always reviewing nobotany of California and south- these programs to develop new ways Herbarium and Research western . Its collec- to better fulfill this mission. Library tion contains important historic and The Garden’s herbarium of over current materials. It houses the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, 1500 one million dried specimens is ap- Garden’s institutional archives, N. College Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711; proximately the eighth largest in which contain staff publications, (909)625-8767; www.rsabg.org • Bar- the . It is recognized original manuscripts, field notes, bara Eisenstein, barbara.eisenstein@ throughout the world for its strength original artwork, photographs, cor- cgu.edu

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 13 A view of Theodore Payne Foundation from Wild Flower Hill. Photograph by K. Gilliland. THE THEODORE PAYNE FOUNDATION GARDENS by John Wickham

here’s something about the hemmed in on all sides by homes ley sun, it all starts to make sense. gardens at the Theodore and horses. If you were looking to You’re keenly aware of the scents of Payne Foundation in the Los locate a nursery, display gardens, and sage and sagebrush; the sounds of Angeles community of Sun educational facility in the best spot hummingbirds and quail; the pale TValley. Something that attracts both for reaching the metropolitan masses grays, muted greens, and warm experienced and native of Los Angeles, this wouldn’t be your golds of native foliage; the floral plant gardeners. The place isn’t easy first choice. waves of red, yellow, and blue. You to find. Most freeways skirt the area, Yet once you drive up that old instantly leave the new California and the Foundation’s property is dirt road and step out into the val- of highways and subdivisions and

14 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 enter the old state of sycamores and oaks. The Foundation, an educa- tional non-profit organization, was established in 1960 to continue the work of Theodore Payne (1872- 1963), the noted horticulturist and nurseryman who introduced more than 400 species of California na- tive plants to gardeners around the world. Payne’s inspiring talks, his work with the Southern California Academy of Sciences, his founding of the California Association of Nurserymen, and his breadth and depth of botanical and horticultural knowledge garnered worldwide re- spect. He regularly explored the un- developed California landscape in search of new native plants for his nursery. Over the years, Payne’s catalogs offered an expanding range of , either grown at his nurs- ery on Los Feliz Boulevard in At- water Village (near downtown Los Angeles) or gathered by Payne and his friends in the wild. Upon Payne’s retirement from the nursery busi- ness, a group of horticulturists and botanists formed the Foundation to continue his work. In keeping with Payne’s objectives, one of the Foundation’s missions was to en- sure that California native plants would be made available to home gardeners. After years of looking for a site for the Foundation’s home, Eddie Merrill, owner of La Tuna Nursery and one of many California nurs- erymen who knew and respected Theodore Payne, donated his 20- acre property in Sun Valley. Merrill’s gift provided the Foundation with space for growing and offering na- tive plants and a relatively unspoiled setting where these plants could be viewed and appreciated by the resi-

TOP: California bells ( minor), cliff desert dandelion (Malacothrix saxatilis), and laurel sumac (Malosma laurina) are naturally occurring species on Wild Flower Hill. Photograph by J. Wickham. • BOTTOM: Southern California’s bush lupine (Lupinus longifolius) blooms in the entrance garden. Photograph by K. Gilliland.

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 15 TOP: Joyce Coulter ceanothus (Ceanothus ‘Joyce Coulter’) and California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) bloom in the nursery sales yard demonstration garden. • BOTTOM: Nevin’s barberry (Berberis nevinii), a species popularized by Theodore Payne in the early 1900s, and California sunflower (Encelia californica) are planted on a sun-drenched, south-facing slope. Photographs by K. Gilliland.

16 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 dents of Los Angeles—in honor of a great man. The Foundation has al- ways been supported by the efforts of creative volunteers dedicated to our mission to promote the use and appreciation of California’s native flora. As a result, garden plantings have ranged from inventive, indi- vidualistic amateur projects to beau- tifully designed plans by such no- tables as landscape architect Bob Perry. The overall aesthetic effect, though, has ebbed and flowed with the ardor and availability of such volunteers. Today, the Foundation’s gardens reflect the strong “bones” of previous efforts and the potential for refinement and rejuvenation. Over the last five years, dedicated staff and volunteers have made huge strides in bringing a fresh approach to the Foundation’s gardens. There are three main sections to the Foundation’s gardens: demonstra- tion plantings in our retail nursery, where visitors can see what young plants in pots will look like when full grown; gardens around our bookstore and education center that typify home garden plantings; and Wild Flower Hill, a largely wild area of coastal sage scrub dedicated to wildlife and wild flowers. As anyone who has been to a plant sale knows, it can be difficult to imagine how a little stick in its tiny pot can become a 15-foot-tall big berry manzanita () or a ten-foot-wide carpet of ’s Bliss sage (Salvia ‘Bee’s Bliss’). For context, the grounds of our year- round nursery feature mature ex- amples of many different trees, shrubs, and perennials. Riparian, desert, and other “theme” gardens show customers how to group plants by common cultural needs. A set of rain gardens was re-

TOP: The Foundation’s new is designed to capture and slow storm water runoff from the nursery service road and sales yard. Photograph by J. Wickham. • BOTTOM: Saint Catherine’s lace (Eriogonum giganteum) begins to bloom in the entrance garden. Photograph by K. Gilliland.

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 17 An unnamed Ceanothus hybrid in the nursery sales yard demonstration garden. Photograph by K. Gilliland. cently installed, with a desert theme ing, a grove of mature western sy- tors up the to bathe in amazing planting, to highlight the importance camores is a perfect spot for a picnic swaths of color. But over time, with- of managing stormwater runoff by lunch, complete with butterflies and out constant attention to clearance, capturing rainwater. One rain gar- birdsongs. the force of habitat succession reas- den, located in the hottest, sunniest Tucked up behind the nursery is serted itself on Wild Flower Hill and spot on our grounds, features pen- a small 1940s era cabin that has elements of the Verdugo Hills coastal stemons, sunflowers, wild flowers, been recently renovated for use as sage scrub community reestablished and grasses found in our local an education center. The shelter pro- their dominance. This is as it should deserts. Another, in a shadier spot, vided by surrounding hills allows be: an opportunity for all to see how provides an opportunity to show- species found on the Channel Is- components of a natural plant com- case a meadow as an alternative to lands and in coastal plant commu- munity produce visual harmonies a lawn. nities to thrive. Ironwoods, coral that can be translated to the home The gardens around the ranch- bells, Catalina currant, and island garden. style house that serves as our book- oak give this small garden a com- Wildlife and plant-animal rela- store, seed store, and art gallery are fortable feel that new gardeners can tionships are important elements of designed to help gardeners under- appreciate. the Foundation’s gardens. Many gar- stand how native plants can be used Wild Flower Hill, overlooking deners want landscapes with butter- around a home, in intimate scale the nursery, was once a prime at- flies and birds, in order to admire and with typical landscape elements. traction at the Foundation. The late and study their behavior. Our di- Visitors are greeted by a “lawn” of Kevin Connelly worked tirelessly for verse plantings include species that red fescue (Festuca rubra), waves of years to create displays of spring attract and beneficial in- bright green to brighten a woodland wild flowers, always the stars of the sects; support larval and adult but- garden. Handsome hedgerows, pe- show at our annual Poppy Day cel- terflies and moths; and provide food rennial beds, small shrubs, ground- ebrations. Great masses of poppy, and habitat for birds and mammals. covers, and flowering annuals are phacelia, chia, and others graced the Lizards do push-ups and play hide- found throughout. Behind the build- sun-drenched slopes, drawing visi- and-seek between stones in the dry

18 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 stacked walls around the parking lot. Our gardens reveal how Califor- nia natives come to life in fascinat- ing, unexpected ways. Over 60 spe- cies of birds have been identified in the Foundation’s gardens. On any day, visitors can usually spot Cooper’s hawks circling above the canyon or thrashers skimming through the dense chaparral. A morning trek up Wild Flower Hill will flush out a covey of quail. The Anna’s hummingbird that nests each year in the sycamore outside our bookstore window is as likely to feed on the Manzanita blossoms near your head, as to sit in the nearby scrub chittering at you to move along. Alas, the albino western to- whee has moved on. Weekday visitors may find their reverie interrupted by the chatter of school children. Following lessons in leaf adaptation or plant-animal interactions or Native American life ways, teams of exuberant nine-year- olds can be found speed-walking (they know not to run) through the gardens, looking for plants with fuzzy or waxy leaves. Educational programs have been developed to combine scientific and cultural in- struction with hands-on experience with plants in the gardens. Interac- tion with native plants, outdoors, is an essential part of the learning ex- perience, and a critical purpose of the Foundation’s gardens. At Theodore Payne Foundation, there are no majestic vistas, impos- ing backdrops, or large water fea- tures. Instead, our gardens are partly cultivated, rather rustic, and com- fortably wild, expressing the ever- evolving vision and hopes of our vol- unteers and friends and exhibiting that certain something that entices visitors to return again and again to this distinctly California place.

Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers and Native Plants, 10459 Tuxford Street, Sun Valley, CA 91352; (818)768- TOP: The shaded picnic grounds are beneath a grove of western sycamore (Platanus racemosa). 1802; www.theodorepayne.org • John BOTTOM: Entrance to the Theodore Payne Foundation nursery sales yard and demonstration Wickham, [email protected] garden. Photographs by J. Wickham.

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 19 The iconic meadow at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, framed by the Blaksley Boulder, coast live oaks, the Ground Cover Display, and the Santa Ynez Mountains. All photographs by C. Bornstein. HORTICULTURE AT THE SANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDEN by Carol Bornstein

ounded in 1926 as an educa- plants are made available to all those of water lines were laid; sandstone tional and research institution, interested, at the same time that it boulders were moved or split into the Santa Barbara Botanic Gar- develops the interest of others.” manageable sizes for steps or to de- den is the oldest botanic gar- Based on Clements’ scheme, the fine beds; and seeds and plants were Fden devoted to California’s native Garden was organized into natural- obtained from such notable collec- flora. Located in Mission Canyon in istic plant communities (coast red- tors as Theodore Payne, Carl Purdy, the foothills of the Santa Ynez Moun- wood forest, oak-madrone woodland, and Lester Rowntree. Hundreds of tains, the garden was conceived by chaparral, prairie, sagebrush, desert, taxa were planted in the new lath Frederic Clements, eminent plant and giant sequoia); experimental gar- house or directly in the ground. An ecologist, to exhibit, conserve, dem- dens; and taxonomic collections. island section devoted to plants of onstrate, and experiment with na- Under the dedicated leadership of the California Channel Islands was tive plants as well as exotic species. co-directors Elmer and Ervanna also added to the plan. In keeping According to his vision, “[T]he chief Bissell, the young garden began to with its educational goals, plants were function of a botanical garden is ex- take shape. Within the first year, beds labeled with the common and scien- hibition, by which the kinds, names, and paths were carved into the initial tific name, family name, and natural uses, behavior, and relationships of 13.7-acre parcel. Thousands of feet habitat.

20 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 This was an era of considerable was largely due to his urging that in Garden to remain relevant to vari- interest in, but scarce horticultural 1936 the Garden’s board of trustees ous audiences. In the same vein, the information about, California’s na- restricted all future plantings to Cali- Garden responded to visitors’ re- tive flora. Despite severe funding fornia natives. quests for lawn substitutes and limitations and heavy losses due to Another legacy of Van Rensse- ground-hugging plants by creating pests, diseases, and inexperience, the laer’s tenure was involving Lock- a ground cover display below the Bissells and their small staff persisted wood de Forest and meadow, a site it still occupies. Both in their efforts, and successes even- in the redesign of key parts of the experimental and time-tested spe- tually eclipsed failures. By 1931, most grounds, in particular the meadow, cies of Baccharis, Ceanothus, Erio- of the original garden sections were courtyard, and entrance. Although gonum, Arctostaphylos, and other well established, ground was broken these highly respected landscape ar- genera were planted. for new taxonomic collections (e.g., chitects often held conflicting views In his first year at the Garden, the genus Eriogonum), and word of about the appropriateness of formal Emery began teaching plant propa- the beautiful young Garden began to design elements within the botanic gation, one of our most popular and draw visitors from far and wide. garden (de Forest was strongly op- enduring classes. A series on garden- During its first decade, all of the posed to any formality in the Gar- ing with native plants soon followed, Garden’s displays were designed by den and preferred a naturalistic aes- and became another favorite. Ervanna Bissell, whose flowery ar- thetic), their collaboration had an Through these and other classes, lec- ticles and correspondence expressed enduring impact on the character of tures, and publications, Emery shared her ideas about the botanic garden, these core areas. Farrand’s design his enthusiasm and knowledge with native plants, and the compositions for the courtyard, with the now-70- countless people, many of whom she created. In 1931, she wrote year-old clipped hedge of lemonade went on to pursue careers in horti- “[T]he garden’s aim is not to recre- berry (Rhus integrifolia) flanking the ate a wild garden. Its object is to use view of the Blaksley Boulder from Desert beargrass (Nolina bigelovii) in plants native to wild places, and the library steps, is one of the very flower, with giant beargrass (Nolina parryi) adapt them to cultivated surround- few public examples of California to the right, and California fan palm (Washingtonia filifera) in the background, ings. . . . Because a plant once grew native plants used in such a classi- in the Garden’s Desert Section. in poor, rocky soil is no reason why cally formal way. it should always struggle with pov- Building upon Van Rensselaer’s erty. The chief endeavor is to find a efforts, Director Katherine Muller plant’s ‘range of tolerance’ and care- (1950–1973) expanded the research fully increase it.” This sentiment ar- and educational programs and took ticulated a horticultural mission for up the pen herself, writing leaflets SBBG that is still relevant. and articles about the flora and the The Bissells were so busy grow- ornamental virtues of native plants. ing the Garden that they made no In addition to co-authoring a new attempt to maintain plant records of edition of Trees of Santa Barbara, any kind. It was not until Maunsell she taught the popular “Trees about Van Rensselaer was hired in 1934 Town” class, and led field trips to that such documentation was initi- see wildflowers. One of her most ated, setting in place curatorial prac- significant contributions to Califor- tices that continue to this day. Serv- nia horticulture was hiring Horti- ing as director from 1936 to 1950, culturist Dara Emery in 1955. Dara’s Van Rensselaer also launched nu- first project was to grow plants for merous educational and research the new Home Garden, a small, low- programs and promoted these ac- maintenance garden designed by tivities in the community. His inter- Ralph Cornell to showcase natives est in trees—both native and ex- that were easy to obtain and grow. otic—and in the genus Ceanothus Sunset magazine featured the Home culminated in two publications: Garden in 1958, boosting home- Trees of Santa Barbara in 1940, owners’ interest. This display repre- and Ceanothus, co-authored with sented a departure from Clements’ Howard McMinn, in 1942. He was plant community and taxonomic instrumental in the effort to adopt scheme, yet demonstrated Muller’s coast redwood as the state tree. It understanding of the need for the

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 21 garden . . . proposes to use every means at hand to improve the qual- ity of [native] plants by selection, budding, grafting, breeding, etc. . . . [T]he far-reaching significance of this policy will probably not be noted for some years to come but it is bound eventually to have a marked beneficial effect on the value and greater use of California plants as ornamentals.” He saw plant breed- ing as a pathway to wider accep- tance of California natives in gar- dens. The goal of his breeding pro- gram was to create plants with greater adaptability to typical gar- den conditions, and with support from directors Muller and Ralph Philbrick, he started the garden’s plant introduction program. With several fine Heuchera cultivars to his credit (e.g. H. ‘Canyon Duet’ and H. ‘Canyon Delight’) and his award- winning selection, Iris ‘Canyon A late summer scene of California buckeye (Aesculus californica) and bunchgrasses. Snow’, Emery was responsible for 22 of the Garden’s 39 introductions. culture as a result of his mentoring. gate and sell native plants to the Other notable Garden introductions While propagating thousands of public on a regular basis. Now open are Dara’s Choice sage (Salvia ‘Dara’s plants for the living collections, Em- daily, the Garden Growers Nursery Choice’), De La Mina lilac verbena ery conducted extensive has become an important source of (Verbena lilacina ‘De La Mina’), and trials on a long list of native seed, as California natives and unusual Silver Carpet California-aster (Les- precious little written information drought-tolerant exotics. The nearby singia filaginifolia ‘Silver Carpet’). was available to guide his earliest Garden Shop has a widespread repu- Gardeners can thank Dr. Philbrick’s endeavors. His research culminated tation for its fine selection of gar- interest in the flora of the Channel in the publication of the leaflet, Seed dening and botanical books. Islands for a stream of cultivars from Propagation of Native California Plants Resuming the breeding work that these horticulturally rich locales, in 1964. Twenty years later, he em- Van Rensselaer had begun, Emery including Canyon Sparkles island barked on an exhaustive review of took up the charge articulated in the manzanita ( his records to write the more com- Garden’s 1939 annual report: “The ‘Canyon Sparkles’) and Canyon Sil- prehensive 1988 edition. This invalu- ver island snowflake (Eriophyllum able reference is still widely used and The lacy-white foliage of Catalina Island nevinii ‘Canyon Silver’), as well as considered the “gold standard” for snowflake (Eriophyllum nevinii). his own selections, Canyon Gray professional and lay propagators. California sagebrush (Artemisia As interest in gardening with californica ‘Canyon Gray’) and Can- native plants grew, availability did yon Prince wild ryegrass (Leymus not keep pace. A practical man, condensatus ‘Canyon Prince’). Emery came up with the idea to sell Another horticultural outcome surplus nursery plants to botanic of Philbrick’s leadership (1973- garden members, thereby initiating 1987) was his support for changing our ever-popular annual fall plant the scope and look of the Garden’s sales. Once funds were raised to meadow. Long admired for its fa- build a new and larger nursery, he mous springtime display of annual proposed that the newly formed wildflowers, this focal point was Garden Growers volunteer group weed-choked and rather disappoint- take over the old facility to propa- ing the rest of the year. Staff interest

22 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 in spurred a shift toward ten years. Through showcased water- creation of a native prairie anchored lectures and tours thrifty native plants in by perennial bunchgrasses and forbs of local gardens, a residential setting woven among the wildflowers. This these events fo- (surrounding a 1920s- extended the aesthetic interest be- cused on the art era California cot- yond spring, increased the botanical and science of gar- tage). Designed by diversity of the composition, and den design in Cali- landscape architect provided a rich habitat for wildlife. fornia, emphasiz- Ron Lutsko in col- Other goals were to reduce water ing landscape tra- laboration with gar- needs and improve the heavy tex- ditions, of den staff, the display ture of the soil. Native grasses are Mediterranean cli- includes numerous latecomers to the ’s palette mate regions, and interpretive signs that of ornamental plants and the Gar- ecologically re- describe the prin- den continues to champion their sponsible prac- ciples involved in cre- utility and beauty while simulta- tices. ating and maintaining neously using the meadow to en- During the a water-conserving lighten visitors about the need to height of a pro- landscape. It remains protect California’s endangered longed drought, a popular destination grasslands. Young earmarked for gardeners seeking Under Director David Young’s funds for a new ideas on how to use leadership (1988-1991), a new se- home demonstra- native plants for year- ries of landscape symposia for land- tion garden. This round beauty, and fea- scape professionals and home gar- timely, compre- tures hedges, ground deners was initiated and offered for hensive display covers and turf sub-

ABOVE: The bright, rosy-violet flowers of the recent SBBG introduction, Amethyst Bluff purple sage (Salvia leucophylla ‘Amethyst Bluff’). • BELOW: Chaparral yucca (Hesperoyucca whipplei) and California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum) grow along the Porter Trail.

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 23 Muller, Emery, and guest authors, these occasional articles covered a range of botanical and horticultural topics. Several certificate and training programs were developed or formal- ized in this period. Our knowledge- able docents share all manner of bo- tanical, horticultural, and natural history information with visitors. The Garden Growers propagate na- tive plants to sell, and impart help- ful gardening information to cus- tomers. The botanic garden co-spon- sors a Master Gardener program with University of California Cooperative Extension, training avid gardeners about appropriate gardening prac- tices for our region. They, in turn, volunteer their time answering gar- dening questions and providing hands-on assistance with horticul- tural projects in the community. A composition of silver and green foliage in the Ground Cover Display punctuated by Recently, SBBG became a co-spon- vibrant California poppies. sor of the Certified Green Garden- ers, a program supported by several stitutes, container gardens, and vari- ties of California native plants. Ex- local agencies that trains and certi- ous hardscape elements. amples included tips on designing a fies professional gardeners in re- In the 1990s, a renewed effort to water-wise perennial border, what source-efficient landscape mainte- label plants for the public was bol- to plant in the understory of estab- nance practices. stered by grant funds. Staff also wrote lished oak trees, bunchgrasses for When Edward Schneider became a number of horticultural brochures the garden, etc. Precedent for these Director in 1992, funds for Emery’s and bulletins that offered visitors publications dates back to the 1940s, plant breeder position were no handy, inexpensive references on the when the Garden’s leaflet series was longer available. Schneider strength- myriad uses and ornamental quali- started. Written by Van Rensselaer, ened the Garden’s plant introduc-

BELOW LEFT: Multicolored flower stalks of purple three-awn (Aristida purpurea). • BELOW RIGHT: Drifts of Canyon Gray California sagebrush (Artemisia californica ‘Canyon Gray’) and Island Pink yarrow (Achillea millefolium ‘Island Pink’) lead the eye to bunchgrasses, rushes, and sedges in the meadow.

24 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 tion program by recommending that prospective cultivars undergo a for- malized external evaluation. Carol Bornstein established a network of botanic gardens, arboreta, and wholesale nurseries to serve as test sites for Garden selections. Staff members garner valuable cultural information from these trials to share with landscape professionals, the nursery industry, and customers once a clone is officially introduced. The generous gift of an authen- tic Japanese presented an opportunity for the Garden to reach new audiences. The ancient tradi- tion of the ceremony is deeply interconnected with the surround- ing , and together they signify a cultural reverence for na- ture, an aesthetic that the Garden has embodied since its inception. Sit- ing the structure amidst mature oak, manzanita, madrone, Port Orford cedar, and massive boulders, the “bones” for this naturalistic tea gar- den of California native plants were well established. From a horticul- tural perspective, this display dem- onstrates a novel approach to an an- cient garden style emulated world- wide. The vertical flower stalk and spiky rosettes of chaparral yucca (Hesperoyucca whipplei) With encouragement from Dr. contrast with the rounded canopy and horizontal flower clusters of California buckeye Schneider, this writer collaborated (Aesculus californica). with David Fross and Bart O’Brien to co-author California Native Plants sure that contains a remarkable store be shared with gardeners. These and for the Garden, a national award- of horticultural knowledge. other endeavors will continue to fos- winning book published by The next horticultural frontier ter an appreciation and understand- Cachuma Press in 2005. The fol- at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden ing of California native plants that lowing year, Timber Press published will undoubtedly build upon the 82- will help conserve them for future a new and completely revised edi- year legacy of research, education, generations. tion of Ceanothus, co-authored by conservation, and display set forth A special note of thanks to Eliza- Fross and Garden botanist Dieter by Frederic Clements. With new beth Collins for her thoughtful im- Wilken. partners, we are creating public dem- provements to this account and to Behind the scenes, yet integral onstration sites and school gardens, Mary Carroll for her scholarly his- to these activities and accomplish- and restoring degraded habitats in tory of the Garden, “A Garden for ments, is the Garden’s library. From the community, reaching gardeners All Time: The Santa Barbara Botanic its humble beginnings to its cur- young and old. Planned upgrades to Garden,” in 2005, Noticias 50–51(4– rent, bursting-at-the-seams facility, the Garden’s antiquated irrigation 1):1–58. the Blaksley Library houses an out- systems will conserve water, and will standing collection of books, jour- increase the Garden’s ability to grow Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, 1212 nals, and images that are used by and display a wider array of Califor- Mission Canyon Road, Santa Barbara, staff, volunteers, visiting scientists, nia native plants. This will yield valu- CA 93105. (805) 682-4726. www.santa landscape professionals, and home able information about the water barbarabotanicgarden.com • Carol gardeners. It is a little-known trea- needs of that will then Bornstein, [email protected]

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 25 CALIFORNIA NATIVES IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ ARBORETUM by Brett Hall

alifornia natives have been our other Pacific Rim collections introductions from UCSC have flour- at the heart of University (, , etc). Cur- ished in the nursery trade. Our cur- of California, Santa Cruz rent Arboretum thinking is bringing rent focus is a little different, with an (UCSC) Arboretum col- our native plant program to the fore- emphasis on field work, , and Clections since our beginnings in the front. Trips into the wild for native developing gardens based on plant early 1970s, but to some degree they selections have been ongoing over communities and associations. This have grown under the shadow of the years, and many horticultural is our “life after cultivars” phase in native plant gardening. Acreage for Brett Hall collecting seeds of Santa Lucia fir (Abies bracteata) on the east side of Cone Peak developing native gardens is greater in the Santa Lucia Mountains in September 2007. Photograph by C. Hudson. than any other geographic region represented in the Arboretum. It is larger than the acreage designated to Australia, New Zealand, and Africa combined! Many of the Arboretum’s oldest trees are natives. Overall, ap- proximately 57 acres of land are com- mitted to native plants. Two main Arboretum areas set aside for natives are the Entrance Native Garden, which was conceived as a relatively small “natives-come- first” section near the present Arbo- retum entrance, and the 55-acre Cali- fornia Province Gardens, which we are in the process of developing. The Entrance Native Garden serves both as a repository and ex- hibit place for attractive native spe- cies. It is a relatively small garden loaded with local species, species outside our region, and cultivars available in the nursery trade. It is a place where people can learn about natives and their pollinators, ethno- botany, , , and many other topics. Outcrops or rock gardens are featured, as well as splashes of wet meadows, coastal bluffs, grasslands, woodlands, and shrublands.

SPECIALTY COLLECTIONS Native Collection. This col- lection includes mariposa lilies (Calochortus spp.), triteleias (Tri- teleia spp.), ( spp.), fawn lilies (Erythronium spp.),

26 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 Northern riparian woodland eco-region in the Arboretum during a storm in February 2008, with the author’s son, Austin, in the background. Photograph by B. Hall. and wild onions (Allium spp.), Santa Cruz and Central Coast col- plants. Six of the list 1B taxa and among others. Bulbs have special lection with much in seed storage some of the species collection care status in the Arbore- awaiting planting, and more still to are rarer than some of the Federally tum due to their particular cultiva- be collected and grown. Over the listed species. Eight of the Califor- tion requirements. Our success ebbs last year, with the help of local bota- nia taxa of Dudleya are officially and flows with our ability to keep nists (especially Jim West and Randy listed as U.S. endangered or threat- up with weeding and keeping preda- Morgan) we have acquired a hefty ened species. tors at bay. We love them and grow seed bank from northern coastal The Dudleya collection consists them as much as we can. Most are watersheds of Santa Cruz County. of several thousand plants with col- housed in containers, but frequently In the next year we plan to work lection data. The collection is in- find their way into the Garden. diligently to get this collection well- creased, whenever possible, by trad- Conifer Collection. Our coni- established in the nursery and then ing with other gardens and by propa- fer collection is extensive, as our in the Garden. gation in cultivation. Results of arti- holdings include most of the known Dudleya Research Collection. ficial hybridization experiments have genera in the world. Most of the This collection contains 30 of the provided insight to the of southern hemisphere Podocarpaceae 35 rare and endangered species in species within the genus. Several genera and many species of Arau- the genus. As such, the Arboretum’s hundred hybrid plants are being caria and Agathis (Araucariaceae) are Dudleya collection is a significant evaluated to choose those with the among these. Our native conifer col- gene bank. Of the species that grow greatest horticultural potential. lection is impressive, but not ex- in California, the Arboretum has By conserving rare plants in the haustive, and has room to expand. 25 of the 26 CNPS Inventory’s list Garden and sharing cuttings with Central Coast Region Collec- 1B species, making it an important other botanic gardens, we help to tion. We are building a significant collection of California native insure the long-term survival of the

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 27 ABOVE: A low mounding form of California sagebrush (Artemisia californica) grows in the Entrance Native Garden coastal bluff display. • LEFT: El Tigre pitcher sage (Lepechinia fragrans ‘El Tigre’) was originally collected on El Tigre Mountain on Santa Cruz Island. Photographs by B. Hall.

CALIFORNIA PROVINCE and west. Elevation ranges from 600 GARDENS feet at the top of the coastal prairie knoll near Oakes College to 395 The wildest and most topo- feet at the bottom of the Arboretum graphically diverse portion of the reservoir in the Northern Califor- Arboretum, often referred to as the nia Province. Much of the area is “back forty,” is being developed as former pastureland dating back to species. Some of these species exist California Province Gardens. It will the late 1800s, when the Henry on only one island or one bluff on showcase flora from two broad re- Cowell Ranch occupied the site. less than an acre of land. Develop- gions, Central Western and North- Somewhat degraded coastal prairie ment pressures are considerable in ern California. The Province Gar- occurs over the area with patches coastal Southern California where dens area encompasses 55 acres in of native bulbs and wildflowers, several of these species grow. the jointly managed northwestern including extensive sweeps of sky Through plant sales of plants propa- part of the Arboretum and Campus lupine (Lupinus nanus), California gated in cultivation, we have helped Natural Reserve. The site is on an poppy (Eschscholzia californica), to distribute the plants and reduce ancient marine terrace and alluvial and healthy colonies of pretty face collection pressure on wild popula- material with gentle to moderately (Triteleia ixioides), yellow mariposa tions. steep hillsides facing south, east, lily (Calochortus luteus), and har-

28 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 vest brodiaea (Brodiaea elegans), among others. Three small canyons run through the site, carrying seasonal runoff into a series of limestone sinks and the historic abandoned reservoir located inside the Arboretum’s boundaries. Riparian portions of these drainages are home to breeding populations of the threatened California red-legged frog (Rana aurora) and a very vocal population of Pacific tree frogs, which prompted Ken Norris, father of the UC Reserve System, to affec- tionately remember the area as “frog heaven.” Numerous other animal species occur in the area, including coyote, bobcat, mountain lion, deer, raccoon, rabbit, squirrel, and several species of snakes, lizards, newts, and salamanders. The avifauna is rich, including many kinds of raptors, with the occasional golden eagle, many species of hawks, humming- birds, quail, thrashers, swallows, etc. temperature reached 105 degrees Naturally occurring trees in the can- Fahrenheit on June 20, 2008). Sum- yons and throughout the area are mer fog and the marine influence coast redwoods, Douglas-firs, pon- provide for a relatively “easy going” derosa pines, and mixed evergreens, summer. Winter temperatures rarely including madrones, California bays, drop below freezing, although it does and coast live oaks. California buck- happen. Our coldest recorded tem- eyes, willows, and hazelnuts are com- perature, 18 degrees Fahrenheit, oc- mon as well. curred on the coldest night of the great freeze of December 1990, and THE LAND lasted about four hours. The tem- perature was even colder in the low- A fairly rich assemblage of geo- est portion of the old reservoir, logic bedrock and soil diversity oc- where we estimated it may have been curs here. Rock types include gran- 13 degrees Fahrenheit, based on ite, schist, quartzite, limestone, and known temperature gradients re- several types of sandstones, as well corded previously. TOP: Butano Ridge flannelbush (Fremonto- as marine and stream terrace mate- Over half of the acreage is being dendron californicum ‘Butano Ridge’) is one rial. Overlying soils are mostly loam dedicated to the Central Western of three known individuals of the species to sandy loam with some clay soils. California Province, represented by that is native to San Mateo County. • Soil pH ranges from slightly acid to the region extending from the Santa BOTTOM: Santa Cruz cypress (Cupressus abramsiana) growing in the central coast slightly alkaline. Cruz Mountains and San Francisco closed-cone conifer eco-region of the Bay region through the Central Coast California Province Gardens. Photographs THE CLIMATE ranges to San Simeon in San Luis by B. Hall. Obispo County, or possibly as far Average rainfall is about 35 south as Point Conception in Santa play, and field research are the Santa inches. Summer highs are normally Barbara County. The Central West- Cruz Mountains, Santa Lucia Moun- in the 70s and 80s with an occa- ern California Province also features tains, coastal bluff and maritime sional few days in the mid-90s, and, a California Channel Islands Gar- chaparral, and the San Carlos Range, rarely, with temperatures nudging den. Regions which will receive ex- among others. Other ecologic and just over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (the tensive attention for collection, dis- geographic themes will be featured,

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 29 ABOVE: California fuchsias (Epilobium spp.) have been an ongoing interest of Arboretum staff for many years. Photograph by B. Hall. • LEFT, TOP TO BOTTOM: Dudleya hybrid created by Stephen McCabe. Photograph by S. McCabe. • Bowltube iris (Iris macrosiphon) growing in the Arboretum Entrance Native Garden. This specimen is originally from the north coast range of Sonoma County. Photograph by B. Hall. • Cobra lily () grown from seed collected from a cross between a plant from the Klamath Range and a plant from the . Photograph by B. Hall. • Anna’s hummingbird visits a non- native Grevillea in the Arboretum. Photograph by anonymous Arboretum volunteer.

including rare plant communities, is one of wild gardens featuring plant endemics, endangered and threat- communities, habitats, and ecologi- ened species, dominant species in cal themes that combine species local communities, exceptional from different geographic areas populations, forms, and occurrences, within Northern California. Ex- riparian habitats, serpentine commu- amples include woodland, riparian, nities, and populations of disjuncts. mixed evergreen, conifer forests, The rest of the 55-acre area will montane, subalpine, alpine, prairie, be devoted to the Northern Califor- meadows, chaparral, and various nia Province, which includes na- shrublands. Smaller regional com- tives from the San Francisco Bay munities and associations within Region, North Coast Ranges, Kla- Northern California will develop as math Ranges, southern Cascades, opportunities to build collections and the Sierra Nevada. The concept from particular “hot spots” emerge.

A bobcat visits the Arboretum’s maritime chaparral eco-region in the Central Western California Province Garden. Photograph by R. Flores.

30 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 ABOVE: With funding from the Elvenia J. Slosson Endowment Fund, Arboretum staff and students build a rockery in the Entrance Native Garden. • BELOW, RIGHT: Plantings along the entrance road to the Arboretum include Pajaro manzanita (Arctostaphylos pajaroensis), purple sage (Salvia leucophylla), and flannelbush (Fremontodendron californicum). Photographs by B. Hall.

PONDEROSA PINE local stands in the Santa Cruz Moun- tains for decades. These trees are As noted, the native Province well-incorporated into the Garden. Gardens are located in the wildest Pinus ponderosa is the mascot of the portion of the Arboretum. One as- native Garden and we will conserve pect of the wildness that enticed us its genetic localism. Great attention to locate the Gardens here was the will be paid to provenance and ge- natural occurrence of ponderosa netic integrity issues on a taxon by pine (Pinus ponderosa). In 1975 there taxon basis throughout the building were only two ponderosa pines on of our collections and displays. the site, but now there are twenty to We are excited about the devel- thirty or more naturally occurring opment of the Province Gardens and individuals, plus a handful of planted we are actively raising funds, build- individuals collected from Marshall ing collections, and encouraging col- Fields on the upper portion of the laborators to accelerate its future. campus. The Santa Cruz stands of More detailed on-the-ground plan- ponderosa pine are disjunct from ning is off and running. For example, this coming decade should reveal the main montane distribution of an extensive trail network is in the great progress on the ground. ponderosa pine in California and works, and locations for interpreta- are perhaps the most maritime pon- tion and wayfinding displays, vistas, Arboretum, University of California, Santa derosa pines anywhere. Dr. Bob benches, and rock gardens (among Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA Haller has been working on the tax- many other attributes) are being de- 95064; (831)427-2998; http://arboretum. onomy of ponderosa pines and the cided. If we can garner the resources, ucsc.edu; Brett Hall, [email protected]

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 31 Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and redwood sorrel (Oxalis oregana) in the Hildegard Grove. All photographs copyright by Yerba Buena Nursery; Sonja Wilcomer and Jennifer Leech, photographers, unless otherwise noted. GERDA ISENBERG NATIVE PLANT GARDEN AT YERBA BUENA NURSERY by Kathy Crane and Matt Teel

ituated at 1,200 feet eleva- HISTORY AND INSPIRATION Her target audience was home- tion in the Santa Cruz Moun- owners, who in many cases had no tains, between the Pacific In 1974, Gerda Isenberg began other place to see examples of a na- Ocean and the San Francisco to develop her vision of a California tive plant garden. Gerda believed SBay, the Gerda Isenberg Native Plant Native Plant Demonstration Garden that visitors, given the opportunity Garden enjoys a mild climate with on her ranch property where she to walk through the garden and see extremely wet winters, brief, hot had already established Yerba Buena fully grown specimens, labeled with summers, and very little fog. A natu- Nursery. She was over 70 years old botanic and common names, would ral spring feeds the Garden at the time. Her idea was to create a then be inspired to use these plants and is also piped underground to garden where people might see how in their own gardens. feed Woodruff Creek below. A pri- the plants would look as they grew Plants viewed in the Demonstra- vate, well-maintained, unpaved road to maturity. She wanted to create a tion Garden would then be available curves through forests for two beau- place where people would become for purchase in the neighboring tiful miles before arriving at the two- more at ease with using natives as nursery. The nursery would use the and-a half acre garden. garden plants. Garden for propagation materials

32 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 and for experimentation to de- (when visitors would come), termine growing conditions he would mow the tall grass. best suited for each type of Although there are a few plant. The Garden would also hose stands scattered through- provide habitat for some rare out the Garden, there is no plants such as western leath- regular or automated irrigation erwood (Dirca occidentalis), system. New plants were, and , and unusual forms of still are, primarily installed manzanitas (Arctostaphylos during the wet season to give spp.). them the opportunity to be- Gerda selected an area that come established prior to the had been used as a pasture for dry summer. A simple hose the dairy cattle on her ranch— and wand are used to provide a hot, dusty, rocky hillside cov- supplemental water, if neces- ered with grasses and sur- sary. Hence, the Garden is rounded by a naturally wood- primarily a dry garden. ed area. She walked around the Another challenge was pro- pasture, defining the pathways viding permanent legible plant and specific areas where the identification markers. Plants various plants should go. Based were originally identified with on her innate sense of the hot- hand-crafted, hand-lettered ter and colder areas, she Camas lily (Camassia quamash) grows at the bottom edge porcelain tiles. These tiles were grouped plants primarily by ge- of the wildflower meadow. made and fired on the prop- nus. A layout of a meadow area erty. The identification tiles was made, with micro-environments Constant weeding was necessary were beautiful, but were susceptible for plants ranging from drought tol- to prevent the young plants from to cracking after freezing tempera- erant to bog dwellers. Winding path- being overtaken by exotic grasses. tures, rain and heat. The wooden ways, changes in elevation, sun and Brent Wilcox recalls that since the posts didn’t fare much better—they shade, wet and dry areas and con- center of the Garden was originally were eaten by termites before too templative bench locations were all unplanted, prior to each weekend long. considered in the design of the Garden. One of many exquisite local forms of giant trillium (Trillium chloropetalum) found in the Santa Cruz Over the course of a sum- Mountains blooms in the Garden. mer, much of the Garden was planted by Nancy Hardesty and Gregory Tye. Nancy recalls being so exhausted at digging holes in rock-hard soil, that on one occasion she fell asleep at a stop light while driving home.

CHALLENGES The Garden was originally unfenced from deer, although some deer-favored plants such as bush poppies (Dendromecon spp.) were individually caged. And careful lists were kept of what the deer did and did not eat. Shep, the nursery dog, kept the deer at bay. After Shep’s passing, the Garden had to be fenced.

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 33 THE YOUNG GARDEN reflection of the people who have of redwood trees she planted almost passed through it and who have in- 40 years ago, now carpeted beneath There was not much public in- fluenced its look with their tastes with redwood sorrel (Oxalis ore- terest in the Garden for the first few and interests. The prized manzanita gana). years, as the plants were small and collection is due largely to the ef- almost invisible compared to the forts of a former nursery manager weeds and grasses. With passing (who has gone on to edit a notable PLANNING FOR THE years the plants grew to noticeable native plant journal—Bart O’Brien). FUTURE sizes, giving visitors a first view of A nearby neighbor, Betsy Clebsch, Gerda’s planned “Demonstration has kept on the lookout for cultivars In Gerda’s later years, she recog- Garden” for native plants. of the native sages. One of Gerda’s nized that a plan was needed for the Like any garden, the Gerda early employees, Hildegard Jackson, Garden and Nursery if it were to Isenberg Native Plant Garden is a left behind a priceless legacy, a grove continue after her death. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Gerda Western bleeding heart (Dicentra formosa), Barrie Coate currant (Ribes sanguineum var. worked hard to interest the Califor- glutinosum ‘Barrie Coate’), and various ceanothus (Ceanothus spp.) in bloom. nia Horticultural Society and West- ern Horticultural Society to assume operations. Both declined. Gerda later attempted to establish an inde- pendent non-profit foundation in 1989, drawing up a mission state- ment and selecting a board of direc- tors, but the project was abandoned. With her decline in health, it appeared likely that the land would be sold with the likelihood that the Nursery and Garden would be closed. Fortunately, Gerda made the acquaintance of Kathy and David Crane, who were looking for a prop- erty on which to build a home. The importance of continuing the Nurs- ery and Demonstration Garden cre- ated by Gerda was apparent to the Cranes, who decided to accept the challenge to carry on Gerda’s dream. Hence, Gerda’s desire that the prop- erty remain a native plant sanctuary was realized. Kathy Crane has been the owner/operator of Gerda’s legacy since 1995.

THE GERDA ISENBERG NATIVE PLANT GARDEN IS DEDICATED

In June of 1997, Gerda’s Dem- onstration Garden was dedicated as the “Gerda Isenberg Native Plant Garden” to honor her birthday. Un- fortunately, Gerda was too ill to at- tend. Gerda passed away not long after. Her vision of a garden demon- strating the uses of native plants had

34 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 Spring bloom in the Garden, with California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), Dara’s Choice sage (Salvia ‘Dara’s Choice’), bush (Rhus ovata), and Vandenberg ceanothus (Ceanothus impressus ‘Vandenberg’). come to fruition, and because of her can be photographed without hav- their visit to the Garden marks the vision and tireless effort, thousands ing to hike into the wilderness or first time they have seen many of of gardeners learned that landscap- climb through poison oak. Easy-to- these creatures. This experience ing their homes did not have to be- read identification markers offer bo- drives home the value of native plant gin and end with lawns and flower- tanical and common names for gardens as wildlife habitat in a way ing exotic plants. Gerda’s Garden plants—a feature also not usually that no book or lecture ever could. showed the beauty of native plants offered on a parkland hike. Occa- in a garden setting and the value of sionally, laminated photographs of VISIT these plants in providing food and plants will accompany the signs to shelter for wildlife. help the visitor distinguish between The Garden is on private prop- adjacent specimens. erty, yet is open to the public year- THE GARDEN TODAY Human visitors are not the only round. No entry fees are charged for ones to take notice of Gerda’s gar- self-guided tours, although purchases The numbers of people who have den. The wild creatures that inhabit made by visitors are vital for the con- been “converted” to using native and visit the native plants in this tinued maintenance of the Garden. plants because of their inspirational garden include banana slugs, Cali- A unique facet of visiting the visit to this Garden is astounding. fornia newts, San Francisco garter Gerda Isenberg Garden is the op- Many landscape designers send their snakes, bobcats, coyotes, raccoons, portunity to combine a garden visit clients to visit this Garden to show rabbits, hummingbirds, butterflies, with a high-tea lunch. Kathy Crane them how a garden full of native and hundreds of other species of serves tea-lunches in the Great Room plants looks, feels and smells. Plants birds and . For some people, of the 1905 Farmhouse, inspired by

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 35 Farewell-to-spring () blooms on a fog-shrouded summer morning in the Garden. her travels to British botanical gar- offers a moist, shady respite during ants, the flora and fauna that have dens. Gerda was an early and de- the hot summers. long resided in the surrounding for- voted customer, claiming that if she The operation of this garden is est. No chemicals are used in the were ten years younger, she might unique in that it is one of the only Garden—no , , have opened a tea room herself. Tea public native plant gardens whose or fertilizers as these could inad- is always offered to visitors on foggy existence and maintenance is funded vertently harm the many creatures mornings and on select dates entirely by nursery plant sales, rather living in the soil and water here. throughout the year guests can make than as part of a foundation or edu- This philosophy extends to the ad- a reservation for a traditional tea cational establishment. The garden jacent Nursery. New Garden plant- before returning to the garden paths. is tended by one full-time gardener, ings are planned around heritage While the Garden features var- whose primary duties are planting, shrubs and trees. Mature oaks and ied terrain and changes in elevation, weeding, pruning, meadow mainte- buckeyes ring the perimeter of the paths are maintained to accommo- nance, path maintenance, and basic garden, providing ample opportu- date visitors of all abilities. When repairs. Nursery staff, and occasional nity for shady paths and beds. Two Gerda was confined to a wheelchair, volunteers, assist with seasonal mature western leatherwoods (Dirca a project was undertaken to widen projects. occidentalis) line the path to the the main pathways to allow for pond, one reaching nearly nine feet wheelchairs or electric carts to ORGANICALLY GROWN tall. On the opposite side of the traverse the Garden. Benches are garden, a local blue blossom (Cea- strategically placed should guests The Garden has been installed nothus thyrsiflorus), nearing 30 feet need to rest along the way. The and maintained with the utmost re- tall, threatens to reach the power Hildegard Grove of coast redwoods spect to the truly native inhabit- lines a few feet above it, but seems

36 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 to know it’s reached a good place to slow down. As in any garden, plants decline and pass on, allowing opportunities for fresh ideas and plantings. Our wildflower meadow was once in the shade of a mighty Douglas-fir. It was sad to lose it in a storm in 1995, but its absence created a bright sunny meadow of nearly half an acre, which delights visitors to the garden in spring and summer with its succes- sion of annual wildflower blooms. The branches from the fallen Dou- glas-fir were used to create unique fencing, which rings this meadow. A lavender-flowered bigpod ceano- thus (Ceanothus megacarpus) was a fragrant spring delight for years. A heat wave a few years ago proved too much for it, but the graceful, lichen-covered skeleton was a beau- tiful component of the garden until this past winter, when a strong gust finally took it down. We now have a new addition, desert willow Gerda coming out of the Yerba Buena Nursery office in 1990. Photograph courtesy of Ami (Chilopsis linearis), growing in its and Richard Jaqua. place. The original plantings still form too closely together are scheduled SUMMARY the core architecture of the Garden. for thinning or removal. Since this Declining plants have been replaced, is a “Demonstration Garden,” there The Garden attracts the native and some trees originally planted is an ongoing question whether to plant enthusiast as well as the nov- show a variety of plants or follow ice. For many, a visit to the Gerda aesthetic design principles in plant Isenberg Native Plant Garden is their placements. We strive to have a Gar- first exposure to the concept of such den specimen of every plant for sale a garden. The drive down the long in the Nursery with the goal of dis- gravel road from Skyline Boulevard, playing these in the most attractive winding through forests of native way possible. vegetation, can be an inspiration in Challenges to Garden upkeep itself. Upon entering the confines of include managing wildlife (gophers, the property that Gerda Isenberg birds, rabbits, coyotes, bobcats, and dedicated to honoring and promot- occasional deer); visitors (keeping ing the value of native plants, one is people on the paths, reminding them filled with the wonder of California’s not to pick the flowers, touch the flora and the idea that this aspect of wildlife, or collect anything—“leave California that does not have a voice only footprints, take only memo- of its own is worth protecting and ries”); weather related factors (such treasuring. as excessive summer heat, rain- caused drainage issues, and freezes); Gerda Isenberg Native Plant Garden, fencing issues; and plant diseases Yerba Buena Nursery, 19500 Skyline and pests (such as sudden oak death Blvd., Woodside, CA 94062; (650)851- Gerda on the Jaqua bench by the meadow. and pest overabundance such as pe- 1668; www.yerbabuenanursery.com • Photograph courtesy of Ami and Richard riodic population explosions of oak Kathy Crane and Matt Teel may be Jaqua. moths). reached at the nursery.

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 37 Tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa) and purple needlegrass (Nassella pulchra) in full bloom in the meadow in late summer. All photographs by D. Mahoney. SAN FRANCISCO BOTANICAL GARDEN NATIVE PLANT GARDEN by Don Mahoney, Terry Seefeld, and Barbara Pitschel

he native plantings at the San Reiter Jr. (1975. California Horticul- developed this wet spot into a large Francisco Botanical Garden ture Journal 36(2):64), the Redwood pumping station, complete with im- have roots that reach back to Grove was also planted between that mense, dome-shaped, brick cisterns the early days of Golden Gate time and the 1906 earthquake. The and settling basins. He did this be- TPark. In the 1897 annual report for last few redwoods were planted in cause he considered the rates for Golden Gate Park, the area where the area “a few days after that sub- water from the local water depart- the current native Garden now sits stantial temblor.” ment to be exorbitant. Part of the was a large part of an area desig- The whole site has had an inter- area was plowed every year and sown nated as a site for an arboretum. esting history. Originally, the native in hay to feed park animals. Possibly Trees planted at that time included Garden was part of a sunken sand this was the initial source of some of two Torrey pines (Pinus torreyana), dune area. At its low point, where the weeds that remain hard to con- one of which still stands and towers the current meadow sits, there was a trol to this day. During the 1894 over the western edge of the native small lake, which was fed by a sub- Midwinter Fair, a railroad spur was meadow. The second giant Torrey terranean stream originating in the built at the east edge of the current pine fell on a still, foggy night just nearby southern hills. John McLaren, native Garden, and for a number of two years ago. According to Victor the “father” of Golden Gate Park, years thereafter, street sweepings

38 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 (primarily horse manure) were dumped in this area “courtesy of the railroad,” to be used by the park for fertilizer. Most of this information comes from the Reiter article.

HISTORY Many special plants, including more native trees, continued to be planted for the next 30 years, but it wasn’t until 1937 that the Strybing Arboretum was officially begun, when Eric Walther, who started as a park gardener in 1916, “was given by John McLaren the herculean task of developing a botanical garden with gangs of WPA workers and little else” (Elizabeth McClintock. 1970. Cali- fornia Horticultural Journal 31(2):60). Helene Strybing had left a bequest to the City of San Francisco in 1926 for a botanical garden, but this could not be used until her siblings had all passed on. In 1939, this money ($200,000 at that time) became avail- able, and Eric Walther began a seri- ous expansion of the Arboretum. As part of the bequest, Helene Strybing had instructed that the bo- tanical garden was “to contain espe- cially a collection of trees, shrubs, and plants indigenous to, or charac- teristic of, California.” In these early days, Eric Walther planted various slopes in native California wild- flowers, but all of those slopes now hold other collections. Around 1960, when the master plan of the Arboretum was designed by landscape architect Robert Tetlow, five acres (not including the red- wood grove) were set aside for plants “native to, and characteristic of, California,” as specified by the Helene Strybing bequest. These five TOP : Humboldt fuchsia (Epilobium septentrionale) and California-aster (Lessingia filaginifolia) acres are the current site of the na- bloom in the in autumn. • BOTTOM: Every spring, the arroyo can be depended tive Garden. Around this time, a on to reliably provide color from meadowfoam (Limnanthes douglasii), California poppy young gardener, Arthur L. Menzies, (Eschscholzia californica), and western azalea (Rhododendron occidentale). who had started at Golden Gate Park as a gardener in 1953 (after work- nitas (Arctostaphylos spp.). Within FIFTY YEARS LATER ing for a few years for Victor Reiter), four years, the Garden was planted became assistant director of the ar- with some 300 kinds of native Nearly 50 years later, in 2008, boretum. He was an avid collector plants, including 71 species, variet- there are still 107 of those 300 early of native plants, especially manza- ies, and hybrids of manzanitas. accessions in the Garden. Only two

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 39 was renamed the “Arthur L. Menzies Memorial Garden of California Na- tive Plants,” with unanimous ap- proval of the governing bodies of the park. At that time, we were fortunate to have Jake Sigg as the Recreation and Parks Department gardener as- signed to the native section, and also to have John Kipping as education director of the Strybing Arboretum Society. Both men were, and still are, avid supporters and appreciators of our native flora. During his tenure here, Jake, with city landscape archi- tect Hugh Schmidt, initiated the first of several major renovations of the Garden. By this time, the Strybing Arboretum Society, a nonprofit sup- port group founded in 1955, was pro-

TOP: Douglas iris (Iris douglasiana) has viding financial and moral support naturalized in many colors in the Garden. for Garden improvements. Jake was • MIDDLE: California-aster (Lessingia fila- eager to remove a central lawn area, ginifolia) is one of the best nectar sources which had been a major problem be- for pollinators. • BOTTOM: Coast buckwheat (Eriogonum latifolium), shown here with cause water from the lawn was con- ruby chalice clarkia () is tinually killing nearby natives. The also a good nectar source. lawn was removed in 1975 and re- placed with a dry arroyo. Much re- Grove. These have not only survived, grading was done, and large French but have filled every niche to make drains were installed in the lower this our most authentic and weed- end of the Garden. Large rounded free garden in the entire botanical sandstone boulders were placed to garden. Pines and other conifers mimic a dry watercourse. A final were highly valued by Menzies, and phase was the installation of a stone 14 conifer species from the early wall and observation platform at the plantings still exist. Another 16 spe- western end of the Garden, built out cies of broadleaf trees are also still of limestone blocks from the Hearst present after 50 years. monastery stone. During that first One of the original coast red- spring and summer, numerous an- woods from around 1906 produces nuals were planted from seeds that abundant albino shoots from its burl had been pre-started in flats in the every spring. While documentation nursery. And during that first spring is scarce, it is believed that this tree and summer, “masses of bloom” from was collected from the grove dis- a long list of California annuals covered on the San Francisco Pen- greeted visitors to the Garden. This of these are original manzanitas how- insula around 1900. (Albino red- was one of many attempts to get an- ever, which speaks to the life spans wood history is discussed in: George nuals to reseed in the Garden. of many of our chaparral species. James Peirce. 1901. Studies on the The two remaining manzanitas, in- coast redwood. Proceedings of the FOR VISITORS terestingly enough, are our two lo- California Academy of Sciences, Third cal natives, Series, Botany 2(3); and in: Ro According to a California Horti- ssp. crustacea and ssp. rosei, both Peterson. 1987. Albino redwoods: cultural Journal article (1975. 36(4): originally collected in San Francisco. forest phantoms. Fremontia 14(4): 59) by John Kipping, during this Other notable early plantings that 25-26.) time, “a natural aspect prevailed, still persist include the understory After the untimely death of Art rather than a planned landscape.” and groundcovers in the Redwood Menzies in 1973, the native Garden Jake Sigg is quoted as saying, “Paths

40 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 were placed so every plant can be with subspaces defined by shrubs and lasiana) selections. Over the years, seen close up and where people seem rocks.” With the exception of sev- all of these species have persisted to want to walk.” By the 1980s, then- eral large trees and also the Garden’s and proven successful. The “carpet,” director Walden Valen was eager periphery, most of the plants were or meadow, consisted mainly of for a more designed native Garden, removed or repropagated. The Gar- bunchgrasses, which began to reseed as visitors “roam freely through the den was designed to have represen- tremendously. Among these reseed- Garden unable to distinguish be- tatives of distinct ecotypes, includ- ing grasses, weedy grasses came up tween paths and planted areas.” ing coastal scrub, evidenced in low- from the long-buried seed bank. The Landscape architect Ron Lutsko was key edges of three- to four-foot-tall gardener at that time, King Sip, spent hired to do a complete renovation plants defining smaller subspaces; endless hours weeding and trying to of the Garden, which was completed trees and forest at the absolute pe- introduce appropriate annuals. She in 1988. riphery of the Garden; and finally, and the current gardener, Terry When Lutsko approached the the meadow, “like a carpet in the Seefeld, found greater success by in- Menzies Garden, “It was an incred- living room.” To unify the design, troducing more perennials and ible repository of plants. Basically, it theme plants were chosen to be bulbs, and fewer annuals, into the was a collection, not a garden.” What planted in greater numbers. These meadow. Annuals were confined to was missing was an overall design. were madrone (), smaller pockets and at the edges of Lutsko created a plan that included a Stanford manzanita (Arctostaphylos the rock gardens. distinct entry to the Garden at the stanfordiana), Julia Phelps ceano-thus Each year, particular perennial head of the arroyo. He opened up (Ceanothus ‘Julia Phelps’), pink flow- species produce spectacular bloom, the center of the Garden, reinforcing ering currant (Ribes sanguineum var. and the next year may produce few the edges to create a big central space. glutinosum), California fuchsia or no flowers at all. It is the diversity Three rock gardens were added with (), Santa Cruz Is- of species that ensures that some- rock placement by Phil Johnson. “We land buckwheat (Eriogonum arbor- thing is always in bloom. This also approached it like designing a big escens), coastal gumplant (Grindelia means that no two years are the house with a great room, provided stricta), and Douglas iris (Iris doug- same. Some species bloom more con-

The rock garden is colorful year-round. As the ruby chalice clarkia (Clarkia rubicunda) is finishing its bloom, the yellow blossoms of gum plant (Grindelia sp.) are just starting.

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 41 TOP: In early spring, the rock garden is a mix of annual and perennial wildflowers. • BOTTOM : Even when not in bloom, the rock garden is attractive with the silver foliage of the California-aster (Lessingia filaginifolia) and various lupines.

chium bellum) is also easy the fall color scheme. One of the and reliable. A little later showiest autumn plants is the bright in the season, seaside red California fuchsia (Epilobium daisy (Erigeron glaucus) septentrionale), which blooms along and camas (Camassia with the lighter red Epilobium canum. quamash) add their lav- ender and blue to the GRASSES color palette. One-leaf onion (Allium unifolium) Tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia and sun cups (Camisso- cespitosa) is probably one of our most nia ovata) add their pink popular California native grasses, and yellow to the mead- standing about two-and-a-half to ow edges. In the sum- three feet high and giving great mo- mer, eight species of tion with the slightest breeze. Nee- sistently. California poppy (Esch- buckwheat (Eriogonum spp.) bloom dlegrasses (Nassella pulchra and N. scholzia californica) has a very long in the rock gardens and meadow. lepida) are the most numerous in flowering period. In early spring, Coastal gumplant (Grindelia stricta) the Garden, forming smaller, coarser checker bloom (Sidalcea malvae- lines the main pathway with yellow bunches with wider leaves than the flora) can almost form pink sheets in summer and fall. Yellow is also hairgrasses. Deer grass (Muhlenber- between the grasses. Franciscan added by three goldenrods (Solidago gia rigens) sends up tall flower stalks wallflower ( franciscanum) californica, S. spathulata, and S. in late summer and holds them and Point Reyes wallflower (E. men- confinis). California-aster (Lessingia through late fall and into winter. ziesii ssp. concinnum) bloom at this filaginifolia) and coast aster (Aster This species is used by native Cali- time also. Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrin- chilensis) add pink and lavender to fornians for basket making. Canyon

42 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 Prince California wildrye (Leymus California poppies may not open In spite of, or because of, all condensatus ‘Canyon Prince’) is a except for a few days a week in the this, the native Garden here at the prominent blue-gray grass with wide summertime. San Francisco Botanical Garden at leaves. Two types of California fes- Strybing Arboretum (our official cue (Festuca californica) grow in the CHANGES title) is always a memorable Garden wetter parts of the meadow. Two to visit and provides an experience varieties of Idaho fescue (Festuca One more renovation is planned of wild nature complete with beau- idahoensis) grow on the north and for this fall, when some pathways tiful flowers, , birds, and butter- south sides of the arroyo. Short- will be regraded. The last remaining flies. It is a wonderful education for leaved fescue (Festuca brachyphylla) south-facing slope to the north of those who want to learn about our is a shorter, blue-green, sometimes the meadow will be redesigned and natural and native environment. reddish grass that is a personal fa- replanted as a new manzanita bed vorite, as it remains compact and and several dozen new Arctostaphy- San Francisco Botanical Garden at reseeds, but not excessively. Red fes- los taxa are being propagated for Strybing Arboretum, 1199 9th Avenue, cue (Festuca rubra) is listed as a this purpose in the nursery. The na- San Francisco, CA 94122; (415)661-1316; bunchgrass, but has short tive Garden will continue to grow. www.sfbotanicalgarden.org • Don that can creep outward. It has nar- Currently, there are upwards of 500 Mahoney, dmahoney@sfbotanical row leaves that, together with the taxa in the Garden that are perma- garden.org; Terry Seefeld, NativeGarden stems, often have a distinct reddish nent. Many more annuals and bulbs @sfbotanicalgarden.org; Barbara cast. are added on a temporary basis from Pitschel, bpitschel@sfbotanicalgarden. In 1991, Lutsko won the Na- year to year. org tional Award of Merit from the American Society of Landscape Ar- A typical summer afternoon in San Francisco. chitects for this Garden. In The Natu- ral Habitat Garden (Clarkson Pot- ter, 1994), author Ken Druse writes, “Beyond a collection, it is perhaps the most beautifully planned and maintained public garden in the country dedicated to habitat-style planting.”

MAINTENANCE Maintenance is very time-con- suming. While the Garden is in- tended to look very natural and care- free, it is anything but that. Mainte- nance is required because of the resi- dent weed seed bank in the soil, as well as an overabundance of snails and slugs during the rainy season, when most annuals like baby blue eyes are totally devoured. There is also an overwintering population of white-crowned sparrows that see emerging seedlings as their private salad bar. Gophers and moles make most bulb plantings troublesome. Calochortus are difficult because all the aforementioned creatures will eat them. The meadow can be cov- ered with frost many winter morn- ings and also be covered with fog for weeks on end in the summer. Even

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 43 The succulent stemmed giant (Coreopsis gigantea) dominates this scene from the Garden’s Channel Islands section. All photographs by N. Smith. THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BOTANICAL GARDEN AT BERKELEY by Nathan Smith

any a native plant gar- and specificity with which it draws on the efforts of a few individuals. dener is inspired by inspiration from nature to replicate Looming large in the history of the California’s natural natural plant habitats. From the five- UC Botanical Garden are horticul- landscapes, and many acre redwood grove planted in the turists Roger Raiche and Wayne Mstrive in some way to bring that 1930s to the vernal pools which are Roderick. Their names are familiar beauty into their home gardens. This renewed every year, the Garden to many a native enthusiast and are venerable tradition of highly styl- shows the many and varied Califor- attached to popular garden cultivars ized natural landscapes has a long nia plant communities. such as Vitis ‘Roger’s Red’ or Eri- history in Japan, where an idealized All gardens, to some degree, sim- geron ‘W.R.’ Both have been popular nature is evoked by a prescribed plify and stylize nature in their dis- speakers at CNPS meetings and sym- use of garden elements and forms. plays. Much as natural landscapes posia. I have had the pleasure of Public gardens are planted to recall are shaped by physical and environ- spending some time in the field with landscapes from around the world. mental factors, the primary influ- both of these extraordinary horti- The California area at the Univer- ence on the development of gardens culturists. They opened my eyes to sity of California Botanical Garden is the people who cultivate them. the California flora in a way that at Berkeley is unique in the degree Gardens often thrive or fail based continues to transform and inspire

44 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 my daily experience on this fragile The Garden has grown plants from ment Program. Seeds of common planet. seed collected from this very small taxa are collected in large quantities The selection and introduction population for two seasons, produc- for future use in restoration/reha- of superior horticultural forms has ing tens of thousands of new seed, bilitation efforts following distur- popularized the use of native plants some of which was used in a rein- bance (for example, for re-seeding in the landscape, and by extension, troduction effort in late 2007. Mt. following wildfire). Half of the seeds improved awareness of our native Diablo buckwheat will make a won- are stored at the USDA National Cen- flora. The role of public gardens in derful garden subject one day. Simi- ter for Genetic Resources Preserva- inspiring and educating designers lar conservation efforts led by cura- tion at Fort Collins, Colorado, and and gardeners should not be under- tor Holly Forbes are underway for the other half at the Millennium Seed stated. The masses of deer grass Presidio manzanita (Arctostaphylos Bank in . (Muhlenbergia rigens) planted in the montana ssp. ravenii), Presidio clar- Nearly all the specimens in the UC Botanical Garden and others to kia (Clarkia franciscana), Baker’s Garden are field collected. Detailed evoke the natural savannah have larkspur ( bakeri), yel- records are kept concerning their been replicated in commercial and low larkspur (Delphinium luteum), place of origin, which enhances their residential landscapes around the white sedge (Carex albida), Ken- scientific value considerably. The state. The Garden’s plantings and wood marsh checkermallow (Sidal- Garden is exceptionally well-labeled promotion have helped popularize cea oregana ssp. valida), Marin dwarf with each accession accompanied by the use of leafy reed grass (Calama- flax (Hesperolinon congestum), San a public display label including an grostis foliosa), a truly wonderful Mateo thornmint (Acanthomintha accession number, family name, sci- feathery native bunchgrass from the duttonii), and Tiburon paintbrush entific name, place of origin, and north coast. Public gardens provide (Castilleja affinis ssp. neglecta). where appropriate, common name, an opportunity to share great plant The Garden is a participant in making it possible for visitors to combinations and to experiment with “Seeds of Success,” part of the fed- identify virtually any plant in the plants for difficult situations. The eral Native Plant Materials Develop- Garden. Growing on the Garden’s Garden’s two annual plant sales and daily plant sales help make some of The dangling tassels of James Roof silktassel (Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’) are framed by the diversity of garden-worthy na- the pink flowers of Paradise manzanita (Arctostaphylos pajaroensis ‘Paradise’) and the tives available to the public. As more dense green foliage of Vandenberg ceanothus (Ceanothus impressus ‘Vandenberg’) in the Garden’s deer-frequented cultivar bed. gardens begin to include California natives, our native flora can again become a daily part of the urban/ suburban experience. Raising aware- ness is critical to the conservation missions of the Garden and CNPS.

CONSERVATION EFFORTS The Garden is actively involved with many conservation efforts in partnership with the Center for Plant Conservation, California State Parks, California Department of Fish & Game, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management. Most promi- nently in the recent press was the Garden’s work with the Mt. Diablo buckwheat (Eriogonum truncatum). This annual species was presumed extinct, having last been seen by Mt. Diablo flora author Mary Bowerman in 1936. UCB graduate student Michael Park rediscovered the plant in 2005 within Mt. Diablo State Park.

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 45 34 acres are plants from around the forts are responsible for much of the world. The 12,500 different species current collection. Of the 2,531 liv- and subspecies that compose the ing accessions in the California area, collection represent 2,669 genera in 278 are Roderick collections and 308 plant families, making it one of 1,220 are Raiche collections from the largest and most diverse plant his 22-year tenure at the Garden. collections in the United States. The Garden’s history of selection and informal introduction of supe- COLLECTIONS rior plants into the nursery trade has resulted in an abundance of su- The Garden has the most diverse perior native cultivars (sidebar, p. collection of California natives in 49). The majority of these introduc- the state with 1,613 taxa growing in tions are Raiche collections, evidence over 14 acres. The California collec- of his extraordinary plants-manship. tion is high in diversity for families, In addition to recognizing plants genera, species, and subtaxa. Even with horticultural potential, Raiche’s within a given taxon, emphasis fre- observational skills led to the recog- quently is placed on showing odd nition of three new taxa that were variants, color forms, growth forms, named in his honor: Arctostaphylos or habitat extensions. stanfordiana ssp. raichei (Raiche man- Roderick’s and Raiche’s prodi- zanita), Clarkia concinna ssp. raichei gious collecting and horticultural ef- (Raiche’s red ribbons), and Calo-

TOP: Pajaro manzanita (Arctostaphylos pajaroensis), silver bush lupine (Lupinus albifrons), and California fescue (Festuca californica) make textural and sculptural statements about foliage and form in a naturalistic setting. • BOTTOM: Rare and endangered Burke’s goldfields (Lasthenia burkei) with the similarly endangered Sebastopol meadowfoam (Limnanthes vinculans) in the Garden’s vernal pool display.

46 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 chortus raichei (Cedars’ fairy lan- tern). Roderick was similarly hon- ored by the naming of Ceanothus roderickii (Pine Hill buckbrush), Fritillaria roderickii (Roderick’s frit- illary), and Erythronium citrinum var. roderickii (Roderick’s fawn lily).

ROGER RAICHE Much of the collecting was done by these horticulturists on week- ends or other non-work time. Roger would complain that he could not afford to take time off from weeding the California area at the Garden to go collect. For a time Roger lived in a guest apartment in the house of Myrtle Wolf, a generous benefactor to the Garden and early member of CNPS. She told me that nearly every weekend Roger would come home from work, toss his camping gear into the car, and head off on Friday night, spending the entire weekend botanizing, and not returning again until late Sunday. During the time that I worked with him, toward the end of his career at the Garden, the pattern was similar. Most weekends he would head up to camp at The Cedars, a serpentine wonderland in Sonoma County. This remarkable area is home to seven endemic spe- cies. In the late 1990s Roger and his partner purchased a significant por- tion of The Cedars, creating a pri- vate natural preserve.

SERPENTINE FLORA Roger’s abiding interest in the serpentine flora inspired the con- struction of one of the few gardens in the world to feature the California TOP: Masses of deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens) remind the gardener of California’s natural savannah landscapes, and have been used extensively in public and private gardens. • native flora adapted to serpentine BOTTOM: This combination of coast blue blossom (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus), California fescue soils. Ten percent of the native flora (Festuca californica), and Douglas iris (Iris douglasiana) from the Garden’s coastal beds is adapted to this unique and botani- could easily be translated into a residential setting. cally-rich substrate, which is also the state rock of California. Designed by ties to make the first planting of its individual in habitat, a serpentine landscape architect and noted native kind in California. The serpentine endemic fairy lantern (Calochortus plant enthusiast Ron Lutsko, the ser- bed features such unusual plants as raichei), a lovely pink-flowered se- pentine area was constructed using the Presidio manzanita (Arctostaphy- lection of the western azalea (Rhodo- tons of salvaged serpentine rock and los montana ssp. ravenii), which is dendron occidentale ‘Myrt’s Blush’), soil from Marin and Amador coun- known from only a single surviving California pitcher plants (Darling-

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 47 ABOVE: Myrt’s Blush western azalea (Rhododendron occidentale ‘Myrt’s Blush’) in full bloom in the Garden’s unique serpentine bed. • BELOW LEFT: The rare and endangered Pitkin Marsh leopard lily (Lilium pardalinum ssp. pitkinense) is one of many Garden rarities that are preserved in the Garden’s collection. • BELOW RIGHT: Myrt’s Blush western azalea (Rhododendron occidentale ‘Myrt’s Blush’). tonia californica), and a suite of rare of color that are inspiring. The soft inundation create distinct rings of and unusual annuals. While gener- pink blossoms of Rhododendron plants around the pool. Rare annu- ally austere in appearance, the ser- occidentale ‘Myrt’s Blush’ against the als such as Sebastopol meadowfoam pentine bed has seasonal flourishes emerald green to teal blue marbled (Limnanthes vinculans) and Burke’s serpentine rocks is one such remark- able combination.

WAYNE RODERICK: VERNAL POOLS

Horticulturist Wayne Roderick led the Garden’s pioneering effort to recreate a vernal pool. A vernal pool is a depression underlain by an impermeable soil layer that fills up with water in the winter and dries slowly through spring. Two factors, the degree of salinity at different depths of the pool, and the toler- ance of plants to periods of extended

48 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 goldfields (Lasthenia burkei) pro- duce vibrant color bands of gold CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT CULTIVAR and cream. Thousands of children, students, and adults are exposed to INTRODUCTIONS FROM THE UC BERKELEY BOTANICAL this unique phenomenon at the Gar- GARDEN COLLECTION den, raising awareness and helping Arctostaphylos densiflora ‘Baby Bun’ to foster the conservation of this threatened habitat. ssp. hearstiorum ‘Marshall Olbrich’ Arctostaphylos nummularia ‘Small Change’ WAYNE RODERICK: PYGMY Arctostaphylos pajaroensis ‘Myrtle Wolf’ FOREST Arctostaphylos pajaroensis ‘Warren Roberts’ Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Mount Vision’ Wayne Roderick likewise led the Brodiaea elegans ‘Midnight’ effort to create a pygmy forest of edaphically dwarfed conifers. Un- Calamagrostis nutkaensis ‘The King’ derlain by a clay hardpan and grow- Ceanothus ‘Berkeley Skies’ ing on extremely poor, acidic, sandy Ceanothus ‘Joan Mirov’ soils in Mendocino and Sonoma Counties, this unusual plant com- Ceanothus griseus ‘Kurt Zadnik’ munity hosts a number of rare Epilobium canum ‘Solidarity Pink’ endemic plants. Pygmy cypresses Epipactis gigantea ‘Serpentine Night’ (Cupressus goveniana ssp. pigmaea), Bolander pines (Pinus contorta ssp. Eriogonum fasciculatum ‘Zaca Peak’ bolanderi), huckleberries (Vaccinium Festuca californica ‘Serpentine Blue’ ovatum), and rhododendrons domi- Festuca californica ‘Mayacmas Blue’ nate the scene. Garden horticultur- ists maintain this idealized display Festuca rubra ‘Patrick’s Point’ much like a bonsai gardener main- Garrya elliptica ‘Evie’ tains a specimen tree through horti- Lupinus succulentus ‘Rodeo Rose’ cultural practices, which include cre- ating a hardpan under the trees, root Penstemon heterophyllus ‘Lodoga Pink’ and tip pruning of the trees, and Rhamnus californica ‘Leatherleaf’ acidifying the soil. Rhamnus californica ‘Mound San Bruno’ Other special plant community Rhamnus californica ‘Curly’ displays in the California area in- clude an alpine fell-field, redwood Rhododendron occidentale ‘Myrt’s Blush’ forest, grassland, coastal scrub, ri- Ribes malvaceum ‘Montara Rose’ parian, and knobcone pine wood- Ribes sanguineum var. glutinosum ‘Inverness White’ lands. Each area features a distinct aesthetic and suite of plants. Within Ribes sanguineum var. glutinosum ‘Joyce Rose’ each natural community are plants Ribes sanguineum var. glutinosum ‘Pink Drops’ of exceptional horticultural value for Salvia ‘Bee’s Bliss’ home garden situations. The Garden offers a diverse range Vitis ‘Roger’s Red’ of public programs on horticulture, botany, and natural sciences to au- diences of all ages. Specialty bro- world. The Garden relies on the gen- who keep it growing. Please support chures describing the California ser- erosity of its members, individuals, the Garden and come visit us! pentine area, and a self-guided tour and the University of California for of California’s native plants and the resources it needs to support University of California Botanical Gar- peoples are available year-round. programs and events, the fantastic den, 200 Centennial Dr., Berkeley, CA The Garden is an inspiring place and diverse teaching and research 94720-5045; (510) 643-2755; http:// of beauty and a reminder of the won- collection, and the extraordinary botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu • Nathan der and brilliance of the natural community of staff and volunteers Smith, [email protected]

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 49 CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS AT THE UC DAVIS ARBORETUM by Ellen Zagory

he University of California of the UC Davis campus, about 15 retum is unusual both because it Davis (UC Davis) Arboretum miles west of Sacramento, on the has no fences and because it is physi- occupies approximately 100 historic banks of the north fork of cally connected to the central cam- acres along the southern edge Putah Creek. The UC Davis Arbo- pus landscape. In addition to gar- T den visitors interested in plants, the Interior live oak (Quercus wislizeni) with dune sedge (Carex praegracilis) and island alum Arboretum is used by students, fac- root (Heuchera maxima). All photographs by E. Zagory. ulty, and recreational visitors as a bicycle, walking, and jogging path, and as a natural area for relaxation and wildlife viewing. A wide variety of classes utilizes the Arboretum and its collections, such as plant tax- onomy, wildlife biology, and ento- mology, as well as art, dance, and music classes. Large native oak trees and year-round water in the Arbo- retum waterway create habitat for wildlife, and the garden is home to many birds, insects, and small mam- mals. The mature oaks and pines of the Arboretum, combined with the campus’ iconic white water towers, create a scenic horizon for those passing along Interstate 80. The California native plants of the UC Davis Arboretum represent the larg- est planted landscape of California natives in the Great Central Valley of California. We estimate that nearly half of the Arboretum’s 100 acres is planted with California na- tive plants, some in intensively cul- tivated demonstration gardens and others in large “landscape”-scale plantings of towering trees, sweep- ing swaths of native grasses, and large shrubs. Our California native plant col- lection is exceptional for a number of reasons: (1) a large section is devoted to an intensively main- tained, “gardenesque” series of home-scale vignettes that are labeled and interpreted with information about native plants recommended for gardens; (2) our gardens dem- onstrate species’ tolerance of Cen- tral Valley heat and drought; and

50 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 (3) our irrigation water is high in boron (a toxic ion), bicarbonates, and calcium, leading to rising soil alkalinity in summer months. Hence, plants that survive here may be rec- ommended to gardeners with simi- lar water problems and perhaps to those using reclaimed water systems.

MARY WATTIS BROWN GARDEN OF CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS

Our premier garden for visitors interested in learning about garden- ing with California native plants is the Mary Wattis Brown Garden. Named for the close friend of a founder of our support group, Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum, it is supported by an endowment from Mary Wattis Brown’s family. Arranged in a pleasing series of themed plantings, the garden con- tains species and cultivar collections of many native plant genera such as Ribes, Ceanothus, Epilobium (E. canum), and Eriogonum, under the shade of native oaks, pines, and other trees, including California bay, al- der, and box elder. Manzanitas (Arc- tostaphylos spp.) have proved prob- lematic for us, probably due to wa- ter quality issues, although we do have some, particularly A. densiflora hybrid cultivars, which grow well with infrequent summer water. Our oldest and largest manzanitas grow in a separate area without summer irrigation. In this garden, the primary as- Western redbud (Cercis occidentalis), deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens), and foothill pine phalt path accommodates faster- (Pinus sabiniana) along the Arboretum waterway. moving traffic, while a secondary, decomposed granite path winds its to be the marker for the boundary of californica) and wild way through the plantings for the the original Mexican land grant given (Marah fabaceus) run along the less visitor seeking a deeper experience. when this area was first occupied by accessible steep slopes, as they likely Let’s take a tour of this area as you European settlers. At the entry you did along the wild creek. In the same would see it when you visit. are greeted by a planting of Margarita area are trees of higher elevations, Starting at the west end of the BOP penstemon (Penstemon hetero- such as Jeffrey and ponderosa pines garden, the sentinel plant is a tower- phyllus ‘Margarita BOP’), blue grama (Pinus jeffreyi, P. ponderosa), and ing valley oak (Quercus lobata), one grass (Bouteloua gracilis), and Shasta incense cedar (Calocedrus decur- of many large, heritage oaks native Sulphur buckwheat (Eriogonum rens), combined with deer grass to the banks of the old north fork of umbellatum var. polyanthum ‘Shasta (Muhlenbergia rigens), California Putah Creek. This plant is reputed Sulphur’). California wild rose (Rosa goldenrod (Solidago californica), sul-

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 51 fur buckwheat (Eriogonum umbella- best performing California fuchsias tum), California fuchsia (Epilobium is found in this area: Epilobium canum), coral bells (Heuchera vari- canum ‘Bowman’s #1’, an upright, eties), and chaparral currant (Ribes fine-foliaged green form to about malvaceum). In spring and summer two-and-a-half feet tall that makes a the area sparkles with lupines, both fountain of flaming orange-red flow- the locally native, yellow flowering ers in summer and fall. Also in this Ed Gedling lupine (Lupinus micro- area is a fine selection of Califor- carpus var. densiflorus ‘Ed Gedling’) nia goldenrod (Solidago californi- and the silver bush lupine (Lupinus ca) with compact form and dense, albifrons), a nearby foothill species. showy flowers, originally selected Both above and below the central by Roger Raiche from Cascade Creek path, the steep banks are also planted in San Mateo County. with hummingbird sage (Salvia Continuing down the winding spathacea) and toyon (Heteromeles path, you come upon one of the arbutifolia), creating prime places to largest specimens known in cultiva- look for hummingbirds and cedar tion of the Catalina cherry (Prunus waxwings in winter. ilicifolia ssp. lyonii), a stately speci- Next, we see some of the species men casting its deep shade on spice- found repeatedly throughout the Winifred Gilman sage (Salvia clevelandii bush (Calycanthus occidentalis), garden: Valley Violet ceanothus ‘Winifred Gilman’). Canyon Snow Iris (Iris douglasiana (Ceanothus maritimus ‘Valley Vio- ‘Canyon Snow’), and island alum let’), our dark-flowered form which purple needlegrass (Nassella pul- root (Heuchera maxima), and bor- is good for the small garden, west- chra), and alkali sacaton (Sporobolus dered by lemonade berry (Rhus ern redbud (Cercis occidentalis), and airoides), combined with California integrifolia), Santa Catalina Island golden currant (Ribes aureum) with fuchsia (Epilobium canum), wire mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus bright yellow blooms in February grass (Juncus patens), and the beau- traskiae), and greenbark ceanothus and March. Traveling further east, a tiful Queen Fabiola Ithuriel’s spear (Ceanothus spinosus). pair of blue oaks (Quercus douglasii) (Triteleia laxa ‘Queen Fabiola’), as Leaving the shady woodland has a “very low summer water” gar- well as a rambunctious distribution area, a massive interior live oak den within their drip lines planted of California poppies (Eschscholzia (Quercus wislizeni) is bordered by with yampah (Perideridia kelloggii), californica). A relatively new spe- layers of coral bells (Heuchera maxi- California fescue (Festuca californi- cies for us, golden bush (Ericameria ma, H. ‘Rosada’), Pacific Coast Hy- ca), deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens), linearifolia), has grown into a small brid iris, and grasses and grass-like coral bells (Heuchera maxima, H. with showy yellow daisy flow- plants (Sporobolus airoides, Muhlen- ‘Rosada’), and currants (Ribes vibur- ers over a long season. One of our bergia rigens, Juncus patens, and nifolium, R. malvaceum). A Nassella pulchra). The striking mature buckeye Everett’s Choice California fuchsia (Epilobium canum ‘Everett’s purple Heritage valley borders the area, its sil- Choice’). oaks (Quercus lobata), very bark a beautiful fea- with purple needlegrass ture in the gray winter (Nassella pulchra). light, as are the long flower Purple needlegrass spikes in spring. Upslope always generates com- is a large island bush ments from campus na- poppy (Dendromecon har- tive plant enthusiasts fordii) with gray-blue foli- when their spikelets age and buttery flowers. sparkle golden in the Nearby, large mature Cali- summer sun. Continu- fornia bay trees flourish ing on the trail leads to a on the bank. shrubby planting with Next is the “meadow Saint Catherine’s lace vista,” a constructed grass- (Eriogonum giganteum), land of blue grama (Bou- an enormous specimen teloua gracilis), deer grass of Santa Ana coyote (Muhlenbergia rigens), brush (Baccharis pilu-

52 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 laris ‘Santa Ana’), island oak (Quer- cus tomentella), and island moun- tain mahogany (Cercocarpus betuloi- des var. blancheae). Amethyst Bluff sage (Salvia leucophylla ‘Amethyst LEFT: Roger’s Red grape (Vitis ‘Roger’s Red’). • RIGHT: Ed Gedling lupine (Lupinus microcarpus Bluff’), a Santa Barbara Botanic Gar- var. densiflorus ‘Ed Gedling’) with California poppies and elegant clarkia (Clarkia den introduction, makes a pleasing unguiculata). silver mound with pink-purple flow- ers from which the plant gets its lasiana ‘Canyon Snow’) and Lillian’s T. ELLIOT WEIER name. Various other shrubby native Pink coral bells (Heuchera ‘Lillian’s REDWOOD GROVE sages can be found in this same sec- Pink’). Prominent to the east is a tion: Salvia ‘Whirly Blue’, S. ‘Bee’s large specimen of Skylark barberry T. Elliott Weier, professor of Bliss’, and along the asphalt path, S. (Berberis ‘Skylark’), with showy, botany, arrived in the 1940s to the leucophylla ‘Point Sal’, S. clevelandii golden blooms followed by blue campus of what was then a small ‘Winifred Gilman’, and S. mellifera . agricultural college. Under his in- ‘Point Mugu’. Finally, at the eastern end of the struction, coast redwood seedlings As we approach the eastern end garden, just before the coast red- were planted on the sandy terrace of the garden we enter a small grove wood trees (Sequoia sempervirens) formed by the seasonal flooding of of fern-leaved Catalina ironwoods signal the approaching T. Eliot Weier Putah Creek. Now, 60 years later, (Lyonothamnus floribundus ssp. Redwood Grove, a seaside-themed these trees form a cathedral-like asplenifolius) planted around a de- planting happily combines Pajaro grove that provides greatly appreci- composed granite seating area that manzanita (Arctostaphylos pajaro- ated cooling shade in summer. With attracts students and visitors to rest ensis), Wayne Roderick seaside daisy a Lutsko Associates design in hand, in the shade. To the south in spring (Erigeron ‘W.R.’), David’s Choice we recently renovated the grove, add- you can easily see the strange pipe- sandhill sagebrush (Artemisia pyc- ing drainage and grading improve- shaped flowers of the California nocephala ‘David’s Choice’), Califor- ments, new primary and secondary pipevine ( californica), nia fuchsia (Epilobium canum), Saint paths, and thousands of plants from and later, the spiky “road warrior” Catherine’s lace (Eriogonum gigan- species native to the coastal redwood orange and black larvae of the pipe- teum), and San Clemente Island ecosystem. Completing our new ex- swallowtail butterfly. On the bushmallow (Malacothamnus clem- hibit, interpretive signage provides slope above, the white, felt-like foli- entinus). A single malva rosa (Lava- visitors with an opportunity to learn age of island hazardia (Hazardia tera assurgentiflora) grows happily, more about redwood trees, and plant detonsa) lights up this area along and amazingly, undamaged by last labels identify the plantings. We with Canyon Snow iris (Iris doug- winter’s cold. added ground covers, including red-

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 53 wood sorrel (Oxalis oregana), wood- land strawberry (Fragaria vesca), and yarrow (Achillea millefolium). Her- baceous perennials include western meadowrue (Thalictrum fendleri), dog violet (Viola adunca), western columbine (Aquilegia formosa), cow parsnip (Heracleum lanatum), Pacific water parsley (Oenanthe sarmentosa), and coltsfoot (Petasites frigidus var. palmatus). include giant chain fern (Woodwardia fimbriata), west- ern sword fern (Polystichum muni- tum), and southern maidenhair fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris). Spiky- form plants include Pacific Coast Hy- brid iris, wire grass (Juncus patens), and the larger, more green-leaved soft rush (Juncus effusus). Shrubs like creeping barberry (Berberis aqui- folium var. repens) and longleaf bar- berry (Berberis nervosa), creek dog- wood (Cornus sericea), spicebush (Calycanthus occidentalis), Pacific wax myrtle (Myrica californica), and ninebark (Physocarpus capitatus), and others add height and depth to the plantings. Picnic benches and tables complete this area to make it one of the most popular study spots in the UC Davis Arboretum.

CALIFORNIA FOOTHILL AND VALLEY OAKS

A dramatic feature of the UC Davis Arboretum is its collection of towering heritage valley oaks (Quer- cus lobata). With immense trunks and massive branches, these goliaths are prominent in our Foothill Col- lection. Other oak tree species have been planted in the area, including canyon live oak (Quercus chryso- lepis), California black oak (Quer- cus kelloggii), and Engelmann oak (Quercus engelmannii). Evergreen trees, like incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) and California bay (Um- bellularia californica), punctuate the plantings in winter. Larger shrubs, TOP: The Mary Wattis Brown Garden’s “original California lawn” planting. • BOTTOM: UC Davis Arboretum’s features Joan Mirov ceanothus (Ceanothus ‘Joan Mirov’), such as coffeeberry (Rhamnus cali- deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens), Otto Quast Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas ‘Otto fornica), sugar bush (Rhus ovata), Quast’), and De La Mina lilac verbena (Verbena lilacina ‘De La Mina’). and bush anemone (Carpenteria

54 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 californica), are planted along with oak gooseberry (Ribes quercetorum), chaparral currant (Ribes malvaceum), and snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus). Evergreen cur- rant (Ribes viburnifolium), prostrate chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum var. prostratum), and Twin Peaks #2 coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis ‘Twin Peaks #2’) are planted repeat- edly as evergreen groundcovers. Large swaths of grasses cover slopes and banks, such as the locally native purple needlegrass (Nassella pulch- ra), foothill needlegrass (Nassella lepida), June grass (Koeleria macran- tha), and dune sedge (Carex prae- gracilis), all easily maintained with a once-a-year mowing. Fifteen-year- old specimens of Canyon Gray Cali- fornia sagebrush (Artemisia cali- fornica ‘Canyon Gray’) now have mounded to two feet tall and help control erosion on the banks. Lovely in fall, Roger’s Red grape (Vitis ‘Roger’s Red’) drapes a footbridge Heritage valley oaks (Quercus lobata), with purple needlegrass (Nassella pulchra). and provides dangling, deep bur- gundy to orange-red accents. Howard McMinn manzanita (Arcto- The west end of the UC Davis Arbo- staphylos ‘Howard McMinn’), and retum has towering Fremont cot- Wayne Roderick seaside daisy (Eri- tonwoods (Populus fremontii), part THE DEMONSTRATION geron ‘W.R.’) are compatibly planted of the original flora of the waterway. GARDENS with rosemary (Rosmarinus offici- Native pines like ponderosa, Jeffrey, nalis), Texas ranger (Leucophyllum Coulter, and Torrey (Pinus ponde- As the UC Davis Arboretum has frutescens), autumn sage (Salvia rosa, P. jeffreyi, P. coulteri, P. torrey- grown, we have added “home dem- greggii), Betty Rollins oregano (Orig- ana), and bigcone Douglas-fir (Pseu- onstration” gardens to teach visitors anum ‘Betty Rollins’), and others. dotsuga macrocarpa) can also be about the best plants for Central Val- In the Storer Garden, Dara’s found in a grove along the campus ley gardening. Expanding our edu- Choice sage (Salvia ‘Dara’s Choice’), entrance. Since space is too limited cational mission to include garden Silver Carpet California-aster (Les- here to discuss every plant, we in- plants that support native creatures singia filaginifolia var. californica ‘Sil- vite you to come and visit us, or visit such as birds and pollinators has led ver Carpet’), and August Delight and our website at http://arboretum. to more mixing of California native Calistoga California fuchsias (Epi- ucdavis.edu. Come and learn more plants with drought-tolerant non- lobium canum ‘August Delight’, E. c. about the beauty and importance of natives. Two gardens exhibit this ‘Calistoga’) grow happily with nar- California native plants for saving combination: the Arboretum Terrace cissus, cistus, oregano, and many water, supporting pollinators, and Garden and the Ruth Storer Garden. other heat-tolerant garden plants. conserving biological diversity. We In the Terrace, natives are woven hope that you will take away a with Mediterranean and southwest STILL MORE greater respect and admiration for U.S. plants. Cleveland sage (Salvia California’s native plants. clevelandii) cultivars, deer grass Other collections also hold na- (Muhlenbergia rigens), golden cur- tive species, like the Peter J. Shields UC Davis Arboretum, University of Cali- rant (Ribes aureum), Canyon Snow Oak Grove, where island oak (Quer- fornia, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616; iris (Iris douglasiana ‘Canyon Snow’), cus tomentella), coast live oak (Quer- (530)752-4880; http://arboretum. island mountain mahogany (Cerco- cus agrifolia), blue oak (Quercus ucdavis.edu • Ellen Zagory, emzagory@ carpus betuloides var. blancheae), douglasii), and others are planted. ucdavis.edu

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA 55 Telos California Native Plant Society Rare Bulbs 2009 CONSERVATION The most complete offering of bulbs CONFERENCE native to the western USA available anywhere, our stock is propagated at the nursery, with seed and plants January 17–19, 2009 from legitimate sources only. Telos Rare Bulbs Sacramento Convention Center & Sheraton Grand Hotel P.O. Box 1067 Ferndale, CA 95536 Sacramento, California www.telosrarebulbs.com Early Registration: July 1– November 15, 2008

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS Jerome Ringo, President of Apollo Alliance and Past Chairman of the National Wildlife Federation Stephen Hopper, Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Laws, Naturalist, Artist, Author, and Educator

Interested in conserving California’s native plant diversity and natural habitats? This conference is for you! This will be the largest native plant conservation convention the state has experienced since the first CNPS conference in 1986. Attend this conference and help CNPS protect California’s native plants and landscapes by promoting the best conservation strategies and solutions to the widest possible audience.

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS  Plenary sessions and keynote speakers  Photo & botanical illustration contests  A diverse array of scientific presentations and posters  Poster displays of CNPS chapter conservation achievements  Technical and artistic workshops (January 20-21, 2009)  Associated meetings of other botanical and conservation organizations  A welcome reception, banquet, silent auction, social events, working groups, and many networking opportunities  Student and volunteer discounts, scholarships, exhibitor’s booths, central Capitol City location and much more

FOR MORE DETAILS, SEE www.cnps.org/cnps/conservation/conference/2009/

Volunteer opportunities abound! To volunteer contact Josie Crawford at 916-447-2677 or [email protected]

56 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 Join Today! CNPS member gifts allow us to promote and protect California’s native plants and their habitats. Gifts are tax-deductible minus the $12 of the total gift which goes toward publication of Fremontia.

❏ $1,500 Mariposa Lily ❏ $600 Benefactor ❏ $300 Patron ❏ $100 Plant Lover ❏ $75 Family or Group ❏ $75 International or Library ❏ $45 Individual ❏ $25 Limited Income

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY STATE ZIP

❏ Enclosed is a check made payable to CNPS Membership gift: ❏ Charge my gift to ❏ Mastercard ❏ Visa Added donation of:

Card number TOTAL ENCLOSED: Exp. date Signature ❏ Enclosed is a matching gift form provided by my employer Phone ❏ I would like information on planned giving Email

Please make your check payable to “CNPS” and send to: California Native Plant Society, 2707 K Street, Suite 1, Sacra- mento, CA 95816-5113. Phone: (916) 447-2677; Fax: (916) 447-2727; Web site: www.cnps.org.; Email: [email protected]

(CONTRIBUTORS: continued from back cover)

Nathan Smith currently manages the plant sales and volunteer program at the UC Botanical Garden, Berkeley. Previously, he was a horticulturist at Santa Barbara Botanic Garden for three years and horticulturist for the California collection at the UC Garden for six years.

Dan Songster is Co-Director of the Golden West College Native Garden in Hunting- ton Beach. He was introduced to the unique world of California native plants in 1975 and has been designing, growing, and caring for California native landscapes ever since. He is an active member of CNPS at chapter board and state committee levels.

Matt Teel is the Nursery Manager of Yerba Buena Nursery. He is responsible for plant propagation, nursery operations, and customer service. Matt’s appreciation and knowl- edge of native plants is fueled by his field trips to botanize wild areas of California.

John Wickham is President of the Theodore Payne Foundation, a volunteer position. He works as a legislative analyst with the City of Los Angeles. He is responsible for the exhibits at the Theodore Payne Art Gallery, and his garden has been featured on the annual Theodore Payne Garden Tour.

Ellen Zagory is Director of Horticulture at UC Davis Arboretum where she has worked full-time since 1985. Recently, she has been working on the “Arboretum All Stars” program that focuses attention on some of the best plants in the Arboretum’s collection for gardens. She is an avid birder and has a particular interest in habitat gardening.

VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008 FREMONTIA CONTRIBUTORS

Carol Bornstein is Director of Nursery Operations and Horticultural Outreach at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, where she has worn many horticultural hats over the past 27 years. She runs the Garden’s plant introduction program and is personally respon- sible for a number of these cultivars. Kathy Crane has been the owner and operator of Yerba Buena Nursery since 1995. She does not take the role of stewarding the Gerda Isenberg Native Plant Garden lightly, having been coached by Gerda on the value of making a lifelong commitment to native flora and fauna. Barbara Eisenstein is the Horticulture Outreach Coordinator at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. She enjoys talking with people about their native gardens, learning from their experiences and sharing ours at RSABG. She has been gardening with native plants since arriving in California ten years ago. Rick Flores is the Curator of the California Native Plant Collections at the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum and an amateur nature photographer. He enjoys spending time outdoors observing and learning about the natural world.

Ken Gilliland is an artist working in many media, including digital art and animation. His photography has been featured in the Theodore Payne Art Gallery. He serves as webmaster for the Foundation along with his wife Rhonda Herbel. Ken’s work can be viewed at www.empken.com.

Brett Hall is Director of Collections and Native Plant Programs at the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum, where he has worked since 1975. He is currently President of Santa Cruz Chapter CNPS, a member of the state board, and a session chair for the 2009

Conservation Conference.

Address Service Requested Service Address

Sacramento, CA 95816-5113 CA Sacramento, 2707 K Street, Suite 1 Suite Street, K 2707 Cindy Hudson is the Nursery Manager of Far West Nursery in Society Plant Native California Santa Cruz. She works in the Native Plant Program at the UCSC Arboretum both as a part-time employee and as a volunteer. Don Mahoney, Ph.D. is Curator of Collections at the San Fran- cisco Botanical Garden. He has degrees from the University of Nebraska, , in Botany, and UC Berkeley, in Wildland Resource Science. He has worked at the Botanical Garden since 1984 in various capacities, and has lectured extensively on hor- ticulture, habitat gardening, and related topics. Stephen McCabe is Director of Education and Coordinator of Research and curates the collection at the Arbo- retum at UC Santa Cruz. He started working at the Arboretum in 1985 and has been on the Board of the CNPS Santa Cruz Chapter since 1986. Barbara Pitschel is Head Librarian at San Francisco Botanical Garden’s Helen Crocker Russell Library of Horticulture, and has worked at the library since 1981. She is active on the board of the CNPS Yerba Buena Chapter as newsletter editor and pro- gram cochair, and was honored as a CNPS Fellow in 2006. She is also active in the Council on Botanical and Horticultural Li-

braries. U.S. Postage U.S.

Terry Seefeld was born and raised on the grasslands of Nebraska Org. Nonprofit A.M.S. where he developed his love for grasses. He earned a B.S. from PAID the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and a masters degree in rangeland management from New State University. He has been managing San Francisco Botanical Garden’s native gar- den for more than a decade.

FREMONTIA(continued on inside back cover) VOLUME 36:2–3, SPRING/SUMMER 2008