Garry Oak Gardener's Handbook. 2009.Pdf
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seCOnd edITIOn The Garry Oak Gardener’s handbook nUrTUrInG NATIVe PLanT haBITaT In GARRY Oak COMMUnITIes WINNER • National Citation Award • Canadian Society of Landscape Architects THE GARRY OAK GARDENER’S HANDBOOK Acknowledgements The first edition of The Garry Oak Gardener’s Handbook was developed by the Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team Society (GOERT) with financial support from Parks Canada, the Garry Oak Meadow Preservation Society (GOMPS) and the Habitat Stewardship Program of the Government of Canada; and with administrative support from the Nature Conservancy of Canada. For financial support in re-printing the second edition in 2011, GOERT thanks Parks Canada and the Capital Regional District. In addition to the project team, many people were involved in developing and reviewing this publication. We appreciate the suggestions and ideas contributed by those who attended our workshop in June 2006, and we are grateful for the expertise of our advisors and reviewers including: Louise Blight, Pat Boyle, Todd Carnahan, Brenda Costanzo, Nathalie Dechaine, Elizabeth Elle, Tim Ennis, John Farquharson, Jean Forrest, Hal Gibbard, Lynda Grant, Rob Hagel, Jenny Heron, Pat Johnston, Nicole Kroeker, Angela Lougheed, Willie MacGillivray, Michael Meagher, Moralea Milne, James Miskelly, Sylvia Pincott, Dave Polster, Brian Reader, Betsy Rose, Pam Sinclair, Shyanne Smith, Morgan Wilde, Kersti Vaino and the Native Plant Propagation Steering Committee of GOERT. We are grateful to the many photographers who generously donated their pictures. The Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team is a non-profit organization dedicated to the recovery of Garry oak and associated ecosystems in Canada and the species at risk that inhabit them. The team was formed in 1999 as a comprehensive partnership of experts from all levels of government, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, First Nations, volunteers and consultants, and was incorporated in B.C. as a non-profit society in 2007. In 2009, GOERT became a Registered Charity in Canada: Charitable Number 84300 7816 RR0001. GOERT’s Recovery Implementation Groups (RIGs) are working to complete the science-based information necessary for ecosystem and species recovery, minimize ongoing site and species losses, and motivate public and private protection and stewardship activities. Parks Canada is one of the federal agencies responsible for the federal Species at Risk Act, including many species at risk found in Garry oak ecosystems. With recent acquisitions in the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, Parks Canada is responsible for the management of significant Garry oak habitats. Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team www.goert.ca THE GARRY OAK GARDENER’S HANDBOOK Project Team: Judith Cullington, Katherine Dunster, Louise Goulet, Chris Junck, Gaileen Irwin, Carolyn Masson Garden Designs, Illustrations and Writing: Katherine Dunster Workshop, Interviews & Research: Judith Cullington & Associates with Peter Abrams Consulting Cover Art and Botanical Illustrations: Joanne Thomson www.joannethomson.com Design & Layout: Dennis and Struthers Visual Communications Inc. Second Edition Editor: Carolyn Masson Photography: Please see photo credits next to images. This publication is available as a free download from the GOERT website at www.goert.ca/gardeners. Print copies are available by donation. Please contact GOERT at (250) 383-3427 or [email protected] or request a copy online at www.goert.ca/gardeners. © Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team Society First Edition ©2007 Second Edition ©2009 Second Edition, second printing ©2011 ISBN 978-0-9732181-3-8 In 2008 The Garry Oak Gardener’s Handbook (first edition) won a National Citation Award from the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects in the Communications category. Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team www.goert.ca THE GARRY OAK GARDENER’S HANDBOOK tABle oF contents IntroductIon........................................................................................1 What are Garry oak and assocIated ecosystems? .............................3 BenefIts to BecomInG a Garry oak Gardener ....................................5 sIx steps to a Garry oak Garden ........................................................7 Step 1: determIne the scope of your project ............................8 Step 2: Look Before you Leaf ......................................................9 Step 3: make a Landscape pLan ..................................................14 Step 4: sketchInG the design details ........................................16 Garry oak meadoWs ..............................................................18 WoodLands .............................................................................22 ContaIners .............................................................................24 Rock outcrops .......................................................................25 MoIst-soil Gardens ................................................................26 Pond edGes & Wet areas ......................................................27 HedGeroWs .............................................................................28 ShruB thIckets .......................................................................30 ButterfLy Gardens .................................................................31 AttractInG pollinators .........................................................32 Step 5: pLantInG your Garden ....................................................34 Step 6: carInG for your Garden or habitat ..............................37 MaIntaInInG your Garden .....................................................37 RemovInG InvasIve pLants ......................................................38 PLantInG and carInG for Garry oaks ...................................40 Oak pests and dIseases ..........................................................42 PLants you don’t need to Buy .............................................43 DealinG with deer .................................................................44 ProtectInG Wildlife from predators and hazards ..............45 TechnIques for GrowinG moss ..............................................45 Green roofs ........................................................................................47 LearnInG Gardens and schooLyards ...................................................48 protect the future of Garry oak habitat ........................................49 ConservatIon optIons for prIvate LandoWners ....................49 Other Ways you can heLp ....................................................50 Spread the Word! ..................................................................50 appendIx ...............................................................................................51 Suppliers of natIve pLants and seeds ....................................51 Suggested parks and Gardens for vIewinG natIve pLants ...53 Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team www.goert.ca THE GARRY OAK GARDENER’S HANDBOOK Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team www.goert.ca THE GARRY OAK GARDENER’S HANDBOOK IntRodUctIon In recent decades, native plants have attracted Gardens can include a the attention of coastal gardeners, and native number of structures – plant gardening has become a popular activity from paths and steps to If you enjoy the garry oak that captures the imaginations of new and walls, patios, sheds, pools gardener’s Handbook, experienced gardeners alike. And no wonder! and other elements. These please make a charitable A glance through any field guide to the flora structures form what is donation to the garry oak of coastal BC offers up a lush selection of known as the hard landscape ecosystems Recovery colourful plants with exquisite textures and and will not be covered in team society (goeRt). shapes – all locally adapted to our fickle climate the handbook. If you are we use donated funds to and generally acidic soils. What more could planning a major garden implement our Recovery a gardener ask for in these days of climate makeover that includes strategy to protect and uncertainty than a charming plant that is changes to garden structures, restore endangered completely at home in this environment? we recommend you seek garry oak ecosystems Only a small percentage of Canadians are advice from a qualified in our region, the only fortunate to live within the geographical professional. place in canada where range of Garry oak trees. This makes native This handbook contains these unique and fragile plant gardening even more thrilling because information on establishing, landscapes occur. contributions from people an exceptional list of native plants, including enhancing and caring for like you will allow us to many species found nowhere else in Canada, Garry oak habitat. It is distribute the garry oak are associated with Garry oaks. By becoming a written for: Garry oak gardener you will help the Garry Oak gardener’s Handbook Ecosystems Recovery Team in its important • Residents of more widely, and to do work to protect, enhance, and restore Garry oak communities where more research, species ecosystems and their many species at risk. Garry oak ecosystems at risk inventories, are found establishment of You don’t have to be an experienced green thumb conservation covenants, to become a Garry oak gardener, nor do you need • Volunteers or professionals helping public outreach, and more. a large property. And you don’t need to remove Please use the enclosed all your favourite plants – if you can’t do without a landowner