Did you know that not all bugs are bad? Or that having your own pile can Naturally Beautiful Backyards lower your monthly garbage Natural Gardens bill and save you money on Environmental Services’ Naturally Beautiful Backyards (NBB) program promotes the creation of healthy and garden supplies? Having your productive in residential yards and gardens at Pacific Park own compost system will bring are helping– but they will help as by providing education on earth-friendly much as they can! By using natural predators techniques. Using earth-friendly gardening techniques beneficial insects to your yard to get rid of pests, you are also preventing the can greatly reduce the use of synthetic chemicals, and give you a free supply of increase beneficial activity, enhance habitat pests from building up a chemical resistance, and wildlife areas, and contribute to the overall health “black gold” fertilizer. which can happen when you use pesticides of the community. repeatedly. The NBB Program promotes six primary Should I my whole yard with earth-friendly gardening techniques: Why should I have a 3-Bin Compost -attracting ? System in my backyard? • Tolerate minimal damage from pests. It isn’t necessary to have a whole garden The fastest way to produce compost is with • Build and maintain healthy soil. of these plants; just six to seven plants a 3-bin system. Having multiple bins also • Use chemicals as a last resort. throughout your yard will do the job. allows compost to be at different stages • Use native plants when possible. Remember that specific plants attract certain and in greater quantities. The first bin is • Attract Beneficial Insects. insects, and aim for a variety of plants to for new materials, middle bin is for a work- attract a full spectrum of controllers. • Conserve water. Garden 3: in-progress, and the third bin is finished These incoming insects can also help with Landscape planting design by Dennis O’Connor, compost. Remember to have a 50/50 mix of ! Habitat Concepts. Beneficial Insects greens to browns! Does compost help beneficial insects? For additional information, please contact Clark How can I attract beneficial insects County Environmental Services at 360-397-2121, & Compost Demo to my garden? Compost helps to moderate soil temperature, ext. 4352. www.clark.wa.gov/environment. maintain moisture, and increase plant growth, Insects will only come if there is food. each of which promotes the well-being of Planting flowers that will bloom in different beneficial insects! The compost also provides seasons is one great way to lure bugs. And good habitat for insects and encourages your if you go organic, having a pesticide-free plants to grow big and strong without the use garden will bring tasty pests for the other of any harmful chemicals. bugs to eat. Nothing sounds more delicious to a lady bug than some aphids! For other formats, contact the Clark County ADA Office: Will the beneficial insects get rid Voice: (360) 397-2322 of all the pests? Relay: 711 or (800) 833-6388 Pests will always be part of your garden, but Fax: (360) 397-6165 with beneficial insects around, there won’t E-mail: [email protected] be as many. Since they can be hard to see, it is sometimes hard to tell if the beneficial Species List: Garden 3: • Heather • Crocosmia Mediterranean pink Crocosmia x Pinks crocosmiiflora Dianthus gratianopolitanus Beneficial Insects & Compost Demo • Sweetbox ‘Montbretia’ ‘Tiny Rubies’ Sarcococca hookerana ‘Humilis’ • Cone Flower Echinacea paradoxa • Hardhack Spirea douglasii • Spurge 3 COMPOST BINS Euphorbia myrsinites • Lavendar Cotton PAVERS Santolina • Spruge Euphorbia myrsinites • Pinks ‘Efanthia’ Dianthus Blue Star Creeper gratianopolitanus • Lamb’s Ear Pratia pedunculata ‘Tiny Rubies’ Stachys byzantina ‘County Park’ • Bellflower • Lavender Campanulla Lavandula augustifolia PERMEABLE ¾”-¼” • Viola COBBLE PATHWAY Viola • Sedum Sedum atlanticum • Moonbeam ‘Autumn Joy’ Coreopsis FLAGSTONE Coreopsis verticillata • Sedum PATHWAY ‘Moonbeam’ Sedum reflexum ‘Angelina’ • Creeping Phlox INSECT MAGNETIC PLANTS Phlox subulata • Shasta Daisy

• Evening Primrose Chrysanthemum Oenothera maximum DOWNED WOOD • Hardy Geranium • Coast Strawberry Geranium Fragaria chiloensis pacifica • Russian Sage Perovskia • David viburnum Viburnum davidii • Bugle Ajuga reptans ‘Chocolate Chip’ • Blue Star Creeper Pratia pedunculata Moonbeam ‘County Park’ BULBS & PERENNIALS MAILBOX Coreopsis Coreopsisverticillata • Bush Cinquefoil ‘Moonbeam’ Potentilla fruiticosa • Coreopsis Coreopsis

• Crinkle Creeper NORTH Rubus calceonoides