I can be certain that this reader has noticed the stirring of currents and movement behind the concept of “habitat gardening.” For the uninitiated, habitat gardening is the planting—or rather the restoration—of native plant landscapes in suburban areas that invites local critters back into the lowlands.
While not at all replacing the sharp need for new parks and protected lands, the planting of native gardens can supplement and stitch the fragmentary wilds surrounding human development. For all their green and floral charm, many biologists and naturalists regard gardens planted with old world species as ecological dead zones for our native fauna. That is a heavy judgement. But when one has seen a well-established native garden alive with migratory birds, butterflies and bees, they can’t help but notice the deathly stillness and silence of our “colonial” gardens.
Such were sentiments shared with tea, in a brief encounter with Amber Huntington, the botanist-in-residence at Pepperwood Preserve and manager at Cal Flora Nursery. Established in 1981, Cal Flora is Northern California’s oldest native plant nursery, stocking a wide selection of California natives that thrive in the North Bay. It is currently owned by Josh Williams.
CH: Per your website, California natives are “low water” and “fire-resistant.” Can you explain?
AH: Yes, with a minimal amount of water—maybe a once-a-month soak—you can keep a native garden looking relatively lush.
CH: And still, they are fire resistant?
AH: They can resist catching and spreading fire when it comes, bounce back and even thrive if they are burnt.
CH: Where do you get your plants?
AH: It’s what we find in the wild—what seed is available if we timed it right. Seeds, cuttings, division—we never dig out plants in the wild.
CH: Is there a book that can help instruct us how-to plant native?
AH: California Native Plants for the Garden by Bart O’Brien is the go-to book.
CH: From where you sit, is the movement growing?
AH: Since the fires, and with this younger generation, demand is up big time. We actually need to find a property two to three times larger than what we have. We’re currently doing the Tetris dance in our greenhouses (laughs).
Learn more. The Cal Flora website, calfloranursery.com, has a searchable inventory of their current stock. Easy search features allow one to pair the selection down by light exposure, bloom season and even flower color. This region can be more like itself when planting natives.
