Design trends

How to Attract More Bees to Your Garden

I’ve been worried about the bees lately. Can’t be easy being a bee given the severe weather we’ve had this winter. They’ve also had to deal with habitat loss, pesticides, climate change, pests like mites and pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and fungi. What can I do to help bees?

There are 1600 species of native bees in Santa Cruz county. They are solely responsible for pollinating many of our native plants. Being solitary they do not make a hive but make nests underground or live in wood, one female per nesting hole and she lays her eggs there. Leaving areas in your garden near flowering plants un-mulched helps her find a nesting hole. The hard working females mate, make nests, collect pollen for their young and lay eggs. Males live to mate and only pollinate inadvertently when they visit flowers for nectar to fuel their flight.

Common native bees in our area are the yellow-faced bumble bee and the long-horned bee which has stripes a little like a yellow jacket. The hard working bumble bee is easy to identify from its bight yellow facial hair and yellow bands on their backs and abdomens. Female bumble bees’ hind legs widen to form pollen baskets often filled with bright yellow, moistened pollen pellets.

The Long-horned native bee gets their name from the long antennae of the males although the females do not have this. Males may be seen by day jostling for female attention above a patch of blooming plants while the females are collecting pollen. Only the females have branched hairs on their legs for carrying pollen.

Bees eat two things: nectar which is loaded with sugar and is their main source of energy and pollen which provides proteins and fats. Some of the common native plants that are recommended for our area to attract bees of all types include yarrow, columbine, California poppy, coral bells, silver lupine, penstemon, ceanothus, toyon, big leaf maple, mahonia, monkey flower, buckwheat, western azalea and purple sage.

Common garden plants that can attract bees and provide pollen in your landscape and vegetable garden are herbs such as African blue basil, bee balm, oregano, mint, catnip and cat mint, borage, rosemary, chives, hyssop, dill, comfrey and fennel. Edibles that attract bees are blueberry, pumpkin, squash, sunflower, blackberry, hazelnut, artichoke, beans, cucumber and peas. Crabapple, iris, lavender, salvia, aster, coreopsis, sunflowers, monarda, aster, butterfly bush, sweet alyssum, alstroemeria, red hot poker, gloriosa daisy, verbena, scabiosa, coneflower and echium also attract bees of all types.

The higher temperatures that come with climate change can affect a bee’s ability to detect a flower’s pollen. A flowers scent is what tells a bee that nectar is present. If the weather gets too hot the plant will spend less energy on producing fragrance and just try to survive. When flowers stop emanating these enticing smells, some bees have a tough time finding food and may abandon certain area. Studies have shown that warming climates already have affected our central coast bumblebee population during the past 30 years especially the California bumblebee.

In your own garden an abundant and healthy population of pollinators can improve fruit set, quality and size. Crops raised in California depend on both domestic honeybees and native bees for pollination of almond, blackberry, cucumber and artichoke crops.

Honeybees and native bees need help to survive and we’re the ones to give it. Besides planting nectar and pollen sources you can help by buying local honey which support beekeepers. Use only organic pesticides and avoid applying during mid-day hours when honey bees and pollinators are most likely to be out foraging for nectar and pollen on flowering plants and only then if you can’t control a pest with any other methods including Pest Management techniques.

Help save the bees.

Design trends

Forest Bathing in the Santa Cruz Mountains

Most of us around here either live in a forest or near one. We are no strangers to nature as some city dwellers might be. We often spend time on a trail. You know the feeling you get when you are out walking slowly in the forest, stopping to admire a wildflower or mushroom that catches your eye? You know it’s good for the mind and body, but why? It turns out that there are more benefits to being out in nature than the calmness it brings.

In the past several decades there have been many scientific studies that demonstrate the mechanisms behind the healing effects of simply being in natural areas. Many of the benefits from the forest actually come from the air. Trees give off phytoncides, such as alpha-pinene and d-limonene, which are volatile organic compounds or aerosols. These compounds protect the trees and plants from insects and disease, but they also benefit us.

Forest bathing is what the Japanese call it. Shinrin-yoku is their term that means “taking in the forest atmosphere.” Forest therapy has roots in many cultures throughout history. John Muir wrote that “Wilderness is a necessity.” Scientists is Japan are measuring what’s actually happening to our cells and neurons.

Trees give off organic compounds that support our immune systems and help our system fight cancer. Other scientifically proven benefits of forest bathing include reducing blood pressure, accelerating recovery from surgery or illness, improving sleep and our mood and reducing stress. Also being around trees can help alleviate anxiety and depression.

Forest bathing lowers our heart rate and lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Soaking in the forest air increases our NK or natural killer cells by about 50 percent. One study in Finland found that spending time in nature cut the odds of using blood pressure medications down by 36 percent. And that’s pretty good.

Other studies have found that something about being in the nature is good for our brains. One study published last year by BioMed Central, a peer reviewed journal sharing research, found that older Americans living in regions with lots of greenery had lower rates of dementia. Another study from the National Library of Medicine found that cognitive decline slowed over a 10-year period for people living in lush spaces.

All I know is that when I am out in the garden or strolling in the forest I feel good. I stop to watch the progress of a banana slug. I listen for new bird calls. And as a garden designer I strive to create a space for clients that brings that feeling to them whenever they are outside.

And part of of that good feeling we get from being outside has to do with the color green. Green is the color of spring, of growth, renewal and rebirth. It renews and restores depleted energy. It’s a positive color and increases our feelings of relaxation and calmness.

If you don’t have a forest of your own bring that forest feeling to your own garden. Stroll in a relaxed way without thinking about weeds or pruning or other items on your to-do list. It’s relaxing, calming, rejuvenating and restorative.

Design trends

Blooming Plants in a Tough Spring

Nature is amazing. No matter how heavy the rain or gusty the wind, flowering trees & shrubs haven’t missed putting on their much awaited spring show. The nectar these flowers provide for bees and other insects is indispensable for nesting birds and the human spirit. This world would be a dull place without them.

The cold and rainy weather didn’t stop an old fashioned shrub like forsythia from blooming. They figure prominently in many old gardens because they are tough plants, able to survive neglect and still look beautiful. The bare stems of forsythia are completely covered with deep golden-yellow flowers in late winter and early spring and become the focal point of the landscape when in full bloom. The showy stems of this easy care shrub are great for cutting. Forsythias are native to eastern Asia but a chance discovery in Germany by a grower who specialized in breeding for the cut flower industry led to the especially vivid variety ‘Kolgold’ in the 1800’s. Forsythia has long been used in Chinese medicine. The flower petals contain powerful bacteria-fighting properties which make it an important dressing.

Flowering quince is another old garden staple providing early color. They are easy to care for and nearly indestructible in almost any soil that is well drained and not overly fertile. Once established quince is a very drought tolerant plant and their spiny branches make them an excellent choice for hedges, screening or as a security barrier. There are red, pink, orange and white flowering varieties. The Toyo Nishiki cultivar even has pink, white and solid red flowers all on the same branch.

Who doesn’t appreciate camellias at this time of year? It seems they are always in bloom given that there are so many varieties with different blooming times. Camellia flowers, thick, tough and full of color, easily sail through rainy weather. Camellias bloom for a long time and with so many types you can have one blooming from October all the way through May. This showy evergreen shrub is quite drought tolerant once established. Yes, with some mulch and and a deep soak every so often they require much less irrigation than you’d think. There are even fragrant varieties, such as Pink Yuletide, a sport of the popular Red Yuletide.

Another tough plant that can take weather extremes is the Lily-of-the-Valley shrub (Pieris japonica). There are many varieties of this spring bloomer. Some have pure white flowers, other sport various shades of pink or dark rose.
I have the smaller variegated foliage model with dainty, drooping clusters of pure white flowers in early spring. Right now it is covered with flower buds so dense that you’d think it was already blooming. The new growth in the spring has a beautiful pink tint. This shrub will hold up to the wildest weather. Another plus for the Lily-of-the-Valley shrub is that is useful for fire-scaping in the landscape and it isn’t on the menu for deer either. I love this tough plant so much I now have a Valley Valentine plant with lovely deep rose flowers.

I was able to rescue a few potted hellebore from my burned out property. They didn’t look like much that year with all the foliage burned off but they came back nicely and are in full bloom now. One of my favorites is called Cinnamon Snow but all of the varieties of this buttercup relative accept wind, rain, cold and less than perfect soil while getting by with only moderate watering in the shady summer garden. Deer aren’t attracted to them either.

Don’t let the weathers spoil your spring fever. Spring may be a little slow in arriving this year but it’s coming.

Design trends

Is Spring Really Here?

Old fashion Bleeding Hearts are in full bloom.

Spring IS here at least according to the calendar. Weather Underground has predicted rain or the chance of rain for many of the remaining days this month.There are so many things I want to do out in the garden and the weather is getting in my way. Being outside playing in a rain jacket is not what I picture when I think spring but whatcha gonna do? I can hear the songbirds singing to each other. They are timing their activities by daylight hours, not Weather Underground.

On Saturday, March 20th the day and night were almost equal. That’s why it’s called the Spring Equinox. Some years it falls on March 19th. It would occur on the same day every year if the Earth took exactly 365 days to make a complete revolution around the Sun. But it it takes the Earth 365.25 days on average to go around the Sun once. Whatever the exact date and time it is officially the first day of spring.

This year, especially, think of gardening as therapy. Every moment you put in your garden is paid back with fresh vegetables or fragrant flowers. Think about it- stir up the soil, plant some seeds and you have flowers and vegetables in a few months. The satisfaction you get from cultivating living things is priceless.

Get started on this free therapy by tending to your garden this week:

Plant low water use plants in place of those that have been struggling. Use your precious time, space and sun to grow the plants you most want to look at, pick or eat. As a reminder, never work with soil that is very wet and keep off your lawn the, too, as this can compact the soil.

Cut back deciduous shrubs and vines except those that flower in the spring. Don’t prune rhododendrons, camellias, or azaleas until the last flowers have started to open and green growth has started. Prune frost damaged shrubs if you can tell how far down the die back goes otherwise wait until growth starts. For your shrubs, test bark for viability by scraping with a sharp knife.

If you are interested in being less of a slave to your lawn, consider reducing the size. If you’ve decided that you don’t need a traditional grass lawn anymore at all, replace it with a sustainable alternative.

Check drip systems for leaks or clogged emitters. Flush sediment from filters and check screens for algae. You may need to add emitters if plants have grown significantly.

Spread fresh compost around all your plants. Good soil is the secret to successful gardening. The first principle of organic gardening is to feed the soil and it will feed the plant. Remember that all gardens used to be organic. Layer compost or wood chip mulch on top of the soil and let it slowly decompose and filter down into the earth.

Check for early aphids and blast them off with a hose or use no-toxic sprays like horticultural oil or insecticidal soap. Check for snails and slug damage and apply organic iron phosphate bait. Earwigs and sowbugs can be controlled by organic spinosad. Reduce their numbers by eliminating hiding places. Clean out leaf litter and garden debris where they hide. Copper pennies in your containers can also deter them. Note – the pennies must be dated prior to 1983 when the copper content was reduced. Modern pennies have a high contest of zinc which can cause problems in your garden.

Get weeds out of the garden early and you’ll save yourself a lot of digging later. Weeds rob your plants of precious moisture and nutrients.

Fertilize if you haven’t already done so. Citrus, shrubs and fruit trees just emerging from dormancy are begging for their first meal of the season. Perennials benefit from both a fresh layer of compost and a light application of balanced fertilizer. They respond to phosphorus especially in the spring for root growth, stem sturdiness and flower development. Wait until azaleas, camellias and rhododendron have finished blooming before feeding them.

Plant cool season vegetable like peas, chard, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, onions and other greens. You can also sow seeds of beets and carrots. The soil is still too cold for tomatoes and other warm season vegetables.

Plant a spring flowering tree such as a flowering cherry, dogwood, crabapple, plum or a native western redbud to welcome the new season and make your spirits soar.

The most important to-do for March is to take time out and enjoy your garden and our beautiful surroundings. Those last few weeds will be there tomorrow but you’ll never get another today.

Design trends

Green Foliage & Flowers Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

Wearing something green on St. Patrick’s Day has been a tradition since emigrants, particularly in the United States, transformed the holiday into a largely secular event celebrating all things Irish. Cities with large numbers of Irish immigrants staged parades going back to 1737 in Boston and in New York City since 1762. Although blue was the color traditionally associated with St. Patrick, green is now commonly connected to this holiday with shamrocks high on the list of things to wear on this day.

There are many green flowers that you can grow in the garden. Green foliage, too, is relaxing and there are many of shades of green to choose from.

Diamond Heights Ceanothus

One of my favorite groundcovers for sunny areas that looks beautiful as it fills in between other low water use plants is Diamond Heights ceanothus. Carpet an area with this dense, low mat of golden yellow and lime-green variegated foliage. It looks great year round. The pretty light blue spring flowers take second place to the leaves.

This is one of those versatile plants, performing just as well in dry soils and tough situations as it does in sheltered gardens with partial shade and rich soils. If you want a spectacular effect, plant it as a group. Each plant covers 3-5 ft. Because the foliage makes a cover that weeds seldom manage to penetrate, it’s a real maintenance saver. Use it on difficult sites such as banks as well as in garden beds and raised beds. It’s also a stunner as a container plant, the foliage spreading wide on all sides.

With striking foliage Safari Goldstrike Conebush is a good addition to the drought and deer tolerant garden.

Another great greenish flowering shrub to try is Safari Goldstrike Conebush. This leucadendron is a vigorous compact grower to 6 feet tall and blooms during the winter and spring. It’s bracts are excellent as a cut flower and foliage harvesting. They grow in full sun and have low water needs.

If you’re looking for a heat, drought and deer tolerant plant that attracts birds, butterflies and hummingbirds you should grow some Golden Leaf salvia. The fragrant foliage is good to flavor sausage, soup, dressings, cheese dishes and stuffing. The young leaves can be eaten fresh in salads or cooked in an omelet or with all types of beans, cabbage and garlic.

Heuchera ‘Citronelle’

Over the years some of my favorite plants have had green flowers or shades of green foliage. There are green hydrangeas, green hellebores, lime green coral bells, Lady’s mantle, Sum & Substance hosta, green gladiolas, Mediterranean spurge and Bell of Ireland, of course.

So besides all that clover that is flourishing with these spring rains, enjoy everything green in your garden. The Irish have observed this day for over 1,000 years and so can you.

Design trends

Gardening Trends for 2023

DIY gazebo

Will spring ever get here? Usually at this time of year we are enjoying mild weather and have spring fever big time. This year it seems the rain and cold weather will never end. That’s all good for the trees and shrubs, not so good for starting new perennials or changing the garden layout.

This year’s gardening trends will be right up your alley if you approach your landscaping in a way that’s natural. Think unfussy wildflowers, romantic arbors, meandering gravel paths, edibles, mixing styles and you’re there. What could be easier as we wait for the rains to lessen up?

A fellow designer I know built a gazebo for her garden from downed branches. Maybe shorter branches can be fashioned into a rustic fence. This year there’s no shortage of branches so start collecting now. If carpentry isn’t your thing you can put together a raised vegetable bed from 2×6 inch lumber and stacked planter wall blocks available at most building supply stores. Be sure to use gopher wire at the bottom of your new raised beds if you have these critters.

Most of us garden with a backdrop of mountains. Nature is all around us even if you live in a neighborhood with curbs. Some of the new trends will appeal to those who grow edibles while some will appeal to the gardener who loves their garden but doesn’t have time to do a lot of maintenance. What’s new this year is a return to some old fashioned ideas.

Embrace the smaller garden. You can create an instant meditation garden that encourages you to stop and sit for a couple minutes by placing a small bench where you can view something interesting in your garden. Small gardens are not only compact they are easier to care for. Containers on the patio or deck allow you to grow plants for food as well as for the birds and the bees. There are more new dwarf vegetable, herb and flower varieties being introduced every year.

Combine ornamental plants with edibles. Your veggies don’t have to be in a special raised bed or plot but can be planted throughout the garden. Think tomatoes, pole beans and other vining veggies trained on a metal obelisk within a perennial bed. Or compact versions of beans, eggplant, chard, hot peppers, tomatoes or edible flowers like nasturtiums planted among your other plants or along path borders.

Rustic fence from downed branches.

To create a sense of privacy, peace and quiet, enclose your garden. When a fence isn’t possible or preferred, plant a deep bed of mixed low water, low maintenance shrubs as a screen. Vines, like clematis, grown on a trellis provide nearly instant privacy and enclosure. If the front of your house faces the street, a few well-placed shrubs can block the view into your home.

Many of us are removing overgrown shrubs and replacing them with water smart, easy-to-care-for plants that will stay the right size in smaller spaces. There are new compact and dwarf versions of old plants that have been garden favorites for a very long time. The reason they have endured is because they are reliable. Good reason to look again at some old favorites.

Even if you’re not redoing your whole garden you can plant a small section or vignette using a more toned down palette. Whether it’s shades of pink or white or blue this look will give your garden a calm feeling. Add a place to sit and you’ll want to relax there with a book or beverage.

While experimental gardening in popular right now, some of the biggest landscaping styles in 2023 include focusing on the environment, natural wildlife gardens and kitchen gardens which are all sustainable. And that’s a good thing.

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