Posted on by admin

Native Plant Garden Update

The native plant garden that makes up my Homegrown National Park site still looks pretty empty. Despite this, there is a lot of great growth and seeding happening in that garden that pleases me and speaks to the garden not only being able to sustain the plants that I’ve placed there but that new plants will be generated that can be potted up and given away to neighbors and friends.

Here are some updated photos of the native plants.

Fireweed start from brother Tim–looks very strong. A clump of camas plants is behind.
Rose and Mahonia seedlings.
More Mahonia seedlings.
Osoberry seedlings–I threw a bunch of osoberry seeds around last autumn there are seedlings popping up all over the garden.
Western bleeding heart has grown well and spread politely from the original three plants.
Close-up of bleeding heart flowers.
The red-flowered currants bloomed for several weeks this year with quite a few flowers.
I started willow cuttings from some native (presumably) trees and I just planted them out last week–hoping they take hold. Willows are very productive plants in the Seattle food web.
I grabbed an aspen branch to add to the garden, too, and am hoping it will root–it seems alive, but had no roots when I tucked it into the garden.
The wild roses are throwing up suckers all over the garden. It is good that they are spreading, but I’ll have to manage them so I don’t just end up with a giant rose patch. The stolons travel many feet underground before throwing up the new plant.
The Douglas aster patch started with three healthy potted plants and now is covering a lot of ground. I will be able to pot up divisions every year of these plants and pass them to neighbors and friends. I’m leaving the old stems for insects to use for nests/homes.
The evergreen huckleberries are lovely plants but they grow incredibly slowly! I probably won’t see berries in my lifetime.
Like the wandering roses, the thimbleberries are poking suckers up all over the area. The main shrub has flower buds for the first time this year!
The snowberry shrub is doing alright–it should put on some growth this year and maybe I’ll see flowers and berries next year. And then the suckering will start!
The Philadelphus is doing well, too. No flowers yet but it seems to have settled in nicely.
I’m really excited that the Sidalcea plants have grown throughout the winter. You can see a flower bud on the left under the leaf. Several of the plants have flowers that will open in the next few weeks.
Another Sidalcea.
Another Sidalcea. You can see the seedling Elymus grass all around–I’m letting them grow for now and will figure out the best management approach later if one is needed.
The Elymus grass and the Sidalceas growing together in my homemade meadow. The grass has dead stems and yellowing leaves and I’m letting all of it sort itself out–no human interference to tidy things up. Tidy is another word for eco-un-friendly.
Here is a native monkey flower. This is one of my favorite plant families. I can’t wait to see flowers if I can keep it moist enough.
The yarrow seedlings are putting on growth pretty slowly but they seem to be established now and should bloom this year.
More currant flowers.
Lady fern waking up from winter slumber.
Trillium ovatum blooming. These plants seem to be shrinking a bit each year–I’m not sure they will stay with me permanently.
Different view of the Trillium flowers.
The large-leaf avens has seeded nicely and the seedling are quickly filling in.
Here is the Geum and the native azalea showing brilliant fresh leaves.
The fringecups are blooming. The flowers aren’t brightly colored but they have beautiful, interesting form.
Large-leaf avens leaves and old stems with fringecup coming up through them. The native ginger in nextdoor.
Native ginger flower under the leaves. Love the twists and turns!

I purchased a new light that is supposed to be better for moth attracting but it has had limited success. We had a beautiful tissue moth below on our doorbell this week.