Native Plant Gardening for Birds, Bees & Butterflies: Northern California

by George Oxford Miller

Overview

Plan your landscape or garden with more than 100 native plants that benefit birds, bees, and butterflies in Northern California.

The presence of birds, bees, and butterflies suggests a healthy, earth-friendly place. These most welcome guests also bring joy to those who appreciate watching them. Now, you can turn your yard into a perfect habitat that attracts them and, more importantly, helps them thrive. Professional nature photographer and botanist George Oxford Miller provides all the information you need in this must-have guide for Northern California. Learn how to landscape and create pollinator gardens with native plants.

The book begins with an in-depth introduction to native pollinators and to birds. It’s followed by a “field guide” section to more than 100 native plants that are widely available to utilize, are easy to care for, and provide great benefit to birds, bees, and butterflies. The species are organized by level of sunlight needed and then by plant types. Each species includes full-color photographs and information about hardiness zones, what they are most likely to attract, soil requirements, light levels, and George’s notes. As an added bonus, you’ll make use of blooming charts, tips on attracting specific species, and more! Plus, the invaluable garden plans and projects show you just what to do and can be customized to suit your own specific interests.

Plan, plant, and grow your beautiful garden, with native plants that benefit your favorite creatures to watch and enjoy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781647552565
Publisher:	Adventure Publications, Incorporated
Publication date:	04/12/2022
Series:	Nature-Friendly Gardens
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	48 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Professional nature photographer and botanist George Oxford Miller is a lifelong resident of the West. He has lived in New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas, and he has written several guidebooks to the Southwest, including the best-selling trio Landscaping with Native Plants of the Southwest, Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas, and Landscaping with Native Plants of Southern California. He also wrote wildflower identification guides to Arizona & New Mexico, Colorado, Northern California, Southern California, Texas, and beyond. He wrote a “Plant of the Month” column for New Mexico Magazine and is former president of the Albuquerque chapter of the Native Plant Society of New Mexico, where he still conducts workshops and programs on how to create your own backyard pollinator oasis.

Read an Excerpt

Blue Elderberry

Scientific Name: Sambucus nigra ssp. Cerulean

Family: Moschatel, Adoxaceae

Plant Characteristics: Fast-growing, deciduous, leafy, 10-foot tall shrub to 20-foot tree, often with multiple trunks; leaves compound with 5–9 lance-shaped leaflets; large clusters of creamy flowers followed by blue-black berries. Deer palatable foliage.

USDA Hardiness Zone: 6b–10b; cold hardy to -5° F.

Bloom Period: Spring (March–May); fruit: September–October

Growing Conditions: Performs best in full sun to part shade, tolerates full shade; rich, moist, well-draining soil; water 2x/month depending on conditions.

Attracts: Bees, butterflies, pollinated by native flies; provides nesting, shelter, winter food for birds; larval host for up to 23 moth species.

Notes: With ornate trunks, showy flowers, and an abundance of delectable fruit, this fast-growing small tree or shrub quickly becomes the rock star of a pollinator habitat garden. Large clusters of flowers delight numerous pollinators in the spring, and the berries are important food for many birds in the fall. Native to stream sides, valleys, and forest openings, it likes periodic deep watering but is very drought-tolerant once established. It can be shaped as a shrub or an ornate tree with a single or multiple trunks. For a mix of color and texture, pair elderberry with toyon (red berries), currents, Oregon grape, or creek dogwood, or under-plant with California fuchsia, lilc verbena, or hummingbird sage. The ripe berries can be used for wine, jam, and pies. The more northern red elderberry, S. racemose, has red berries toxic to humans.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Hardiness Map

Inventorying Your Yard

When to Plant

Eliminating Existing Weeds

Plant Selection

Plant Placement

Plant Diversity

Quick Plant Reference Chart

Blooming Chart by Month

Trees & Shrubs Guide

Garden Plans

Creating Nesting Sites for Birds

Creating Nesting Sites for Insects/Bees

Caterpillar/Butterfly Host Chart

Best Plants for Butterflies, Bees, and Birds

About the Author