About | Get to know The Ridgefield Garden Club

Davis Park Native Plant Patch

The object of this club shall be to study the fine art of gardening and horticulture. This will enable us to assist others who are interested in improving their gardens and surroundings. Other goals would include aiding in protection and conservation of native trees, plants and birds, implementing community beautification, and supporting community activities.

There are many reasons you might want to have native plants in your own garden.

1. Native plants create a natural habitat for wildlife that is both beneficial to the environment and adds life to your outdoor space.
2. Native plants require much less watering, fertilizer and pesticides. In fact, they can prevent water run-off and improve air quality.
3. Native plants are low maintenance and less costly to take care of then other plants or grass.
4. Native plants add splendor to your garden. They provide a wealth of colors, textures, varying heights, and bloom times, resulting in a stunning display over multiple seasons.

Here is a list of the plants that are growing in the berm. This might help you decide which native plants would be good in your own:

TALL OREGON GRAPE (berberis aquifolium)

This is an evergreen shrub with yellow fragrant flowers in the spring and blue berries in the summer that are edible by humans and loved by birds. Plant in sun to part shade. Deer resistant. Grows from 2 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide.

BLANKET FLOWER (gaillardia)

This is a perennial that forms a low mound of light green leaves and stems of beautiful daisy-like flowers that bloom from spring to fall. Plant in full sun. Deer and rabbit resistant. Grows up to 2 feet tall.

SNOWBERRY (Symphoricarpos albus)

Snowberry is a deciduous shrub with small, pinkish-white flowers in the spring, followed by white berries that persist through the winter that are a food source for birds and mammals. Planted on a slope, it can help to prevent erosion. Generally deer resistant. Plant in sun or part shade. Grows 2-4 feet height by 2-4 feet wide.

EVERGREEN HUCKLEBERRY (vaccinium ovatum)

This is an evergreen shrub with white flowers in the early spring with pretty new red foliage growth. It presents edible berries in the summer and has dark purple foliage in the fall. Plant in sun to part shade. It is slow growing to about 4 by 4 feet but can get much taller in the shade. Relatively pest and disease free. Deer resistant.

RED FLOWERING CURRANT (ribes sanguineum)

Deciduous shrub that has deep pink flowers in spring to early summer, blue-black berries in summer, and fall color as well. Plant in sun to part shade. Drought tolerant once established. Grows from 3 to 10 feet tall and wide.

GOLDENROD (solidago canadensis)

An herbaceous perennial that will bloom from summer into fall with yellow flowers on tall stalks. This is a pollinator powerhouse being a special host plant for bees and butterflies. Plant in sun to part shade. Grows about 3 feet tall.

KINNICKINICK (arctostaphylus uva-ursi)

This is a low maintenance ground cover that is drought tolerant. Pink flowers in early spring with red berries that persist through the winter. It is evergreen with some fall color. Plant in sun or part shade.

OREGON STONECROP (sedum oreganum)

This is an evergreen succulent with bright yellow flowers in summer. It is used as a ground cover reaching heights of 6 inches and looks great on a slope or in rocky outcrops. Both seeds and foliage can be eaten by birds and other wildlife.

BLUE EYED GRASS (sisyrinchium Lucerne)

This is a low growing perennial that has blue violet flowers blooming early to mid summer. Is great in irrigated beds or containers. Plant in sun to part shade. Will grow to 24 inches high and will spread out.

MOCK ORANGE (philadelphus lewisii)

This is a deciduous bush with copious and highly fragrant white flowers late spring to early summer. Can handle many different types of soils and conditions but gets more flowers in sunny areas. Grows to be very tall at about 2 feet per year.

COYOTE MINT (mondaredella odoratissimum)

An herbaceous plant with pink purple to white flowers in summer that persist until early fall with a

minty fragrance. It likes to be planted in sun to light shade in rocky well drained soil. Drought tolerant. Grows up to 20 inches tall.

VINE MAPLE (acer circintatum)

This is a deciduous tree that has small clusters of white flowers in the spring and has gorgeous fall color. It is a host for many species of butterflies and moths. It provides seeds and nesting sites for

birds. Plant in shade to sun in moist soil. Can grow 10 to 25 feet.

OREGON SUNSHINE (eriophyllum lanatum)

This is a perennial with bright, beautiful yellow flowers in late spring to summer. It is loved by bees and butterflies. Seeds are eaten by birds. Deer resistant. Plant in sun to light shade. Grows 12 to 24 inches high.

DEER FERN (Blechnum spicant)

Attractive foliage and fiddleheads. Semi-evergreen depending on site. Provides cover and nesting material for birds. Prefers full to part shade and moist humus-rich soil. Excellent for shade gardens and containers. Grows to a height of 8 to 20 inches and spreads up to 24 inches.

WESTERN SWORD FERN (polystichum munitum)

Attractive foliage and fiddleheads. Semi-evergreen depending on site. Provides cover and nesting material for birds. Prefers full to part shade and moist humus-rich soil. Excellent for shade gardens and containers. Grows to a height of 3 to 4 feet and up to 6 feet wide.

ROSY SPIREA (spirea splendens)

A small deciduous shrub with dense clusters of fuzzy pink flowers June through September. It is revered by bees and butterflies. Plant in sun to part shade. A good plant for raingardens. Grows 2-3 feet tall and wide.

GOAT’S BEARD (aruncus dioicus)

A perennial with white flowers in early summer. Supports multiple pollinators and the seeds are eaten by birds. Plant in full to part shade and moist humus rich soil. This is a good container plant. Grows from 3 feet to 5 feet tall and wide.

NATIVE COLUMBINE (aquilegia formosa)

This is a perennial plant that has red and yellow flowers in spring to early summer. Will tolerate drought but goes dormant mid summer without watering. It is a magnet for hummingbirds. Prefers part shade and moist well-drained soil. Grows from 1foot to 3 feet tall.

HIGHBUSH CRANBERRY (viburnum trilobum)

This is a deciduous shrub known for its white flowers in spring and red berries in the fall. Growth up to 15 feet tall and 10 feet wide.

CASCADE PENSTEMON (penstemon serrulatus)

This is a herbaceous perennial with beautiful blue-purple flowers from June to August. Prefers full sun in moist, well drained soils but can tolerate wetter conditions.

MOUNTAIN MONARDELLA (monardella odoratissima)

This is a fragrant, upright to sprawling perennial with small, dense flower heads in shades of white, pink and purple. Grows up to 12 inches tall and 24 inches wide.