Healthy wildlife garden will be a joy to behold all year long
DEAR GARDEN COACH: Now that my kids are older I decided I am ready to convert my backyard from lawn to a wildlife garden. I am very interested in creating a garden using predominantly native plants. What is a good way to get started? Kelly, San Pablo
DEAR KELLY: You won’t regret creating a wildlife garden. I think you will realize that once you discover the diverse palette of native plants. With your climate, you will have something blooming or bearing fruit, and attracting wildlife throughout the seasons.
You should begin by mapping out your yard. Perhaps you already have trees and shrubs within your space. These are the bones that provide cover and places to nest.
If your shrubs do not provide food — berries or seed — for birds, you should consider either replacing them with, or adding, shrubs that will.
Native bunchgrasses are good winter homes for beneficial insects such as ladybugs, and perennial flowering plants are food for pollinators and birds. When they finish flowering and set seed in the fall, migratory birds are arriving, and the oils in the seed will help fatten them up for the colder temperatures.
The added bonus is that once it is established, other wildlife such as lizards and salamanders make the garden their home.
Starting out can be overwhelming so get out and look at other gardens. Be sure to bring a notebook and camera. I like to record in my journal what it is about the garden or plant that I like and consider whether it will be adaptable to my space — does it like sun or shade, is it too big for my space even though I love it?
A beautiful established public garden for viewing native plants is East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden. It is 10 acres within Tilden Park, but it has a gardenlike feel as you meander the pathways where plants are grouped by native habitats. is the perfect venue for inspiration and seeing established plants in a landscape. The tour also offers talks about native gardening at certain gardens, and you can often talk to the homeowner about the process they took to convert their yard. And if you are looking for design help, you get a chance to see who is specializing in these types of gardens.
The website includes other resources for new gardeners, such as upcoming classes, and when you are ready, places to purchase native plants. Registration is open until April 29 at www.bringingbackthenatives.net.
Seeing home gardens that were once lawns could be the best resource for ideas. Each spring there are lots of gardens tours in our area. My favorite is Bringing Back the Natives, which takes place on 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 7.
The gardens selected showcase a variety of settings from wooded lots in the hills to small parcels in the flats. This free tour features 40 Alameda and Contra Costa County water-conserving, wildlife habitat gardens that contain 60 percent or more native plants.
Registration is required to receive a list of the gardens. Printed guides are $10, or once you register, a free downloadable PDF is made available.
Even though you are in the preliminary stages, this