“There’s a new aesthetic,” says Weston Miller, horticulturist with Oregon State University’s Extension Service. “Gardeners want to connect to nature and the heritage of plants that grow in the Pacific Northwest.”
Part of the draw is the correlation between native plants and pollinators. A native garden translates into nirvana for bees, birds, butterflies and other beneficial critters.
“Native pollinators are accustomed to native plants and are more likely to be attracted to them,” Weston says.
Even with natives, you need to think about the right plant for the right place. If you plant a sun-loving plant in the shade or vice versa, it’s not going to make it. For instance, plants that grow in the shade of the forest—such as salal and evergreen huckleberry—don’t want the full-sun, prairie conditions required by camas and meadow checkerbloom.
Sun- or shade-loving plants native to the Northwest will thrive in our wet winters and dry summers, given the correct soil, water and sun exposure. If satisfied with their situation, these plants will reward you with a low-maintenance attitude.
Some native plants can look out of place in manicured gardens, but Weston urges people to use them at the back of a border or create an area dedicated to natives. However, many natives—such as Oregon grape, which blooms a glorious yellow in early spring—act beautifully as specimens planted front and center.
“Oregon grape is just an awesome harbinger of spring,” Weston says. “Vine maples are also very high on my list. They attract beneficial insects in a big way and can be used as small trees or kept pruned smaller as large shrubs.”
Another candidate for the spotlight is the justifiably popular vine maple with its graceful, multitrunked form and colorful fall presence.
For back-of-the-border situations, Weston recommends oceanspray, a large shrub with frothy sprays of white flowers in spring. Another plant that works well in the back is red or blue elderberry.
“If you’re looking for some height, blue elderberries are a good option,” he says. “Birds love the berries, and they are edible for humans, too.”
When it comes to bulbs, Weston speaks highly of Pacific Northwest iris, a diminutive iris with flowers in the purple and blue range with white and yellow throats, called signals. He also likes tiger lilies, which have freckled orange or yellow flowers hanging face down with petals curved up. His list wouldn’t be complete without the tall, blue-blooming camas, which was a food mainstay for Willamette Valley Native Americans.
For perennials, try the dainty, pink-flowering Pacific bleeding heart. It can be a bit enthusiastic, so it should be planted where you don’t mind it running free.
Also look for the hummingbird magnet Western columbine, perky Oregon sunshine, pink meadow checkerbloom and the coastal strawberry—an easygoing ground cover with berries for wildlife.
All these varieties can be planted in spring.
Weston offers these instructions: Dig a 2-by-2-foot hole for a 1-gallon pot or 3 to 4 feet for a 5-gallon pot. Replace enough soil so the plant crown is level with the top of the hole. Fill in and water.
No fertilization is needed because you’ve amended the soil, and natives don’t typically need much fertilizer. Water regularly through the first spring and summer to get the plants established.
Information courtesy of Oregon State University Extension Service.