This document discusses growing native plants in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. It notes that gardening with natives is different due to Oregon's dry summers and wet winters, and variable soil types. Gardening with natives is beneficial as the plants are easy to care for, provide natural beauty, and support wildlife. The document provides examples of public and private gardens using natives and discusses pioneers in the native plant movement like Thomas Jefferson. It recommends starting with well-known natives and matching plants to garden conditions before exploring new species, and provides a list of favorite native plants for the region.

1. Growing Native Plants in the Willamette Valley Linda R McMahan Oregon State University Extension Service Deer fern at Connie Hanson Garden, Lincoln City

3. Extreme variability of soils – clay to rock

4. Mild temperatures generallyMaidenhair fern at a public garden

6. Natural beauty

7. Nurture wildlife

8. Fit into our existing gardens

9. Are not invasive plants—it’s their home!Oregon sunshine (Eriophyllumlanatum) with nasturtium-private garden

10. Examples of Gardens with Native Plants Lady fern at the Connie Hanson Garden, Lincoln City Athyriumfilix-femina is delicate, can grow tall in ideal conditions, but is deciduous and requires wet habitat

11. Native plants at Shore Acres State Park near Coos Bay Sword fern and salal outside of the more formal entrance to the gardens

12. B&B native plant garden in the Cascade Mountains Native sedums in whimsical pots-at least 4 sedums are native to Oregon

13. B&B, Cascade Mountains Sword fern, rock, and an old tree trunk

14. B&B, Cascade Mountains Oxalis oreganaand Piggy-back plant (Tolmiea menziesii) mixed groundcover

15. Private garden, Portland Oregon Stream plant, Darmerapeltatum used in a garden setting

16. Private Garden, Portland, OR Emerging false hellebore (Veratrumcalifornicum) growing through decomposing ash leaves

17. Private Garden, Portland, Oregon Salal (Gaultheria shallon) and sword fern on a decaying stump

18. Public Library, McMinnville OR Red flowering currant, Ribes sanguineum

19. Native Plant Garden, McMinnville Library Coltsfoot, Petasitesfrigidus, in early spring

20. Waterfront park, Corvallis Oregon Oregon iris, Iris tenaxwith blue fescue

21. Private Garden, Corvallis, OR Hedged red flowering currant next to a magnolia

22. Private Garden, Beaverton Oregon Sword fern (Polystichummunitum) and groundcover oxalis (Oxalis oregana) in a side garden path

23. Ask yourself: Why do we garden the way we do? We copy what we see and remember: family, friends, neighbors Our gardening traditions are from England Today, we are seeing new ways to garden (restoration for example)and we copy that too, Connie Hanson Garden, Lincoln City, Oregon

24. History Lesson on Native Plant Gardening The Victorian Era in the British Isles Formal gardens of London’s Crystal Palace and the informal lines of a William Robinson landscape Photos: Wikipedia

25. The Wild Gardening Tradition In the 1890’s, Scottish gardener William Robinson reacted to Victorian “excess” by promoting Wild Gardening—note this was gardening in a naturalistic style, not necessarily with native plants Robinson’s house and garden: Wikipedia

26. One of Robinson’s colleagues promoted new styles that led to border gardens Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932 popularized the idea of the informal border in many publications and garden designs. The “natural” style caught on and remains popular today. A modern “border garden”

27. Experimented widely with southeast native plants, including Osage orange as a hedge, at his Monticello home Sponsored Lewis and Clark Expedition Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) Photos: Wikipedia

28. “Father of American Horticulture” Professor, Cornell Created first US horticulture compendia Plantsman & naturalist Began program for nature study in NY schools, forerunners of native plant societies Liberty Hyde Bailey (1858-1954) Photo: Wikipedia

29. Essentially, two styles of gardening with native plants have evolved side by side Substituting natives for traditional plants and developing “garden-worthy” cultivars Gardening with native plants for their own sake in naturalistic landscapes VS Photos: left azalea and sword fern (Polystichummunitum); right coltsfoot (Petasitesfrigidus)

30. Another thing -- growing native plants in Oregon is very recent! Only in the past 15 to 20 years in Oregon and perhaps 30 or more years in the US, have we explicitly created native plant gardens Mixed succulents in a private garden, including Sedum spathulifolium, center

32. Start first with well-known natives, such as sword fern and red flowering currant, or established cultivars

33. Choose colorful flowers or foliage, complementing features, and a “tame” habit before you explore other species

35. Oregon grape, our state flower Berberis (Mahonia) aquifolium, likes full sun, can be easily pruned, attracts pollinators and birds, easy to find

36. Sedum spathulifolium Best native sedum, easy for containers or well-drained soil, available at many retail nurseries

37. Heuchera‘Palace Purple’ A cultivar of Heucheramicrantha, readily available, moist, rich, and well-drained soil

38. Mock orange Philadelphuslewesii, available at native plant nurseries and SWCD sales. Fragrant and easy—sun to part shade, moderate water

39. Camas (Camassia) Available as a bulb in better garden centers, needs wet winters and dry summers—no problem for us!

40. Wild Strawberry Fragariachiloensis, coast or dune strawberry, and other species--vigorous ground-cover, sun/part shade, bees and birds, easily available

41. Epilobiumcanum(Zauschneriacalifornicum) California fuchsia, full-sun, spreads slowly, attracts hummingbirds, fall bloomer

42. Vancouveriahexandra Shade-loving deciduous groundcover, duck-foot plant

43. Vine Maple Acer circinatum, best in part shade, some have good fall color, bird-friendly

44. Stream Violet Viola glabella, accent or groundcover, drought tolerant, butterfly host plant

45. Red Twig Dogwood Cornussericia, wet or dry, large, prune from the base, berries attract birds

46. Red Flowering Currant Ribes sanguineum, February/March bloomer attracts hummingbirds, also bees. Blue/black berries are edible and a bird favorite, many cultivars available

47. Check out the recommended requirements for each species Provide water to establish, even if the species is drought-hardy Refrain from too much fertilizer-plants are usually adapted to our typical soils Cultural Requirements Douglas iris and Viola adunca

48. Leave enough space—some natives may grow larger than anticipated Many can be hedged, but some gardeners prefer the natural forms Prune multi-stemmed shrubs from the base Cultural Requirements Desert Parsely and snowberry

49. Don’t assume plants are “deer-proof” If you want plants to self-seed or provide berries for wildlife, don’t dead-head the flowers Cultural Requirements Ocean spray and osoberry

50. For More Information! Kruckeberg, Arthur R. 1966. Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest, 2nd edition, University of Washington Press, Seattle, WA Yamhill County, OSU Extension Ecogardening at: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/yamhill/eco-gardening Selecting native plants for home landscapes in Central Oregon at: http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/19858/ec1623-e.pdf Oregon Flora Project (interactive maps and photos) at: http://www.oregonflora.org/

51. Thank You! Linda R McMahan Oregon State University Extension Service, Yamhill County linda.mcmahan@oregonstate.edu Unless noted, photographs are by the author. This presentation is copyrighted by Oregon State University. Material may be used freely for educational purposes. For other uses, please contact the author. Rosa sp. – wild rose