Plant Name: Arctostaphylos viscida
Common name: Whiteleaf Manzanita
Plant type: Evergreen Shrub
Height: 8’ – 16′
Spread: 12’
Bloom Time: January – April
Flower Color: White to Pale Pink – Shiny Red Fruit
Exposure:Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Tolerates a variety of soils from clay to decomposed granite.
Water Needs: Very low; Water no more than 2 times a month once established.
Attributes: Showy red bark; Flowers attracts hummingbirds & insects; Birds & some Mammals are attracted to fruit; Host to some butterflies & moths.
Firewise: NO; Zone 3 – 70’ – 100’ +
Note: Not very garden tolerant, Native habitat is oak & pine forests and chaparrals.
Uses: Native Gardens, Bird Gardens, Bee Gardens, Hummingbird Gardens;
Native to: California & Oregon
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 7a – 9b
Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member
Photo from: Las Pilitas Nursery, Santa Margarita, CA; website: https://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/83–arctostaphylos-viscida-ssp-viscida
Plant Name: Polygala fruticosa Common name: Dwarf Sweet-Pea Bush Plant type: Evergreen Shrub Height: 3 feet Spread: 3 feet Bloom Time: Spring-Summer Flower Color: Vibrant, purple-magenta, pea-like flowers Sun Exposure:Full Sun to Part Sun (4-6 hours) Soil Requirements: Well-drained, humus-rich soil
Water Needs: Moderate Attributes: Green-Gray Foliage, Attracts Pollinators, Nectar-rich flowers Firewise: Status unknown Note:Only Hardy above 20o, NOT a perennial in areas where temperatures drops below 20o, but in Zone 8A it will typically recover. Uses: Flowers for Cutting, Long Bloom Season, Repeat Flowering, Showy Flowers, Container Plant, Perennial Garden, Cottage Garden, Wildlife & Pollinator Gardens Native to: South Africa Oregon Native: NO USDA Hardiness Zones: 9-10
This time of year, many Ashland gardens are starting to look little tired, victims of prolonged excessive heat and thirst. Ornamental grasses do particularly well in these conditions and those gardens that feature them continue to thrive. Elizabeth and Gerard Boulanger’s gorgeous front yard at 453 Tucker Street is a great example and is the Ashland Garden Club’s Garden of the Month for September 2022. It requires only a modest amount of water to put on a beautiful show year-round.
The Boulangers moved here in June of 2021. They tidied the front yard, particularly giving room to the Japanese blood grass, the leaves of which are currently a stunning dark purple, so it wouldn’t get lost in the thicket. Their display of ornamental grasses highlights the varieties of colors (some of which change seasonally), blooms, shape, and blade structure. The large green grasses directly in front of the house turn a bronze color in Autumn.
They have done a lot of work on the side yards during their short tenure here, including a massive restructuring on the western side, terracing the space to make it more usable by creating a bocce ball/horseshoes court and pleasant patio on different levels. The handsome block retaining walls were created by Jorge Regalado and his crew from Firststone Masonry. Elizabeth credits Gerard for the design of this area, but admits to making some suggestions. Dwarf gingko trees border the wooden stairs on one side and buddleia shrubs border the other side. They have started a hedge along the fence in back, along the north side of the property, to soften the near part of the nice view toward the hills. Trees include juniper, maple, and ash.
Elizabeth and Gerard personally work in the yard when they can and clearly enjoy the plants. Particular favorites are Pacific northwest myrtle, hydrangea, sweet peas, dogwood, and lavender. Christie Mackison of Shooting Star Nursery has advised the Boulangers on plant choices.
Photos by Larry Rosengren
Article by: Ruth Sloan, AGC Garden of the Month Chair
