Water-Wise Gardening

Russian sageThe City of Ashland has created an informational  website to help reduce water usage in yards & gardens.

Click here to visit the site:
Water Wise Landscaping in Ashland

Once you’re at the website click the tabs located at the top of the page to view the following features.

Start with Garden Resources which is the gateway to the site. There you will find the table of contents: Getting Started, Irrigation, Design and Maintenance.

Garden Tours & Garden Gallery showcase local properties and supplies the viewer with visual examples of water-wise plantings.  Within each photo there is a white box; click the box to obtain detailed information regarding the plant.

The Plants is organized by Firewise,  Lawn Alternatives, Drought Tolerant Plants, Ornamental Grass, Deer Resistant Plants, Screens & Hedges. Each category presentsa list of plant suggestions. You can also search for plants based on: plant type, size, color, sun requirements, soil type and blooming season.

The Watering Guide provides watering guidelines, watering tips and common irrigation challenges.

This well designed site contains vast amounts of plant information, check it out and be inspired!

by:Carlotta Lucas

Monarchs and Meadows: Creating Butterfly Gardens

Butterfly Nectar Plants:
Joe Pye Weed

Joe Pye Weed

Asters, Milkweeds, Joe Pye Weed, Lantana, Coreopsis, Daisies, Black-eyed Susan, Rue, Marigolds, Zinnias, parsley, Fennel, Purple Coneflower, Verbena, Thistle, Sunflowers, Heliotrope, Lavenders, Sedum, Yarrow, Thyme, Liatris, Cosmos, Galardia, Mallows, Bee Balms,  Marjoram, Oregano.

Butterfly Host Plants (For Caterpillars)

Milkweed, Pearly Everlasting Fennel, Willow Trees, Popular Trees, Mallows, Violets, Pea Family, Cottonwood Trees, Thistle, Goldenrod, Asters, Grasses, Parsley/Carrot Family.

Web Sites:

www.nababutterfly.com ( North American Butterfly Association)
On this site you can certify your butterfly garden, rate plants as nectar sources or hots plants, and learn about all aspects of butterfly gardening.

www.learnaboutmonarchs.com
You can learn about raising monarchs and treating their diseases.

www.MonarchWatch.org
You can certify your butterfly habitat as an official Monarch Way Station. Starter kits, appropriate for you region for both nectar sources and host plants, can be purchased.

By Janet Rodkey

Southern Oregon Wildflowers

Here are a few pictures of the many wildflowers currently (June 24, 2012)  blooming roadside by Fish Lake( Hwy 37), Howard Prairie Lake, Hyatt Lake and Little Hyatt Lake.

Gilia capitata (Blue Field Gilia)
Camassia quamash (Common Camas)
Castilleja hispida ( Short-lobed Indian Paintbrush)
Dicentra formosa (Bleeding Hearts)
Penstemon laetus ( Mountian Blue Penstemon)
Zigadenus venenosus (Meadow Death Camas)
Tragopogon dubius (Goatsbeard)
Calochortus tolmiei    (Tolmie’s Pussy Ears)
Allium siskiyouense (Siskiyou Onion)
 Corallorrhiza mertensiana(Western Coral-Root Orchid)
Balsamorhiza deltoidea (Northwest Balsamroot)

Photo by: Carlotta Lucas
(all rights reserved)