Visit a garden of natives as the green season gets going
Early spring 2022 was full of bright blooms at Patricia Carpenter's property. Photo by Beth Savidge, courtesy Patricia Carpenter
Yes, it’s almost spring, which means Patricia Carpenter, a California Native Plant Society Garden Ambassador, will be opening her Yolo County property Sunday, March 26, for the Early Spring Ramble in a Native Plant Garden.
“So much rain and wind and cold this past winter!” she said in the announcement of the event. “But spring is finally here – I think. How is the native garden responding? I invite you to come take a look.”
Expect to see wildflowers, Ribes and Ceanothus in bloom, and other signs of the native garden waking up. The 1-acre garden west of Davis (west of Pierce Ranch Road south of Russell Boulevard) will be open rain or shine from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for self-guided tours; visitors may start any time during those hours.
Maps will be available for use on site. Carpenter’s non-native garden will be open to view as well.
She will give brief orientation talks at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Admission is free but registration is required. The registration link and more information can be found here.
Visitors should note that sturdy shoes are advised. No dogs, please. Anyone is welcome to bring a lunch or snack. A composting toilet is available onsite.
Gardeners inspired to plant natives will be able to shop from the Miridae Mobile Nursery truck, which also will be on site. Check out their latest inventory here.
In 2021 Carpenter and Pat Dressendorfer wrote an article for Pacific Horticulture about her garden in early spring. It can be found at https://pacifichorticulture.org/articles/the-native-plant-garden-in-early-spring/
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Garden Checklist for week of Feb. 9
Be careful walking or working in wet soil; it compacts easily.
* Keep the irrigation turned off; the ground is plenty wet with more rain on the way.
* February serves as a wake-up call to gardeners. This month, you can transplant or direct-seed several flowers, including snapdragon, candytuft, lilies, astilbe, larkspur, Shasta and painted daisies, stocks, bleeding heart and coral bells.
* In the vegetable garden, plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers, and strawberry and rhubarb roots.
* Transplant cabbage and its close cousins – broccoli, kale and cauliflower – as well as lettuce (both loose leaf and head).
* Indoors, start peppers, tomatoes and eggplant from seed.
* Plant artichokes, asparagus and horseradish from root divisions.
* Plant potatoes from tubers and onions from sets (small bulbs). The onions will sprout quickly and can be used as green onions in March.
* From seed, plant beets, chard, lettuce, mustard, peas, radishes and turnips.
* Annuals are showing up in nurseries, but wait until the weather warms up a bit before planting. Instead, set out flowering perennials such as columbine and delphinium.
* Plant summer-flowering bulbs including cannas, calla lilies and gladiolus.