Naturescaping with Native Plants
Naturescaping with native plants
Naturescaping with native plants is a wonderful way to integrate nature into your backyard. Native plants are adapted to our climate and are naturally resistant to native pests and diseases. They require less maintenance to succeed and have additional stormwater and wildlife advantages. The Pacific Northwest has a wonderful variety of native plants that can be incorporated into your backyard landscape. The Backyard Certification Program will help you select an appropriate mix of native plants for your yard to achieve your habitat objectives. For the purposes of this program, we encourage property owners to select plants that are native to the lower Willamette Valley. The Portland Plant List is your best resource for learning about and selecting plants specific to our Willamette Valley region.
A pdf of this excellent resource is here.
Native Plants for Retail
There are a couple great native plant nurseries. Please note, however, that nurseries often label a plant as "native" if it naturally occurs anywhere in the state, or even in neighboring states. In the BHCP, we encourage and consider only Willamette Valley natives for certification. Please consult the Portland Plant List in your plant selections.
Bosky Dell Natives, www.boskydellnatives.com, 23321 SW Bosky Dell Lane, West Linn, OR, Phone: 503-638-5945
Echo Valley Natives, www.echovalleynatives.com, 18883 S Ferguson Rd., Oregon City, OR, 97045, Phone: 503-631-2451
Livingscape Nursery, www.livingscapenursery.com, 3926 N Vancouver Avenue, Portland, OR, Phone: 503.248.0104
Non-profit Native Plant Sales
Audubon Society of Portland Native Plant Sale
Classes and Workshops
East Multnomah Soil Water Conservation District: Free naturescaping workshops throughout the year. www.naturescape.org
Metro: Metro offers free natural gardening seminars to help you garden chemical-free. These seminars are held March through July, or you can have a group seminar anytime. www.oregonmetro.gov
Berry Botanical Gardens: Providing educational opportunities that connect people with plants. www.berrybot.org
Other Resources
City of Portland Native Plant List: www.portlandonline.com
City of Portland Remove Invasive Plants poster: http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=50021
Native Plant Poster: http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=40734
Books
- Encyclopedia of Northwest Native Plants for Gardens and Landscapes by Kathleen Robson, Alice Richter and Marianne Filbert.
- Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest by Arthur Kruckeberg
- Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and Alaska by Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon
- Propagation of Pacific Northwest Native Plants by Robin Rose, Caryn E. C. Chachulski and Diane L. Haase
- Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens by Douglas W. Tallamy
- Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest by Russell Link
- The Ann Lovejoy Handbook of Northwest Gardening: Natural, Sustainable, Organic by Ann Lovejoy and Janet Loughrey
