Slideshow

Slide Show: Find Garden Inspiration in Nature

August 31, 2011

Got shade? Creeping dogwood (Cornus canadensis ) is an adaptable ground cover plant reaching about 4 inches high with pretty little white bracts in spring. In rich, well-drained soil, it fills in quickly, but given a little more shade, it can

These two species – the big, pleated-leaf green false helleborine (Veratrum viride ) and the little white-flowered avalanche lily (Erythronium montana ) both appreciate cool, damp sites so if you live in the West Hills, Mt Tabo

Have a sunny slope that could use some sparkly springtime color? As long as the soil isn’t bone-dry in summer, you can grow this dashing, 2-3’ tall native spiraea (Spiraea densiflora ) and attract rafts of native butterflies and i

Kinnickinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ) is sometimes overused in landscapes: planted by the acre, it looks like any other unimaginative green carpet of groundcover. But kinnickinnick is indispensable for its drought-tolerance – and it&

A sunny hillside on a Mt Hood foothill, with rocks, native grasses, kinnickinnick, and other miscellany. Since those spiky flowered bear grass (Xerophyllum tenax ) can be tricky at lower elevations, I’d replace that with native Columbia

Most people think of native plants as being politically correct but not exactly drop-dead gorgeous. But Pacific Northwest native plants can be absolutely lush and stunning when provided with the proper growing conditions. As with any plant native to anywhere in the world, there are fussy PNW natives and easy-going, adaptable natives. But what’s "fussy" in my hot, dry back yard might be easy-going in your forested woodland garden – an...

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