Hummingbirds in the Garden: Food Sources and Benefits

Food sources for resident Anna’s and migrating Rufous hummingbirds and tips for safely hosting a feeder in your garden.

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By Joan Stamm, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener

There’s a wealth of information out there about our beloved hummingbirds-fascinating mythology, a horrifying feather trade history, descriptions of dazzling aerial dynamics, and arduous migratory habits-but this article will focus on beneficial food sources for our resident Anna’s and migrating Rufous, as these hummingbirds are not only an important part of our ecosystem that helps control insects, but are great pollinators. If this weren’t enough, they are simply a delight to watch.

Let’s start with the basics:

In early spring, Anna’s hummingbird finds nectar in the red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum) © Photos: Mason Maron | Audubon Society 

Insects and Spiders
The least glamorous but one of the most important hummingbird food sources is insects. Female Anna’s, when raising their young, can eat up to 2,000 bugs per day. In fact, Douglas Tallamy, a professor of entomology at the University of Delaware, claims that although “Hummingbirds like and need nectar … 80 percent of their diet is insects and spiders.”

Native trees and shrubs, more than “introduced” varieties, provide the highest potential for attracting native insects. To ensure a steady supply of native invertebrates that all birds, but especially hummingbirds, enjoy, plant a variety of native plants in your garden. Another way to increase insect populations is to leave the leaves in the fall. Many insects hide and winter in leaf litter. Instead of tidying up and throwing all those wonderful leaves in the compost bin, pile them up around your plants and postpone cutting away all the dead flower debris until spring. These practices will increase your insect population, and hummingbirds will help keep your bugs in check.

Make the choice to avoid pesticides.
Pesticides containing neonicotinoid insecticide are widely used by farmers and homeowners, and on pets for flea and tick treatments. Even though neonicotinoids are relatively less toxic to beneficial insects and pollinators, and their use is supported by WSU and USDA, many gardeners prefer to avoid their use. Some research institutions have found that hummingbirds exposed to systemic neonicotinoid insecticides for even a short time can disrupt their high-powered metabolism. Hummingbirds are pollinators. They can visit hundreds of flowers in a day. Any pesticide that can harm bees will likely harm hummingbirds.

 

Though not native to the Pacific Northwest, the brilliant red flowers of Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ attracts hummingbirds throughout the summer. © Photo: Nancy Crowell | crowellphotography.com

 The Rufous hummingbird is attracted to ‘Black & Blue’ anise sage (Salvia guaranitica) © Photo: Phil Green | philgreen.net

Tree Sap
We don’t often think of tree sap as being an important food source for birds, but when flower nectar is scarce our migrating Rufous hummingbird will turn to sap in tree wells left by red-breasted sapsuckers and woodpeckers. If your garden can accommodate aspen, birch, or pine, you will create another potential food source for our Western Washington hummingbirds; plus providing important nesting and perching habitat.
Native and Non-native Flowers
Along with the protein, fats, and amino acids found in insects and the minerals found in tree sap, other nutrients important to hummingbirds are found in flower nectar. “Scientists have learned that the richness of the nectar matters more than the color of its source,” which in most cases would come from plants native to our region. A perfect example is our native snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) which has tiny pink (not red) flowers that hummingbirds return to again and again. They also like our native nodding onion (Allium cernuum) with its tiny pinkish mauve flowers. Even osoberry (Oemleria cerasiformis), with its white pendulous flowers, offers good quality nectar early in the season as they are one of the first native trees to bloom.

But if you want to give hummingbirds their preferred red-orange range, try our native red paintbrush (Castilleja miniata), western columbine (Aquilegia formosa), red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum), Cascade penstemon (Penstemon surrulatus), and hot pink and scarlet monkeyflower (Mimulus lewesii and cardinelli) to name a few.

Along with natives, and to ensure a steady supply of flower nectar throughout the year, there are many introduced varieties that hummingbirds love. Most notably in my garden are the salvias- ‘hot lips’ and ‘black and blue.’ They also like bee balm, crocosmia, fuchsia, and weigela. For winter bloomers, Ciscoe Morris, the NW gardening guru and host of “Gardening with Ciscoe” recommends witch hazel, Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide,’ sweetbox, Daphne odora, Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn,’ Grevillea victoriae, and the Asian hybrid Mahonia x media.

During breeding season, the hummers helicopter from plant to plant until they get their fill, mixing nectar with insect protein to feed their young, which is strictly the female’s job, along with nest building. The males resume their independent lifestyle.

Western columbine (Aquilegia formosa) is native in our area and provides food for Anna’s hummingbird © Photo: Phil Green | philgreen.net

Many enjoy feeding hummingbirds, but doing so comes with the responsibility of keeping the feeders clean and free of bacteria to avoid harming the birds. It may be easier to grow native plants such as snowberry and red currant to help the hummers through late winter. © Photo: Nancy Crowell | crowellphotography.com

Hummingbird Feeders
If you are going to use hummingbird feeders-and it’s really the overwintering Anna’s that mostly benefit as the Rufous is long gone by the end of summer-then the overwhelming advice from experts is that feeders be clean, clean, and clean. Some say feeders should be cleaned every 3 to 4 days, some say 5, and others say if the weather is above 65 degrees, they should be cleaned daily to prevent the sugar water from fermenting. “Sugar water is a nursery for bacteria, mold, and potentially dangerous pathogens.” Fermented sugar water can enlarge a bird’s liver imperiling its health. “Ten percent or more of the hummingbirds who wind up in rehabilitation centers have yeast infections from improperly maintained feeders.” Clean feeders with hot, soapy water or vinegar. Never use bleach as any residue is not only toxic to birds but to the environment in general.

The recipe for the sugar solution is one part plain white non-organic refined sugar to four parts water. Do not use red coloring or any commercial product with chemicals or dye. Boil the solution, let it cool, and fill your feeder. Hang more than one feeder to avoid competition. Hang them away from a window to prevent hummingbirds from flying into the glass and breaking their neck. In summer, hang them in the shade. In winter, hang them in the sun. If temperatures drop, you will need to rig up a heating element to keep the solution from freezing or rotate your feeders throughout the day. If all this sounds like too much work and responsibility-inadvertently harming hummingbirds rather than helping-it might be easier to grow a variety of nectar-rich flowers instead and leave the rest to nature.

 

Learn from the experts at the
Country Living Expo
& Modern Homesteading
Saturday, January 25, 2025
Stanwood High School 

Learn More and Register Here >>

These Gardening Topics and More:

• Fruit Tree Pruning
• Microclimates in the Garden
• Garden Design
• Roses
• Bee Keeping
• Growing Vegetables, Herbs and Flowers
• Tool Care and Maintenance
• Small Fruits: Elderberry and Blueberries
• Growing Lavendar

https://extension.wsu.edu/skagit/countrylivingexpo/

Mahonia x media, pictured here, is an Asian hybrid that blooms in winter. Several native Mahonias also attract hummingbirds and bloom in early spring. © Photo: Nancy Crowell | crowellphotography.com

 

The coastal hedgenettle (Stachys chamissonis) is a native plant in the Pacific Northwest that thrives in moist soil near forests and provides support to birds, bees and butterflies. © Photo: Nancy Crowell | crowellphotography.com

 

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES:

BOOKS:

• Link, R.Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. 1999
• Shewey, J.Hummingbird Handbook. Portland: Timber Press. 2021
• Stark, E. M..Real Gardens Grow Natives. Seattle: 2014
• Tallamy, D.Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard. Portland: Timberpress. 2019

ON-LINE:

• All About Birds –https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Annas_Hummingbird/
• Beyond Pesticides: https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2021/02/hummingbirds-are-being-harmed-by-the-same-pesticides-killing-off-bees-butterflies-and-other-pollinators/
• Georgia Department of Natural Resources:https://georgiawildlife.com/out-my-backdoor-beyond-hummingbird-feeder.
• The Humane Gardener: https://www.humanegardener.com/a-fighting-chance/#:~:text=Hummingbirds%20are%20more%20visible%20to,in%20our%20yards%20as%20well.%E2%80%9D

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joan D. Stamm, is a certified Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener and the author of several books, including The Language of Flowers in the Time of COVID:  Finding Solace in Zen, Nature and Ikebana.

 

 

The Winter Garden: A Study in the Beauty and Resilience of Nature

Winter is an opportunity to plan and add four-season interest to the garden

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By Ginny Bode, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener

As winter settles over the Pacific Northwest, the vibrant hues of autumn give way to a quieter, more reflective landscape. While some see the garden in winter as a barren space, this season offers a simpler beauty, one where structure and form take center stage. In this season of rest from the work of gardening, the structural silhouettes of deciduous trees and shrubs reveal the garden’s architecture, offering a fresh perspective on plant arrangement. By emphasizing the bones of the landscape, winter highlights the artistic potential of bare branches, textured bark, and the subtle interplay of light and shadow while showcasing the resilience of nature. This winter, look at your garden’s potential and where you can contribute to the winter beauty by adding a tree, shrub, or grasses.

When we think of design structure, we often first consider architectural or sculptural elements, such as a gazebo, fountain, trellis, or archway. However, evergreens and the bark and branches of deciduous trees and bushes also provide visual structure. These stand resilient, offering rich hues contrasting against the faded tones of fall decay.

In her book Designing and Creating a Winter Garden, Sally Gregson calls evergreens “a green beacon signifying that life continues despite the washed-out decline.” Evergreens provide a living structure to the garden with lush foliage while offering shelter for wildlife. We may think of evergreens as towering trees, but evergreen is a broad term that includes small to medium-leaved and needled shrubs in hues of true green, blue-green, and yellow-green.

This red Acer maple provides a striking winter contrast to the surrounding evergreens. Photo © Skagit Valley Master Gardeners

The twigs of the ‘Midwinter Fire’ Bloodtwig dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) put on a vibrant show of color in the winter. Its yellow-golden fall foliage gives way to stems that transition from yellow at the base to fiery orange and crimson at the tips. Photo © Skagit Valley Master Gardeners

Though bare in winter, deciduous trees and bushes reveal their graceful shapes, adding vertical lines and depth. Together, evergreens and deciduous trees and bushes create a dynamic framework, enhancing the garden’s visual interest and serving as a backdrop for seasonal changes.

Study your garden and those you drive by for structure and winter interest. At this time of year it is easy to see the subtle colors and textures and how the shapes work together. Note which vistas seem balanced and why and which seem blank and could use attention. Take pictures to remember plants and vistas you like. Maybe the solution is a statue, panel, or an evergreen. It may take some trial and error, but with some planning now, you’ll be ready to plant this coming spring or fall. Your reward will be an interesting and beautiful garden, even during the shortest days of winter.

Beyond the overall structure of the garden, if you love nature’s details, the winter garden will not disappoint. Enjoy the bare branches as they form elegant silhouettes. Take a close-up look at the intriguing patterns that emerge on the bark of many trees after the first frost. Acers (or maples,) birches, crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica), and ornamental cherries are known for their rich colors and unique textures in winter.

This paper-bark maple (Acer griseum) in the Discovery Garden features striking, cinnamon-colored bark peels in thin, papery layers, creating a textured, sculptural effect that adds year-round visual interest to any landscape. Photo © Skagit Valley Master Gardeners

Grasses add visual interest and movement, offering a gentle symphony, reminding us of nature’s resilience. Photo © Skagit County Master Gardeners
Grasses Add Magic to the Winter Garden
Another way to add winter interest is with ornamental grasses, such as placing shorter, smaller grasses outside a window or near an entry to be enjoyed daily. Their slender textural forms sway gracefully in the crisp air as their frost-kissed blades shimmer with delicate crystals.

Many gardens feature taller ornamental grasses like Miscanthus and Panicum, which show off their feathery plumes as the wind rustles through their stems. These hardy plants contribute to the garden’s aesthetic and provide shelter for birds and other wildlife. In the winter garden, grasses embody elegance and strength, showcasing nature’s artistry every season.

Nandina, often called Heavenly Bamboo has vibrant green leaves that turn a deep red or purple in the fall and winter with clusters of red berries, adding a burst of seasonal color. Photo © Ginny Bode | Skagit County Master Gardeners

For those that like the look of holly without the invasive aspect, Mahonia commonly known as Oregon grape, is evergreen and produces lovely yellow flowers followed by berries. It is deer resistant. Photo ©: Ginny Bode | Skagit County Master Gardeners 
Berries and Hips
Many ornamental shrubs and bushes produce colorful berries or hips at the end of the blooming season. As fall gives way to winter, these berries and hips become more vibrant against the limited tones of the dormant winter garden. The bright red, orange, or purple berries of these hardy plants, which include holly, winterberry, beautyberry, and roses, contrast beautifully against evergreen foliage and snowy landscapes. Beyond aesthetics, berries and hips also provide valuable wildlife habitat, attracting birds and pollinators. These plants thrive in our region’s mild, wet winters, offering a long-lasting seasonal display and contributing to a garden’s biodiversity.

Choose a berry-producing bush for the winter ornamental garden with care. Many hollies have become invasive in our area, popping up where birds dropped the berry seeds. David Zuckerman, UW Botanic Gardens Manager of Horticulture, says, “Just don’t plant English holly (Ilex aquifolium), the species with the dark, glossy leaves and bright red berries that most people picture when they hear the word ‘holly.’ This non-native species has become invasive here and isn’t recommended for home gardens, … leave it to the professional growers.” More than 400 varieties of large and small hollies grow well in western Washington; many can be seen at the Washington Arboretum in Seattle, home to the second-largest holly collection in the US. Remember, hollies are dioecious, meaning female plants require a male plant in proximity to produce berries.

Another berry-producing bush is Nandina, commonly known as Heavenly Bamboo. Often used in public plantings, this versatile shrub has striking foliage and berries in winter and offers a beautiful backdrop as the seasons rotate. Its vibrant green leaves turn a deep red or purple in the fall and winter with clusters of red berries, adding a burst of seasonal color. In the spring, Nandina produces small white flowers, followed by bright red berries in late summer through winter. Drought-tolerant and low-maintenance, Nandina thrives in various soil types, making it ideal for borders, hedges, and decorative accents.

Rosa rugosa provide beauty in the winter as well as the summer garden. They offer a range of benefits that contribute to a garden’s ecosystem by providing food for pollinators and animals. Photo ©: Ginny Bode | Skagit County Master Gardeners 

Callicarpia berries provide winter food for mammals and birds, and the spring flowers produce nectar for the bees-a multi-season winner in the garden landscape. Photo ©: Ginny Bode | Skagit County Master Gardeners 

Many berry-producing shrubs and bushes reach a beauty crescendo in the winter. The deciduous Purple Beautyberry (Callicarpa dichotoma) puts on a stunning show of iridescent purple berries beginning in fall and hanging on well into winter. This deer-resistant shrub has large and small varieties and is an excellent choice for the garden’s ecosystem. Callicarpia berries provide winter food for mammals and birds, and the spring flowers produce nectar for the bees-a multi-season winner in the garden landscape.

Rose hips also provide striking color in late fall and winter. All roses produce hips, some that are particularly large and striking. These vibrant, berry-like fruits develop at the end of the blooming season, by not deadheading the blooms and allowing the hips (or seeds) to develop. Rose hips are both beautiful and beneficial to the garden. Their unique shape and bright hues also attract birds and wildlife, adding ecological value. By choosing a rose specifically for the rose hips it produces in fall and winter, you are adding an extra season of beauty to the garden.

Planting for the Earliest Signs of Spring
Some of us can’t resist the joy of plants which signal winter is waning. Witch hazel (Hamamelis) is the first to show spring is coming, with its bright, spidery yellow or orange flowers blooming when it still seems most definitely winter. The fragrant blossoms offer a cheerful burst of color against still-bare branches, telling us warmer days are coming.

Camellias and winter-blooming rhododendrons are also prized for their vibrant flowers while the days are still grey and cold. Camellias, often in shades of pink, red, or white, thrive in mild climates and add color to winter landscapes. Winter-blooming rhododendrons such as “Christmas Cheer”, with its striking clusters of blooms, bring color to gardens even in snow.

Witch Hazel, genus Hamamelis puts on a glorious show in early February. Photo © Bobbi Lemme | Skagit County Master Gardener

As you can see, the possibilities for adding winter interest in the garden are numerous, with many offering the bonus of providing food and shelter to birds and mammals in the winter. Use the grey days ahead to make a plan for adding structure and beauty to your winter garden next year.

~ ~ ~

Beyond the trees, shrubs, and grasses mentioned here, previous master gardeners have written about other winter garden favorites. Use these links to read more about:

Hellebores: A Treat for Your Winter Garden >

Heaths and Heathers >

Early Blooming Bulbs: Plant Now for Early Spring Color >

We would love to hear about your favorite winter interest plants in the comments section below.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES:

Gregson, S. (2022) Designing and Creating a Winter Garden. The Crowood Press, Ltd. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wilshire UK

Bourne, V. (2006) The Winter Garden. Castell Illustrated, Ltd, London, UK

10 Winter Flowering Shrubs. (2023) King County Master Gardeners. Retrieved from: https://extension.wsu.edu/king/tip-sheet-10-winter-flowering-shrubs/

Jorganson, J. Winter blooming Shrubs for the Pacific Northwest. Fine Gardening Magazine. Retrieved from: https://www.finegardening.com/article/winter-blooming-shrubs-for-the-northwest?srsltid=AfmBOorju8siP5rtb-DIJi3T6zmcodZhDDS8zDpxT70pNmo0eJ471Ck6

Smith, T.S. (2024) Top roses to grow for rosehips. Retrieved from: https://www.gardensillustrated.com/plants/winter/rosehips-how-to-grow-garden-rose

Jones, C. (2023) American Beautyberry-An Elegant Native Plant. Retrieved from: https://directnativeplants.com/american-beautyberry-an-elegant-native-plant/?srsltid=AfmBOooEqqq2BtXQ7HPEVsNQhVtFctuiGCRcAu1qj0_RnZCxyxoXMIUJ

Damiano, J. (2023) Give Your Garden a Pop of Color this Fall with Rose Hips. Retrieved from: https://www.morningagclips.com/give-your-garden-a-pop-of-color-this-fall-with-rose-hips/

Hollies for the Puget Sound Area. Retrieved from: https://depts.washington.edu/hortlib/pal/hollies-for-the-puget-sound-area/

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ginny Bode is a Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener Class of 2022 and is co-editor of the Ask a Master Gardener Blog. She enjoys taking close-up photos of winter beauty on daily walks and in nearby gardens.

 

Red-twig dogwood (Cornus sericea) © Joan D. Stamm

Gardening for Wildlife

Thinking of adding new plants to your garden this spring? Choose from these recommendations to build a healthy ecosystem for your favorite wildlife species.

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Updated: August 18, 2024

By: Joan D. Stamm, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener

In a blog article last September, I recommended reading Nature’s Best Hope by Douglas Tallamy for the “why” of gardening for wildlife. This article will explore the “what” and the “where”-as in “what” plants and “where” to buy them.

For the “what,” I suggest Real Gardens Grow Natives by Eileen M. Stark as a guide to site prep, plant selection, and the benefits each plant offers the ecosystem. “Benefit” in this article, as in Stark’s book, is the critical word. It points to what the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) has coined as keystone plants.

What exactly is a keystone plant?
According to NWF, keystone plants are “native plants critical to the food web and necessary for many wildlife species to complete their life cycle. Without keystone plants in the landscape, butterflies, native bees, and birds will not thrive. 96% of our terrestrial birds rely on insects supported by keystone plants.”

Stark, a wildlife conservationist and landscape designer from Portland, Oregon, specializes in wildlife habitat gardens that include keystone plants. In the 317 pages of her beautifully photographed book, you will find 100 of her favorite Northwest native plant varieties and their many benefits for wildlife.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) © Joan D. Stamm

Twinberry (Lonicera involucrata) © Joan D. Stamm

Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) © Joan D. Stamm

For example, the Garry oak or Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) is one of the top keystone plants Stark promotes in her book. If we want butterflies in our garden, we need to have trees, shrubs, and perennials that host butterfly larvae. The Garry oak is one such tree; it is a host plant for many caterpillars, including the “gray hairstreak, California sister, and Propertius duskywing butterfly larvae.” In addition, the “flowers attract native bees,” and the “acorns sustain populations of mammals and birds such as woodpeckers, nuthatches and vireos.” “Studies show,” writes Start, “that oaks support more insect herbivores than any other plant genus.”

Although incredibly beneficial, not everyone has space for an 80-foot Garry oak. If not, consider another keystone tree: bitter cherry (Prunus emarginata). Birds such as “tanagers, waxwings, bluebirds, towhees, and flickers” will arrive to eat the fruit. A native cherry also hosts “swallowtail and Lorquin’s admiral butterfly larvae.”

If you love butterflies, another great keystone tree is Scouler’s willow (Salix scouleriana); it hosts “western tiger swallowtail, great comma, dreamy duskywing, and mourning cloak butterfly larvae.” In addition, native willow flowers “provide pollen and nectar for bees,” and “small and large mammals feed on buds, leaves, and seeds.”

Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) © Joan D. Stamm

Frog on Sneezeweed © Joan D. Stamm

Bumblebee on blanket flower © Joan D. Stamm

Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) is also a keystone tree, providing “pollen and nectar for large numbers of bees, as well as hummingbird and spring azure butterflies.” Serviceberry fruit, says Stark, “is relished by waxwings, chickadees, woodpeckers, and tanagers,” and it is a host plant for “pale swallowtail, brown elfin, Lorquin’s admiral, and California hairstreak butterfly larvae.”

Along with these important native trees, many keystone perennials can fit into any open sunny space in your garden. A beneficial plant throughout many regions, goldenrod (Solidago canadensis), is a “nectar source for native bees and butterflies, such as the checkered skipper, clouded sulphur, gray hairstreak, monarch [east of the Cascades], and the endangered Oregon silverspot.”

Douglas aster (Symphyotrichum subspicatum) “provides nectar and pollen for bees and nectar for woodland skipper, pine white, painted lady, red admiral, mourning cloak, and the Oregon silverspot.” It is also a “host plant for field crescent and other butterfly larvae.”

Big-leaf lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus) not only “provide[s] pollen for native bumblebees,” it is a “host plant for silvery blue, painted lady, and orange sulfur butterfly larvae. Aphids attracted to the plant are preyed upon by syrphid fly larvae. Seeds are eaten by birds such as sparrows and finches.”

The Viola adunca, a native violet in our state, is a dynamic host plant for at least seven species of butterfly caterpillars and an enticing nectar plant for the endangered Mardon skipper butterfly.

Stark divides her native plant selections into three categories: plants for sun, partial sun, and mostly shade, guiding us in our creed “right plant, right place.” You’ll also find chapters on soil, pruning, watering, weeding, mulching, and much more. Her book is this gardener’s “go-to” choice whenever looking for the right native plant for a particular area and wanting to know the benefit to nature: what bees, butterflies, birds, or caterpillars the plant will attract.

As beneficial as all native plants are for our native wildlife, some natives on Stark’s list may not be suitable for an urban or suburban garden. For example, western red cedar, grand fir, Douglas fir, western hemlock, and Sitka spruce, are all enormously beneficial, but grow to a height of over 100 feet. The Douglas’ spirea, Stark warns, “may be too assertive for small, moist gardens.” Yet, the Spiraea betulifolia var. lucida, a small shrub with white flowers, might be perfect for a sunny border. Be sure to familiarize yourself with height, width, water requirements, and characteristics such as “vigorous,” “assertive,” or “rapid spreader” to determine if you have the “right plant for the right place.” A Nootka rose’s flowers and hips provide many benefits to wildlife but, over time, will grow into a thicket. However, if you have room for it to spread, it might make the perfect hedgerow, providing not only winter food for juncos and grosbeaks but also a habitat for nesting birds and the western checkerspot butterfly caterpillar.

For a more comprehensive book on creating gardens for wildlife, see Russell Link’s Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. Link’s book not only includes extensive lists of native and non-native plants that benefit wildlife but also illustrates how to build habitats for birds, reptiles, mammals, and all the other creatures that make up a complete ecosystem. For example, he details snag locations and which draw native birds. He describes how to create a cavity in a live tree without killing the tree and thus create a habitat for a woodpecker. The book contains several kinds of fully illustrated brush or rock piles, including how to make them, where to place them, and who will benefit.

For example, Link says that “bushtits, chickadees, dark-eyed juncos, towhees,” and others “will use the inside of a brush pile,” whereas “hummingbirds, robins, and towhees will use the outside of a brush pile. Salamanders, snakes, toads, and turtles,” will use the base of the brush pile. He also covers how to create or construct proper birdbaths, ponds, nest boxes, and bat houses and features detailed drawings to illustrate how to build homes for Mason and bumblebees. Included are eight pages of colored photos depicting NW native mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, moths, and other insects, describing our native birds and their preferred habitats.

Bee on Sneezeweed © Joan D. Stamm

Scotch bluebell (Campanula rotundifolia) © Joan D. Stamm

With these three books, Nature’s Best Hope, Real Gardens Grow Natives, and Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest, you will be inspired, informed, and guided to provide plants that offer habitat and food (nectar, pollen, insects) for our native wildlife. You will better understand why it’s important to cultivate natives and have a clearer idea of what to plant, thus joining the movement to restore our natural ecosystem.

The only question remaining is “where” to buy all these wonderful beneficial plants?
You can start with our very own Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation’s Annual Plant Fair, which always features a native plant section. The sale occurs the Saturday before Mother’s Day (May 11, 2024) at the Skagit County Fairgrounds in Mount Vernon.

The local Salal chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society (https://www.wnps.org/salal-programs/garden) offers a twice-yearly native plant sale online with pick up at their demonstration garden adjacent to the Discovery Garden. Sign up to get email notifications.

Some of our local nurseries are beginning to carry more native plants. Azusa Gardens in Mount Vernon on Hwy 20 (https://www.azusagardens.com/) keeps expanding its native plant section each season. They feature two- and five-gallon shrubs such as twinberry, ocean spray, snowberry, red-twig dogwood, mountain hemlock, and others. Twinberry (Lonicera involucrata), in particular, is an attractive and beneficial native shrub easily grown with a little shade. It produces yellow tubular flowers attractive to hummingbirds and the berries are eaten by “thrushes, flickers, grosbeaks, and waxwings”; it’s also a host plant for the “snowberry checkerspot butterfly larvae.” Azusa also carries native ferns, and groundcovers such as bunchberry and wild ginger. They also welcome requests for specific plants.

Christianson’s Nursery in Mount Vernon on Best Road  (https://www.christiansonsnursery.com/) has a native plant section and carries one-gallon great camass (Camassia leichtlinii) in spring. They also have vine maple, salal, western red cedar, fir, hemlock, and kinnikinnick. The latter is a perfect groundcover. Kinnikinnick is not only evergreen, but the flowers are popular with bees and hummingbirds; the berries are eaten by “songbirds and many ground-feeding birds,” says Stark. It is also a “host plant for brown elfin and hoary elfin butterfly larvae.”

Plantas Nativa in Bellingham (https://www.plantasnativa.com/) specializes exclusively in native plants. They pack a lot of choices-conifers, shrubs, perennials, ferns, grasses, water plants, groundcovers, and more-into their small corner lot.

A little farther away but worth the drive, a visit to the Pacific Rim Institute (PRI) https://pacificriminstitute.org/ near Coupeville on Whidbey Island will reward you with not only a native plant nursery but a hike through a preserved segment of Washington’s native prairie landscape that contains the endangered golden paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta). PRI’s Nursery specializes in 50 native prairie plants. Many, such as woolly sunflower, red paintbrush, campanula, yarrow, larkspur, and fescue, will thrive in a sunny spot in your garden. Red paintbrush, in particular, is a beautiful, easy-to-grow native when planted with another native-like yarrow, woolly sunflower, penstemon, or blue-eyed grass. Due to its symbiotic nature, paintbrush requires nutrients from a host plant’s roots to survive. It blooms throughout summer, and Anna’s hummingbird loves the red flowers.

PRI also specializes in some unique native bulbs-ookow (Dichelostemma congestum), blue lily (Triteleia grandiflora), and harvest brodiaea (Brodiaea coronaria), that I hope will begin to replace my non-native tulips and daffodils for spring cheer.

With the knowledge and expertise of Tallamy, Stark, and Link, and a little help from our many plant retailers, you will be inspired to garden with native keystone plants that provide food and habitat for our indigenous birds, bees, and butterflies. In our age of endangered plant and animal species, we can be a force for eco-restoration right in our own backyard.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES:

Link, R. 1999. Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Stark, E. 2014. Real Gardens Grow Natives. Skipstone, Seattle, WA

Tallamy, D. 2019. Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

Joan D. Stamm is a Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener and the author of several books, including The Language of Flowers in the Time of COVID: Finding Solace in Zen, Nature and Ikebana.

https://joandstamm.com/

Questions about home gardening or becoming a Master Gardener may be directed to: Skagit County WSU Extension Office, 11768 Westar Lane, Suite A, Burlington, WA 98233; by phone: 360-428-4270; or via the website: www.skagit.wsu.edu/mg

Gardening for Pollinators

A journey of learning

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By: Patty Puckett Tingler, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener

Pollen is a fine powdery substance, typically yellow, consisting of microscopic grains discharged from the male part of a flower. The term pollinator is not limited to wind, insects, animals, and butterflies. Some unexpected insects such as beetles and moths are also pollinators, performing the critical task of transporting pollen to the female parts of other plants, enabling fertilization and the production of seeds and fruit. Pollinators are vital to global crop production. According to an article published by the U.S. Forest Service, “Of the 1,400 crop plants grown around the world, i.e., those that produce all of our food and plant-based industrial products, almost 80% require pollination by animals.”

It is widely assumed that the honeybee is the predominant pollinator. However, there are many types of bees, solitary and social, and they all play a role in pollination. Typically, in a home garden, you’ll find solitary bees that are not part of a hive; however, all bees play a role in pollen distribution and pollination.

© Patty Puckett Tingler

The Banded Wooly Bear is the larval stage of the Island Tiger Moth. © Virgene Link-New

A honeybee on a kale blossom Caption © Virgene Link-New

Flowers, Fruits, and Veggies

Gardeners should consider choosing plants that will provide pollinators with a variety of feeding choices all season long. Choosing early and mid-spring blooming flowers or bulbs to attract pollinators is a wise strategy. Once the pollinators have been attracted to the garden, vegetables will be bountiful all summer long. Fruit trees in blossom are ready to be pollinated. Be sure to share the bounty with birds later in the season as they were likely part of the pollinator team.

Remember to be patient. Attracting pollinators is laying the groundwork for years to come, so efforts made now will affect the garden and pollinators in the future. Watch and study your space for attractiveness to pollinators as you would for sun and shade. Neighboring plants can repel certain pollinators and you may need to move or rethink what to plant in a particular area to attract the pollinators for garden needs. Gardening for pollinators is a journey of learning and understanding.

The Western Swallowtail has a lifespan of only 6 – 14 days. Caption © Virgene Link-New

Hover fly on dahlia © Virgene Link-New

Attracting Pollinators

If you personally like scented plants then you already know which plants pollinators enjoy. In addition to scent, think of using the open face of a flower as a landing place for the pollinator to rest while gathering and distributing pollen. Whether it’s a bee, a butterfly, or a bird, rest areas will encourage different pollinators to return. In the Pacific Northwest, especially western Washington, pollinators are lured by crocosmia, coneflowers, lavender, catmint, and sunflowers to name a few. One easy-to-grow pollinator-friendly annual is lacy phacelia, also known as blue tansy. It is a beautiful lavender color, grows easily from seed, and bees will flock to this plant. Distribute the seeds around your yard and enjoy its tall, beautiful splendor.

The number of scented plants in the Pacific Northwest is quite wide, from climbing vines like honeysuckle to lavender and lilac bushes. There are plenty of native species to choose from that are drought tolerant once established such as camas, lupine, salvia, and checker mallow also known as Malva. Daisies, asters, California poppy, catmint, and sage are also pollinator-friendly plants easily grown in the PNW.

What can we do to support pollinators?

How we can best support pollinators depends on the season. In fall, it’s best to put down your rake and leave the leaves on the ground. Mother Nature will do her best to push the leaves together under shrubs or against a structure. Some pollinators burrow under these leaf accumulations to overwinter. Wait until the spring weather is warmer (above 50°F) before cleaning up the garden as the pollinators will need the warmth as they emerge from their winter habitat.

Reduce the areas of grass on your property by adding shrubs, trees, and perennials that will provide visual interest and habitat for birds and insects. Use fewer toxins and chemicals, when possible. Pollinators need water for many purposes, including drinking, cooling, and reproduction so be sure to provide a source of shallow water near pollinator plants. Recycle pots or repurpose other containers (buckets, watering cans, birdbaths, etc.) on your patio or landscape to encourage more pollinators. Secondhand stores are full of items waiting for a reimagined purpose.

By providing backyard habitats or even a patio garden of scented, open flowers, bees and other pollinators will find your offerings. Support them by providing plants that help them do their job. Look online for native Pacific Northwest plants, shrubs, or seeds. Visit a local nursery to get plant recommendations or attend classes. Use your local library to learn more about creating or filling your garden with pollinator-friendly plants.

The more you learn about the world around you, the easier it is to live simply with our environment. Becoming aware of your environment and learning more about pollinators will open your eyes to the beauty and intricate connectivity of nature. We co-habit with and need insects, birds, butterflies, and other creatures to act as pollinators to plants to provide us with both beauty and nutrition. Our health, both physical and mental, would not exist without the efforts of the earth’s pollinators.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES:

Why is Pollination Important ? U.S. Forest Service
Retrieved from https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/wildflowers/pollinators/importance

James, D. Pollinators retrieved from https://hortsense.cahnrs.wsu.edu/pollinators/

Krischik, V. Pollinator Conservation Biocontrol: Beneficial Insects | IPM and Pollinator Conservation University of Minnesota retrieved from: https://ncipmhort.cfans.umn.edu/beneficial-insects

Zagory, E., Hetrick, K. (2016) Introducing 10 Bees and 10 Plants They Love. University of California, Davis
https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk1546/files/inline-files/10-bees-10-plants_0.pdf

ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

Patty Puckett Tingler is a certified Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener, Class of 2022.

Questions about home gardening or becoming a Master Gardener may be directed to: Skagit County WSU Extension Office, 11768 Westar Lane, Suite A, Burlington, WA 98233; by phone: 360-428-4270; or via the website: www.skagit.wsu.edu/mg

Learn from the experts at the
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& Modern Homesteading

Saturday, January 27, 2024

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These Gardening Topics and More:

• Fruit Tree Pruning & Grafting
• Microclimates in the Garden
• Low Maintenance Gardening
• Roses
• Bee Keeping
• Soil Sampling
• Veggie Gardening
• Growing in High Tunnels, Cold Frames, and Unheated Greenhouses
• Pest Control
• Hop Growing
• Flower Arranging
• Know Your Native Trees
• Introduction into Mason Bees

Discover the Skagit Valley Display Gardens Open House

Discover the Discovery Garden, NW Fruit Garden, and the Salal Native Plant Garden

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By Janine Wentworth, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener

June is the beginning of summer blooming, fruit and vegetable growth and early harvests.

Enjoy the summer gardens of Skagit Valley at the Discover the Display Gardens Open House. Skagit Valley is home to 8 acres of display gardens operated by volunteers as a learning resource for the public.

Discover the Display Gardens
Open House

June 24, 2023 · 10 am – 2 pm

Free Admission

• Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener Discovery Garden
• Western Washington Fruit Research Foundation
• Salal Native Plant Garden

All three are nestled together in the green fields of the WSU Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center west of Mount Vernon on HWY 536 (Memorial Hwy.)

While all three of these gardens are open to the public daily, the Annual Open House is focused on educating and inspiring visitors interested in many specific areas of interest, including pollination, water-wise gardening, native plants and raising fruits and vegetables in the Skagit area.

The Discovery Garden
Designed to support Skagit home gardeners by promoting science-based gardening practices, Skagit area WSU Extension Master Gardeners have created 30 garden rooms within the garden, featuring hundreds of plants chosen to flourish in Skagit Valley. Come and spend time with the volunteers who maintain the gardens and learn more about what they grow.

In addition to tours of the garden rooms, Master Gardeners will be on hand offering activities for all ages including:

• Free garden tool sharpening
• Solutions to plant problems
• Plant identification– to help you know what you have
• Expert advice on weed identification and management

While at the Discovery Garden, visit the small fruits garden and learn more about food you can grow in your own back yard. Photo © Nancy Crowell Photography

Visit the learning station near the pond in the Naturescape Garden. There you will see Koi fish and learn about pond maintenance and construction as well as drip irrigation.

Bring a blanket and picnic lunch and enjoy the day at the Discovery Garden. Photo © Nancy Crowell Photography

Learn about effective gardening at the 8 education stations located throughout the garden area. Master Gardeners will offer instruction on topics such as:

• Developing healthy soil
• Composting
• Pollinator support
• Fruit tree pruning and thinning
• Gardening with native plants
• Weed identification: Match examples of common weeds with their names so you can learn how to identify them and control them
• Clean water and water conservation: Visit the learning station near the pond in the Naturescape Garden. There you will see Koi fish and learn about pond maintenance and construction as well as drip irrigation

Pollinators: Learn about plants that support pollinators from Master Gardeners who plant and care for the pollinator gardens and the pollinators that live in the garden. The pollinator station at the Open House will teach ways to help native bees and other pollinators thrive in home and community landscapes because pollination is an essential survival function.

Local Food: The Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners offer extensive resources for local gardeners. During the Open House, Master Gardeners will be giving talks on healthy soils, growing your own vegetables, and weed identification and eradication. The Grow Your Own Food page at https://www.skagitmg.org/home/resources/food/ is also an excellent resource for gardeners getting started.

While at the Discovery Garden, visit the Vegetable, Small Fruits, and Doc’s Arbor garden rooms for ideas and examples of food-producing plants that grow well in the Skagit County area.

Educators from the Xerex Society will be at the Open House demonstrating techniques for making your garden pollinator friendly

Learn smarter vegetable gardening tips from the Master Gardeners who have research and tested a variety techniques that face gardeners in the North Puget Sound area.

Throughout the growing season, garden waste is sorted, chopped, and chipped– the browns and greens are com­bined and turned, giving us nutrient-rich compost in a few months.

Composting: Curious about how to get started composting? Composting reduces waste and provides an inexpensive treatment for home gardens and landscapes. Healthy soil is essential to have healthy plants. Come talk to our soil experts and learn about your soil and what you can do to improve it.

Growing the Discovery Gardens since 1996
In 1994, the Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners had a vision for a garden that would demonstrate best practices for gardening in the Skagit area. After two years of planning, the garden’s first structure of trees and fences was placed in the fall of 1996. Over the following two years, many committed WSU Extension Master Gardeners, along with the help of the community, planted the gardens.

The WSU Master Gardener Program addresses important sociologic and environmental issues by teaching research-based horticulture information. We want people to have important skills and abilities that help mitigate challenges and to understand that everyone has a role to play in creating and sustaining healthy and resilient communities.

Salal Native Plant Garden
The second garden participating in the Tri-Garden Open House is the Salal Native Plant Garden. Bordering the Discovery Garden to the south, the Salal Native Plant Garden is entered by walking through the Discovery Garden following the paths to the south. This labor of love and concern for native plants is manifested in an extensive and charming display garden.

Created twenty-five years ago as a collaborative effort between volunteers of the Salal Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society and the Washington State University Agriculture Extension Agency at Mount Vernon (WSU), the Native Plant Garden is now a half-acre oasis that holds the seeds for the future of native plants in the lower Skagit Valley. The garden is a terrific resource for homeowners who want to learn how to incorporate more native plants into their landscaping.

Western Washington Fruit Research Foundation (NW Fruit)
The third garden on display is the fruit garden known as the Western Washington Fruit Research Foundation (or NWFruit.org). Here volunteers will answer questions about fruit trees. The 6-acre garden was designed and constructed by volunteers of the foundation and contains large informational signs and handouts based on the research conducted by Washington State University.

During the Open House volunteers will be on hand to explain examples of netting for bird control, a Tatura trellis, and answer questions about the expansive espalier display.

The fruit garden contains a large collection of fruiting plants with many unique varieties, including a collection of 17 variations of Gravenstein apples, a collection of antique apples from all over the world, and unusual fruits such as medlar and blue honeyberry. Located on the west side of the Discovery Garden the fruit garden is open to the public seven days a week from dawn to dusk.

Please join us for the Open House festivities on June 24, 2023 from 10 am – 2 pm. You are welcome to bring a blanket and picnic lunch and enjoy the day with family and friends.

The gardens are open and free to the public throughout the year, 7 days a week from dawn to dusk. Visit the gardens throughout the seasons to view the seasonal changes. Signage in each garden identifies plants and makes for interesting and educational self-guided tours.

 

RESOURCES:

• Discover the Display Gardens website
• Learn about Master Gardener program priorities: https://mastergardener.wsu.edu/priorities/
• Interested in Composting and Vermacomposting? See our recent blog article at: https://www.skagitmg.org/vermicomposting/
• Get started growing your own food: https://www.skagitmg.org/home/resources/food/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Janine Wentworth became a master gardener in 2018. She and Kay Torrance are co-chairs of the Discovery Garden Open House.

 

 

 

 

Questions about home gardening or becoming a master gardener may be directed to: Skagit County WSU Extension Office, 11768 Westar Lane, Suite A, Burlington, WA 98233; by phone: 360-428-4270; or via the website: www.skagit.wsu.edu/mg