Naturescape – Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation

Return to Garden Rooms List

Visit Naturescape to relax and reflect in a natural setting. This informal garden room features meandering footpaths bordered by native and non-native plantings. Stroll the paths and contemplate the variety of ecosystems represented by the sunny meadow, the pond, and the shady corner which was recently inhabited by a swarm of honey bees looking for a new home.

Be inspired to design your garden as a personal green space isolated from adjacent buildings and traffic by good hedges and the sound of water. Naturescape welcomes insects, pollinators, amphibians, reptiles, birds, small mammals, and even humans.

The Pond

Skagit County is physically defined by water whether it is the sound, bays, lakes, estuaries, rivers and streams. Providing information about how to keep a pond healthy is a stepping stone to keeping all of our waters healthy.

Pond Nitrogen Cycle for web - no QR (2024-07-24)

One of the many focal points of the Discovery Garden is the Naturescape Pond. This garden space was crafted by the Skagit County Master Gardeners when the Discovery Garden was first planned in 1996. The pond is 15X25' and is 34" deep in the center with a very gradual slope to the edge (bowl shaped). It contains approximately 2000 gallons of water.

The Naturescape Pond supports the statewide WSU Master Gardener Priorities of Plant Biodiversity, Clean Water, and Nearby Nature.

The goal of the pond is to:
- Interest, inspire and educate the public
- Provide an example of a healthy pond ecosystem
- Be a focal point in the Discovery Garden
- Deliver a natural setting that can be used to support various educational opportunities
- Display an example of a tranquil backyard space that could be added to a backyard garden

Link to Children's Mason Bee Activity

Naturescape Garden Plant List

Area	#	Botanical Name	Cultivar	Common Name	Tree	Native
	47	Spirea bumalda	'Anthony Waterer'	Japanese spirea, Japanese meadowsweet
Corner	NNP174	Weigela florida	'Variegata'	variegated weigela
Cypress Island	1	Iberis sempervirens		evergreen candytuft
Cypress Island	3	Sempervivum tectorum		hen and chicks
Cypress Island	5	Rhododendron	'Ramapo'
Cypress Island	7	Meconopsis cambrica		Welsh poppy
Cypress Island	9	Chamaecyparis obtusa	'Nana Gracilis'	hinoki cypress	T
Cypress Island	13	Chamaecyparis lawsoniana		lawson false cypress	T	N
Cypress Island	15	Spirea japonica	'Magic Carpet'	Japanese spirea
Cypress Island	17	Ophiopogon formosanum		Taiwan mondo grass
Cypress Island	19	Vaccinium		blueberry
Cypress Island	23	Hylotelephium spectabile	'Autumn Joy', 'Herbstfreude'	stonecrop
Cypress Island	25	Erica carnea	'Springwood White'	winter heath
Cypress Island	27	Rhododendron roxieanum		high altitude Asian native rhododendron
Cypress Island	29	Kniphofia uvaria		red-hot poker, torch lily
Cypress Island	31	Acer palmatum	'Sango-Kaku'	Japanese coral bark maple	T
Cypress Island	33	Ophiopogon planiscapus	'Nigrescens'	black mondo grass
Cypress Island	35	Rhododendron	'Ramapo'
Cypress Island	37	Helleborus orientalis	'Royal Heritage'	lenten rose
Cypress Island	39	Saxifraga rosacea		mossy saxifrage
Cypress Island	45	Cyclamen		hardy cyclamen
Cypress Island	47	Allium cernuum		nodding onion		N
Cypress Island	49	Hylotelephium (syn. Sedum) erythrostictum	'Frosty Morn'
Cypress Island	NAL020	Allium azureum		blue globe onion
Cypress Island	NAL022	Galium odoratum		sweet woodruff		N
Cypress Island	NAL058	Geranium phaeum	'Margaret Wilson'	dusky cranesbill
Hedgerow	100	Picea mariana	'Wellspire'	black spruce	T
Hedgerow	101	Lilium pardalinum		leopard lily		N
Hedgerow	102	Epimedium grandiflorum		bishop's hat
Hedgerow	104	Cornus canadensis		bunchberry		N
Hedgerow	105	Gaultheria shallon		salal		N
Hedgerow	106	Leycesteria formosa		Himalayan honeysuckle
Hedgerow	108	Carex		sedge
Hedgerow	109	Aquilegia formosa		western columbine, red columbine		N
Hedgerow	111	Carpinus betulus		European hornbeam	T
Hedgerow	112	Zantedeschia aethiopica	'Crowborough'	white calla, arum lily
Hedgerow	115	Hosta fortunei	'Fortunei Albopicta'	spring-gold hosta, white-painted plantain lily
Hedgerow	117	Hylotelephium (syn. Sedum)
Hedgerow	119	Weigela florida	'Bristol Ruby'	variegated weigela
Hedgerow	120	Picea mariana	'Wellspire'	black spruce	T
Hedgerow	121	Bergenia cordifolia	'Winter Glow'	pig squeak
Hedgerow	122	Hosta sieboldiana	'Elegans'	plantain lily
Hedgerow	124	Trillium ovatum		Pacific trillium		N
Hedgerow	126	Trientalis borealis		native starflower		N
Hedgerow	127	Helleborus		hellebore
Hedgerow	128	Ribes sanguineum		red flowering currant		N
Hedgerow	130	Oemleria cerasiformis		Indian plum, osoberry		N
Hedgerow	132	Hydrangea macrophylla		lacecap hydrangea
Hedgerow	134	Viburnum davidii		David viburnum
Hedgerow	136	Pinus heldreichii (syn. Pinus leucodermis)		Bosnian pine	T
Hedgerow	138	Rodgersia pinnata	'Superba'	Roger's flower
Hedgerow	140	Geranium nodosum		cranesbill
Hedgerow	142	Hosta sieboldiana	'Elegans'	plantain lily
Hedgerow	145	Hylotelephium spectabile	'Autumn Joy', 'Herbstfreude'	stonecrop
Hedgerow	147	Rhododendron pachysanthum
Hedgerow	149	Crocosmia		montbretia
Hedgerow	151	Cornus kousa		kousa dogwood	T
Hedgerow	153	Drynaria filix-mas		buckler fern, male fern		N
Hedgerow	155	Rhododendron bathyphylum
Hedgerow	158	Pinus heldreichii (syn. Pinus leucodermis)		Bosnian pine	T
Hedgerow	159	Fuchsia		non-prostrate hardy fushia
Hedgerow	161	Acer circinatum		vine maple	T	N
Hedgerow	163	Rhododendron occidentale		western azalea		N
Hedgerow	165	Fuchsia		regina, hardy prostrate fuchsia
Hedgerow	167	Pinus strobus	'Fastiagata'	columnar eastern white pine	T
Hedgerow	170	Scilla sibirica		wood hyacinth
Hedgerow	172	Rodgersia
Hedgerow	174	Vaccinium ovatum		evergreen huckleberry		N
Hedgerow	177	Corylus cornuta		western hazelnut, beaked hazelnut, California hazelnut		N
Hedgerow	179	Taxus		anglojap yew
Living Fence	1	Miscanthus sinensis	'Morning Light'	eulalia grass, variegated maiden grass
Living Fence	2	Rhododendron	'Holden'
Living Fence	4	Fargesia dracocephala	'Red Dragon'	clumping bamboo
Living Fence	5	Origanum		hardy marjoram
Living Fence	8	Rhododendron	'Cheer'
Living Fence	9	Clethra alnifolia	'Paniculata'	summersweet, sweet pepper bush
Living Fence	10	Geranium sanguineum	'Album'	white cranesbill
Living Fence	11	Pennisetum alopecuroides	'Moudry'	black fountain grass
Living Fence	12	Amelanchier canadensis		eastern serviceberry, Canadian serviceberry	T
Living Fence	13	Carex testacea		New Zealand sedge
Living Fence	14	Rhododendron	'Vera'
Living Fence	15	Hesperantha coccinea		crimson flag, river lily
Living Fence	16	Salvia microphylla	'Hot lips'	salvia
Living Fence	17	Philadelphus	'Buckley's Quill'	double-flowered mock orange	T
Living Fence	18	Dicentra formosa		Pacific bleeding heart
Living Fence	19	Ceanothus gloriosus		Point Reyes ceanothus, California lilac		N
Living Fence	20	Anemone hupehensis		Japanese anemone
Living Fence	21	Berberis thunbergii	'Crimson Pygmy'	dwarf barberry
Living Fence	22	Polygonatum biflorum		Solomon's seal
Living Fence	23	Ginkgo biloba		ginkgo, maidenhair tree	T
Living Fence	25	Phlox
Living Fence	28	Betula papyrifera		paper birch		N
Living Fence	29	Carex oshimensis	'Evergold'	variegated sedge
Living Fence	30	Cotinus coggygria	'Purpureus'	smoke tree
Living Fence	32	Weigela rosea, (syn. W. florida)		pink weigela
Living Fence	34	Cornus sericea (syn. C. stolonifera)	'Flaviramea'	golden twig dogwood
Living Fence	36	Lavatera		annual mallow, rose mallow
Pond	none	Nymphaea		waterlily (pale yellow turns to pink)
Pond	none	Nymphaea		variegated water lily
Pond	none	Nymphaea		water lily (red)
Pond	none	Nymphaea		water lily
Pond	none	Pontederia cordata		pickeral rush
Pond	none	Thalia dealbata		powdery alligator-flag
Pond East	NEP002	Acer palmatum		Japanese maple	T
Pond East	NEP003	Adiantum aleuticum		western maidenhair fern		N
Pond East	NEP006	Amelanchier canadensis		eastern serviceberry, Canadian serviceberry	T
Pond East	NEP043	Cornus stolonifera		red osier dogwood		N
Pond East	NEP051	Hosta	'Golden Tiara'	plantain lily
Pond East	NEP083	Phedimus kamtschaticus (syn. Sedum kamchaticum)		creeping stonecrop
Pond East	NEP107	Sambucus nigra	'Eva'	European elderberry	T
Pond East	NEP113	Hamamelis x intermedia	'Diane'	witch hazel
Pond East	NEP132	Dryopteris erythrosora		Autumn fern
Pond East	NEP133	Rhododendron	'Gaiety'	azalea
Pond East	NEP183	Hosta	'Royal Standard'	plantain lily
Pond East	NEP184	Hosta fortunei	'Fortunei Aureomarginata'	plantain lily
Pond East	NEP185	Hosta sieboldiana	'Elegans'	plantain lily
Pond East	NEP186	Anemone blanda		Grecian windflower
Pond East	NEP200	Pteridium filix-femina		lady fern		N
Pond East	none	Dryopteris erythrosora		autumn fern
Pond East	none	Physocarpus opulifolius	'Seward'	summer wine ninebark
Pond East	NSE014	Brunnera macrophylla	'Jack Frost'	Siberian bugloss
Pond East	NSP068	Geranium pratense	'Brookside'	purple hardy geranium
Pond North (Back)	NNP030	Carex buchananii		leatherleaf sedge
Pond North (Back)	NNP043	Cornus stolonifera		red osier dogwood		N
Pond North (Back)	NNP044	Cornus sericea	'Flaviramea'	yellow twig dogwood
Pond North (Back)	NNP059	Eutrochium fistulosum		Joe-Pye weed
Pond North (Back)	NNP065	Iris sibirica		Siberian iris
Pond North (Back)	NNP072	Phlomis fruticosa		Jerusalem sage
Pond North (Back)	NNP149	Ribes indecorum		white-flowering currant
Pond North (Back)	NNP150	Ribes sanguineum		red-flowering currant		N
Pond North (Back)	NNP154	Salix matsudana	'Tortuosa'	corkscrew willow	T
Pond North (Back)	NNP156	Lonicera involucrata		twinberry, bush honeysuckle		N
Pond North (Back)	none	Quercus garryana		Garry oak		N
Pond Northeast Entry	NNE016	Aruncus dioicus		goatsbeard		N
Pond Northeast Entry	NNE024	Calamagrostis	'Karl Foerster'	feather reed grass
Pond Northeast Entry	NNE056	Lamprocapnos (syn. Dicentra) cucullaria		Dutchman's breeches, bleeding heart		N
Pond Northeast Entry	NNE127	Cercis canadensis		eastern redbud	T
Pond Northeast Entry	NNE138	Rhododendron	'Roseum Elegans'
Pond Northeast Entry	NNE144	Erica carnea		pink spring/winter heath
Pond Northeast Entry	NWP050	Deutzia scabra	'Pride of Rochester'	fuzzy deutzia
Pond South (Front)	NSP019	Berberis thunbergii	'Crimson Pygmy'	dwarf barberry
Pond South (Front)	NSP031	Heuchera		coral bells
Pond South (Front)	NSP090	Kolkwitzia amabilis		beautybush
Pond South (Front)	NSP093	Pieris japonica	'Valley Rose'	valley rose pieris
Pond South (Front)	NSP100	Uncinia rubra	'Red Hook'	varigated sedge
Pond South (Front)	NSP103	Mahonia repens		creeping Oregon grape		N
Pond South (Front)	NSP114	Pennisetum alopecuroides	'Moudry'	black fountain grass
Pond South (Front)	NSP115	Carex buchananii		New Zealand sedge
Pond South (Front)	NSP178	Crocosmia masoniorum	'Lucifer'	montbretia
Pond South (Front)	NSP183	Hosta	'Royal Standard'	plantain lily
Pond West	none	Melissa officinalis		lemon balm
Pond West	NWP025	Origanum vulgare		oregano
Pond West	NWP027	Primula juliae	'Sue Jervis'	primrose
Pond West	NWP035	Ceanothus thyrsiflorus	'Blue Blossom'	California lilac
Pond West	NWP036	Centranthus ruber		red valerian, Jupiter's beard
Pond West	NWP063	Fuchsia magellanica	'Alba'	hardy fuchsia
Pond West	NWP071	Gunnera tinctoria		chilean rhubarb, dinosaur food
Pond West	NWP077	Helleborus orientalis	'Royal Heritage'	lenten rose
Pond West	NWP099	Koelreuteria paniculata		golden rain tree	T
Pond West	NWP100	Uncinia rubra	'Belinda's Find'	red hook sedge
Pond West	NWP115	Carex buchananii		New Zealand sedge
Pond West	NWP130	Polystichum munitum		western swordfern		N
Pond West	NWP131	Potentilla		cinquefoil
Pond West	NWP147	Rhododendron occidentale	'Irene Koster'	deciduous western azalea		N
Pond West	NWP150	Ribes sanguineum		red-flowering currant		N
Pond West	NWP180	Allium schoenoprasum		chive
The Corner	21	Berberis thunbergii	'Crimson Pygmy'	dwarf barberry
The Corner	35	Cornus florida	'Rutgan'	stellar pink flowering dogwood	T
The Corner	36	Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus (syn. H. flava)		lemon daylily
The Corner	37	Cornus sericea (syn. C. stolonifera)	'Flaviramea'	golden twig dogwood
The Corner	39	Penstemon centranthifolius		scarlet bugler
The Corner	40	Hypericum palatum	'Hidcote'	St. John's wort
The Corner	42	Garrya eliptica		silk tassel bush		N
The Corner	43	Smilacina racemosa		false Solomon's seal		N
The Corner	45	Picea omorika		Serbian spruce	T
The Corner	46	Cornus stolonifera		red osier dogwood		N
The Corner	47	Rhododendron	'Taurus'
The Corner	48	unknown
The Corner	50	Picea abies	'Elegans'	dwarf Norway birds-nest spruce
The Corner	53	Brunnera
The Corner	53	Rhododendron ponticum	'Blue Peter'
The Corner	55	Lonicera involucrata		twinberry, bush honeysuckle
The Corner	NSE010	Brunnera macrophylla
The Corner	NSE015	Rhododendron thomsonii
The Corner	NSE023	Hemerocallis fulva	'Stella de Oro'	daylily
The Corner	NSE034	Carex oshimensis	'Evergold'	golden Japanese sedge
The Corner	NSE045	Cornus sericea (syn. C. stolonifera)	'Silver and Gold'	yellow twig dogwood, variegated
The Corner	NSE048	Crocosmia		montbretia
The Corner	NSE049	Brunnera macrophylla		Siberian bugloss
The Corner	NSE064	Fuchsia magellanica	'Riccartonii'	hardy fuchsia
The Corner	NSE078	Hemerocallis fulva		orange daylily, tawny daylily
The Corner	NSE080	Holodiscus discolor		ocean spray		N
The Corner	NSE082	Hydrangea macrophylla		hydrangea
The Corner	NSE087	Cornus florida	'Rutgan'	stellar pink dogwood	T
The Corner	NSE089	Drynaria filix-mas		buckler fern, male fern		N
The Corner	NSE097	Hemerocallis	'Pink Damask'	daylily
The Corner	NSE102	Mahonia aquifolium		tall Oregon grape		N
The Corner	NSE111	Oemleria cerasiformis		Indian plum, osoberry		N
The Corner	NSE119	conver	'Purple Prince'	cape fuchsia
The Corner	NSE123	Pinus contorta		shore pine	T	N
The Corner	NSE130	Polystichum munitum		western swordfern		N
The Corner	NSE145	Hamamelis		witch hazel
The Corner	NSE153	Veronica repens		creeping veronica, creeping speedwell
The Corner	NSE163	Asplenium (Phyllitis) scolopendrium		wavyleaf hart's tongue fern
The Corner	NSE204	Polystichum polyblepharum		tassel fern
The Corner	NSE205	Adiantum venustum		Himalayan maidenhair fern
The Corner	NSE206	Osmunda regalis	'Purpurascens'	purple-stem royal fern
The Corner	NSE207	Polystichum aff. Neolobatum		long-eared fern, shiny holly fern
The Corner	NSE208	Polypodum scouleri		Scouler's native hanging fern