By Kim Cantrell, Little Bird Gardens
April is National Native Plant Appreciation Month. It began in 2003 as a weeklong observance, sparked by a conversation between Fred Weinmann, President of the Washington Native Plant Society (WNPS), and Bill Brookreson, a state board member.
“Native Plant Appreciation Month celebrates all the individuals and groups who have contributed to the preservation of Washington’s native flora. These efforts include managing invasive species, tracking rare species, and protecting and restoring native plant habitats. Education also plays a critical role, helping teach the public about the importance of native plants to our heritage and natural ecosystems.”
This year’s theme is “Exploring Biodiversity: Exercises in Community Science.”
I decided to take on the journey of cataloging the native plants on my property – both those that were already here and those I’ve planted over the past ten years. Much to my surprise, I’ve cataloged over 50 different native species. Of those, I’ve introduced 14. Several others appeared over the years on their own, and the rest are naturally occurring.
Some species already on the property include familiar Vashon natives: Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata), the ubiquitous Evergreen Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum), Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum), and Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta).
Some of my favorites are:
- Ocean Spray (Holodiscus discolor), which invites the Bushtits each year with its prolific seed heads. I love watching the whole flock dangle from the branches, their tiny tweet-tweets filling the air. They used to come just for a short time in August, but this year they lingered into fall and early winter.
- Pacific Dogwood (Cornus nuttallii), which is a breathtaking sight when in full bloom among the Douglas Firs. Although tall and spindly from the shade, their creamy white flowers brighten the canopy in spring.
- Deciduous Huckleberry (Vaccinium parvifolium), whose spring foliage is a bright chartreuse that pops against the dark green of Evergreen Huckleberry and Douglas Fir.
What else should I include on this special list? I’d also choose Snowbrush (Ceanothus velutinus), which I uncovered years ago under a tangle of blackberries. It’s now thriving with the added light, and to my delight, I found a seedling last year that’s also doing well.
There have been new discoveries since I had some old Alders taken down and let the sun shine through. Fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium) appeared, along with Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea). And this spring, I discovered for the first time on the property, Red-Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum). I credit the birds for this lovely new addition! I also identified a Cascara (Frangula purshiana) along the driveway – previously mistaken for a funny-looking Alder. Joke’s on me.
The increased sunlight has also caused Trailing Blackberry (Rubus ursinus) to take off. I’m not a fan of the tripping hazard, so I let it be in some areas and remove it where I’m “grooming” the woodland. By grooming, I mean keeping invasives at bay while continuing my quest to add native plants and promote biodiversity.
There’s a huge Bigleaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum) nestled among the firs that puts on a brilliant golden show in the fall. The Bitter Cherry (Prunus emarginata) was a wonderful surprise the first year I noticed it – it was buzzing with bees, so much so that I could hear them from the front porch. I haven’t seen bees on it since, and I can only guess the bloom time hasn’t lined up with their emergence. Spring temperatures have been inconsistent, and unfortunately, the blooms and bees haven’t synced up. The same has happened with my Snowbrush.
Over the last ten years, I’ve added:
- Vine Maples (Acer circinatum) as understory trees.
- Mock Orange (Philadelphus lewisii), a wonderful attractor for swallowtail butterflies.
- Nootka Rose (Rosa nutkana) – not quite a thicket yet, but it’s taking off.
- Pacific Wax Myrtle (Myrica californica), which draws in yellow-rumped warblers.
I’ve also added the all-important Garry Oak (Quercus garryana). Oaks, along with Willows, are keystone species – plants that provide essential habitat for the most insects and wildlife, vital to a healthy ecosystem.
One thing I’ve done with all my woodland plantings is not water them. Ideally, they should establish without supplemental water. I also don’t amend the soil – they can thrive in our native conditions. I planted a Mock Orange in the woods two years ago that appeared to die, and it wasn’t in great shape to begin with. But this spring, to my amazement, it came back strong from the base. Natives are resilient! Now, I just have to protect it from the deer until it’s large enough.
I’ve also been working on a perennial native border in the upper woods, which runs alongside my fenced ornamental gardens. I added focal shrubs like Silk Tassel (Garrya elliptica) and have been filling in with Goldenrod (Solidago), Douglas Aster (Symphyotrichum subspicatum), and Checkermallow (Sidalcea). This year, I plan to add some Cascade Beardtonge (Penstemon serrulatus), Inside-out flower (Vancouveria hexandra), Scouler’s Corydalis (Corydalis scouleri), and Western Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa).
For years, I didn’t look closely – I thought my woods were just full of Alder, Doug Fir, Huckleberry, Sword Fern, lots of Salmonberry, and Hazelnut, with not much else. But as I spent time tidying up areas over the years, I’ve been amazed at the diversity my five acres hold. I imagine if you took time to explore your woods slowly and deliberately, you’d be surprised too at how much native diversity can lie in such a small space.
I hope you’ll take time to appreciate our local natives by exploring the Vashon woods and walking the Island’s vast trail system (Island Center Forest is a favorite). Look up, down, and all around at the immense beauty of native trees, shrubs, perennials, ferns – and so much more.
Meet Kim Cantrell, Nursery owner and native plant advocate. Kim has been growing gardens since 1996. In 2020, she launched Little Bird Gardens to offer plants especially suited to the Pacific Northwest. After moving to a five-acre forested property, her focus deepened for natives: today, Kim champions native plants through her thoughtfully curated nursery collection.
