August 2023 Plant Availability |
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Greetings Laura,
It's hard to believe we've already made it to the dog days of summer! There's nothing like the sunshine, mild temperatures, and bounty of beaches that make us especially grateful to call the Bay Area home this time of year. To the casual observer, our beaches may appear as relatively barren stretches of sand, but nothing could be further from the truth! California's sandy beaches provide habitat for a plethora of plants and animals, serving as a crucial link between marine and terrestrial environments.
Sand is a huge part of our San Francisco Bay ecosystem, and it’s taken a long journey over centuries to congregate here. Several millennia ago, the Pacific Ocean’s relentless action and the erosion of the Sierra Nevada brought granite sand south through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and eventually washed into the Bay where it’s been joined by sand from other rivers and creeks to create sand dunes. Over time, much of that sand has been carried inland with the help of westerly winds and rising sea levels, or it’s continued the journey southward carried by currents to build up beaches down the coast.
Gardeners who have the good fortune of living on or near the coast know that seaside settings are gorgeous but can pose some challenges for growing plants--particularly the nutrient-poor sandy soils, salt laden winds, alkaline conditions, and seasonally cool temperatures. Luckily, there are numerous California native plants adapted to these coastal conditions, no soil amendment required. Plus, they will attract a diversity of wildlife to your garden!
Below are the best of our low-growing, drought tolerant, seaside adapted species that we affectionately call our “Coastal Crawlers” :) These species are incredibly hardy and versatile, so they're well adapted to sand, gravel, and even clay soil as long as they have pretty good drainage. They make wonderful ground covers in coastal gardens, hanging container plants, or you can utilize their colorful flowers to bring the beach to your own backyard farther inland in spots with some partial shade.
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Available in D-16 pots for $6.60 each!
- A rare perennial herb native to the west coast that grows primarily in moist spots along the coastal mountains and down to oceanside bluffs
- Grows upright or spreading, from 4 in. to 1.5 ft. tall
- Showy pea-like flowers have a bright yellow upper petal and bright pink to white lower petals
- Likes a lot of sun and well-draining soil
- Pairs beautifully with a mix of annuals and herbaceous perennials like Gilia, CA Poppies, Columbines, Milkweed, and small succulents (Dudleya sp.)!
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- A true beach perennial, this species prefers sun and sand of the coastal dunes and scrub
- Grows in loose, thick, green mats of foliage with sweet little trumpet shaped flowers forming bright balls of sunshine color
- Great as a prostrate ground cover, usually only growing 4-5 in. tall and about 2 ft. wide (Space 18-24 in. apart)
- Has a long bloom period from March to October
- Like most coastal natives, its foliage is fleshy like a succulent
- Fantastic nectar plant for butterflies in sandy sunny coastal gardens
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- Prostrate annual or perennial with thick fleshy leaves and vibrant pink-purple flowers that bloom year-round!
- Grows best in full sun with fast draining soils and low moisture; may be summer semi-deciduous under stress
- Commonly used in bee gardens, butterfly gardens, and is a colorful carpet-like ground cover
- The striking flowers are especially fragrant at night and are very attractive to moths
- Pairs beautifully with Yellow Sand Verbena, Seaside Daisy, Seaside Woolly Sunflower, Beach Primrose, Beach Strawberry, and Coastal Sagewort
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- Low, spreading, fast-growing perennial that forms dense mats of light silvery-green foliage 2-4 ft. wide and 6-12 in. tall (Space 3-4 ft. apart)
- Ground-hugging habit makes this species an excellent choice for erosion control in sandy soil
- It’s also an excellent container plant farther inland
- Likes to reseed
- Canary yellow flowers turn red as they age and bloom in great numbers from April through August
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Available in 4” pots for $7.15 each!
- Naturally occurring in a wide variety of California coastal plant communities including Coastal Scrub, Redwood Forest, Woodland, Chaparral, and even Wetland-Riparian!
- Highly adaptable deciduous perennial that reseeds vigorously in the right conditions (full sun, low water, and a well-draining sandy to loam soil)
- Tolerant of drought (and a moderate amount of snow)
- Large yellow flowers bloom from late spring through mid summer
- The tall flower stalks attract several moths like the Lined Sphinx Moth at night and the seeds attract Goldfinches
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- Low-growing perennial that reaches 1 ft. high x 2 ft. wide
- It’s bright purple daisy-like flowers and soft-green foliage are delightful additions to sunny coastal gardens with summer fog
- Fantastic nectar plant for butterflies, with a long blooming period from early spring through late summer.
- Dead-head finished flowers to encourage fresh new blooms
- Monkey flowers, Sages, and Douglas Irises are all happy companions of this species
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Available in 4" pots for $7.15 each!
- Small herbaceous perennial that form tight mound of grass-like leaves up to 4 in. tall on top of a stout taproot
- Tufts will spread slowly 8-12 in. wide (space 9-12 in. apart)
- Pom pom shaped clusters of long lasting pink-purple flowers provide nectar to a myriad of butterflies
- An excellent plant for rock gardens or perennial borders
- Performs best with well-draining soil in part shade inland or full sun along the coast
- Very durable, drought tolerant, and downright beautiful!
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Available in 4” pots for $7.15 each!
- Fast-growing, evergreen, spreading perennial that grows to about 6 in. tall and 1 ft. wide (space 1-1.5 ft. apart)
- Grows well in a variety of garden situations with full sun to part shade, dry to moderate moisture, a variety of soil types (especially loam and sand)
- Produces little edible strawberries (although birds and small mammals may get to them first)!
- Beach Strawberry is a fantastic groundcover as it covers the ground with glossy dark evergreen foliage and bright white flowers with yellow centers that bloom from in early spring
- Prune annually to refresh and prevent thick-layered colonies
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- Sprawling perennial that grows about 1 ft. tall and 5 ft. wide (Space 3-5 ft. apart)
- It grows on sand dunes and gravelly spots along the California coast, so it prefers full sun, and a sandy, well-draining soil
- This plant smells sweet and is used as medicine for strength and healing– its genus name is from the Greek “ambrosia” meaning “food or drink of immortality”
- Host plant for a number of butterflies and moths, and its seeds are an important winter food for many bird species
- A wonderful choice for bank stabilization and pollinator gardens
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- Beach Salt Bush is a short, sprawling perennial that reaches a maximum height of about 1 ft. tall
- Native to beach dunes and other sandy areas of the coastline of California, Baja California, and the Channel Islands
- Although technically a wetland species, in garden settings Beach Salt Bush prefers good drainage.
- Great choice for mixed borders
- Named for the pale olive-green leaves that are often covered with salt crystals
- The vivid yellow-green flowers bloom from mid spring to mid fall, one of the longest bloom periods in the Atriplex genus
- Host plant of the Pygmy Blue butterfly and important seed source for birds
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Stay Safe, 'Bee' Well, and Go Natives!
Happy Planting from all of us at The Watershed Nursery <3
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Open Tuesday - Sunday 10am - 4pm
Closed Mondays & holidays
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