Coastal Sage Scrub

Monkeys for Butterflies

by Kathy Vilim 13 Comments

Monkeyflowers in Topanga Canyon, Photo: Kathy Vilim

“When it comes to supplying food for other animals, no group of insects surpasses the moths and butterflies….. If we were forced to care for only one group of insects in our restored suburban landscape, we would do well to choose Lepidoptera” Doug Tallamy It’s June in Southern California, and Monkeyflowers cover the hillsides, [...]

Filed Under: Insects: Butterflies and Moths Tagged With: beneficial wildlife, birds, Buckeye Butterfly, buckwheat, butterflies, butterfly, butterfly garden, California, California native gardener, caterpillar, Chaparral, Chaparral landscape, Coastal Sage Scrub, Doug Tallamy, Eriogonum, food for wildlife, larvae, larval host, Mimulus, Monkeyflower, native butterfly host plants, native gardener, native plants, Santa Monica Mountains, Southern California, Topanga Canyon, wildlife, wildlife garden

Happy Trails

by Kathy Vilim 19 Comments

Parker Mesa Overlook, Topanga State Park, CA, Photo by venturacountytrails.org

Trails. They take us on a journey from here to there, from beginning to end, from past to future.. Trails are the way we are able to observe wildlands. Whether they are trails made by rangers through Parklands or National Forest, they weave through the countryside inviting us to come along. Trails are not static, [...]

Filed Under: Places to Visit Tagged With: Backbone Trail, California, Catalina, Chamise, Chaparral, Chaparral landscape, Coastal Sage Scrub, Coyote, footsteps, hiking, indians, native plants, pawprints, sagebrush, Santa Monica Mountains, sumac, Topanga, Topanga Canyon, toyon, trails, waterfall, wildlands, wildlife, wildlife corridor

White Sage of the California Chaparral

by Kathy Vilim 18 Comments

White Sage (Salvia apiana) Flowers Get Lots of Attention from Hummingbirds, Photo Courtesy of Las Pilitas Nursery

Ah, the sweet scent of Sage in the Canyon~ Nothing says Topanga like the hillsides covered in the fragrant Sages. I let my dog run through the Sage bushes, knowing he will come back smelling so good! Right now, I am smelling Sage coming from my neighbor Marcie’s house. Is she burning incense? [...]

Filed Under: Native Perennials Tagged With: Anna's Hummingbirds, bumblebees, Chaparral, Chumash, Coastal Sage Scrub, drought tolerant, medicinal plants, native American Indian tribes, native garden plant, native plant, native sage, plants to attract hummingbirds, pollinators, sage, salvia, Santa Monica Mountains, smudge stick, smudging ritual, Tongva, Topanga, Topanga Canyon, wasps, white sage

Planning a Butterfly Garden

by Kathy Vilim 19 Comments

buckeye_butterfly_on_a_rabbitbrush_2_header

Photo courtesy of Las Pilitas nursery The Pasadena Rose Parade is behind us now, but the weather it is famous for remains: clear, sunny skies and short-sleeve temperatures. January, what better time for the California native gardener to start a new Wildlife Garden! In reflecting on last year’s garden, I have decided that I don’t [...]

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Filed Under: Insects: Butterflies and Moths Tagged With: Buckeye Butterfly, butterflies, butterfly, butterfly friendly plants, butterfly garden, California, California Buckeye, California Sister Butterfly, California Sycamore, caterpillars, Chaparral, Coast Live Oak, Coastal Sage Scrub, Cottonwood, drought tolerant, garden plans, host plants, insects, larval host, Lepidoptera, Mimulus, Monarch, Monkeyflower, native butterfly host plants, native gardener, native perennials, native plant garden, native plants, native plants for butterflies, nectar, nectar plants, oak trees, Rabbitbrush, sage, Salvias, Santa Monica Mountains, springtime, toyon, Western Swallowtail Butterfly, wildlife garden

We Want:

To redefine beautiful
To start a positive conversation
To become stewards of our properties
To help wildlife in our gardens
To choose plants that help wildlife
To plant more native plants
To remove invasive plants
To talk about the birds and the bees (And the flowers and the trees)
To encourage bugs
To plant for butterflies
To love frogs and toads
To welcome bats
To practice sustainable landscaping
To use water wisely
To use no harmful chemicals

To Show that all of this is BEAUTIFUL!