oak trees

The Case of the Majestic Oak Tree

by Kathy Vilim 7 Comments

Deer Enjoying Coast Live Oak in Topanga State Park Meadow, Photo by venturacountytrails.org

As I walk up the road with my old dog, on a journey so familiar to us both, I pass under the Cottonwoods and notice they are already turning yellow-brown and.. dropping their leaves! In mid-August? This is unheard of in So California. But there it is: big piles of already fallen leaves wind-swept [...]

Filed Under: Native Trees and Shrubs Tagged With: birds, butterflies, California, California native trees, Chaparral, Deer, ecosystem, food for wildlife, global warming, native trees, oak trees, owls, squirrels, Topanga, trees, wildlife, wildlife garden, wildlife gardener

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!