The Art of Creating Refuge- Planting a Native Plant Garden

Refuge- it’s personal where one feels a sense of peace and security.  In the last few years, numerous of my natural refuges have been destroyed by wildfires, development, and clearing for agriculture. There is no stopping it. Climate change marches on despite my best efforts.  I live lightly, donate money, and write letters without the satisfaction of seeing much change.  Thus I’ve taken to the one thing I do have control over which is my own backyard. I mean that in a literal sense.

I’m starting to take one section of my yard at a time and rewilding it by putting it into a native plant garden.  I really don’t know what I am doing but thus far determination and a boatload of good advice have been enough despite my fears.  It was a big deal to have a dump truck arrive and deposit 5 yards of soil in the middle of my driveway then the following week spend over a thousand dollars on native plants. Vison is a strong force when you act on it.

Yesterday a dear friend, Ellen, and fellow botany nerd from university days made the drive to help me place the multitude of plants in this initial 21 x 28’ section. I purchased them from Bosky Dell Natives in West Linn Oregon.  Their advice has been invaluable in this project.

Today I will start the planting process in time to experience the spring bloom.  I am excited to see what will manifest and what birds and pollinators will be attracted by my efforts.  There is magic waiting to happen!

If you would like to follow along in my journey in a more detailed way (and maybe get inpired yourself), check out my posts over at my blog dedicated to sustainability, onesweetearth.blog.

(The Home Yard as Natural Ecosystem, Thinking Outside the Lawn, Creating my Native Plant Garden Phase I)

Refuge

I

find

refuge

in

the purr of a cat

the pages of a book

the quilts of my bed

the laugh of a river

the company of friends

the songs of the birds

the whirr of bumblebees

the peace of my garden

All images by the author