Bear with me today as I deviate from a strictly garden topic which is usually the focus of this column. The reason? Sometimes garden inspiration comes from a visit to a non-gardened site, which was the case earlier this week when several friends and I gathered to take a nature walk in Pogonip Open Space Park in memory of a mutual friend who often walked there. We managed to fit our hike between rain storms. Freshly washed leaves sparkled with drops of moisture and the clear conditions allowed fabulous sweeping views across Monterey Bay; even the power plant in Moss Landing was fully visible. Spring had arrived since my last visit to Pogonip, with many native and non-native wildflowers in bloom or budded. The trees and deciduous plants (including poison oak) had tiny new leaves unfurling and we could hear bird song everywhere. We spotted several signs that the annual breeding and nesting season has begun for some avian species; we watched a Chestnut-backed Chickadee investigating a natural cavity in an old oak as a potential nest site, and had close looks at a tiny Pacific Wren belting out his rollicking song in his territory, a mossy tangle of downed branches and old plant debris.
Pogonip, like other county and state parks in our area, has its challenges. Often underfunded staff is charged with coping with illegal camping and other potentially damaging or dangerous activities by our own species. Trash and the kind of debris left behind by human visitors must be removed. There is a constant battle to prevent invasive non-native plants from crowding out the flora that naturally occurs there. Erosion control is sometimes necessary, and after big storms, the trails often need to be cleared and renovated. And in our long dry season, the constant danger of fire must be monitored, with an action plan in place should the worst happen. Education and access for the public on all of these topics must be planned, funded and provided. So when I visit this park or others like it, I am aware that I am grateful to the staff and to the volunteers that keep the space open and usable, for the human visitors like me, but also for all the many creatures who live there.
What a treasure our parks are! Pogonip is especially cherished because it is right on the edge of the city with all of its traffic, noise and busyness, but miles away in the feeling of quiet, wilderness and peace that it imparts. The visit was a strong reminder that I don’t always want my own garden to be too tamed, too civilized so that it will welcome some wild critters, and can provide a similar place of peace and solitude for my own spirit. I want to include shelter, food, water and nesting sites for birds and other wildlife, which means leaving space for some downed wood and dense shrubby growth, and allowing some plants to assume their natural shape. And I want to grow and protect a number of those plants that produce food for wildlife.
One resource for gardeners with similar goals is the National Wildlife Federation program that certifies sustainable wildlife-friendly gardens; the requirements to qualify for garden certification include what is called “cover.” NWF describes it this way: “Wildlife need places to hide to feel safe from people, predators, and inclement weather. Native vegetation is a perfect cover for terrestrial wildlife. Shrubs, thickets and brush piles provide great hiding places within their bushy leaves and thorns. Even dead trees work, as they are home to lots of different animals, including some that use tree cavities and branches for nesting and perching.” If this interests you, visit the NWF web site at www.nwf.org/garden-for-wildlife.aspx to learn how you can provide a home for our native birds, butterflies and other insects and small mammals. And consider volunteering in our local parks: see www.scparks.com/Home/EmploymentVolunteering/VolunteerOpportunities.aspx for the county and www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=886 for the state.
Garden tips are provided courtesy of horticulturist Sharon Hull of the San Lorenzo Garden Center. Contact her at 831 423-0223.
