The California Wildlife Habitat Garden

by Bauer, Nancy

• ISBN13: 9780520267817
• ISBN10: 0520267818
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-08-08
• Publisher: Univ of California Pr

Summary

This attractive, practical guide explains how to transform backyard gardens into living ecosystems that are not only enjoyable retreats for humans, but also thriving sanctuaries for wildlife. Beautifully illustrated with full-color photographs, this book provides easy-to-follow recommendations for providing food, cover, and water for birds, bees, butterflies, and other small animals. Emphasizing individual creativity over conventional design, Bauer asks us to consider the intricate relationships between plants and wildlife and our changing role as steward, rather than manipulator, of these relationships. In an engaging narrative that endorses simple and inexpensive methods of wildlife habitat gardening, Nancy Bauer discusses practices such as recycling plant waste on site, using permeable pathways, growing regionally appropriate plants, and avoiding chemical fertilizers and insecticides. She suggests ways of attracting pollinators through planting choices and offers ideas for building water sources and shelters for wildlife. A plant resource guide, tips for propagating plants, seasonal plants for hummingbirds, and host plants for butterflies round out The California Wildlife Habitat Garden, making it an indispensable primer for those about to embark on creating their own biologically diverse, environmentally friendly garden.

Author Biography

Nancy Bauer is a writer and garden instructor based in Sonoma County. She has taught classes for the San Francisco Botanical Garden, the UC Davis Master Gardener Program, the National Wildlife Stewardship Program, and numerous garden and nature organizations throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. She is the author of The Habitat Garden Book: Wildlife Landscaping for the San Francisco Bay Region.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. viii
Why Garden for Wildlife?	p. xi
Growing a Wildlife Garden: The Adler Garden, Walnut Creek	p. 1
Bird Habitat: From Quail to Hummingbirds: Quail Hollow, Tujunga	p. 33
The Pollinator Garden: Butterflies, Bees, and Other Beneficial Insects Charlotte's Habitat, Novato	p. 67
The Wildlife Pond: The Biggses' Pond, Sebastopol	p. 107
Front Yard Habitat: Burying the Lawn Aesthetic The Blackstone Monarch Habitat, San Jose The Pacheco Wildlife Garden, Fountain Valley The LaMar-Goerke Wildlife Garden, Mill Valley	p. 129
Appendices: Starting a Habitat Garden	p. 167
Natural Gardening Guidelines	p. 168
Native Plant Communities	p. 175
Oaks in the Landscape	p. 179
Plants for Hedgerows	p. 184
Seasonal Plants for Hummingbirds	p. 188
Common California Butterflies and Host Plants	p. 193
Top Nectar and Pollen Plant Families	p. 198
Invasive Pest Plants	p. 209
Sources of California Native Plants	p. 211
Books and Resources	p. 216
Bibliography	p. 221
Plant Index	p. 225
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.