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Butterfly and Songbird Garden

The Butterfly and Songbird Garden provides food sources and shelter for a variety of butterflies and small birds while providing you with a source of beauty and color. This all California native plant palette requires little water and is easy to maintain. This garden embraces the casual and colorful feel of a classic cottage garden, with a modern and eco-friendly plant palette that gives back to the local environment!

Design plans

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Eve Case California Coffeeberry
Eve Case California Coffeeberry

Eve Case California Coffeeberry

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Red Buckwheat

Red Buckwheat

Red Buckwheat

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Lilac Verbena
Palmer's Mallow Lilac Verbena See Details
Margarita foothill penstemon

Margarita foothill penstemon

Margarita foothill penstemon

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Desert willow + cvs
Desert willow + cvs

Desert willow + cvs

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Western Redbud

Western Redbud

Western Redbud

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Golden Currant

Golden Currant

Golden Currant

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Yarrow

Yarrow

Yarrow

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Hummingbird Sage

Hummingbird Sage

Hummingbird Sage

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Butterfly-and-Songbird-garden_XL_LABELS-01.jpg
Eve case California coffeeberry

Eve Case California coffeeberry

Eve Case California coffeeberry

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California coffeeberry

California coffeeberry

California coffeeberry

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Santa Cruz Island buckwheat

Santa Cruz Island buckwheat

Santa Cruz Island buckwheat

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Howard McMinn Manzanita

Howard McMinn Manzanita

Howard McMinn Manzanita

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Desert mallow
Desert mallow

Desert mallow

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Allen Chickering sage

Allen Chickering sage

Allen Chickering sage

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Palmer's mallow
Palmer's mallow

Palmer's mallow

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Red buckwheat
Red buckwheat

Red buckwheat

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Lilac verbena
Lilac verbena

Lilac verbena

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Margarita foothill penstemon
Margarita foothill penstemon

Margarita foothill penstemon

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Toyon
Toyon

Toyon

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Deer grass
Deer grass

Deer grass

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Showy penstemon

Showy penstemon

Showy penstemon

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Hollyleaf cherry

Hollyleaf cherry

Hollyleaf cherry

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Desert willow

Desert willow

Desert willow

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Sunset manzanita

Sunset manzanita

Sunset manzanita

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Wildflowers detail

Sparrow with wildflowers

Annual wildflowers (optional)

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Wildflowers detail

Sparrow with wildflowers

Annual wildflowers (optional)

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Description

For maximum support to songbirds, be sure to have at least one elevated birdbath, and ideally change the water daily, especially in warm weather, to keep it clean and sanitary for the birds, and to prevent mosquitos. If you have room for more than one, baths of different sizes or depths will attract a wider range of birds. A more affordable way to provide this is to use ceramic saucers (like what would be underneath a potted plant) placed on top of large logs or anything else to elevate them approximately 2 or so above the ground.

A saucer filled with a combination of sand and gravel, and then filled with water will sometimes be used by butterflies for a drink. However, I have also had gardens where the butterflies never seem to use these when they can find a wet spot of mulch or garden soil for a small drink.

This plant palette is available as an option for the Waterwise Community Center’s Landscape Design Assistance Program. Visit cbwcd.org/design for more details.

The plants in the Butterfly and Songbird Garden palette are easy to grow and are adapted to a wide range of soils, from sand to clay. Most of the plants require full sun, which means six or more hours of direct sunlight throughout the year. One of the plants, creeping barberry, prefers part-day sun or shade. Part shade areas can utilize some of the plants in the group: Lilac verbena, hummingbird sage, creeping barberry, and coffeeberry. North facing areas, up against houses and garages, will be shady much of the year, and full sun in the summer months. For these situations, coffeeberry, creeping barberry, and golden current will be particularly useful. Additional plants that can be added for shady or north-facing areas include yarrow and California strawberry.

The plants in this palette are easy to care for and generally do not require any pruning more than once or twice per year to keep them looking great in the garden, but it is important to do it at the right time of year for each plant. Refer to the “maintenance” entry for each individual plant.

The Butterfly and Songbird garden provides a variety of flower and leaf colors and textures as well as colorful berries through a large portion of the year. While this palette focuses on providing resources, including nectar and berries, to wildlife this results in a long season of color for us humans to enjoy as well. Consider contrasting leaf color, leaf shape, and plant form in your design, and setting up views that layer trees and larger shrubs behind medium sized shrubs and grasses, behind the lower perennials from the main views from which you will look at your landscape.

The Butterfly and Songbird garden provides a variety of flower and leaf colors and textures as well as colorful berries through a large portion of the year. While this palette focuses on providing resources, including nectar and berries, to wildlife this results in a long season of color for us humans to enjoy as well. Consider contrasting leaf color, leaf shape, and plant form in your design, and setting up views that layer trees and larger shrubs behind medium sized shrubs and grasses, behind the lower perennials from the main views from which you will look at your landscape.

 

Low Water Use Plants – Irrigation Schedule 2

 Jan*Feb*Mar*AprMayJunJulAugSepOctNov*Dec*
Runs per Month0x to 2x0x to 2x0x to 2x1x to 2x1x to 2x1x to 2x1x to 2x1x to 2x1x to 2x1x to 2x0x to 2x0x to 2x
Inches per Run1″1″1″1″1″1″1″1″1″1″1″1″
 
Inches per Month0″ to 2″0″ to 2″0″ to 2″1″ to 2″1″ to 2″1″ to 2″1″ to 2″1″ to 2″1″ to 2″1″ to 2″0″ to 2″0″ to 2″

Range of supplemental summer water: 7″-14″
Range of supplemental winter water: 0″-10″

 
0″-2″
0″-2″
0″-2″
1″-2″
1″-2″
1″-2″
1″-2″
1″-2″
1″-2″
1″-2″
0″-2″
0″-2″
 Jan*Feb*Mar*AprMayJunJulAugSepOctNov*Dec*

 

For more information on how to use this Irrigation Schedule and Graph, follow this link.

For information how to calculate your irrigation system’s schedule and precipitation rate, please follow this link.

Butterfly and Songbird Garden plants

Tree

Desert willow + cvs

Botanical Name: Chilopsis linearis
Plant Type: Tree, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 15 ft. - 30 ft. (rarely)  Width: 15 ft. - 20 ft.

Toyon

Botanical Name: Heteromeles arbutifolia
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun, Partial sun, Morning sun
Height: 12 ft. - 25 ft.  Width: 12 ft. - 18 ft.

Western Redbud

Botanical Name: Cercis occidentalis
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: Morning sun, Moderate shade, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 10 ft. - 15 ft.  Width: 10 ft. - 20 ft.

Shrubs

Coffeeberry + cultivars

Botanical Name: Rhamnus californica
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 8 ft. - 10 ft.  Width: 8 ft. - 10 ft.

Golden currant

Botanical Name: Ribes aureum
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun, Morning sun
Height: 4 ft. - 6 ft.  Width: 3 ft. - 7 ft.

Sunset manzanita

Botanical Name: Arctostaphylos 'Sunset'
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 5 ft. - 7 ft.  Width: 5 ft. - 7 ft.

Allen Chickering sage

Botanical Name: Salvia 'Allen Chickering'
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft.  Width: 4 ft. - 7 ft.

Desert mallow

Botanical Name: Sphaeralcea ambigua
Plant Type: Perennial, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft.  Width: 3 ft. - 5 ft.

Creeping barberry

Botanical Name: Berberis repens
Plant Type: Shrub, Ground cover, Native
Water Needs: Moderate 3
Exposure: Morning sun, Moderate shade
Height: 1.5 ft. - 3 ft.  Width: 2 ft. - 3 ft. then slowly spreading

McMinn manzanita

Botanical Name: Arctostaphylos 'Howard McMinn'
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun
Height: 6 ft. - 8 ft.  Width: 6 ft. - 8 ft.

Hollyleaf cherry

Botanical Name: Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Moderate shade, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 5 ft. - 30 ft.  Width: 5 ft. - 30 ft.

Palmer's mallow

Botanical Name: Abutilon palmeri
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 5 ft.  Width: 4 ft. - 5 ft.

Perennials

Common yarrow + cvs

Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium
Plant Type: Ground cover, Perennial, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: Moderate shade, All day sun
Height: 18 in. - 30 in.  Width: 18 in. - 24 in. then slowly spreading

Red buckwheat

Botanical Name: Eriogonum grande var. rubescens
Plant Type: Native, Perennial
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 1 ft. - 3 ft. (with flowers)  Width: 2 ft. - 3 ft.

Margarita foothill penstemon

Botanical Name: Penstemon heterophyllus 'Margarita BOP'
Plant Type: Perennial, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 1 ft. - 2 ft.  Width: 1 ft. - 2 ft.

Hummingbird sage

Botanical Name: Salvia spathacea
Plant Type: Perennial, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Morning sun, Moderate shade, Partial sun
Height: 12 in. - 18 in.  Width: 18 in. - 24 in. then slowly spreading

Lilac verbena

Botanical Name: Verbena lilacina 'De La Mina'
Plant Type: Perennial, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft. - 3 ft.  Width: 2 ft. - 4 ft.

Showy penstemon

Botanical Name: Penstemon spectabilis
Plant Type: Perennial, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 1.5 ft. (3 ft. while flowering) - 2 ft. (5 ft. while flowering)  Width: 2 ft. - 4 ft.

Grass

Deer grass

Botanical Name: Muhlenbergia rigens
Plant Type: Grass, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft. - 4' (to 5' with flowers)  Width: 4 ft. - 5 ft. (to 6 ft. with flowers)

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Welcome to the Waterwise Garden Digital Tour

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