Davis Insectary GardenAn Insectary Garden provides habitat and food for wildlife. Insects, pollinators, birds, and animals feed on flowers, plants, and predator insects respond to signals sent by the plants for help. Restoring nature's balance improves the soil allowing it to hold more water. "Lotusland is the first botanical garden in the U.S. to become fully organic . The Insectary Garden is a key ingredient of this success." https://www.lotusland.org/gardens/the-gardens/butterfly-garden/
This will be an interesting journey in garden discovery moving from Santa Barbara to Davis. Plants shown below are some of the first to be tested in my new Davis garden Spring 2021. More information & photos will be added, as I gather data regarding cold and heat tolerance plus what survives, and thrives. Welcome to my new Davis Insectary Garden!
Mulberry Tree - The most challenging environment so far is noted on the plant list as "Died under Mulberry"! This shady tree canopy has killed everything planted within 8' of the trunk. Either the Mulberry is taking 100% of the water or additionally creating some kind of toxin from the leaves or roots, making this non-native tree extremely difficult to garden under. My research has not proved any toxins so I guess it is the water thirsty nature of the Mulberry tree.
Davis Insectary Plant Photos
Abutilon palmeri
Erigeron glacus, Seaside Daisy
Grindelia stricta, Coastal Gum Plant
Lobelia laxiflora (Red Fuschia flowers) Mexican Lobelia, Hummingbirds
Heuchera ‘Wendy’, Wendy Coral Bells
Eriogonum arborescens, Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat (Wish List)
Carpenteria californica, Bush Anemone
Eriogonum grande rubescens, San Miguel Island Buckwheat
Eriogonum giganteum, St. Catherine’s Lace
Bouteloua ‘Blonde Ambition’, Blue Grama, Eyelash Grass
Eriophyllum nevinii ‘Canyon Silver’, Woolly Sunflower
Senecio palmeri ‘Silver and Gold’ Guadalupe Island Senecio (Died under Mulberry)
Heuchera ‘Wendy’, Wendy Coral Bells
Aristolochia californica, California Dutchman's-pipe, This is the only host plant for Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly.
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Davis Insectary Plant ListNative Plant List & Observations - 107 Full Circle, Davis CA
08-18-21 Planted 48 types since January 2021 04-16-25 Most successful plants in bold face. Abutilon palmeri, Indian Mallow - Happy Adiantum capillus-veneris 'Banksianum', Maidenhair Fern - Hanging pot, thriving Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Howard McMinn' - Died under Mulberry Arctostaphylos manzanita, 'Dr. Hurd' - Died near driveway Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Sentinel', two plants thriving. Aristolochia macrophylla, Dutchman's Pipevine, Swallowtail Butterfly host Artemisia californica 'Canyon Gray', Coastal Sagebrush - Unhappy, may recover, likes water Artemisia Tridentata, grows near Bristlecone forest Asclepias fascicularis, Narrow-leaved Milkweed - Winter Dormant Asclepias speciosa, Showy Milkweed - Winter Dormant Bouteloua gracillis, Eyelash, Blue Gamma Grass Carpenteria californica, Bush Anemone - Unusually thirsty under a Bottlebrush Ceanothus 'Centennial', Centennial Ceanothus - Died under Mulberry Ceanothus 'Concha' Ceanothus gloriosua 'Ancho Bay', Point Reyes Ceanothus - Happy, spreading Cornus nuttallii, Pacific or Western Dogwood Dendromecon harfordii, Island Bush Poppy - Resting in the heat of summer Dudleya lanceolata, Lanceleaf Liveforever Epilobium canum AKA Zauschneria callifornica, California Fuchsia Eriogonum fasciculatum, California Buckwheat Eriogonum giganteum, St. Katherine's Lace. died suddenly in fall Eriogonum grande rubescens, San Miguel Island Buckwheat Eriophyllum nevinii 'Canyon Silver' AKA Senicio palmeri, Woolly Sunflower - Died under Mulberry Eschscholzia californica, California Poppy Garrya elliptica 'Evie', Evie's Silk Tassel Bush Glaucium flavum, Yellow Horned Poppy - Died, may come back in Spring? Continuing to water it Grindelia stricta var. platyphylla 'Ray's Carpet', Coastal Gum Plant Heteromeles arbutifolia, Toyon, Happy and growing Heteromeles arbutifolia 'Davis Gold', Yellow berry toyon, slow growing compared to non-hybrid Heuchera 'Santa Ana Cardinal', Santa Ana Cardinal Coral Bells Heuchera 'Wendy', Wendy Coral Bells Heuchera maxima, Island Alumroot Lepechinia hastata, Baja Pitcher Sage Lewisia cotyledon (1" flr" or columbiana (1/2" flr) Lobelia laxiflora (Red Fuschia flowers) Mexican Lobelia, Hummingbirds Peritoma arborea (aka Isomeris arborea), Bladder Pod Philadelphus mexicanus 'Double Flowering', Mock orange - Smells like Tuberose - Struggling in shade in raised rose planter Polystichum munitum, California or Western Sword Fern - Happy Ribes viburnifolium 'Spooner's Mesa', San Diego Evergreen Currant - Happy & prostrate Ribes californicum, Hillside Gooseberry Salvia 'Allen Chickering cross of 'S. clevelandii x S. leucophylla, Allen Chickering Sage Salvia Apiana, White Sage - Thriving full sun Salvia Bee's Bliss - Thriving full sun Salvia Mellifera - Black Sage Salvia munzii 'Emerald Cascade' Salvia spathacea, Hummingbird Sage - Planted seeds Senecio palmeri 'Silver and Gold', Guadalupe Island Senecio - Died under Mulberry Sisyrinchium bellum, Blue Eyed Grass - Planted in shade Jan 2021, still green Symphoricarpos molis, Snowberry - Happy, growing, provided sticks to grow on Thalictrum fendleri, Meadow rue Maidenhair Bush, Happy in shade, going dormant in late August Umbellularia californica, California Bay Tree - Thriving in shade Vaccinium ovatulm, Huckleberry Low Maintenance & Drought TolerantPlants, like all of us, need extra attention the first two years of life. After that we are a little sturdier, resilient, and settled in.
Drought tolerant does not mean no water, especially at first, and definitely needing water in the first few years during summer. Size of plants vary; however, knowing the mature size of plants needs to be considered in locating and spacing. Native California Plant Society Sacramento
https://www.sacvalleycnps.org/ Recommended Plant List www.sacvalleycnps.org/26-drought/71-native-plants Virtual Garden Tours https://www.sacvalleycnps.org/native-plant-gardening/garden-tour 
Miridae Mobile Nursery
Additional Reference Materials for Native Plants
California Native Grasslands Association https://cnga.org/ https://www.miridae.com/mobilenursery www.smgrowers.com/info/Natives.asp 
Lupinus succulentus - Arroyo lupine (Wish List)
The Barbara Mesa Insectary Garden began January 2018
Santa Barbara Mesa Insectary Garden December 2020
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If you would like to collaborate or have plants to trade or donate, please contact me, Trish Odenthal, using the About section in this website.
Photo Credits
- Plant Photos By Trish Odenthal
- Miridae Mobile Nursery https://www.miridae.com/mobilenursery
