Native to Oregon Low Maintenance Home and Garden Plants

Native to Oregon Low Maintenance Home and Garden Plants

by | Apr 1, 2020 | Design, Low Maintenance, Native Plants, Plants & Products

Low-Maintenance Landscape Design for Oregon Native Plants

In our Design Studio, we get a lot of requests for a low-maintenance landscapes using Oregon native plants. While spending time in the garden is important to some, others have different responsibilities that keep them from doing that, or just have a general lack of interest/ability to really nurture their outdoor space.  No judgement here, sometimes it’s just not your thing. Low-maintenance landscapes have become higher in demand as our lives and hobbies change, and Oregon native plants offer a solution in the best way.

While spending a little time weeding and watering new plants is a reality, there are plant palettes that can take a bit of that work off your plate. Having Drake’s 7 Dees design a native landscape can be the remedy for a landscape that doesn’t fit your lifestyle.

This is the Pacific Coast Iris and is ridiculously gorgeous and also native to Oregon!

The Benefits of a Native Landscape

Natives have a lot to offer and sometimes get a bad wrap for being messy or for not being flashy enough. While this can be true for some of them, there are quite a few Oregon native perennials, trees, shrubs, and ground covers that have the ability to really knock your socks off.

Don’t get us wrong, there are non-native plants that are hardy and will thrive without a lot of tending to, but the benefits of using a plant native to this region can definitely persuade some to move more in that direction.

You can in fact have a beautiful landscape that also:

  • Supports wildlife – think of the birds!
  • Controls pests – native plants have developed their own defenses against many pests and diseases (no pesticides needed)
  • Saves time and money by needing little watering or maintenance, when they’re planted in the proper conditions

Just a few examples…

Here are just a few of the Oregon native plants that can add some definite beauty without any duty (see what we did there) to your landscape.

Image result for pacific dogwood, native, low-maintenance

Cornus nuttallii (Pacific Dogwood)

sedum, oregon native, low-maintenance

Sedum oreganum (Oregon Stonecrop)

low maintenance, oregon native, ribes

Ribes aureum var. aureum (Golden Currant)

And soooooo many more! These are just a few of the show stoppers that provide a low-maintenance solution while still giving a landscape curb appeal.

Drake’s can design it for you!

This website provides a vast native plant list to really delve into and find some incredible plants you’ll love.

If a native, low-maintenance landscape is on your mind, just contact us and we can design and install your dream landscape that doesn’t take all your free time to keep looking stunning!

Several Portland area projects - Traditional - Landscape - Other - by Drake's 7 Dees Landscaping & Garden Center
Bud Worms: Everything You Need to Know About Them

Bud Worms: Everything You Need to Know About Them

by | Feb 12, 2020 | Bugs & Pests, Plants & Products

Bud worms can be a real problem. If your petunias and geraniums are budding but they won’t bloom. Why is that? The answer could be the tobacco budworm also known as the geranium/petunia bud worm.

 

Life Cycle of a Bud Worm

Here’s what they do. The adults start to emerge as a tan to brown small moth mid March through mid April. They seek out the buds of flowering plants or the terminal growth (the ends of new growth) where they lay an egg. They will lay many eggs over their short lifespan. After a short time, the egg will hatch and the larvae will instinctively bore into the end of the bud where it will devour the blossom inside. The larvae are yellow to green in color but will take on the color of the blossom they just ate. Red geraniums will turn the larvae red. They will emerge from the bud and slowly make their way to the soil, eating any tender growth they can find on the way down. In the soil they will start the pupation process and turn into an adult moth and the cycle starts all over again. There could be as many as five generations in one summer.

 

 What do Bud Worms Like to Eat?

Although the budworm moth was known to only inhabit the southern regions of the country, they are creating quite a problem for gardeners in the great northwest. They have been quite successful over-wintering in the soil as a pupa. They will attack almost any tender flowering plant but they are best known for eating the buds of petunias, geraniums and nicotiana plants. They will also go after many vegetables, especially cabbage.

 

 

How to Get Rid of Bud Worms

Here’s how to kill them. Almost any insecticide will kill the budworm when it’s actively feeding but won’t do anything to the moth or pupa. A bacteria known as spinosad (spin-OH-sid) will attack the budworm throughout all stages of life. The most commonly known product that contains spinosad is Captain Jack’s Dead Bug Brew. We sell this at our Portland Garden Center Just spray it on once every few weeks and the problem is solved.

A Comprehensive List of Deer Resistant Plants

A Comprehensive List of Deer Resistant Plants

by | Feb 12, 2020 | Plants & Products

 

 

 

 

 

Here you will find a comprehensive list of trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses, annuals, ground covers, and vines that are deer resistant.  One of the best ways to help guard your garden from deer is to grow plants listed below.

DEER RESISTANT TREES:
Botanical name, Common name

 

Abies, True Fir
Acer circinatum, Vine Maple
Acer negundo, Box elder Maple
Acer palmatum, Japanese Maple
Albizzia, Silk tree / Mimosa
Araucaria ara., Monkey puzzle tree
Eleagnus ang., Russian olive
Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus
Fraxinus, Ash
Ilex, Holly
Liquidamber styr., Sweet gum
Picea, Spruce
Pinus, Pine
Podocarpus, Yew pine
Umbellularia Cal., Oregon myrtle

 

 

 

EVERGREEN SHRUBS

Botanical name, Common name

 

 

Arbutus unedo, Strawberry tree
Bamboo, Bamboo
Buxus, Boxwood
Calluna, Heather
Choysia ternata, Mexican orange
Cistus, Rockrose
Cotoneaster, Cotoneaster
Cytisus, Broom
Daphne, Daphne
Elaegnus, Silverberry
Erica, Heather
Euonymous jap., Jap. euonymous
Gaultheria shallon, Salal
Ilex, Holly
Juniperous, Juniper
Nandina, Heavenly bamboo
Rhododendron, Rhododendron

 

 

 

 

 

DECIDIOUS SHRUBS:

Botanical name, Common name

Baccharis pilularis, Coyote bush
Berberis, Barberry
Buddleia, Butterfly bush
Calycanthus occ., Spice bush
Corokia cotoneaster, Corokia
Corylus cornuta,Hazlenut/filbert
Hypericum, St. John’s Wort
Jasminum, Jasmine
Rhus, Sumac
Ribes, Currant

 

 

SUN PERENNIALS:

Botanical name, Common name

Allium, Allium
Amaryllis belladonna, Naked ladies
Artemisia, Artemisia
Aster alpinus, Alpine aster
Brodiaea, Brodiaea
Chives, Chives
Chrysanthemum, Mum
Coreopsis, Coreopsis
Corcosmia, Corcosmia
Digitalis, Foxglove
Euphorbia, Spurge
Hemerocallis, Daylily
Herbs, Herbs
Iris, Iris
Ixia, African corn lily
Kniphofia, Red hot poker
Lavandula, Lavender
Leucanthemum, Shasta Daisy
Mentha, Mint
Narcissus, Daffodil
Nepeta, Catmint
Paeonia suf., Tree peony
Papavera orient.,Oriental poppy
Phlomis fruticosa, Jerusalem sage
Raoulia australis, Raoulia
Romneya coulteri, Matilja poppy
Rosmarinus officinalis, Rosemary
Salvia,Salvia
Santolina, Lavender cotton
 Scabiosa, Pincushion flower
Scilla, Scilla
Senecio cineraria, Dusty miller
Silene acaulis, Moss campion
Stachys, Lambs Ear
Trillium, Trillium
Zantedeschia, Calla lily

 

 

SHADE PERENNIALS:

Botanical name, Common name

Acanthus mollis, Bears breach
Acontum, Monkshood
Anenome hybrida, Japanese anenome
Arum, Arum
Asarum caudatum, Wild ginger
Cyclamen (hardy), Cyclamen (hardy)
Dicentra, Bleeding heart
Ferns, Ferns
Festuca ovina gluaca, Blue fescue
Filipendula rubra, Meadowsweet
Grasses, ornamental Grasses, ornamental
Gunnera, Gunnera
Helleborus, Hellebores
Leucojum, Snowflake
Liriope, Lily turf
Ophiopogan japonicus, Mondo grass
Trillium, Trillium

 

 

ORNAMENTAL GRASSES:

Botanical name, Common name

Most ornamental grasses are deer proof.  Here are some popular choices:

Anemathele, Pheasant Grass
Calamagrostis, Feather Reed
Carex, Sedge
Cortaderia selloana, Pampas grass
Miscanthus, Maiden Grass
Pennesetum, Fountain Grass
Sisyrinchium, Blue/yellow eyed grass

 

 

ANNUALS:

Botanical name, Common name

Ageratum, Ageratum
Begonia tuberose, Tuberous Begonia
Catharanthus roseus, Annual Vinca
Chrysanthemum frut., Marguerite Daisy
Impatiens, Impatiens
Helichrysum, Straw Flower
Mesembryanthemum, Ice Plant
Mirabilis jalapa, 4 o’clocks
Moleuccella laevis, Bells of Ireland
Myosostis sylvatica, Forget me not

 

 

Groundcovers:

Botanical name, Common name

Arctostaphylus, Kinnikinnick
Cerastium tom, Snow in Summer
Cymbalaria mur, Kennilworth Ivy
Epimedium, Bishops Hat
Galium odor, Sweet Woodruff
Lamium mac, Dead Nettle
Myosotis, Forget me not
Oxalis, Sorrel
Raoulia aus, Raoulia
Vinca minor, Periwinkle

 

 

Vines:

Botanical name, Common name

Clematis, Clematis
Fatshedera liz, Fatsheadera
Jasminium, Jasmine
Trachelospermum, Star jasmine

 

 

 

Possible Safe Bets in some locations

Trees:

Botanical name, Common name

Cercis occidentalis, Western redbud
Magnolia, Magnolia

 

 

Evergreen Shrubs:

Botanical name, Common name

 

Andromeda pol., Bog rosemary
Ceanothus, California lilac
Cistus, Rockrose
Escallonia, Escallonia
Ligustrum japonica, Japanese privet
Mahonia aquifolium, Oregon grape
Myrica calif., Pacific Wax Myrtle
Osmanthus, Osmanthus
Sarcococca, Sarcococca
Viburnum, Viburnum

 

 

Deciduous Shrubs:

Botanical name, Common name

Carpentaria cal., Bush anemone
Chaenomeles, Flowering quince
Cotinus coggygria, Smoke bush
Forsythia, Forsythia
Kerria japonica, Kerria
Lagerstroemia, Crape myrtle
Potentilla, Potentilla
Punica granatum, Pomegranate
Syringa vulgaris, Lilac
Viburnum, Viburnum

 

 

Shade Perennials:

Botanical name, Common name

Astilbe, Astilbe
Liguaria, Ligularia
Polygonatum, Solomons seal
Pulmonaria, Lungwort
Saxifraga, Saxifraga
Tellima, Fringe cup
Vancouvera hexandra, Vancouover

 

 

Sun Perennials:

Botanical name, Common name

Achillea, Yarrow
Arabis, Rockcress
Armeria mar., Thrift
Aubretia,Aubretia
Cheiranthus, Wallflower
Convolvulus, Bush morning glory
Coreopsis,Coreopsis
Duchesnea, Indian mock strawberry
Erigeron, Fleabane
Erysimum, Wallflower
Gaillardia, Blanket flower
Helianthemum, Sunrose
Monarda, Monarda
Penstemon, Beard tongue
Rudbeckia, Black eyed Susan
Stoksia, Stokes asters
Carpentaria cal., Bush anemone

 

 

Vines:

Botanical name, Common name

Wisteria, Wisteria

 

 

Annuals:

Botanical name, Common name

Bouganvillea, Bouganvillea
Calendula, Calendula
Campanula, Canterberry Bells
Celosia, Celosia
Clarkia, Clarkia
Eschscholzia, California Poppy
Gazania, Gazania
Pelargonium, Geranium
Gerbera, Gerbera Daisy
Helianthus, Sunflower
Lobelia, Lobelia
Mimulus, Monkey Flower
Nierembergia, Nierembergia
Tropaelum, Nastertium

 

 

Groundcovers:

Botanical name, Common name

Ceratostigma plu., Plumbago
Hedera helix, Ivy
Lithodora, Lithodora
Oxalis, Clover
Pachysandra ter., Japanese spurge
Phlox subulata, Creeping phlox
Rubus cal, Rubus
Viola odorata, Violet