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Melanie Cross has always loved the many types of native plants California has to offer and the habitat they manage to create.
For the fifth year in a row, her Old Adobe Road garden will be featured in the Going Native Garden Tour on April 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The tour is sponsored by the California Native Plant Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the understanding and appreciation of California’s native plants.
Since 2003, the tour gives plant aficionados the chance to see native California plants in more than 45 gardens around the Santa Clara County area and the Peninsula. Nine gardens in the Palo Alto area will be on display, along with four in Mountain View, two in Los Altos and one in Menlo Park. There will also be gardens on display in Alviso, Belmont, Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Hillsborough, Morgan Hill, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Carlos and San Mateo.
Gardens are presented in an open-house style format that is open to the public. The tour is free, but registration is mandatory. Addresses to the self-guided tour will be given out upon registration.
The goals of the tour are “to demonstrate reduced water use, reduced chemical and pesticide use, improved habitat, and the unique aesthetic appeal of gardens designed with California native plants,” according to the Going Native Garden Tour website.
Cross has been planting in her large garden since she and her husband bought it 11 years ago. Her many hikes through California’s regional parks inspired her to collect the many plants that make up her garden today.
“You see it hiking, and you say to yourself that you have to have it,” she said.
Her interest has led her to pick up books on the subject and attend classes from top gardeners in the field. This, in turn, has given her ideas for new additions to her garden, she said.
Hundreds of plants make their home in Cross’ garden, including California lilacs, pitcher sage brush, wild lilies and coyote mint. A large pond near the back also pays host to a number of water-bound plants. She said among all the plants, her favorite is the Alan, a bright-orange day lily.
Cross’ garden is a self-described “wildlife habitat” for the animals of the area. Foxes, skunks, gophers and salamanders all come to visit the garden. Different types of bugs are drawn to the plants in the area, leading to a natural habitat for the creatures. The bugs have adjusted to the environment, eating away at old plants while pollinating new ones. The coyote brushes alone are able to support more than 500 different species.
“Birds and insects in California have evolved with the plants. You could spray them with water, or you can sit back and watch,” she said. She said these bugs draw birds into the area, including an abundance of hummingbirds.
One of the benefits of this habitat is its ease of maintenance. Most of the plants need no supplemental water, and most need no special treatment.
Changes have been made since the first time Cross’ garden was first featured five years ago, including a large meadow that contains a winding labyrinth made of fieldstones.
To make up her garden, Cross paid visit to a number of specialty stores in California. Her dedication has led her to specialty businesses as far away as Santa Margarita to find the perfect plants for her garden.
For Cross, April is the best season for these plants. Even though different plants grow at different times, she said everything is in bloom now. To prepare for the season, she planted a new lupine.
“It’s just getting itself established,” she said.
Future plans for her garden include new lilies and bulb plants such as onions. She also hopes to put in a few new shade plants.
She hopes that this tour will educate people and show them how to plant a garden of their own.
“I think educating people on how to use plants helps out the land,” she said.
What: Going Native Garden Tour
When: Sunday, April 19, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: 45 gardens in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties
Tickets: Free, but preregistration required before April 12, noon (or when tour reaches capacity)
Info: Visit www.GoingNativeGardenTour.org; once registered, visitors will be informed of the house addresses. Users plan their own itineraries and can go to as many houses they please. Parking is on a first-come, first-served basis, so carpooling is encouraged. For information, e-mail info@GoingNativeGardenTour.org.
