Native perennials are certainly becoming more and more popular with you smart high desert gardeners. Our native section has grown to three times the size it once was. All of our offerings are grown right here in Bend by two local growers who love where we live and the natural beauty it has to offer. Native perennials are typically the first to come up each spring when already planted in the ground. If you have come to the nursery looking for natives in the early spring because you are seeing them brighten up our snowy landscape you may notice they are not yet on our nursery floor. This is because each season’s crops are grown in containers so they are typically a few weeks behind those that are already established in the ground. Last season’s plantings are adjusted to our environment and know when to emerge based on soil temperatures. The new starts that are grown in containers above ground have their roots exposed to colder air temperatures and are therefore a bit delayed. So instead of waiting until the springtime why not take advantage of this beautiful fall weather we are having and plant some now? Our native section is still being restocked each week and some perennials like penstemon are even still in bloom right now and ready to be planted in your water wise gardens.
There are so many great varieties of penstemon to choose from to fill our Central Oregon flower gardens with! They are fantastic flowers to put out for all of our hungry pollinators. From bees to hummingbirds these flowers bring life to the garden without requiring much care or water once established.
First up is the Richardson’s Penstemon. Also known as cut leaf penstemon, this native blooms in pink, pinkish-red and even blueish hues. The saw toothed leaf is unique to this variety and looks great in a fresh cut bouquet on the kitchen counter. They grow naturally in rocky areas so they will settle in perfectly to our tough ground. They get about 12-36” tall making them a great backdrop planting behind lower growing border plants. They also look fantastic planted in front of boulders or near rock walls.
We all love our pine trees here in Bend. They are what tourists remember from their vacations here and what we feel comforted by living in a small mountain town. The leaves of a pineleaf penstemon resemble little pine needles. Except these look-a-likes are soft and intermingled with sunset colored trumpet blooms that the hummingbirds can’t get enough of. Especially locals like our Anna’s hummingbird! The foliage is also considerably evergreen offering winter beauty though a bit of bronzing can be expected and is not to be worried about.
As we transition into fall and winter it is really important to remember that all of your plants, whether native or zone hardy still need to be watered even though it has cooled down. Perennials and deciduous trees and shrubs don’t “die off” in the winter. They go dormant! They drop their leaves to conserve energy to adjust for the reduced amount of sunlight each day and colder temperatures endured. That doesn’t mean they don’t still need a drink! They very much do. Water also actually helps insulate the delicate root systems of new plantings that remain close to the surface and are therefore more vulnerable to cold temperatures and most especially when dry. So remember that when you turn your irrigation off you need to have a plan to drag the hose or water can out to your plants at least a couple times a week until we get quality snow pack on our landscape. Remember to water during the dry spells that we often get each winter. It can be a chore to get out in the cold to water in the middle of winter but it is just one important measure to take in overwintering your garden successfully.
