You’re walking around a shady redwood grove and notice a bed of shiny green clover-like plants covering the ground. This native plant is an important understory plant in redwood and Douglas fir forests that supports caterpillars, butterflies, and moths.

Have you noticed the delicate, pink blooms of the wood rose within our local forest understories? This locally native rose is great for adding beauty and pollinator value to a shady garden or balcony.

Over the past year, we have been working to develop our next strategic plan, thinking carefully about where we need to focus to bring our vision of healthy ecosystems and engaged communities that much closer. 

With support from the City of Mountain View, in 2023 Grassroots Ecology was awarded a four-year Valley Water, “Safe, Clean Water and Natural Protection Program” grant for the Mountain View Tidal Marsh Restoration Project!

Its sunflower-like blossoms face the sky like golden platters of pollen and nectar, which are constantly swarmed by minute sweat bees, fluttering skippers, and other insects.

The monkeyflowers are a diverse assemblage of plants, with flower colors ranging from golden yellow and pinkish purple to pale orange and bright red. Their ecological roles are equally varied, with each species having unique habitat preferences and pollinator interactions.

California buckeyes are beginning to leaf out, starting yet another cycle of growth, blooming, fruiting, and dormancy for these beautiful native trees.

The California Scrub Oak (Quercus berberidifolia) is an under appreciated, compact oak species that provides huge habitat value while also fitting into smaller yards. California is home to over 20 species of oak. This includes the towering valley oak, which can grow up to 100 feet tall, as well as our ubiquitous and majestic coast live oak. But did you know we have a variety of small, shrub-like oaks as well? 

Brittleleaf manzanita (Arctostaphylos crustacea) is a stunning local shrub with smooth, red bark and upside-down urn-shaped flowers that attract pollinators in winter. This fire-adapted species is unique to chaparral ecosystems of the central California coast and makes a beautiful focal plant in the garden.

Coast silktassel (Garrya elliptica) is a shrub to small tree adorned with enchanting catkins of gray flowers in the winter. These attractive, drought-tolerant plants are popular with gardeners who want to add an element of whimsy to their landscapes.

Coffeeberry (Frangula californica) is the native plant gardener’s best friend, and a constant companion to our local oaks! Though its understated appearance might not grab your attention right away, the coffeeberry’s subtle elegance, forgiving nature, and high value to pollinators will be sure to win you over.

Bushmallows are a diverse and underappreciated group of shrubs with stunning, pink blooms and soft, fuzzy leaves. Our local arcuate bushmallow (Malacothamnus arcuatus var. arcuatus) is only found in the Santa Cruz mountains and is a great option for sunny spots in the garden.

California bunchgrasses provide beauty and habitat long after invasive annual grasses have died off, and their deep roots make them drought-tolerant and great for increasing soil health and carbon storage. Now there’s some grassroots power!

Yerba buena (Clinopodium douglasii) is a dainty, bright green native mint commonly found crawling along the forest floors of the Bay Area. In the garden it forms a lush groundcover, and it can be used to make tea or to season food. Yerba buena is available at our Native Plant Nursery. Learn more about this deliciously fragrant plant and how to grow it:

Late summer in the native plant garden teaches us to appreciate subtlety and quietude. While some may look at these natural landscapes as dead or brown, we see an important function and structure to provide habitat to insects, lizards, and birds feeding on the senescing flowers and seedheads.