Starting a backyard garden...

[Anonymous]

hallo,

i've just moved into a potrero hill apt with a bare backyard with lots of potential and would like to plant some native plants that are unique and drought tolerant. it's partially shaded during the day. also, the lawn patch is very scraggly and dry, and isn't growing no matter how much we water it, and i was thinking of uprooting the turf and planting a less water intensive groundcover that can withstand some walkingdoes anyone have suggestions? thanks so much!</p>

[Anonymous]

June,

Fragaria chiloensis, a native strawberry, makes a good groundcover that tolerates some foot traffic and is somewhat drought tolerant. You might check out the Las Pilitas native plant nursery website for ideas on appropriate plants and native garden design www.laspilitas.com. You might research what actually grows native in your area and incorporate these species into your own garden. Good luck.</p>

[Anonymous]

We've planted both the Woodland Strawberry Fragaria californica and Beach Strawberry F. chiloensis and if you want a real low dense mat for shade, I would go with the F. californica. It really knits together with no spaces in between, and because it's low you feel you can walk on it. With F. chiloensis you feel you have to walk between the spaces! The flowers are bigger on chiloensis though, and glossier.

But both make great groundcovers, especially for hillsides.

Trish

[Anonymous]

June - If you are on Potrero Hill, I would assume you are in San Francisco.

SF is quirky, with different small microclimate areas. Your best bet is to contact the local chapter of CNPS, the Yerba Buena Chapter, which you should be able to do elsewhere on this website.

They have neighborhood groups, so you might even be able to make contact with native plant gardeners who live near you. If you can hold out a couple of months, the fall CNPS native plant sales are coming up!

Cheers,

Lori Hubbart</p>

[Anonymous]

June,I agree with Lori about gaining info from your local CNPS chapter. Nothing beats getting it straight from the experts. It certainly would be worth it to wait if you can for the CNPS fall plant sale they will have. As far as a ground cover that will take some traffic I would look into local Sedges, Carex sp.. I know that 'Berkeley sedge' is great and easy to grow. Perhaps something in that realm would do! I am beginning to really get into the sedges-so tough!Dan</p>