Nifty Nine

Develop resilience in the foothills by harnessing the strengths of the Nifty Nine. They earned this designation by addressing multiple Sierra Madre community goals, which include mitigating fire and slide potential, supporting wildlife and human health, and saving both water and energy.

Ribes: Adds delicate Wisteria-like flowers to shade and rain environments

Manzanita: Enjoys full sun and offers edible berries and blooms

Oregon Grape (Spring): Resists fire, produces grapes, attracts wildlife, and enjoys both rain and shade gardens

Oregon Grape in Fall: Resists fire, produces grapes, attracts wildlife, and enjoys both rain and shade gardens

White Sage: Attracts wildlife, edible, and incredibly fragrant foliage

Catalina Cherry: An attractive, delicious hedge

Catalina Cherry: An attractive, delicious hedge

California Yucca: A real powerhouse! Enjoys full sun, resists fire, and nearly every aspect is edible

California Yucca: A real powerhouse! Enjoys full sun, resists fire, and nearly every aspect is edible

Hummingbird Sage, Salvia spathacea: Attracts wildlife, including hummingbirds, while brining an intoxicating scent to shade and rain gardens

Dwarf Coyote Bush: Resists fire, attracts wildlife, and beautifully retains slopes – an ideal plant for the foothills!

Edible Garden

Sierra Madre was once a breadbasket. Our indigenous population used the plants found here as food and medicinal sources – we can as well!

Catalina Cherry: Resists fire and feeds wildlife and humans (Spring)

Catalina Cherry: An attractive, delicious hedge

Coffeeberry, Rhamnus californica: Coffeeberry makes a lovely deep, evergreen hedge or shrub

Coffeeberry: Both the berries and the seeds are edible

Beach Strawberry, Fragaria chiloensis: In addition to strawberries, beach strawberry brings lovely little white blooms and a deep, dark green ground cover

Oregon Grape (Spring): Resists fire, produces grapes, attracts wildlife, and enjoys both rain and shade gardens

Oregon Grape in Fall: Resists fire, produces grapes, attracts wildlife, and enjoys both rain and shade gardens

Artemisia californica, California sagebrush

Ribes aureum, Golden Current

Ribes aureum, Golden Current (Spring)

Common Yarrow: Serves as an IdealMow lawn/meadow, attracts wildlife and enjoys water-filtering rain garden spaces

White Sage: Attracts wildlife, edible, and incredibly fragrant

White Sage (Edible!)

Rhus integrifolia, Lemonade Berry

Manzanita: Enjoys full sun and offers edible berries and blooms

California Yucca: A real powerhouse! Enjoys full sun, resists fire, and nearly every aspect is edible

See more California native edibles and recipes.

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Wildlife Garden

Birds, butterflies, beneficial insects and reptiles will be drawn to the native foliage in this partially shaded, partially sunny area. Watch for Monarch and California Checkerspot butterflies, hummingbirds, Western Scrub Jay, California Quail, and Western Fence Lizards.

 

Dwarf Coyote Bush: Resists fire, attracts wildlife, and beautifully retains slopes – an ideal plant for the foothills!

Hummingbird Sage, Salvia spathacea: Attracts wildlife, including hummingbirds, while brining an intoxicating scent to shade and rain gardens

Oregon Grape (Spring): Resists fire, produces grapes, attracts wildlife, and enjoys both rain and shade gardens

Oregon Grape in Fall: Resists fire, produces grapes, attracts wildlife, and enjoys both rain and shade gardens

White Sage: Attracts wildlife, edible, and incredibly fragrant

Lupine

Common Yarrow: Serves as an IdealMow lawn/meadow, attracts wildlife and enjoys water-filtering rain garden spaces

White Sage: Attracts wildlife, edible, and incredibly fragrant foliage

Common Yarrow: Serves as an IdealMow lawn/meadow, attracts wildlife and enjoys water-filtering rain garden spaces

Dwarf Coyote Bush: Resists fire, attracts wildlife, and beautifully retains slopes – an ideal plant for the foothills!

Ribes aureum, Golden Current

San Miguel Island Buckwheat

 

Additional Foliage: Ascelpia speciosa, Milkweed, the only food and habitat that attracts and protects Monarch butterflies.

More Information:

• Greenbelts vs. (Yarrow) Bloomways
• Lilac vs. California Lilac
• Maderia vs. White Sage
• Mexican Sage vs. Lupine
• Hummingbird Sage: LA’s New It Girl

Fire Garden

While there is no such thing as a fireproof plant, those in the Authentic Foothill Gardens at Sierra Madre City Hall that surround the police and fire station retain moisture and play an important role in fuel management.

These plants are particularly useful in wildfire-prone areas like Sierra Madre. An added bonus: Bushes are key to cooling areas, and plentiful foliage like this can reduce air conditioning costs by 15-50 percent.

Oregon Grape in Fall: Resists fire, produces grapes, attracts wildlife, and enjoys both rain and shade gardens

Dwarf Coyote Bush: Resists fire, attracts wildlife, and beautifully retains slopes – an ideal plant for the foothills!

Oregon Grape (Spring): Resists fire, produces grapes, attracts wildlife, and enjoys both rain and shade gardens

Coffeeberry, Rhamnus californica: Coffeeberry makes a lovely deep, evergreen hedge or shrub

Rhus integrifolia, Lemonade Berry

California Yucca: A real powerhouse! Enjoys full sun, resists fire, and nearly every aspect is edible

 

More Information:

• Fire-Mitigating Foliage in Pinterest
• Fire-Mitigating Foliage in LA Times
• Yucca vs. Pampas Grass
• Oregon Grape vs. Non-Native Grape
• Coffeeberry vs. Pittosporum 

Shade Garden

Mature trees and the overhang of the nearby building create an environment to Sycamore trees. The native understory plants seen here thrive in these dry, shaded areas. They are uniquely suited for planting under native oaks, in lieu of lawn or ornamental plants.

Sword Fern and Alumroot make beautiful shade garden companions

Sword Fern and Alumroot make beautiful shade garden companions

Oregon Grape in Fall: Resists fire, produces grapes, attracts wildlife, and enjoys both rain and shade gardens

Ribes sanguineum ‘Claremont’ “Pink Flowering Currant”: Adds delicate Wisteria-like flowers to shade and rain environments

Ribes: Adds delicate Wisteria-like flowers to shade and rain environments

Hummingbird Sage, Salvia spathacea: Attracts wildlife, including hummingbirds, while brining an intoxicating scent to shade and rain gardens

Oregon Grape (Spring): Resists fire, produces grapes, attracts wildlife, and enjoys both rain and shade gardens

Alum Root, Heuchera micrantha: Delicate pink bells and

Leymus condensatus ‘Canyon Prince’: Adds a lovely silver-green color and architectural form to shade gardens

Sword Fern, Polystichum minimum: Evergreen, this fern loves the understory of trees, or, in this case, city hall

Coffeeberry, Rhamnus californica: Coffeeberry makes a lovely deep, evergreen hedge or shrub

More Information:

• Oregon Grape vs. Non-Native Grape
• Coffeeberry vs. Pittosporum 
• Hummingbird Sage: LA’s Latest It Girl

 

IdealMow Lawn

IdealMow® lawns consume just 20-30 percent of the water needed to sustain turf. They thrive without toxic chemical pesticides and fertilizers. They also produce less waste and need less attention, particularly when left to grow as meadows. These savings add up! Replacing 1000 square feet of turf replaced with an IdealMow lawn can save more than $30,000 in just 10 years. There are four IdealMow lawns in the Authentic Foothill Gardens.

 

Feathery soft and green when mowed, Yarrow explodes with delightful blooms when left to grow.

Red Fescue: Emerald green red fescue can be found under Sycamore trees in the front of city hall

Festuca idahoensis ‘Tomales Bay,’ another water-saving IdealMow lawn alternative

Common Yarrow: Serves as an IdealMow lawn/meadow, attracts wildlife and enjoys water-filtering rain garden spaces

Carex Pansa: Waves of this bright green native grass fill one of the garden’s two bioswales

 

More Information:

• See More IdealMow Lawns
• Zoysia vs. Red Fescue
• Greenbelts vs. (Yarrow) Bloomways
• Tall Fescue vs. California Fescue
• Lawn vs. Pool
• Lawn vs. Gravelscape 
• Synthetic Lawn vs. IdealMow Lawn

Chaparral (Sun) Garden

These heat tolerant plants once dominated the foothills of California. Their thick leathery leaves reduce evaporation and help them enjoy high sun exposure.

Lessingia filaginifolia ‘Silver Carpet’

Blooming Groundcovers: Lessingia filaginifolia ‘Silver Carpet’ and Common Yarrow

Deergrass, Muhlenbergia rigens

Deergrass, Muhlenbergia rigens

California Yucca: Called “Our Lords Candle” for its incandescent blooms that make a crunchy addition to salads

California Yucca: A real powerhouse! Enjoys full sun, resists fire, and nearly every aspect is edible

Pitchers Sage: The fragrance is in the foliage, so it scents the air even when not in bloom

Pitchers Sage: The fragrance is in the foliage, so it scents the air even when not in bloom

Palmer’s Indian Mallow, Abutilon palmeri: A year round bloomer, Indian Mallow stands out in fall as other natives rest

Ribes aureum, Golden Current

Arctostaphylos manzanita, `Dr. Hurd’ Manzanita

Monardella macrantha ‘Marian Sampson’

Brittle bush, Encelia farinosa

 

Additional Foliage: Adenostema fasciculatum, Chamise

More Information:

• Chamise vs. Rosemary
• Deergrass vs. Fountain Grass
• Silver Carpet vs. Sun Gold
• Yucca vs. Pampas Grass

 

Rain Garden

Areas with the lowest elevation harness the power of riparian native plants to prevent the runoff by encouraging water infiltration.  These bioswales also capture water to recharge the groundwater table and improve the cleanliness of water that leaves the property.  

Ribes: Adds delicate Wisteria-like flowers to shade and rain environments

Ribes: Adds delicate Wisteria-like flowers to shade and rain environments

Oregon Grape in Fall: Resists fire, produces grapes, attracts wildlife, and enjoys both rain and shade gardens

Oregon Grape (Spring): Resists fire, produces grapes, attracts wildlife, and enjoys both rain and shade gardens

Common Yarrow: Serves as an IdealMow lawn/meadow, attracts wildlife and enjoys water-filtering rain garden spaces

Hummingbird Sage, Salvia spathacea: Attracts wildlife, including hummingbirds, while brining an intoxicating scent to shade and rain gardens

Juncus `Elk Blue’

 

More Information:

• Oregon Grape vs. Non-Native Grape
• Greenbelts vs. (Yarrow) Bloomways
• Hummingbird Sage: LA’s Latest It Girl

Spring 2017

Brittle Bush

Bioswale and Path to Picnic Area

Bioswale with Brittle Bush

Bioswale with Hummingbird Sage

Bridge Banked with Brittle Bush and White Sage

Bridge Banked with Brittle Bush and White Sage

Yarrow Meadow Entrance

Memorial Benches Helped Fund the Garden Renovation

Pitchers Sage

White Sage (Edible!)

Picnic Area

Permeable Trail by the Fire Station

Indian Mallow

Yarrow Meadow with Shading Wisteria

Wild Rye and Sages Between City Hall and Parking

Brittle Bush and Deer Grass Add Fall Color

Red Buckwheat and Carex Pansa Fill a Second Bioswale

Catalina Cherry will soon cover brick walls, providing a dark green backdrop for the silver of California Sagebrush and bright, true green of Carex Pansa.

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Garden Memorials

The Authentic Foothill Gardens were, in large part, community funded. Donors are recognized on memorial benches, bricks and other commemorative plaques throughout the space.