Patty Walters Landscape Design

08/23/2025

06/06/2025

Good news

Monarch butterflies are famous for their annual migrations, but not all migrate. In recent years, more and more monarchs have been living and breeding year-round in California’s Bay Area, thanks in part to the growing presence of non-native milkweeds in urban gardens.

02/26/2025

Heads up!

Not all milkweed is created equal! While milkweed is typically planted to help monarchs, tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) can harm them.

Because of tropical milkweed's extended blooming period, it more easily spreads diseases that make monarchs sick. If a monarch already has the parasite Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE), it can spread easily from the infected butterfly to the milkweed and then to other butterflies. OE decreases monarchs’ survival and reproductive rates and can hinder monarch migration.

If you have tropical milkweed, remove it and replace it with native milkweed varieties.

📷 P. L. Tandon/CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 https://flic.kr/p/2mujreE

02/25/2025

Good to know!

🌱 It's National Invasive Species Week! All week long, UC Master Gardeners will be sharing facts about invasive plants in California. Did you know the Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) can grow 6 feet in a single year and spreads aggressively through both seeds and root sprouts? This invasive tree from China also releases chemicals that prevent other plants from growing nearby! Join us this week to learn how to spot invasive plants, why they matter, and simple ways you can help protect our beautiful California landscapes!

Learn more on our blog: https://mg.ucanr.edu/Social/?blogpost=61745&blogasset=64191

02/24/2025

02/10/2025

Good to know!

ALERT: Your yard cleanup could wipe out an entire generation of native pollinators! 🐝

SHOCKING FACTS:
- 80% of native bees nest in dead plant stems
- One stem can house up to 20 pollinator larvae
- Early cleanup destroys 6 months of bee development
- Native bees are worth $2000 per yard in pollination

What's Really Living in Your "Messy" Yard:

1. Hidden Residents:
- Mason bee cocoons
- Leafcutter bee nests
- Native wasp larvae
- Beneficial predator eggs

2. Critical Areas to Protect:
🌿 Hollow plant stems
🍂 Leaf litter piles
🌱 Standing perennials
🌸 Seed heads

3. How to Help:
- Wait until May to clean up
- Leave 15" stem heights
- Create brush piles
- Mark pollinator areas

YOUR ACTION PLAN:
✅ Stop all cleanup until 50°F consistent temps
✅ Bundle and store cut stems
✅ Create "pollinator corners"
✅ Educate your neighbors

REMEMBER:
A messy yard is a thriving ecosystem!

01/26/2025

Solid information on landscaping for fire resiliency.