Variegated striped rush (Baumea rubiginosa 'Variegata') keeps its color year round. A dwarf version the California native fiber optic grass (Scirpus cernuus 'Dwarf Form') makes a great transition plant on the far bank. Marsilea mutica, or four-leafed water clover grows similar to water lilies with leaves floating on the surface and rooted underwater. Photo: Sabrina Howell
[sidebar]Visit Wild Toad Nursery for more information about designing water features for wildlife.[/sidebar]
There is no more important time to install a water feature than during a drought. Animals and insects need fresh water to drink, and many species reproduce only in water. And the food web! Less water for dragonflies, whirligigs, Jesus bugs, chorus frogs, and salamanders to reproduce in, means less food for bats, songbirds, and garter snakes. And fewer of those creatures, means less food for the raptor, fox, and cougar. You know how it works. Providing even a small backyard water feature can make the difference between surviving or not for wildlife, even for species that never visit your yard.
There are many different kinds of w...
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The Native Flora of Chile in The Traveler’s Garden at Heronswood by Dr. Ross Bayton
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