Add Photo to Journal

Photo Credit: Lane Greer

Maidenhair fern’s delicate foliage is really amazing when planted in masses.

The Pacific Northwest has lots to offer – especially in terms of plant habitats. You can find just about everything here, from sunny alpine meadows to bogs, riparian zones to high elevations, and acid to volcanic soils. And a whole host of gorgeous plants have evolved to fit into each individual habitat – which you just might be able to re-create in your own yard.

Take for example maidenhair ferns (Adiantum pedatum). You’ve likely seen these plants growing in pots at the local florist or in a greenhouse conservatory. But when you see dozens of them clinging to a moist rock wall or peeking out from under giant trees, they can change the way you think about native plants altogether.

Add Photo to Journal

Photo Credit: Mark Fishbein

Bright yellow monkey flower loves boggy sites with lots of sun.

There’s no doubt that maidenhair ferns love shade, as well as moisture (which is why you’ll often see the plants next to a stream or pond). But they also do well in heavy soils like clay. These deciduous plants unfurl their delicate leaves in spring. (Although I love the foliage, I most enjoy the black stems.) In a garden setting, they need at least partial shade and lots of water during summer to look their best. Maidenhair ferns range from 1-2 feet tall.

Add Photo to Journal

Photo Credit: Lane Greer

Balsamroot produces scads of yellow flowers in spring. Here the beautiful flowers overlook the Columbia River Gorge.

Although very different from maidenhair ferns, monkey flowers (Mimulus guttatus) are also found in bogs and marshy spots. Their dazzling yellow flowers gleefully announce their presence in spring. The trumpet-shaped blooms are made more interesting by their red spots. (There are other native species also called monkey flowers – M. cardinalis and M. lewisii – that bear red or rosy pink flowers.) All monkey flowers will grow in any wet area, from a ditch to a stream to a water garden. Although they can take some shade, they prefer sun and grow about 3 feet tall.

Another yellow bloomer is balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata), sometimes called desert sunflower. These plants like a drier climate and lots of sun. To say that these beauties are drought-tolerant is an understatement. In fact, summer irrigation will most likely kill them.