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About Capital press. (Salem, OR) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 17, 2018)
August 17, 2018 CapitalPress.com 7 Native ornamentals flourish with little water By DIANNA TROYER For the Capital Press Many consumers are say- ing so long to their lawns and replacing thirsty grass with low-maintenance na- tive plants, says Diane Jones, owner of Draggin’ Wing High Desert Nursery in northwest Boise. “There’s a growing aware- ness of the importance of na- tive plants because they toler- ate heat and a dry climate and are attractive,” said Jones, who opened her business in 2004. “It’s encouraging to see how people’s attitudes are changing.” Once reviled, even sage- brush with its many varieties is becoming revered and pop- ular as a low maintenance or- namental plant. “Sagebrush and other native shrubs will be used in re-landscaping the area around the new Broadway Bridge,” she said. In a demonstration garden, Jones points out bright yellow flowers that flourish with little water. “Sulphur Buckwheat is an Idaho native that’s gorgeous and often overlooked,” she said. “It has evergreen foli- age and is beautiful either cut or dried for flower arrange- ments. Bees and other polli- nators love it, too.” A Rocky Mountain Bee plant, nearly 3 feet tall, at- tracts bumblebees and hon- eybees to its fringy purple flowers. “These are incredible, too, and bloom all summer,” she said, pointing to nearby Sun- drops, a mound bursting with half-dollar-sized flowers with four satiny yellow petals. “Sundrops are native to the Southwest and grow well here, too,” she said. Behind the Sundrops, Gi- ant Flowered Purple Sage grows. A retired history professor, Dianna Troyer/For the Capital Press Diane Jones says the radiant Sulphur Buckwheat is an Idaho native that thrives with little water. Dianna Troyer/For the Capital Press Sundrops and Giant Flowered Purple Sage flourish in a demonstration garden in north- western Boise. Jones, 72, started her nurs- ery on 3 acres she bought in 1999. She named her business for killdeers that nest there in spring and pretend to have a broken wing as a ploy to lead predators away from chicks. “I loved gardening and had landscaped my own yard with native plants that didn’t need much water,” she said. “One thing led to another, and I wanted to provide these xe- riscape plants to others. Most plants in the demo gardens are on a light drip system, al- though the sagebrush receives no water.” For the nursery, Jones selects native and region- ally adapted ornamental plants based on their beau- ty, cold-hardiness, and drought-tolerance. To give clients an idea of what plants will look like in their yards, she planted demonstration gardens. “The beds are constantly changing throughout the year and look beautiful even in winter,” she said. “You can plan a landscape for four sea- sons.” In addition to running Draggin’ Wing, Jones leas- es her land to other growers. Earthly Delights is a com- munity supported agriculture program that sells fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs. The Snake River Seed Co- operative grows, packages and sells heirloom, open-pol- linated vegetable and flow- er seeds. It has 29 growers throughout the Intermountain West. “I package the seeds from a few of my own native plants,” said Jones, also a member of the cooperative. “People tell me they like native flowering plants because they’re so low-main- tenance and also attract pol- linators: native bees, honey- bees, butterflies and others.” NARROW TRACTORS! Kubota packs dependability and versatility into a narrow frame for nurseries’ tight rows. Visit us to learn about Kubota M-Series and B-Series tractors, and which is right for you. N18-4/100