The Heritage Garden Program

10/16/2026

Sticky Geranium has an interesting way to thrive in poor soil. Aptly named, when insects get stuck to the sticky leaves and stems, the plant is able to dissolve the protein and absorb the nitrogen from that protein. This type of plant is called protocarnivorous.
If you are less into the bug eating side of things, Sticky Geranium also has a beautiful and delicate pink-purple bloom from summer through early fall. Then the foliage takes on a red hue. Watch for the seedpods after blooms that look like the bill of a crane. Keep checking on those seedpods to see the fun way they release their seeds.

10/09/2026

Not as common in our native plants, Munro's Globemallow blooms a salmon to red color. Munro's Globemallow can bloom from late spring through fall. The extended bloom time not only provides lasting color, but is also beneficial to the pollinators that visit throughout the year. If you look closely, you may see the globe mallow bee, a specialized bee, collecting pollen and nectar for her larvae.

This plant likes a well-draining soil but can tolerate clay.

10/02/2026

Looking for a fall bloom? Snow Buckwheat may be just the thing for you! Unlike other native buckwheat, Snow Buckwheat has an almost fractal pattern to its flowering stems. Starting white, the blooms will fade to a copper by the end of its growing season. A favorite in late summer-fall among many bees, you will often hear it continue to hum as other flowers fade away. If you are looking to attract more than bees, Snow Buckwheat also attracts birds and other native insects. It is the larval host plant for the Mormon Metalmark butterfly and is used by the Acmon Blue butterfly.

09/25/2026

To round out the native Lupines in our area we have the Bigleaf Lupine. Often having deep purple to reddish flowers, it is one of the tallest and lushest western species of lupine. Like the other lupines though, this is a great plant if you want to attract hummingbirds, bumble bees, and a multitude of butterflies as it is often a larval host. If your lupine does not flower the first year, do not fret. Remember our native plants first grow their roots, then put on a show.

09/18/2026

Silky Lupine loves a bad soil. Like its Lupine counterparts, it is a great nitrogen fixer for the soil around it. In the wild you might very well find a marmot chewing on this plant. Because it tolerates a variety of soils, you will find it among many of the other native plants such as Prarie Junegrass, Idaho Fescue, Sandburg Bluegrass, Bluebunch Wheatgrass, Ninebark, Serviceberry, Mountain Mahogany, Arrowleaf Balsamroot, and Common Yarrow.

09/17/2026

If you are in Yakima County September 25th- 30th, come check out some fun and educational opportunities!

You can learn about planting a native garden at the Central Washington State fair on the 25th, and then purchase plants at the Yakima Arboretum on the 26th!

09/16/2026

Looking to find out more about native/drought tolerant gardens? Check out a presentation at the Central Washington State Fair in Yakima.

Ready to plant some native plants in your garden? (Fall is the best time to plant!) Check out the native plant sale being put on by Tapteal Native Nursery at the Yakima Arboretum.

09/16/2026

09/11/2026

Under a forest of Ponderosas or within the Sagebrush you can find the Velvet Lupine. Delicate hairs adorning the leaves gives the plant its velvety silvery grey appearance. Requiring less water than the Bigleaf Lupine, this is a great alternative in your drought tolerant garden.

09/04/2026

Also called Old Man's Whiskers, Prairie Smoke has pinkish red flowers that develop into decorative seedheads. With it's fernlike foliage it is a great ground cover when planted in mass. It does like some afternoon shade and a little more water. Prairie Smoke works well with our native grasses.