Did you know native plants are plants that have grown naturally in a particular region for hundreds or even thousands of years? These plants provide the foundation of basic ecosystem services that all people and wildlife depend upon, such as air, water, food, and shelter. Despite the vital role they play in sustaining a livable environment, native plants are currently facing increasing threats from habitat loss, changes in climate, and the introduction of non-native species.
One of the ways Rivers & Lands Conservancy is working to meet these challenges is by creating native plant gardens within our built communities. Our vision is to weave a patchwork of micro gardens into a larger quilt of restored habitat while also working with community partners to beautify public spaces.
Check out our current garden projects below!
Martha McLean-Anza Narrows Park Garden
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About the Garden:
Situated along a key access point to the Santa Ana River Trail at the northwest corner of Martha McLean - Anza Narrows Park (located at 5759 Jurupa Ave, Riverside, 92504), this unique site hosts our most established California native plant garden! In 2015, we launched efforts to transform a dirt hillside into a thriving garden with our project partners at the City of Riverside Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department. Since 2015 we’ve hosted annual community events and engaged over 200 volunteers who’ve helped to install drip irrigation, spread mulch, remove weeds, and plant over 1,000 California native plants.
Sycamore Highlands Park Garden - Site 1
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About the Garden:
You can find this garden (along with great views of Sycamore Canyon) at the "top" of Sycamore Highlands Park (located at 5777 Fair Isle Dr, Riverside, 92507). We started working with our project partners at the City of Riverside Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department in 2021 to incorporate California native plants into an already established garden site. This is a great example of a transitioning garden with a combination of co-existing native and nonnative plants. Many thanks to our community volunteers for helping us plant!
Sycamore Highlands Park Garden - Site 2
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About the Garden:
We’re excited to share we expanded our California native plantings to an additional section of Sycamore Highlands Park (located at 5777 Fair Isle Dr, Riverside, 92507) with a community volunteer planting event in fall 2023! You can find this garden site on the western edge of the Park, near the entrance to Sycamore Canyon. Thanks to our project partners at the City of Riverside Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department for continuing to collaborate with us on our ongoing efforts to restore native plant habitat while simultaneously beautifying community spaces and public parks. Stay tuned for more progress pics and volunteer opportunities to come for this site!
Bryant Park Garden
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About the Garden:
This recently established California native plant garden was planted at Bryant Park (located at 7950 Philbin Ave, Riverside, 92503). We jointly identified this area in need with our project partners at the City of Riverside Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department. Thanks to help from community volunteers, we broke ground on this garden in the fall 2022 and completed a second planting event in spring 2023. Many thanks to the Parks Department for generously donating time and resources to complete the garden trail, irrigation, and mulching. Stay tuned for more garden amenities to come, such as a bench and interpretive signage.
Riverside Main Street Garden
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About the Garden:
Achieved in collaboration with the City of Riverside Mayor's “Beautify Riverside” Initiative and our project partners at City of Riverside Public Works Department, these most recent California native plant garden efforts take place along the pedestrian walkway of Main Street in Downtown Riverside. You can now find blooming natives within ground planters and in raised pots between Mission Inn Avenue and 6th Street. Community volunteers helped complete our first planting event in spring of 2023. We look forward to cultivating more plantings within this area in the near future!
Gardening Makes Life Better!
- Research from around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates that people who garden had positive impacts to their physical and mental health.
- Gardening with native plant species provide habitat for birds, bees, butterflies, lizards and other wildlife.
- Wild spaces (even native plant container gardens) connect us to nature and give us a sense of place.
YOU CAN HELP!
By choosing to grow native plants, you have the power to create a space that celebrates our region’s natural heritage, supports the health of local ecosystems, contributes to water conservation, and welcomes important pollinators, such the iconic monarch butterfly.
A California native plant garden can take shape in many forms – from landscaping a big backyard to planting containers on a small patio. Even a single plant in a windowsill makes a positive difference.
From majestic oak trees to prickly cactus to delicate wildflowers, California is home to 6,500 different types of native plants – that’s more than any other state!
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