🌿Good morning, Bluesky! I just published a new Substack article about a real beauty 💖 These flowers always make me happy 😍 🌼 The Magnificent Matilija Poppy (Romneya coulteri) open.substack.com/pub/ginaradu... #MatilijaPoppy #GrowNativePlants #PollinatorGarden #TheNativeGuild

Project Monarch 💖 This isn’t just a research effort It’s an URGENT, high-tech intervention to save a species currently proposed for protection under the Endangered Species Act swmonarchs.org/ProjectMonar... #ProjectMonarch #HelpSaveMonarchs #MonarchButterfly #GrowNativePlants #TheNativeGuild

You can help save Monarch Butterflies💖 1. Download the Project Monarch app to your phone 2. Turn it on 3. While outside - your phone will 'ping' when a monarch with a tracker is near 4. Upload the info Simple & Important! Go to: www.swmonarchs.org/ProjectMonarch #ProjectMonarch #MonarchButterfly

☠️Monarchs are in peril! We can help them🌿 youtu.be/RbphlOI72yY?... #ProjectMonarch #GrowNativePlants #PollinatorGarden #TheNativeGuild #MonarchButterfly #EndangeredMonarchs

The Western Monarch population has been decimated, with one recent overwintering count at Ellwood Main tallying only four individuals This decline is fueled by habitat loss (milkweed, breeding, and overwintering groves), pesticide use, and climate change #GrowNativePlants #MonarchButterflies

💖Project Monarch in Goleta For decades, we knew shockingly little about the monarchs’ local movements, despite the species being one of the most recognizable in the world This new technology is a revelation Tiny solar-powered tracking tags are transmitting crucial data about their travels

🌿The majestic monarch butterfly, a creature whose tiny wings carry it across a continent, is quietly facing extinction But in California, a groundbreaking project is using tiny technology so precise it feels like science fiction—all to solve the enduring mysteries of this iconic insect’s survival

Hello Bluesky! I just published a new article on Substack about the heroic efforts to save the Monarch Butterfly in Goleta - Check it out!! The $200 Backpack: How Ultra-Tiny Tech is Racing to Save the Monarch Butterfly open.substack.com/pub/ginaradu... #MonarchButterfly #Monarchs #GrowNativePlants

🌿Native plants and native insects (like moth and butterfly caterpillars) have co-evolved over millennia 🐛Caterpillars are often specialized to eat only specific native plants because they have developed the necessary enzymes to digest that plant's unique defensive compounds #GrowNativePlants

🌾December - in your native garden: Cut back perennial ornamental grasses (like Deer Grass or California Fescue) to refresh them, typically to about 4–6 inches above the ground, if you didn't do so in the fall #NativeGrasses #GrowNativePlants #Bunchgrasses #TheNativeGuild

California Native Bunchgrasses🌾 The health of California's native perennial grasslands is rooted in Chumash tradition with managed, controlled, frequent burning This practice promoted healthy native bunchgrasses, inhibited invasives, and shows a deep co-evolved ecological relationship #GrowNatives

🌾California Native Bunchgrasses Santa Barbara’s historical grasslands were dominated by perennial bunchgrasses—plants that grow in dense clumps rather than forming a continuous sod Adding these into your garden provides natural texture and incredible drought resilience 🌿 #GrowNatives #Bunchgrasses

🌾 Native Bunchgrasses: Drought Heroes! Once established, most native bunchgrasses are highly drought-tolerant 💧 If you prefer to keep them greener, a deep soaking once a month in summer is usually enough #Bunchgrasses #NativeGrasses #GrowNativePlants #PollinatorGarden #TheNativeGuild

Hello, Bluesky! I just posted a new Substack article about California's Native Grasses🌾 🌿 The Golden State's Unsung Heroes: A Guide to Native Grasses in Santa Barbara County open.substack.com/pub/ginaradu... #CaliforniaNativeGrasses #NativeGrasses #GrowNativePlants #PollinatorGarden #TheNativeGuild

🌿California ferns are like the state’s ecological “memory,” holding onto strategies millions of years old while still fitting gracefully into today’s diverse landscapes They’re quiet survivors that shaped California long before its modern ecosystems existed #CaliforniaNativeFern #Fern #GrowNatives

🌿Ferns Some species have wild drought survival tricks Cliff ferns can shrivel almost to nothing, desert-style, to ride out dry spells Others, like chain ferns, thrive in constant seepage zones, adapting to ever-shifting water flow #Ferns #GrowNativePlants #NativeFerns #TheNativeGuild

🌿Gardening with native ferns on the Central California coast means working with the land, not against it Give them the right light, soil, and moisture, and they’ll thrive with little more than seasonal tidying #NativeFern #Ferns #GrowNativePlants #TheNativeGuild

🌿Ferns are among the planet’s oldest plant lineages, predating flowering plants by hundreds of millions of years They have withstood dramatic climate swings, wildfires, droughts, and floods—yet remain gentle, understated presences in the landscape #Ferns #GrowNativePlants #TheNativeGuild

🌿Ferns aren’t just beautiful—they’re soil stabilizers Their dense roots hold slopes and stream edges, and their shedding fronds enrich the soil In a garden facing drought and erosion, ferns are both ornament and ally #GrowNativePlants #Ferns #TheNativeGuild #PollinatorGarden

🌿Native ferns are particularly well adapted to the central coast’s Mediterranean climate: cool, damp winters; long, dry summers; and, generous morning fog Their fronds create a living tapestry—softening hard edges, filling understory gaps, and offering shelter for small wildlife #Fern #GrowNatives

Mass Blackout starts tomorrow!💴 #MassBlackout #BlackoutTheSystem #BoycottBlackFriday

✨Happy Monday, Bluesky! I just released a new article on Substack - All about ferns🌿 Growing Native Ferns on the Central California Coast: A Guide to Lush, Low-Maintenance Beauty open.substack.com/pub/ginaradu... #NativeFern #PollinatorGarden #GrowNativePlants #TheNativeGuild

🌿Why you should consider adding Dudleya to your garden: They look like something chiseled by light and time: chalk-white rosettes, bluish spirals, silvery fans, pencil-like green leaves Some appear frosted with moonlight; others glow in afternoon sun #Dudleya #GrowNativePlants #PollinatorGarden

🌿Dudleya-Live Forever They grow in sculptural rosettes, sometimes solitary, sometimes forming impressive clumps over decades Their flowering stalks emerge annually from the base, rising dramatically above the foliage before setting seed #Dudleya #GrowNativePlants #PollinatorGarden #TheNativeGuild

🌿Despite their toughness, Dudleya need one thing above all: excellent drainage Their natural cliffside habitats shed water fast, and in heavy soil or overwatered pots, their roots can rot When in doubt, think *cliffside* — that’s the vibe they thrive on #GrowNativePlants #PollinatorGarden #Dudleya

🌿Dudleyas are masters at clonal growth They can reproduce through seeds or through their pups that form off the base of the plant #Dudleya #GrowNativePlants #PollinatorGarden #TheNativeGuild

🌿Dudleya Built for scarcity: water-filled leaves, protective farina, and summer survival tricks like shrinking or retreating underground 🌦️Then winter rains return—and they glow back to life Leaves plump, colors deepen, and tall stalks lift blooms of yellow, white, red & pink 🌵✨ #GrowNativePlants

🌿Dudleya California’s rocky cliffs hold a quiet magic—life thriving where it shouldn’t Among the survivors is Dudleya, the “live-forevers”: resilient, beautiful, and vital to local ecosystems Responsibly sourced, they make stunning additions to any garden ✨ #Dudleya #GrowNativePlants

🌿Good Monday, Bluesky! Check out my latest Substack article about California's Dudleya succulent Dudleya: California’s Living Sculptures and Why They Belong in Your Native Garden open.substack.com/pub/ginaradu... #Dudleya #GrowNativePlants #TheNativeGuild #PollinatorGarden

Beach aster is a coastal survivor 🌊🌼 It thrives on cliffs and dunes where most plants give up Thick, silvery leaves reflect sun and hold moisture, and tiny leaf hairs trap salt and cut evaporation—letting it flourish in wind, sand, and salty spray #BeachAster #GrowNativePlants #PollinatorGarden

🌿Beach Aster The flowers may be small, but they appear in abundance, creating cheerful splashes of color that draw the eye and invite pollinators from near and far Sow from late fall through early spring, on the surface of a well-draining soil to establish roots before summer drought #GrowNatives

🌿Planting Seaside Daisy is like bottling a bit of California’s coastline and bringing it home It’s tough, timeless, and joyful — a reminder that the most resilient beauty often comes from the edge of the world #SeasideDaisy #GrowNativePlants #PollinatorGarden #BeachAster #TheNativeGuild

🌿Why your garden needs Seaside Daisy / Beach Aster: 🐝 Pollinator paradise - butterflies, bees, ladybugs, etc 💦 Erosion control - good for coastal slopes 🔧 Low maintenance - thrives on neglect 🦌 Deer resistant 🔥 Fire-wise - resistant to flame #PollinatorGarden #GrowNativePlants #SeasideDaisy

🌸Seaside Daisy / Beach Aster As a member of the sunflower family (Asteraceae), Seaside Daisy brings the familiar charm of a classic daisy but with a tougher, more weathered beauty — like a flower that’s learned to live by the ocean #GrowNativePlants #BeachAster #PollinatorGarden #TheNativeGuild

Ahead of Veterans Day, I was honored to welcome a flight of veterans and their families as they arrived in DC.

🌿Seaside Daisy / Beach Aster / Beach Fleabane (She has a few names😜) This beauty adds soft color to rock gardens, coastal meadows & containers—perfect cascading blooms for a natural look Pair with drought-tolerant natives for a resilient, low-water garden full of coastal charm #GrowNativePlants

🌿Good morning, Bluesky! My latest Substack article is all about the Seaside Daisy / Aster. Super easy to grow and full of charm🌸 🌼 Seaside Daisy: California’s Cheerful Coastal Native open.substack.com/pub/ginaradu... #SeasideDaisy #GrowNativePlants #TheNativeGuild #PollinatorGarden

🌿California yarrow is nature’s soil weaver — its fibrous roots knit loose sand together, holding fragile coastal ecosystems in place That’s why restoration crews plant it to rebuild dunes & pollinator habitats along the Central Coast #GrowNativePlants #NativeYarrow #TheNativeGuild #PollinatorGarden

🌿Golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum) brings bright yellow blooms on upright stems, acting like a small shrub or short-lived perennial Its silvery-green foliage adds structure and softness to sunny slopes or native borders all season long #GrowNativePlants #GoldenYarrow #TheNativeGuild

Golden yarrow isn’t a true yarrow—it’s in a different genus but still part of the daisy family🌼 It loves sunny, dry hillsides and pairs beautifully with sages, buckwheats, and native grasses Great for pollinators, drought-tolerant, and perfect for echoing California’s wild beauty #GrowNativePlants

California yarrow 🌿 — a tough, fragrant native that forms soft mats of evergreen leaves Come late spring, it sends up tall stalks topped with clusters of white blooms that can last into autumn A beautiful, resilient part of California’s wild heart ✨ #TheNativeGuild #Yarrow #GrowNativePlants

🌿California yarrow might be the ultimate native all-star—tough, beautiful, and easy to grow From sea cliffs to mountain meadows, it’s everywhere, adding texture, fragrance, and life to any garden #GrowNativePlants #PollinatorGarden #CaliforniaNativePlants #TheNativeGuild #CaliforniaYarrow #Yarrow

Good morning, Bluesky!! I just published a new article on Substack. Check it out to find out about how to care for native yarrow in the Central Coast area in California✨ California Yarrow: A Native Beauty for Every Garden open.substack.com/pub/ginaradu... #GrowNativePlants #PollinatorGarden

This weeks spotlight plant: Yarrow✨ 🌿California native yarrow (Achillea millefolium var. californica) is a hardy, beautiful, and ecologically valuable perennial that’s both easy to grow and rewarding year-round #NativeYarrow #Yarrow #GrowNativePlants #PollinatorGarden #TheNativeGuild

🌿Refugio Manzanita Range: Endemic to the Santa Ynez Mountains - Santa Barbara County Habitat: Sandstone soils, chaparral and oak woodland edges Form: Tall shrub; waxy, red-tinged young leaves; cinnamon-red bark In the garden: A striking specimen for full sun and good drainage #GrowNativePlants

🌿Planting manzanitas isn’t just a gardening choice — it’s an act of connection Using locally native manzanitas ties your garden to the surrounding landscape, supports local wildlife, and conserves the genetics of plants already adapted to your climate #Manzanita #GrowNativePlants #NativeGarden

🌿Manzanitas reward patience They’re sculptural, slow, and serene — an expression of time and place Their bark glows red in low winter light; their blossoms feed bees in February; their berries feed birds through summer #GrowNativePlants #PollinatorGarden #TheNativeGuild

🌿Manzanita Few plants capture California’s wild beauty like manzanitas With smooth red bark, sculptural branches, and urn-shaped blooms, these native evergreens bring elegance, biodiversity, and resilience to any garden #CaliforniaNativePlants #Manzanita #GrowNativePlants #TheNativeGuild

Good Morning, Bluesky!🦋 For your reading pleasure… here's the full Substack article - All About Manzanitas✨ 🌿 Manzanitas for the Central Coast: Native Beauty, Deep Roots open.substack.com/pub/ginaradu... #NativeManzanita #GrowNativePlants #TheNativeGuild #Manzanita #PollinatorGarden

🌿 This Week is All About Central Coast Manzanitas! Several Arctostaphylos species grow naturally around Santa Barbara & the Central Coast Each varies in size, form & needs—match your manzanita to your site’s soil, sun & drainage for best success #NativePlants #GrowNativePlants #NativeManzanita