Passing on lessons learned

When the Shipley Nature Center opened in 1974, it was dedicated to providing an educational preserve of Southern California’s unique habitats. Years of neglect, however, saw its native plants slowly being pushed out by invasive species that spread through the center unchecked.

Passion Vine gleaned nutrients from the soil, choking off the center’s redwoods. Animals that had made their homes among the natural flora in Huntington Central Park became scarcer, and Blackbird Pond suffered from a lack of oxygen.

That changed in 2002 when the Friends of the Shipley Nature Center took over and restored the 18-acre preserve back to a more natural, self-sustaining state.

With native plant species again flourishing throughout the center, the group now hopes to spread their lessons learned and offer Huntington Beach residents the opportunity to plant their own indigenous gardens at home. Carol Williams, the center’s nursery coordinator, says that’s what the nature center’s Native Plant Sale this Saturday is all about.

The event will offer more than 100 species of native plants — some of which are even grown on-site — and mini-lectures and workshops on the benefits of growing local foliage.

“We’re trying to give them the knowledge — and plants — for a beautiful, water-wise garden,” says Steve Holden, who will teach one of Saturday’s lectures.

Gardeners can choose varieties of plants from elderberries to sages. Edible plants, like the California wild grape and drought-resistant strawberries, are available for tastingi. But the benefits of native species go beyond their aesthetic or nutritional value.

There are numerous reasons to grow Southern California-specific plant life. Native plants generally use less water, which saves water. In a year with so little rainfall that local city governments such as Long Beach’s are launching voluntary conservancy efforts, a garden that conserves water is something to be desired.

Holden says his bills have been decreased since he decided to convert his English Ivy garden to inborn species. Holden, who volunteers time caring for the Nature Center’s Coastal Sage Scrub section, began studying native plants about five years ago. It was a subject that really grew on him, he says. “It gets in your blood.”

Since then, his garden has been full of colorful wildflowers and plants, which have attracted the attention of not only his neighbors but also insect species. He regularly sees butterflies and carpenter bees, which enjoy his yellow-blooming bladderpod plants. Williams says the wildlife drawn to local species is an added bonus of cultivating natural gardens.

The monarch butterfly, a species whose numbers have been on the decline, will only breed on the native milkweed plant. The milkweed, on sale Saturday, is the favorite food of monarch butterfly caterpillars.

“If everyone planted milkweed in their yard, they’d have butterflies all the time,” Williams said.

A native plant garden has a positive impact on the environment as well as its owner’s pocketbook, according to Williams. Native plants are born to take root in Southern California, which means there is no need for polluting pesticides and fertilizers. The Native Plant Sale will offer vermi-compost, or natural worm compost, as well as the bins to make it. This technique creates natural fertilizer that isn’t dangerous for watershed environments.

“There’s no toxic chemicals to worry about,” Williams said.

The sale will give potential buyers an opportunity to walk the nature center and see mature plants in their habitats. Holden says it’s an opportunity not to be missed, especially with so little native vegetation left to experience.

“It’s a different face of Huntington Beach.”

What: Native Plant Sale

When: Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Shipley Nature Center, Huntington Central Park, 17829 Goldenwest St.

Lectures: “Why I Love Native Plants,” by Stephanie Pacheco, 9:30 a.m.; “Native Plants for the Local Garden,” by Steve Holden, 10:30 a.m.; “Container Plants,” by Carol Williams, 11:30 a.m.

Cost: Entrance to the center and sale are free, plant prices vary.

Info: www.shipleynature.org