Blog

Categories

A narrow dirt path winds through a grassy field with small white flowers. Young trees and larger bushes line the path. A wire fence and parked cars are visible in the background under a bright, sunny sky.

Making Sure Nature is Always Accessible: How BHCP has Supported Community Sites

By Victor Ibarra / May 17, 2024

Nature is something that all humans need connection to. As an Indigenous staff member of the program, I have experienced those ties to my natural relatives (plants and animals) being…

Open Gardens Project – Featuring Diane’s Habitat

By Mariah Jiang / April 22, 2024

This habitat in the Garden Home neighborhood in SW Portland, has full sun, part sun, shade, dry, moist, and slope soil.

Open Gardens Project – Featuring Amy’s Habitat

By Mariah Jiang / April 19, 2024

This habitat in the Mill Park neighborhood has full sun, part sun, shade, dry, and moist soil.

Two individuals smiling and holding a Backyard Habitats certification sign, standing in a garden with blooming flowers and a house in the background.

2024 Certifications and Upgrades

By JP Marchetti-Mendez / April 1, 2024

At Backyard Habitats, we not only provide incentives and knowledge to program participants working toward creating wildlife habitats, but we also enjoy recognizing and celebrating all those who met the…

A close-up of a small Water Shrew with brown fur standing on a wooden surface, looking to the side with its snout pointed upwards.

Backyard Biodiversity: The Hidden World of the Pacific Water Shrew

By Mariah Jiang / March 22, 2024

Written By: Daniel Krumm While upon first glance it may be a relatively non-descript small gray mammal, the Pacific water shrew is a rare gem in Northwestern ecosystems, and possesses…

A small garden with a bench and trees.

Open Gardens Project – Featuring Coyote Sue & Myk’s Habitat

By JP Marchetti-Mendez / August 30, 2023

This habitat in Lake Oswego has part sun, shade, and moist soil.

A backyard with a wooden fence and a tree.

Open Gardens Project – Featuring Burke’s Habitat

By JP Marchetti-Mendez / August 30, 2023

This habitat in the city of Gresham has full sun, part sun, shade, dry, and moist soil.

A small backyard with bushes and trees.

Open Gardens Project – Featuring Sally’s Habitat

By JP Marchetti-Mendez / August 30, 2023

This habitat in the Rose City Park neighborhood has full sun, part sun, shade, and dry soil.

A bunch of red berries hanging from a branch.

Native Plant Highlight: Oval-leaved Viburnum

By Anne Ternes / August 24, 2023

Attracting pollinators and pest-eating insects, supporting over thirty species of butterflies, providing food and shelter for birds and mammals, our native viburnum does it all.

A white flower on a branch with green leaves.

Native Plant Highlight: Suksdorf’s Hawthorn

By Anne Ternes / August 24, 2023

Suksdorf’s hawthorn is an overstory tree that supports hundreds of species, looks good while doing it, and has a great name.

A plant with pink flowers and green leaves.

Native Plant Highlight: Kinnikinnick

By Amiel Cruz / August 24, 2023

Oregon ash is a wetland wonder, stabilizing soils, protecting water, housing caterpillars, butterflies, and birds, and providing debris for aquatic habitat.

A tree with green leaves and flowers.

Native Plant Highlight: Oregon Ash

By Anne Ternes / August 24, 2023

Oregon ash is a wetland wonder, stabilizing soils, protecting water, housing caterpillars, butterflies, and birds, and providing debris for aquatic habitat.

Dangling white flowers on a green leaf.

Native Plant Highlight: Drops of Gold

By Anne Ternes / August 24, 2023

Drops of gold and Hooker’s fairy bells are apt names for this lily that grows in the shade of trees, often surrounded by water.

Ferns growing along a path in the woods.

Native Plant Highlight: Lady Fern

By Anne Ternes / August 24, 2023

Lady fern is a tall, broad-leaved fern that grows in the forests and riparian areas of the Pacific Northwest. Lady fern’s spring growth provides food for many insects and snails, while the leaves provide shelter for birds and mammals in the summer and fall.

A grass inflorescence in a person's hand.

Native Plant Highlight: Blue Wildrye

By Anne Ternes / August 24, 2023

Want ornamental grass in your landscape? Wish you could encourage more ground-nesting birds? Just want to know more about native grasses? Come check out our new post, all about blue wildrye.

A black and white bird is sitting on a branch.

The Chickadee’s Guide to Gardening

By JP Marchetti-Mendez / April 13, 2023

As we continue to experience the devastating effects of climate change and habitat loss, it’s become increasingly important to consider how our actions can impact the environment. We can make…

A woman in a plaid coat holding a sign.

2023 Certifications and Upgrades

By JP Marchetti-Mendez / March 22, 2023

At Backyard Habitats, we not only provide incentives and knowledge to program participants working toward creating wildlife habitats, but we also enjoy recognizing and celebrating all those who met the…

A selection of plants in trays in a garden.

Plant Sales – Spring 2023

By JP Marchetti-Mendez / February 1, 2023

We’ll use this post to talk about the local native plant sales happening before June 2023. Scappoose Bay Watershed Council April 8, 2023, @ 9:00 am – 2:00 pmScappoose High…

The logo for oregon flora.

OregonFlora: A Comprehensive Guide to the Vascular Plants of Oregon

By Megan Van de Mark / August 23, 2022

If you’re interested in learning about plants native to Oregon, OregonFlora is a great resource to support your learning. They’ve assembled a guide to the 4,700+ vascular plants of Oregon which they share through their website, the Flora of Oregon books, and their wildflower identification app.

Open garden family event flyer.

Summer Partner Events & Classes

By JP Marchetti-Mendez / July 22, 2022

Many of our partners are offering great classes, events, or resources this spring. Check our the list of partner events we know about.