Yamhill Soil and Water Conservation District - YSWCD

06/23/2026

In light of the recent emerald ash borer detection in Newberg, we are hosting an info session this Friday! We'll go over ash tree ID, emerald ash borer ID, and how to report this destructive invasive insect. We'll have pizza! The event is free, but please register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1989254712394

06/10/2026

This is a great option for those with limited space who still want to support native habitat!

Even if you don't have appropriate space in your yard to plant native plants, you can still plant natives in pots, troughs and trays and place them along on a balcony, in a window trough or along the driveway to enjoy them during their bloom!

Here's one good plant to start with: Cardinal monkeyflower (Erythranthe cardinalis) which should be available at many native plant nurseries. I'm not able to get this to survive in the ground, but boy does it like to grow like crazy in pots! And it self sows its seeds into nearby pots, too. These are 2 gallon pots with saucers placed under them. I water them every several days (if needed) in cool weather, but they get watered every day in +85F or on warm windy days. I make sure to water from the base of the plant in the pot and then let water collect in the saucer until it is full.

In this image from my driveway, there are the usual crimson color-forms for the flowers, but there is also an orange-flowered one as well as a pink-flowered form. This species of monkeyflower seems to be able to form hybrids with both common monkeyflower (Erythranthe guttata) and Lewis' monkeyflower (Erythranthe lewisii) so one can get a variety of colors and flower and calyx shapes in the resulting offspring plants which grow either later in the year or during the next spring season.

Here's the link to the Gardening with Natives Fact Sheet for cardinal monkeyflower from the OregonFlora website if you are interested:

https://oregonflora.org/taxa/garden.php?taxon=5044

06/05/2026

It would be a ways to travel for Yamhill folks, but might be worth the drive!

Professor Douglas Tallamy of the University of Delaware will be speaking on Wed., June 17, at Lewis and Clark College, at an event sponsored by the Association of Northwest Landscape Designers. Through his books and talks, Tallamy has done so very much to promote and popularize native plants and pollinator gardens in this country. Also speaking, on the importance of soil and habitat, will be local author Kristin Ohlson and arborist Brian French. For tickets and more info, go to www.anld.com/tallamy-event .

05/25/2026

Don't forget to check out the Native Plant Sale in the nursery at Miller Woods this Thursday from 4-6:30pm! There will be lots of great plants, but isn't this goatsbeard looking particularly enticing?

05/24/2026

It's Cow Parsnip season! If you're unsure if a plant is Cow Parsnip, Giant Hogweed, or Poison Hemlock, watch this video to learn the differences. Giant Hogweed is not known to be present in Yamhill County.

05/21/2026

Come see us at the today from noon to 6! There is a fabulous prize for playing this educational invasive species game... 🤩

05/18/2026

If you haven't quite had your fill of native plants, we have another pop-up sale coming up! Plants are priced from $2 to $10 each depending on size. If you have ash trees, you may be eligible for a coupon to help support your underplanting project. Contact Riparian Conservationist Rachel Kato at [email protected] or 971-241-9479 if you have questions about the ash coupons. A list of available species is available: yamhillswcd.org/earth-day-sale

05/13/2026

Coming up this Saturday! Join us in the PCC Learning Garden to start building an herb spiral and working on some other garden tasks.

Help us build and plant an herb spiral at the PCC Newberg Center Learning Garden! If you have any extra herb starts that you may be able to donate to the garden, please let us know by May 11th. We will host the next garden work party alongside PCC and Edible Landscapes of Yamhill County on May 16th from 10am to noon.

05/11/2026

If you enjoyed last week's native wildflower posts, the fun doesn't have to stop here! The district has a native plant database right on the website. It's not all inclusive, but does have a decent variety... What's your favorite wildflower? If it's not in the database, let us know in the comments so we can add it!

05/09/2026

We are closing out National Wildflower Week with Fawn Lily, Jacob's favorite. This one is a delicate, relatively short-lived flower, but all the more special for its brevity! Look for it in woodlands and prairies in early-mid spring. It especially likes areas with dappled sunlight. (PS: Jacob took this photo! He's leading a photography walk with our friends over at Yamhill Conservation Trust. Head over there to get more details!)