What Okanagan Gardeners Need to Know

Garden chives

Xeriscape Plants to Watch Around Dogs

YUCCA

Few plants say “xeriscape” quite like Yucca, with its architectural rosettes of stiff, sword-like leaves and towering flower spikes. It thrives in poor, rocky soil and needs almost no supplemental water once established making it ideal for Okanagan slopes and gravel beds. Unfortunately, all parts of the plant contain something known as steroidal saponins, and ingestion can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy in dogs.
The sharp leaf tips are also a mechanical hazard for curious noses and paws.

ALLIUM

The globe-shaped blooms of ornamental Allium are one of my favourite for adding structure and pollinator interest to a xeric border, and the bulbs are remarkably drought-hardy.

But Allium species, including ornamental onion, along with garden chives and garlic, contain compounds that damage red blood cells in dogs, potentially leading to hemolytic anemia, a condition where blood cells burst within the bloodstream.

Bulbs are the most concentrated source of toxins, so dogs that dig, like mine, are at greatest risk. Symptoms may not appear for several days after ingestion, which makes it easy to miss the connection.

Bearded Iris

Bearded Iris requires minimal watering and rewards gardeners with a spectacular early-summer bloom but the entire plant is toxic.

Its rhizomes store enough moisture to shrug off dry spells but also contains irisin, a toxic compound that can cause drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea if chewed.

Most cases are mild, but dogs that make a habit of excavating garden beds should be kept away from Iris plantings.

Yews

Yew hedging is a familiar sight in Okanagan landscapes, prized for its dense, drought-tolerant evergreen structure and tolerance of poor soils and heat.

It is also one of the more dangerous plants on this list.

Nearly every part of the yew, apart from the fleshy red aril around the seed, contains taxine alkaloids that affect the heart and can be fatal in relatively small amounts.

Given how popular yew is in the Okanagan, gardeners with dogs may want to consider whether it belongs near an accessible yard, or whether a safer conifer substitute makes more sense.

Lavender

Lavender is a xeriscape mainstay for good reason. This perennial is fragrant, pollinator-friendly, and content with minimal irrigation.

Lavender contains small amounts of linalool, the consumption of which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy in dogs.

Fortunately, most, but not all, dogs are deterred by the strong scent before they eat enough to cause a problem.

Yarrow

Yarrow, our tough, feathery-leaved native is a staple of Okanagan low-water borders.

Yarrow is only mildly toxic to dogs, typically causing vomiting, diarrhea, or excessive drooling if a significant quantity is consumed.

It’s a good example of how “toxic” covers a wide risk range, as yarrow’s risk is far lower than that of yew, but worth knowing all the same.

It should be noted that while almost all Ornamental grasses are non-toxic, Cordyline australis, often used as a centerpiece in annual plantings, is toxic to dogs.

Toxicity in plants exists on a spectrum, from mild gastrointestinal upset to genuine medical emergencies.

The dose your canine consumes matters, a dog that nibbles a leaf is in a very different situation from one that digs up and eats a bulb.

If you suspect your dog has ingested a toxic plant, contact your veterinarian immediately and try to identify the plant involved.

Creating a Dog-Friendly Xeriscape Garden

None of this means abandoning xeriscaping if you share your landscape with a dog.

It simply means being deliberate–

• Fence off higher-risk plantings,
• Choose dog-friendly xeric alternatives like Russian sage, Catmint, or Ornamental grasses for accessible areas
• Know your own dog’s habits.

GARDENING WITH NATURE

Article by Sigrie Kendrick

Good Intentions Need Good Practice

It is important to provide examples of meaningful ways to provide useful feed for pollinators such as bees.

There is no shortage of goodwill when it comes to helping pollinators. Gardeners across the Okanagan are increasingly aware that bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects are under pressure, and many are eager to do something meaningful about it.

The question is not whether to act, but how to act effectively. When it comes to pollinator support, good intentions need to be matched with good practice, and good practice begins with understanding what pollinators actually need.

Swallowtail butterfly on Weigela

Prioritize Native Plants for Pollinators

Asters
Photo by Sigrie Kendrick

Provide Blooms Throughout the Growing Season

The Okanagan is home to a remarkable diversity of native flora that serves pollinators across the season.

Early-blooming species like Pulsatilla vulgaris (Pasque flower) and Geum
triflorum (Prairie smoke) bridge the hungry gap of early spring, offering high-quality pollen at precisely the moment when emerging queen bumblebees and solitary bees need it most.

As the season progresses, plants like Balsamorhiza sagittata (Arrowleaf balsamroot) and Penstemon species carry the load through late spring and early summer by supporting both generalist and specialist bee species.

Mid-season support can come from Gaillardia aristata (Blanket flower), and Linum lewissi (Blue flax).

Later-season bloomers such as Monarda fistulosa and various Asters along with Solidago (Goldenrod), are critical for bees building winter reserves.

A garden that staggers bloom times across this full season is doing far more for pollinators than any single showpiece plant ever could.

Pollinator paradise in an Okanagan garden
Photo by Judie Steeves

Think in Sequences, Not a Single Peak of Bloom

Wooly Thyme pathway
Photo by Judie Steeves

Group Plants to Make Foraging Easier

Groupings matter too. Pollinators forage more efficiently when plants are massed rather than scattered. A cluster of five Echinacea is far more useful than five individual plants of five different species dotted randomly across a bed.

When planning or replanting, think in drifts of perennials, generous sweeps of the same plant that a bee can forage systematically before moving on.

Give Pollinators Places to Nest and Overwinter

Nectar and pollen are essential, but pollinators also need places to nest, overwinter, and raise young.

Roughly 70 percent of native bee species are ground-nesters, requiring patches of bare or sparsely vegetated soil in a sunny, well-drained location.

Leaving small areas of the garden unplanted or selectively clearing mulch from a south-facing slope can make a meaningful difference.

Other species nest in hollow stems or pithy wood, so leaving dead stalks standing through winter rather than cutting them to the ground in autumn is one of the simplest and most effective habitat actions available.

Provide Water for Pollinators

Water access for pollinators is often overlooked. Consider adding a shallow dish with pebbles or marbles for bees to land on. A regularly refreshed water source adds another layer of support, particularly during the dry Okanagan summer.

Avoid Pesticides Where Possible

Create Pollinator Corridors Across the Okanagan
Individual gardens are pieces of a larger picture. When neighbours, community spaces, and public plantings all incorporate native species and pollinator-conscious practices, the cumulative effect is significant. These pollinator corridors allow bees to move through spaces, forage and thrive.

GARDENING WITH NATURE

Not all plants like the Okanagan

Popular Garden Plants That Struggle Here

Rhododendrons, azaleas, hydrangeas, and most Japanese maples (Acer species) may dominate garden centres but they’re fighting an uphill battle against this valley’s unique environmental conditions.

The most fundamental obstacle these plants face in the Okanagan is soil chemistry.

Rhododendrons, azaleas, and most hydrangeas are acid-loving plants that thrive in soils with a pH between 4.5 and 6.0. Unfortunately, Okanagan soils typically range from neutral to alkaline, often sitting between 7.0 and 8.5 pH. This alkaline environment creates a cascade of problems for acid-preferring plants.

In alkaline soils, essential nutrients become chemically bound and unavailable to plant roots, particularly iron, manganese, and zinc.

The result is chlorosis – that telltale yellowing of leaves while veins remain green – which weakens plants and makes them susceptible to other stresses.

While gardeners can attempt to acidify soil with sulphur or aluminum sulphate, maintaining the necessary pH in naturally alkaline conditions requires constant intervention and expense.

Dry Summers and Low Humidity

The Okanagan’s semi-arid climate presents another insurmountable challenge.

With annual precipitation ranging from just 250-400 mm in many areas, the region experiences genuine water scarcity.

Rhododendrons and azaleas evolved in moist, humid environments where their shallow, fibrous root systems could rely on consistent moisture and lots of organic matter. Their large, thin leaves are designed for environments with high humidity and reliable rainfall—not this valley’s dry summers and low humidity.

Hydrangeas also struggle with the Okanagan’s drought conditions. These plants require consistent soil moisture and suffer significantly when subjected to water stress, which is virtually inevitable during the valley’s hot, dry summers.

Most Japanese maples face similar challenges. These delicate trees prefer consistent moisture and protection from harsh afternoon sun and drying winds – conditions opposite to what the Okanagan typically provides.

Temperature Extremes and Wind Exposure

While the Okanagan enjoys warm summers perfect for viticulture, it also experiences significant temperature fluctuations and harsh winter conditions that stress some of these ornamental plants.

Many rhododendron and azalea varieties that appear hardy on paper struggle with this region’s combination of cold winters followed by rapid spring warm-ups, which can trigger premature budding. That can then be followed by frost damage to those tender new buds.

The valley’s frequent winds compound these problems. Strong, dry winds increase water loss from plant tissues and can physically damage the brittle branches of Japanese maples.

Rhododendrons and azaleas, with their broad evergreen leaves often lose moisture faster than their root systems can replace it.

Why Microclimates Rarely Solve the Problem

Some gardeners attempt to create microclimates to accommodate these plants: installing irrigation systems, adding shade cloth, and amending soil annually.

While occasionally successful in the short term, these solutions often prove unsustainable.

The constant inputs of water, acidifying agents, and organic matter required to maintain suitable conditions are both expensive and environmentally questionable in a water-scarce region. Moreover, even with careful microclimate management, these plants rarely achieve the robust growth and spectacular displays they’re known for in more suitable climates.

The result is often a disappointing performance that doesn’t justify the ongoing investment.

Choosing Plants That Belong Here

Rather than fighting against the Okanagan’s natural conditions, successful valley gardeners embrace plants that thrive in alkaline soils and dry conditions.

Native and adapted plants like penstemon, lavender, yarrow, ornamental grasses, and xeric trees and shrubs provide beauty without the constant struggle.

The Okanagan’s unique climate offers opportunities to grow plants that would struggle elsewhere – Mediterranean herbs, drought-adapted perennials, and heat-loving annuals that coastal gardeners envy.

By choosing plants suited to local conditions, gardeners can create stunning landscapes that celebrate the region’s natural character while conserving precious water resources.

The key to successful Okanagan gardening isn’t forcing unsuitable plants to survive, but discovering the remarkable beauty of plants that naturally call this unique valley home.

A variety of sedums and ornamental grasses instead of coastal perennials

The relationship between plants, pests, and beneficial insects represents a natural system of checks and balances. By supporting these natural predators, we align ourselves with ecological processes refined over millions of years.

Rather than fighting against nature with chemicals and barriers, we can harness these allies to create gardens that not only produce beautiful plants but also support diverse wildlife communities.

The next time you spot a lacewing, soldier beetle, or even a spider in your garden,
consider yourself lucky to be witnessing nature’s pest control experts at work.

GARDENING WITH NATURE

Article by Sigrie Kendrick

Leave Seed Heads for a Winter Garden

In the world of gardening, we often focus on the fleeting glory of flowers with their vibrant colours and sweet fragrances that mark the peak of a plant’s ornamental appeal.

Yet there’s a quieter, more enduring beauty that emerges after the petals fall—one that extends the garden’s visual interest well beyond the traditional growing season.

Magical Seed Heads

The seed heads of xeric plants offer architectural interest, providing structure, texture, and movement that can transform a fading landscape from dormant to dynamic.

Among the most spectacular examples is Pulsatilla, commonly known as pasque flower or prairie crocus.

After its silky, bell-shaped blooms fade in early spring, this hardy perennial produces seed heads that are nothing short of magical. Each seed develops a long, feathery plume that catches light and moves with the slightest breeze, creating an ethereal display that can last for months.

These silvery, gossamer structures rise above the plant’s finely divided foliage like wisps of smoke. In late afternoon light, a patch of Pulsatilla seed heads becomes luminous, transforming an ordinary garden corner into something special.

The ornamental value of these seed heads extends beyond their immediate beauty. They provide crucial interest during the lean dormant months when many gardens lack structure.

While other perennials retreat underground or become mere stubble or sticks, Pulsatilla’s seed heads create focal points that draw the eye. They’re particularly effective when planted in drifts, where their collective movement creates a sense of flow that animates the garden even on still days.

Pulsatilla seedhead left to add interest to the garden

Seed Heads Making a Bold Statement

Achillea millefolium seedheads in a winter garden

The Drama of Allium Seed Heads

Globe allium seedheads in a fall garden

Sigrie Kendrick is a master gardener and executive-director of the non-profit Okanagan Xeriscape Association.

Our Plant Database features more than 500 plants tested and ideally suited for the unique challenges of gardening in the Okanagan’s extreme climate, iincluding the plants in this article.

GARDENING WITH NATURE

Article by Sigrie Kendrick

Creating Vital Food Sources

The Okanagan Valley’s unique climate and ecology make it a crucial habitat for both year-round resident birds and winter visitors.

By thoughtfully selecting and planting native trees and shrubs that provide food during the harsh winter months, homeowners and landowners can create vital food sources for local bird populations while maintaining our region’s natural biodiversity.

Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus)

Landscaping Tips

Care and Maintenance

While native plants generally require minimal maintenance, some care during the establishment period ensures long-term success. Water deeply but infrequently during the first two growing seasons to encourage deep-root development. Avoid fall fertilization which may promote late-season growth vulnerable to winter damage.

Resist the urge to prune away all berries and fruits in fall cleanup. These food sources become increasingly valuable as winter progresses and natural food becomes scarcer. Similarly, leave some leaf litter under shrubs and trees, as ground-feeding birds often forage for seeds and hibernating insects in this natural mulch.

Beyond providing crucial winter bird food, establishing native plants creates year-round habitat value. These plantings support native pollinators during flowering periods, provide nesting sites in spring, and offer summer shade and shelter. As plants mature, they become increasingly valuable components of the local ecosystem, contributing to the Okanagan Valley’s biodiversity while providing endless opportunities for bird watching and nature appreciation throughout the winter months.

Check our Plant Database for more information on the plants mentioned above.

Sigrie Kendrick is a master gardener and executive-director of the non-profit Okanagan Xeriscape Association.

GARDENING WITH NATURE

Article by Sigrie Kendrick

Glorious Ground covers

Nature abhors a vacuum

It has been said that Nature abhors a vacuum and I have often reflected on this old adage when
planning and planting gardens.

If you have a plant there, chances are, you won’t have a weed. This is especially true when considering ground covers, which act as an organic living mulch and don’t need to be constantly topped up as you would with a composted mulch such as Glengrow or Nature’s Gold. These living mulches mimic what happens naturally on the forest floor and include all the benefits we associate with mulch, in that they act as a weed suppressant, they moderate soil temperature, and they conserve soil moisture.

Whether you have a baking hot, sunny location, a spot with deep shade, or anything in between,  there is a ground cover to meet your needs.

Ground covers by location 

For instance, the Moroccan Pincushion Flower, or Pterocephalus depressus, is a fantastic choice for those hot, sunny areas in your garden. This distinctive ground cover features greyish-green crinkled leaves which are tolerant of light foot traffic such as when used in-between flagstones.

Many low-growing thymes also suit such spaces where there is some foot traffic. Pterocephalus depressus is hardy in zones 4-8 where it will form an evergreen mat a few inches high with a spread of 18 inches. This ground cover flowers in late spring to summer with silvery-pink blooms similar to Scabiosa which then transition into attractive silver seed heads. The blooms of Pterocephalus depressus are a magnet for a large variety of butterflies.

One of my favourite ground covers for a sunny to part-shade location is Persicaria affinis ‘Dimity’. Also known as Himalayan Knotweed or Fleece Flower, this ground cover is as the common name suggests, native to the Himalayas, where it is found at altitudes up to 15,000 feet.

In our hot Okanagan summers, this Persicaria benefits from some afternoon shade where it will put on a display of rose-red blooms, aging to pale pink, from July to October. Ultimately the flowers turn brown and remain on the plant, offering winter interest as well. Persicaria affinis reaches a height of 6-8 inches and a width of two feet. The leaves of this perennial turn brilliant bronzy-red as the temperature falls in the autumn, further adding to its value.

Lamium maculatum, known commonly as Spotted Dead Nettle, is an extremely versatile and easy-to-grow ground cover for a partial or full-shade location. This herbaceous perennial is hardy in growing zones 4–8 so completely appropriate for gardens in the Okanagan, where it will brighten a shady area with its heart-shaped variegated leaves, even when not in bloom.

The cultivar ‘White Nancy’ features silvery green leaves with a thin dark green margin and small white, hooded flowers. Lamium maculatum is extremely long blooming, beginning in late spring and continuing for months with some re-bloom in the fall. This ground cover is virtually disease and pest-free and is not favoured by deer.

It is extremely easy to propagate Lamium maculatum by stem layering. Simply push a stem which is still attached to the mother plant, into the ground and cover it with soil, leaving only the tip visible. This tip will soon form a new plant.

A great candidate for adding colour to the late summer and fall garden is Creeping Hummingbird Trumpet ‘Orange Carpet’ or Zauschneria californica, which hummers love, and which spreads with underground stems. It does well in dry, sandy to rocky, well-drained soils on slopes.

Lastly, there are a wide variety of sedums (commonly called stonecrops) which provide both colourful leaves and flowers, thrive in hot and dry locations, attract pollinators, and have great resistance to heat and drought. In fact, stonecrops can be found growing wild on some of our rocky, dry slopes around the Okanagan Valley, proof of their fantastic toughness.

Try a mass planting of several, including some of these low-growing varieties: Sedum repestre ‘Angelina’, Bertram Anderson Stonecrop, Dragon’s Blood Stonecrop, Fuldaglut Sedum, Mossy Stonecrop, Rose Carpet Stonecrop, Russian Stonecrop or Spreading Stonecrop.

Check our Plant Database for more ground covers as well as more information on those mentioned above.

Sigrie Kendrick is a master gardener and executive-director of the non-profit Okanagan Xeriscape Association.

GARDENING WITH NATURE

Article by Sigrie Kendrick

Great Garden Choices

Clearly, change is afoot when it comes to gardening in the Okanagan.

Many of you may remember a column two years ago, in which I decried some of the garden choices featured on that summer’s public garden tour.

The chosen gardens were stunningly beautiful, of course, but featured plantings which would be unsustainable, when, not if, stringent water restrictions were implemented.

One garden was all hydrangeas, which require considerable water, and another consisted of 10 acres of turf grasses, beautiful in their own way, but by no means sustainable in our hot and dry summers.

I was elated this year to see many gardens on the FlowerPower garden tour focusing on both sustainability and water-wise gardening. Four of the nine gardens featured had no turf in their front yards. That’s right, no grass.

One had an enormous patch of flowering thyme, which was absolutely beautiful. If no one had been watching, I would have laid down in it so that I arose clothed in its delightful aroma.

Another garden featured a stunning meadow planting comprised of native and non-native xeriscape plants. I was in heaven.

Meadow plantings look deceptively easy but they are actually one of the hardest to master and this design team did master the meadow garden.

Yet another garden featured beds of drought-tolerant plants and shrubs accessed via a path planted with xeric groundcovers.

There was a cactus garden. Another featured garden was planted with xeriscape plants that also had to be wildlife-resistant. In fact, mere minutes after the tour ended and we left that property, the owner took a video capturing a young bear swaggering past.

Wow, what a difference a couple of years have made. Rather than leaving the tour disheartened and despondent, I left higher than a kite, grinning from ear to ear. Thank you to all involved for acknowledging today’s reality and showcasing gardens created by gardeners, for gardeners, gardens which are not only aesthetically-pleasing but also environment-conscious.

Typically, volunteers working on the tour are given a pre-tour, enabling them to see all the gardens on the day prior. There was something different this time. The energy was new and fresh. The gardens featured were vastly different from each other but all were stunningly beautiful and thought-provoking.

If these gardens are any indication, then we are actually changing, We, as gardeners, are making choices that are not based on an outdated perception of beauty. Instead, we are seeing beauty in the imperfect, the uncommon, the sustainable, in plant selections chosen less for our eyes and more for the benefit of pollinators and even edibility. What a monumental shift.

Many of the plants featured on the tour can be found on both our plant database and at makewaterwork.ca. This spring, the Make Water Work Plant List was updated to include FireSmart indicators for the plants on the list, thereby allowing you to choose both drought-tolerant and fire-resistant plants.

The Make Water Work challenge encourages homeowners to pledge to make water work smarter on their landscapes. Think about how you use your water and how you can make better choices about that consumption. 

I will be touring Okanagan nurseries and garden centres throughout the gardening season, supporting the many benefits of the Make Water Work plant list and campaign. Keep an eye on our social media for my schedule and stop in to say “hi” and to talk all things xeriscape.

Instead of front lawn, this Kelowna homeowner opted to plant a wild meadow with drought-tolerant gaillardia and blue flax, along with other perennials, for this showy front yard that was part of this year’s Kelowna Garden Tour.

The Okanagan Xeriscape Association is grateful for the ongoing financial support of the Okanagan Basin Water Board and is proud to be collaborating with them on their Make Water Work campaign.

Sigrie Kendrick is a master gardener and executive-director of the non-profit Okanagan Xeriscape Association.

A Pollinator-Friendly Garden

Article by Pat Zander

Pollinator Attraction

My husband and I have always tried to attract birds to our garden. That meant planting shrubs
and perennials that would be sources of food and shelter, and minimizing the use of pesticides
that might harm.

Then we got a hive of honey bees and found that many of the same principles apply. In
particular, bees need a good and consistent source of pollen and nectar-rich flowers during the
warm season. And being very careful with pesticides is even more critical. As they feed, they
are moving pollen around and fertilizing the flowers. The majority of our food crops need these
busy little critters to accomplish this for them before they can produce seeds or fruit.

At one time, I thought there was nothing more entertaining in the garden than watching a
couple of robins bathe in the fountain. However, watching a bee wiggle her way into a tubular
flower and then wiggle back out, covered with pollen, is right up there too. It is a huge bonus
that I am now more aware of all the other pollinators that come our way. With awareness
comes appreciation. I’ve seen three different species of bumblebees “working” the same
patch of flowers, a tiny bee the size of an ant navigating a Hydrangea bloom, and the delicate
scalloping leafcutter bees make on a rose leaf.

Some Familiar Easy to Grow Favourites

Early Spring:
Crocus | Glory of the Snow | Pasque Flowers |  Snowdrops |  Tulips | Hazelnut | Pussywillows

Late Spring:
Allium |  Lilac | Saskatoons | Elderberry | Blossoming Berries |  Blossoming Fruit Trees and Shrubs | Oregon grape

Summer:
Beebalm |  Catmint |  Coneflower |  Dill | Fennel | Globe Thistle | Hyssop |  Jupiter’s Beard | 
Lavender |  Lambs Ears | Mint | Russian Sage | Salvia; | Snapdragons |  Veronica |  Yarrow | Butterfly Bush | Ninebark | Rose of Sharon

Late Summer into Fall:
Autumn Joy Sedum | Sunflowers |  Bluebeard (Caryopteris) | Russian Sage

I have mentioned only the plants in our garden which I know to be pollinator favourites. There
are hundreds more. A quick search on the internet will provide lists of appropriate choices;
borderfreebees.com is a good one. Also, do check out the plant list and images on OXA’s Pollinator Garden in the UnH2O Demonstration Garden on this site. 

It is also worth noting that native plants are the most appropriate for feeding native insect
species. Bonus that they are really easy on the water.

Living in the Okanagan where fruit growing is an important industry, gives us even more reason
to encourage healthy populations of pollinators.

Oh, and if you happen to have a few dandelions in your lawn, you are serving bee candy. Now
there’s an excuse to avoid hours on your knees digging them out.