The following information sheets are available as pdf files:
Nursery topics
- Native plants for urban landscapes - species list for ornamental plantings
- Native flowering perennials for landscaping - a detailed look at herbaceous perennials with ornamental appeal
- Native flowering shrubs for landscaping - a detailed look at native shrubs for landscapes
- Native plants for screening septic mounds - species list for screening septic mounds including planting maintenance recommendations
- Plants for erosion control and steep slopes - a list of plants that can be used to slow soil erosion and maintain steep slopes.
- Fall color - native plants for fall color and winter interest
- Why local genetics? - article on why it is important to choose native plants from local genetic stock
- Plants we do not grow - some plants we do not grow and the reasons why
- Prairie perennials - descriptions of South Sound prairie species
- Forest perennials - descriptions of South Sound forest species
- Woodland perennials - descriptions of South Sound woodland species
- Planting plugs vs. bareroots - lists the advantages of planting trees and shrubs from 10 cu. in. plugs
Please see our catalog for information on more nursery topics
Project planning
- Installation Scheduling - Provides a 21-month schedule of project installation steps, including the planting windows for different plant material stock types
- Fall planting - explains why fall is the best time of year to plant!
- Winter planting - considerations for winter planting.
- Plant size - information to help you determine the right size plant material for your project
- Estimating irregular shaped areas - two ways to estimate irregular areas for planning purposes.
- Calculating plant quantities/plant spacing guidelines - general guidelines on calculating plant quantities, including spacing for low, medium, and high density plantings.
- Availability of native plants in western Washington - species, forms, and sizes of native plants generally available
- Plant bid request - a list of information a nursery must have to efficiently bid on your plant list; also includes a bid request template (pdf file; print to use)
- Installation bid request - a list of information landscape contractors must have to efficiently bid on your project, to help you get increased and more consistent responses; also includes a bid request template.
- Inspecting plant material - be sure the material you receive meets your high expectations.
Site preparation
- Earthwork and site preparation - recommendations on timing, decompaction, habitat features, and weed control
- Mulches - table outlining functions, recommended depth, sources, and costs for various mulch materials (wood chips, bark, straw, etc.)
- Compost - descriptions of various products available and a discussion on different types of applications
- Compost socks - an explanation of this erosion control technique, including installation specifics
- Girdling trees - an overview of how girdling works, the best tools to use and which species can be girdled
- Soil treatments - drawbacks and benefits for fertilizers, amendments, and mulches to help you choose the best treatment for your project site
- Limiting soil compaction - reduce impact on a planting site through comprehensive site assessment, planning and scheduling, and low-impact practices and techniques
- Restoring compacted soils - foster a healthier soil through mulch, soil amendments and various decompaction methods
Weed control
- Weed control by goats - what weed species are eaten, how it works and contact information for local companies
- Weed control: English ivy - descriptions of the damage English ivy does to other vegetation and to steep slopes, plus how to remove
- Weed control: Field bindweed - various control methods by mechanical, light limitation and chemical means
- Weed control: Herb Robert - various control methods for this newer invader
- Weed control: Himalayan blackberry - strategies for control
- Weed control: Invasive knotweeds - strategies for control for various invasive knotweed species prevalent in western Washington
- Weed control: Reed canarygrass - methods to control this aggressive wetland non-native by mechanical, chemical, and competitive means
- Weed control: Scotch broom - methods to control this woody invasive by manual, mechanical, and chemical means
- Weedwatch: Poison Hemlock, Perennial Pepperweed, Scotch Thistle - brief species descriptions and control options (June 2012)
- Weedwatch: Garlic mustard, Giant hogweed, Goatsrue, Milk thistle - brief species descriptions and control options (June 2011)
- Weedwatch: Saltcedar, Yellow floatingheart, European hawkweed, Traveler's joy, Tree-of-heaven - brief species descriptions (June 2009)
- Weedwatch: Spurge laurel, Reed sweetgrass, Swollen bladderwort, Floating primrose-willow, Pampas grass - brief species descriptions (June 2008)
- Weedwatch: Policeman's helmet, Yellow archangel, Butterfly bush,Flowering rush, Garlic mustard, Common fennel - brief species descriptions (Fall 2007)
Vegetation
- Evaluating plant health before planting - how to inspect the plants you ordered to decide if they are healthy stock
- Marine shoreline species - a list of plant species that commonly occur on marine shorelines and bluffs
- Emergents - habitat and wildlife value of common emergent plant species
- More Emergents - habitat and wildlife value of additional emergent species
- Information on live stakes and cuttings - overview of types of material, how to order and handle the material, and tips for success
- Willow live stakes in reed canarygrass - a King County study on the ideal size for live stakes to restore reed canaryrgrass dominated wet meadows
- Role of vegetation in slope stability - the various ways vegetation helps to stabilize slopes
- Salvaging native plants - recommended species to target, equipment needed and other details helpful for staging a successful salvage operation
- Prevegetated coir logs - information on improving erosion control and vegetation establishment with prevegetated logs made from woven coconut fiber
- The challenges of establishing Pacific madrone - describes the fungal diseases to which madrone is susceptible and suggests the types of planting sites that may increase success rates
- Restoration superstars - these plans perform well over a wide variety of site conditions
- Grass control to improve cottonwood survival - a King County study evaluating the effects of spraying grass and watering on cottonwood live stake survival in a sunny, sandy loam site
- Effects of plant spacing on establishment success - a study comparing the effectiveness of clumped versus evenly spaced salt marsh emergent plantings
Please see our catalog for more information on vegetation and species selection topics
Soils
- Native soils of western Washington - basic overview of the derivation and characteristics of soils of western Washington
- Limiting soil compaction - reduce impact on a planting site through comprehensive site assessment, planning and scheduling, and low-impact practices and techniques
- Restoring compacted soils - foster a healthier soil through mulch, soil amendments and various decompaction methods
Installation
- Plant storage and care on site - as you are getting ready to receive plants at your installation site, consider how to best care for them until they go in the ground
- Planting tips - recommendations on planting depth, root disturbance, watering in, and staking; link to planting video and brochure produced by WSU Cooperative Extension: Plant it Right
- Plant protectors - information on protecting plants from wildlife and the benefits of tree shelters
- Weed cloth - installation specifics and uses of weed cloth (also known as landscape fabric)
- Erosion control fabric - information on various types of products available and installation specifics
- Installing live stakes - instructions and tips for planting live stakes
- What to do about beavers!?! - ecological role of beavers, effects on restoration projects and how you can protect your plantings
- What to do about geese!?! - the effects on restoration projects by Canada geese and how you can protect your plantings
- Fascine installation - how and why to use fascines for site stabilization projects
- Summer irrigation - descriptions and recommendations of irrigation systems for summer watering, especially important for spring plantings
Stormwater Management
- Catching Rain #1: Low Impact Development Overview - the first in a series of handouts on green stormwater infrastructure required for most new developments under federally-mandated regulations.
- Catching Rain #2: New LID regulations - an overview of the new stormwater regulations currently being implemented in Washington State
- Catching Rain #3: LID development process - guide for real estate professionals on the LID development process
- Catching Rain #4: Pervious pavement maintenance - how to keep your permeable surfaces functioning properly
- Catching Rain #5: Rain garden maintenance - how to keep your rain garden functioning properly
- Catching Rain #6: Rain garden construction checklist - steps to make sure your rain garden is built correctly so it works as intended
- Catching Rain #7: Rain garden construction sequencing - proper planning and project phasing can make the difference between success and failure
- Green roofs - an overview of green roofs and plants that work well
- Rainwater harvesting - the practice of collecting and storing rainwater for household or irrigation uses
- Rain garden design - 4 steps to creating a successful rain garden
General
- Irrigation systems for restoration and mitigation sites - paper presented at the 2003 SER/SWS Northwest Chapter Annual Meeting
- Restoring Washington: One native plant at a time - article discussing the restoration work performed by Sound Native Plants, published in the WA Farm Bureau's Spring 2008 issue of 'Neighbors'
- Estimating slope - slope terminology and estimation methods
- Wetland buffers - explanation of the ecological functions and importance of wetland buffers as well as various permit requirements
- Wetland delineations - explanation of a "jurisdictional" wetland and the wetland delineation process
- Shoreline and wetland permit variances - explanation of the types and conditions of permit variances
- Priority habitats - overview of what priority habitats are and how these areas are regulated
- Priority species - explanation of priority species and the regulations that apply
- Restoration resources for projects on private land - an overview of public programs providing grants and other resources for restoration projects performed on private land
- What is native? - basic overview of plant taxonomy and how we define the "native" in Sound Native Plants
- Native demonstration gardens in western Washington - a list of gardens in our area that are open to the public and offer interpretive resources - visit these gardens to learn native plant identification
- Indicators of potentially unstable slopes - focuses on hydrophilic (water-loving) vegetation and the effects of moving water on soil
- References and resources - list of field guides, organizations, periodicals, and books that we have found more or less useful on native plants, native plant gardening, and landscape management topics