The transplanted gardener: How to find new roots in Marin
“New feet within my garden go” is the first line of Emily Dickinson’s iconic poem “My Garden,” which conveys a sense of wonder to those stepping into new ground and to those observing those steps. Whether relocating from the Midwest with its four strong seasons, the steamy South, the sunbaked Southwest or from across an ocean, Marin is certain to inspire wonderment in the newly transplanted gardener. Marin’s famously inviting Mediterranean climate is shared by less than 2% of the world’s landmass. This county rests on a spectacular landscape that begins at sea level and winds along miles of ocean coast as it climbs more than 2,500 feet and peaks at the summit of Mount Tamalpais. Within just 828 square miles of water and land, new gardeners will find cool, verdant redwood groves often shrouded with fog, windswept coastal bluffs, sunbaked inland valleys and energetic coastal shorelines. It is no wonder that Marin’s gardens reflect tremendous variability.
New gardeners will quickly determine that Marin lies within the familiar USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 9b/10a. This is helpful, but gardeners new to the West Coast will also learn that Marin’s three Sunset Zones more precisely tune their gardens to local climate variations that will determine what thrives. This uniquely complex topography presents a myriad of gardening possibilities. There are more than 1,000 species of plants native to Marin and many thousands of other California natives that can be grown here, along with a seemingly endless list of succulents, ferns, flowers, trees, fruits and vegetables. They’ll be pleasantly surprised finding containers of young redwood trees at the same local nurseries selling tiny pots of minuscule sedums. A huge selection of plants and planting decisions awaits every new gardener. Wonderment indeed! Faced with so many plant and gardening variables, the gardener new to Marin can easily wilt, showing their own symptoms of transplant shock.
Fortunately, there’s help nearby. Marin is also home to many welcoming gardeners and a wealth of gardens. To help alleviate transplant shock, a stroll through the beautiful collection of UC Marin Master Gardener Gardens at the Falkirk Cultural Center in San Rafael can be truly therapeutic. Found in Sunset Zone 15, these gardens are inspiring and educational. A recently added seed library at Falkirk allows all visitors to share and participate in local gardening activities. Can there be a better way to welcome the new Marin gardener than with locally collected seeds? Within Sunset Zone 16, the Marin Art and Garden Center in Ross encompasses 11 acres of gracefully landscaped spaces that offer thoughtful gardening insight. Sunset Zone 17 features Harvey’s Garden in Tiburon, where the bayside setting provides a picturesque backdrop to a beautifully assembled collection of plants from Mediterranean climates worldwide.
After all that walking, the new Marin gardener seeking relevant, impartial and scientifically verified gardening information is forgiven for putting their feet up and logging into our website at ucanr.edu/site/uc-marin-master-gardeners. This comprehensive website will undoubtedly become a favorite gardening tool. Offering links to an astonishing array of science-based and Earth-friendly information, it’s tailored specifically for the Marin home gardener. Best of all, it’s very readable. The links will take the curious gardener to extensively researched plant lists, garden calendars and dozens of fascinating projects and programs.
From the website, interested Marin gardeners can even invite new feet into their gardens for a free, nonjudgmental site assessment from experts in the UC Marin Master Gardener Garden Walk program, in partnership with the Marin Municipal Water District, who share advice on improving irrigation practices. These garden walkers are well-versed in microclimate site assessment, irrigation and water conservation, and Earth-friendly garden plants and practices. And they are happy to help!
As we welcome the new year, we also warmly welcome all newly transplanted gardeners into the fabulous garden that is Marin County.
Sponsored by UC Cooperative Extension, the University of California Marin Master Gardeners provide science- and research-based information for home gardeners. Email questions to helpdesk@marinmg.org. Attach photos for inquiries about plant pests or diseases. The office is closed for drop-in visits. Subscribe to the Leaflet, UC Marin Master Gardener’s free quarterly e-newsletter, at marinmg.ucanr.edu.