Garden Critters

There has been a lot of action in the Demo Garden this fall, and during the first days of winter. Here are just a few photos from recent weeks. The garden, with its many drought-tolerant native plants, is so important to local wildlife as a source of food and shelter.

This squirrel was spotted in the garden in December.

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Some resident acorn woodpeckers enjoyed the garden’s birdbath.

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A hummingbird was spotting drinking nectar from our Island Snapdragon,  a beautiful California native plant (galvezia speciosa).

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A California thrasher took in the sun perched on a California native buckwheat (eriogonum).

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A young scrub jay found a comfortable perch.

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And a hawk stopped by for a visit.

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Photos by Les Dublin.

Welcome to the new Ojai Garden

The Ojai Garden’s name is derived from not only the numerous private gardens found throughout Ojai but also a metaphor of the greater Ojai Valley as a garden to explore, cultivate and learn from. Many gardens throughout the valley blend almost seamlessly into orchards and meadows, and beyond into the millions of acres of national forest bordering Ojai.

Ojai is also home to many businesses and other destinations that maintain stunning gardens that heighten the Ojai experience. From hotels such as the venerable yet newly-remodeled Ojai Valley Inn & Spa and The Lavender Inn, a downtown Ojai bed and breakfast, to healing centers such as the Krotona School of Theosophy and Meditation Mount, Ojai offers endless local outdoor adventures.

This site is a community blog, featuring authors who maintain home gardens to adventurous hikers seeking out flora and fauna to local businesses that take pride in contributing to the beauty of the town. Of particular note is the public Ojai Community Demonstration Garden. Enjoy your visit and check back in.

The Ojai Garden began in January, 2006. Hundreds of posts later, the site continues to delight those who value appreciate the natural beauty of the Ojai Valley.