Memorial and Habitat Garden

In August 2001, Linda Ross Yates, Joannie Dranginnis, and I agreed we wanted to work together to establish a National Wildlife Federation Certified Backyard Wildlife Habitat garden in a public space to serve as a demonstration garden. We were made aware of a space at the Santa Rosa Pioneer Cemetery, just inside the iron gate near the GAR monument. It was suggested that in addition to our purposes, the garden also be a memorial garden where stones would be placed commemorating those with no other place for a stone. We laid out the design plan and decided to make it a native plant demonstration garden to show people how a native garden looks and to provide some of the habitat that has been destroyed in our area. We put a great deal of thought into providing plants that creatures like native bees and butterflies endemic to our area might find it difficult to locate in the city. We also emphasized the use of drought tolerant plants. Later, our garden was designated an official Monarch Sanctuary.

Because of the events of September 11, 2001, which occurred soon after we started work, we agreed that the garden was a fitting affirmation of life at a time when we all felt its fragility. It has been a source of great comfort to me and I hope to other people and creatures who visit it.

-Rebecca Montgomery 

Click here for a list of the hundreds of plants in our garden. All but three are natives to California and most are native to Sonoma County.