Landscape Expert Shares Guidelines for Gardening with Natives—and Why. See the Recording Here
Erik Oberg named his favorite native plants for home gardens
Erik Oberg, owner of native-plant landscape design company Acorn Design Studios and chair of the Conejo Valley Audubon Society’s Conservation Committee, gave a talk in December 2023 about native plant gardening to a group of COSF open space enthusiasts.
He walked the audience through his “Top 10 Reasons to Go Native,” as well as reviewing his 10 favorite landscape plants that will thrive now—and in our hotter, drier climate of the future. These include Baja fairy duster and Catalina Ironwood, as well as deer grass and the long-blooming Indian mallow.
At age 8, Erik decided he wanted to be a park ranger, a goal he realized after graduating with a BS from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. He eventually worked at eight different parks, including Joshua Tree, Sequoia and Yellowstone over the course of 26 years. As a biologist, his focus was on restoring natural habitats.
Today, as the principal designer at Acorn Design Studios, he helps clients create gardens that maximize pollinator and wildlife habitat and reduce water use. He also manages CVAS’s 12-year-old Lawns to Habitat (LTH) grant program, the topic of his talk. Oberg himself started as an LTH grant recipient in 2021 and, he says, “I expressed so much enthusiasm for the program that I was recruited by the Board to join Audubon Conejo as the conservation chair.”
You can watch Erik’s 20-minute presentation here.
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