San Mateo Habitat Garden with Rainwater Collection and Storage a Talk by Elaine Salinger 9/8/2021

Elaine Salinger’s yard has been transformed from ivy and non-natives to an almost 100% native habitat garden over the last twenty years. She will illustrate how she and her husband have done this while incorporating the following principle: what happens in the garden, stays in the garden. She’ll cover how to use everything you prune as mulch and how to use larger tree branches to build paths and trails; how to collect rainwater and groundwater, store it, and use it in the garden; and the benefits of using rock mulch and garden trimmings as mulch, rather than purchasing bark mulch. Elaine will highlight some of her favorite plants on the upper, landscaped yard including fifteen of the manzanitas, the frog pond and the riparian area surrounding the pond.

The property adjoins serpentine open space, and Elaine will show the transformation of the lower hillside, where she has removed the non-native invasive plants, allowing the local natives to propagate. Elaine and her husband are also dog lovers, and Elaine will briefly offer tips about how to have a dog friendly native yard.
Elaine Salinger is a retired veterinarian who lives in San Mateo. She is passionate about native plants, animals, climate change action, political engagement and making the most of every day. The quote that best describes her comes from E.B. White, “I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.”

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