Sausalito Beautiful conferred upon Chris Gallagher and the Bay Model Garden the 2019 and 2022 Beautification Awards for Secret Garden. This gorgeous native pollinator garden was brainchild of Chris, who is the US Army Corp of Engineers Park Manager for the Bay Model Visitor’s Center. She raised the funds to create it and partnered with the the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) to make it a reality.

Different wildlife habitats for song birds, hummingbirds, butterflies and bees comprise this horseshoe-shaped native pollinator garden at the Bay Model Visitor’s Center. Each section focuses on the plants favored by that specific type of pollinator, including a Monarch butterfly way station. The purpose was to create a safe haven for all these essential creatures including native bees. Local native plants offer numerous resources for native creatures: pollen and nectar, seeds and berries, food for the larval stages of butterflies, cover for nesting. Water is provided by a solar-powered birdbath and a misting fountain for the hummingbirds; small puddles for the insects form in the uneven surfaces of the stones and boulders. The garden was planted by and continues to be maintained by the Marin chapter of the CNPS.

Planning for the garden began in the fall of 2017 with Laura Lovett, Charlotte Torgovitsky and Kristin Jakob of CNPS pouring over extensive lists of native plants and creating smaller lists for each individual pollinator section of the garden. Plants were grouped into specific habitats for hummingbirds, songbirds, butterflies, and monarch butterflies; native bees will enjoy all of it. To preserve the water view from the lobby of the building, all the plants are less than about four feet at maturity.

Local Sausalito gardeners can get great ideas from this garden, as all the plants are identified with markers (plant list). Gardening with native plants allows you to bring the beauty of California into your landscape while also saving on water, reducing pesticide use, and supporting our local ecology—all the while reducing your maintenance efforts.

One more fun fact: the three huge redwood trees out in front of the Bay Model building were planted in 1987 by Chris Gallagher, who is now the Park Manager for the Bay Model Visitor’s Center. Thank you, Chris, for having the foresight to plant those gorgeous trees!