The towering trees of Sequoia sempervirens – coast redwood – create hushed, cathedral-like aisles in California’s fog belt from southern Monterey County to just north of the Oregon border. Conditions that favor redwoods include mild winters with little frost; cool, moist, foggy summers; lack of salt-laden coastal winds; and deep, silty, river-deposited soils. The climate, together with the decomposition of redwood needles, creates decidedly acid soils with a H of 5.0 to 5.5. The plants associated with redwood forests flourish best under these conditions and are excellent choices for coastal gardens in the fog belt. Even though many gardens don’t have a redwood tree, other conifers that grow in coastal climates serve equally well. Spring wildflowers, seasonal shrubs, ferns, and pleasing ground covers round out a palette for a redwood forest design.

 

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