Biofiltration Garden

This garden highlights sustainable environmental practices with ornamental grasses, rosemary, and sun roses that naturally filter water.

Biofiltration Garden

The Biofiltration Garden is a showcase of sustainable environmental practices, utilizing ornamental grasses, rosemary, and sun roses to naturally filter and purify water. This garden demonstrates the power of nature-based solutions for managing water, with plants that thrive in moist conditions and contribute to the health of the surrounding ecosystems.

Key plants from this area are listed below by their botanical and common names to help inspire your sustainable garden designs.

Botanical Name

Common Name

Abies pinsapo

Horstmann Spanish Fir

Acer palmatum

Calico Cloth Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum var. dissectum

Ribbon Leaf Japanese Maple

Acer saccharum

Millane's Dwarf Sugar Maple

Achillea x

Summer Wine Yarrow

Allium stipitatum

White Giant Allium

Arctostaphylos x

John Dourley Manzanita

Artemesia schmidtiana

Silver Mound Angel's Hair

Buddleia globosa

Butterfly Bush

Calamagrostis x acutiflora

Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass

Calluna vulgaris

Alicia Summer White, Fritz Kircher, Grey Carpet, Silver Knight Scots Heather

Camassia leichtlinii

Large Camas

Carpenteria californica

Bush Anemone

Caryopteris x clandonensis

Longwood Blue Mist Shrub

Cedrus deodora

Prostrate Beauty Himalayan Cedar

Chamaecyparis obtusa

Golden Hinoki False-Cypress

Chamaecyparis pisifera

Devon Cream Sawara False-Cypress

Chasmanthium latifolium

Northern Sea Oats

Choisya ternata

Sundance Mexican Orange & Mexican Orange

Cistus incanus

Creticus Rock Rose

Clematis armandii

Apple Blossom Evergreen Clematis

Cryptomeria japonica

Dwarf Japanese Cedar

Echinops bannaticus

Blue Glow Thistle

Epilobium canum

Everett's Choice California Fuchsia

Erica carnea

Golden Starlet, Daphne Underwood's, Purple Beauty Twisted Heath

Erica tetralix

Alba Mollis, Pink Glow Cross-leaved Heath

Erica vagans

Diana Hornbrook, Mirs. D.F. Maxwell Cornish Heath

Erica x darleyensis

Cross Puzzle, Eva Gold, Goldrush, Lyra, Mary Helen, White Perfection Dale Darley Heath

Erica x stuartii

Praeger's Heath

Erigeron karvinskianu

Profusion Fleabane, Santa Barbara Daisy

Erigeron speciosus

Daisy Fleabane

Eriogonum umbellatum

Sulfur Flower

Erysimum linifolium

Fragrant Sunshine Wallflower

Erysimum x

Bowles Mauve Bushy Wallflower, Orange Flame Wallflower

Festuca glauca

Elijah Blue Fescue

Ficus carica

Ronde de Bordeaux French Fig

Helenium autumnale

Mariachi Sneezeweed

Helianthemum

Rockroses & Sun Roses

Helianthemum x

Henfield Brilliant Rockrose & Henfield Brilliant Sun

Ilex x meserveae

Meserve Holly & Blue Holly

Iris reticulata

Harmony Reticulated Iris

Knautia macedonica

Crimson Scabious

Kniphofia acraea

Red-Hot Poker, Torch Lily

Kniphofia ichopensis

Red-Hot Poker, Torch Lily

Kniphofia northiae

Giant Red-Hot Poker, Giant Torch Lily

Kniphofia x

Limelight Hybrid Torch Lily & Yellow-Orange Hybrid Torch Lily

Laurus nobilis

Sweet Bay

Lavandula angustifolia

Hidcote Dwarf, Jean Davis, Dwarf White, Platinum Blonde, Purple Bouquet, Royal Velvet, Twickle Purple English Lavander

Lavandula lanata

Silver Frost Woolly Lanvender

Lavandula x intermedia

Grappenhall Hybrid Lavender, Blue Lavander

Lespedeza bicolor

Chinese Bushclover

Malva x clementii

Barnsley Tree Mallow

Melicytus alpinus

Porcupine Shrub

Nandina domestica

Umpqua Warrior Heavenly Bamboo

Nepata tuberosa

Catmint

Pennisetum alopecuroides

Hameln Dwarf Fountain Grass

Penstemon procerus var. brachyanthus

Pincushion Beardtongue

Perovskia atriplicifolia

Longin Russian Sage

Phlox bifida

Betty Blake Cleft Phlox

Phormium tenax

Tom Thumb Dwarf New Zealand Flax

Picea omorika

Serbian Spruce

Pinus contorta

Spaan's Dwarf Shore Pine

Pinus thunbergii

Thunderhead Japanese Black Pine

Podocarpus lawrencei

Purple King Mountain Plum-Pine

Poncirus trifoliata

Flying Dragon Bitter Orange, Japanese Hardy Orange

Potentilla fruticosa

Jackman's Bush Cinquefoil & Sutter's Gold Bush Cinquefoit

Prunus serrulata

Tai-haku Great White Cherry

Punica granatum

Nana Dwarf Pomegranate

Rosa x

Paul's Himalayan Musk Rambling Rose

Rosmarinus officinalis

Gold Dust Rosemary & Miss Jessopp's Upright Rosemary

Salvia

Moorcroftiana x indica,Windwalker Royal Red Sage

Saponaria ocymoides

Rock Soapwort

Schizachyrium scoparium

Stanley Ovation Little Bluestem

Stachys byzantina

Cotton Ball Lamb's Ears, Lamb's Tongue

Stachys densiflora

Alba White Alpine Betony

Stipa arundinacea

New Zealand Wind Grass

Syringa vulgaris

Primrose Common Lilac

Thymus pseudolanuginosus

Woolly Thyme

Zaluzianskya pulvinata

Night Phlox

Nature’s Solution

Sustainable design for biofiltration

The Biofiltration Garden at Vista Gardens is a living testament to the power of nature-based solutions in managing water sustainably. This thoughtfully designed space utilizes the natural filtering capabilities of ornamental grasses, rosemary, and sun roses to purify water, demonstrating how plants can play a crucial role in maintaining the health of our ecosystems.

At the heart of this garden is the concept of biofiltration—a process where plants are used to remove contaminants from water, improving its quality as it moves through the landscape. The Biofiltration Garden showcases how carefully selected plant species can thrive in moist conditions while performing vital ecological functions. Ornamental grasses, with their dense root systems, act as natural filters, capturing sediments and pollutants. Rosemary, known for its resilience and aromatic presence, adds structure and fragrance, while sun roses bring vibrant color and additional filtering capabilities with their hardy, moisture-loving nature.

For gardeners and environmental enthusiasts alike, the Biofiltration Garden offers a compelling example of how design can merge beauty with functionality. By incorporating plants that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also perform essential environmental tasks, this garden demonstrates that sustainable practices can enhance both the visual appeal and ecological health of our landscapes. Whether you’re looking to manage water more effectively in your garden or simply seeking inspiration from nature’s own solutions, the Biofiltration Garden provides a model of how to create spaces that are as beneficial to the environment as they are beautiful to behold.


Explore the next area: Primo Giardino

Garden composed of flowering trees, Japanese maples, and other drought-tolerant plants for a warm, inviting setting.

Vista Gardens
Info@VistaGardens.org
124 NE 31st Street
Bremerton WA 98310

Albers Marcovina Vista Gardens Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Federal Tax ID is 37-1546572