This series not only highlights the plants and animals found throughout our canyon, the blurbs are written and illustrated by local Garden Club members. Many thanks to the Chevy Chase Estates Garden Club. Please feel free to email them. gardenclub@chevychaseestates.us.

Our Chevy Chase Canyon hosts an exotic bird called the Red-whiskered Bulbul.  The story goes that these birds are originally from India, were caged and got loose in Florida.  Somehow they got transported to the Los Angeles area and live in small flocks here and at Huntington Gardens where the flora is tropical.  They perch out in the open, on wires above bamboo or high in a tree, and sustain themselves on berries.  The bulbul is very loud.  He sings a short, scolding song and can be heard from indoors.  His looks are flamboyant, with a tall, black-pointed crest, bright red whisker patch, and black and white markings.    By Carroll Waldron Ropp                                                                                                                        

Douglas Iris (Iris Douglasiana) is a knee-high perennial with rhizomes that spread slowly into a 2-4 foot wide clump.  The flowers are cream to purple and up to 3 inches wide.  They like full sun near the coast, afternoon shade inland, and some summer water.  They usually flower from March to June, however native Irises can appear as early as November.     By Candyce Binzley