Garrya elliptica (coast silk tassel). RSABG
Organizations dedicated to California Native Plants
California Native Plant Society
A well designed and well maintained site covering an extensive variety of issues pertinent to native plants in California.
Check your local CNPS chapter to meet other gardeners, attend workshops and talks, and for gardening information relevant to your specific area.
A well designed and well maintained site covering an extensive variety of issues pertinent to native plants in California.
Check your local CNPS chapter to meet other gardeners, attend workshops and talks, and for gardening information relevant to your specific area.
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
Largest botanic garden dedicated to California's native plants. Best place in southern California to see native plants in both garden and naturalistic settings. Grow Native Nursery and providing classes on design, propagation, and maintenance of native plants.
Largest botanic garden dedicated to California's native plants. Best place in southern California to see native plants in both garden and naturalistic settings. Grow Native Nursery and providing classes on design, propagation, and maintenance of native plants.
Theodore Payne Foundation
The oldest organization dedicated to California's native plants. Enthusiastic and dedicated staff; demonstration gardens and a famous nursery serving the northern Los Angeles area. Terrific educational resource offering a variety of classes on native plant horticulture and landscaping and the host of the most extensive native plant home garden tour anywhere.
The oldest organization dedicated to California's native plants. Enthusiastic and dedicated staff; demonstration gardens and a famous nursery serving the northern Los Angeles area. Terrific educational resource offering a variety of classes on native plant horticulture and landscaping and the host of the most extensive native plant home garden tour anywhere.
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
A truly beautiful botanic garden in a spectacular setting in a picturesque and historical coastal city.
A truly beautiful botanic garden in a spectacular setting in a picturesque and historical coastal city.
Regional Parks Botanic Garden
Located in the Berkeley Hills Regional Parks Botanic Garden is, small but stunning, and reportedly the most extensive and best maintained collection of native plants in the state.
Located in the Berkeley Hills Regional Parks Botanic Garden is, small but stunning, and reportedly the most extensive and best maintained collection of native plants in the state.
Books
Wild Suburbia
A new book on native plant gardening!
I have known the author of this new book for many years and I cannot imagine a more qualified or passionate person to write on this topic. Every gardener has their own tricks and secrets and in this book I am certain we will find personal anecdotes, trials and errors, which will help us all be better and happier gardeners. Native plant gardening is not simple and not for the lazy nor the disinterested. To reap the rewards of a native plant garden requires of us (or one's designated garden steward) something in return: a sincere effort to understand native plants; a basic knowledge of the ecology and practice of bringing native plants into cultivation; and a commitment to caring for them over the years. While native plant gardens can be care free and partially self sustaining they do not take well to being ignored and misunderstood. Sort of like us humans I guess. If you are interested in building a relationship with your garden Barbara Eisenstein's new book will assist, educate, hold your hand, and inspire you along your way. Here is a descriptive quote from Amazon.com.
Learning to garden with native plants
"Wild Suburbia guides us through the process of transforming a traditional, high water-use yard into a peaceful habitat garden abounding with native plants. Author Barbara Eisenstein emphasizes that gardening is a rewarding activity rather than a finished product, from removing lawns and getting in touch with a yard's climate to choosing plants and helping them thrive. Supplementing her advice with personal stories from her decades of experience working with native plants, Eisenstein illuminates the joys of tending a native garden-and assures us that any challenges, from managing pests to disapproving neighbors, should never sap the enjoyment out of a pleasurable and fulfilling hobby. For plant lovers curious about their own ecosystems, Wild Suburbia offers a style of gardening that nurtures biodiversity, deepens connection to place, and encourages new and seasoned gardeners alike to experiment and have fun."
A new book on native plant gardening!
I have known the author of this new book for many years and I cannot imagine a more qualified or passionate person to write on this topic. Every gardener has their own tricks and secrets and in this book I am certain we will find personal anecdotes, trials and errors, which will help us all be better and happier gardeners. Native plant gardening is not simple and not for the lazy nor the disinterested. To reap the rewards of a native plant garden requires of us (or one's designated garden steward) something in return: a sincere effort to understand native plants; a basic knowledge of the ecology and practice of bringing native plants into cultivation; and a commitment to caring for them over the years. While native plant gardens can be care free and partially self sustaining they do not take well to being ignored and misunderstood. Sort of like us humans I guess. If you are interested in building a relationship with your garden Barbara Eisenstein's new book will assist, educate, hold your hand, and inspire you along your way. Here is a descriptive quote from Amazon.com.
Learning to garden with native plants
"Wild Suburbia guides us through the process of transforming a traditional, high water-use yard into a peaceful habitat garden abounding with native plants. Author Barbara Eisenstein emphasizes that gardening is a rewarding activity rather than a finished product, from removing lawns and getting in touch with a yard's climate to choosing plants and helping them thrive. Supplementing her advice with personal stories from her decades of experience working with native plants, Eisenstein illuminates the joys of tending a native garden-and assures us that any challenges, from managing pests to disapproving neighbors, should never sap the enjoyment out of a pleasurable and fulfilling hobby. For plant lovers curious about their own ecosystems, Wild Suburbia offers a style of gardening that nurtures biodiversity, deepens connection to place, and encourages new and seasoned gardeners alike to experiment and have fun."
Growing California Native Plants
This was my very first book on gardening with California native plants and it was possibly the very first one to be published, at least in a comprehensive format. What I appreciate in this book is that the original author, Marjorie Schmidt, includes her experiences propagating these plants. While the information is rather general in nature this is information many other books do not include. I have not reviewed the new edition which is reportedly updated with new plants and additional photos but I highly recommend having the original 1980 edition if you are fortunate enough to find one. If not the new edition published by University of California Press in 2012 should be a valuable resource and may be improved. As everyone's garden and gardening style is different no one book will serve everyone's needs completely. This book would be an excellent reference book for anyone's collection.
From the book jacket summary for the 2012 edition on the CNPS website:
"First published thirty years ago, the long-awaited second edition of Growing California Native Plants is the ideal hands-on native plant guide for both experienced and novice gardeners. In addition to the voluminous knowledge contributed by Marjorie G. Schmidt, now deceased, Katherine L. Greenberg has taken note of the vibrant state of today's horticultural scene, adding plants and ideas that were little known when the book first appeared. Lavishly illustrated with 200 new color photographs, drawings, maps, and charts, this concise and easy-to-use reference covers trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, bulbs, grasses, and vines, and includes a plant selection guide for quick reference"
This was my very first book on gardening with California native plants and it was possibly the very first one to be published, at least in a comprehensive format. What I appreciate in this book is that the original author, Marjorie Schmidt, includes her experiences propagating these plants. While the information is rather general in nature this is information many other books do not include. I have not reviewed the new edition which is reportedly updated with new plants and additional photos but I highly recommend having the original 1980 edition if you are fortunate enough to find one. If not the new edition published by University of California Press in 2012 should be a valuable resource and may be improved. As everyone's garden and gardening style is different no one book will serve everyone's needs completely. This book would be an excellent reference book for anyone's collection.
From the book jacket summary for the 2012 edition on the CNPS website:
"First published thirty years ago, the long-awaited second edition of Growing California Native Plants is the ideal hands-on native plant guide for both experienced and novice gardeners. In addition to the voluminous knowledge contributed by Marjorie G. Schmidt, now deceased, Katherine L. Greenberg has taken note of the vibrant state of today's horticultural scene, adding plants and ideas that were little known when the book first appeared. Lavishly illustrated with 200 new color photographs, drawings, maps, and charts, this concise and easy-to-use reference covers trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, bulbs, grasses, and vines, and includes a plant selection guide for quick reference"
California Native Plants for the Garden
If I had to recommend just one book on gardening with California native plants this would be the one. Written by three of the states leading experts in native plant horticulture this publication is loaded with information on some of the very best garden worthy species and cultivars. Filled with gorgeous photography it is a very inspiring book and admirably captures and extolls the incredible beauty of the California flora brought out of the wild and into our gardens.
From the book's back cover:
"California Native Plants for the Garden is a comprehensive resource that features more than 500 of the best California native plants for gardening in Mediterranean-climate areas of the world. Authored by three of the state's leading native-plant horticulturists and illustrated with 450 color photos, this reference book also includes chapters on landscape design, installation, and maintenance. Detailed lists of recommended native plants for a variety of situations and appendices with information on places to see native plants and where to buy them are also provided".
I could not find this book available on the CNPS website so I am linking it to Amazon.com. The book is widely available however and you can easily find it at or order it from your local book seller.
If I had to recommend just one book on gardening with California native plants this would be the one. Written by three of the states leading experts in native plant horticulture this publication is loaded with information on some of the very best garden worthy species and cultivars. Filled with gorgeous photography it is a very inspiring book and admirably captures and extolls the incredible beauty of the California flora brought out of the wild and into our gardens.
From the book's back cover:
"California Native Plants for the Garden is a comprehensive resource that features more than 500 of the best California native plants for gardening in Mediterranean-climate areas of the world. Authored by three of the state's leading native-plant horticulturists and illustrated with 450 color photos, this reference book also includes chapters on landscape design, installation, and maintenance. Detailed lists of recommended native plants for a variety of situations and appendices with information on places to see native plants and where to buy them are also provided".
I could not find this book available on the CNPS website so I am linking it to Amazon.com. The book is widely available however and you can easily find it at or order it from your local book seller.
Native Treasures
Of course one should not limit themselves to just one book so I also highly recommend Native Treasures by Nevin Smith. The title is most appropriate as in reading this book you can sense the author's passion and intimate experience as he describes his favorite natives for the California garden. I personally found his Introduction California and Its Plants a wonderfully crafted summary of California and why our state has such a bounty of species. A big plus for this publication for those who enjoy propagating their own garden plants is that Mr. Smith includes a propagation section for each genera. In these sections the reader gets to benefit from some of Mr. Smith's many years of direct experience and expertise growing California natives.
From the back cover:
"Nevin Smith has spent his life growing plants and exploring the wild California landscape. A highly respected horticulturalist and practitioner who is also a gifted writer, Smith shares his years of experience growing native California plants in this lively, informative book. Rather than being a systematic “how-to” manual, Native Treasures combines Smith’s personal thoughts, sometimes maverick opinions, and matchless expertise with practical advice on selected groups of native plants and their culture. The author explains how California’s diverse terrain, climate, and geology support a wealth of plant species—more than 6000—and offers suggestions for designing with most of the major natives in cultivation, as well as with some more obscure but garden-worthy groups. With an engaging narrative and a wealth of illustrations, this ode to beauty and diversity celebrates California’s rich store of native plants and encourages readers to visit them in their native haunts and invite them into their gardens."
Of course one should not limit themselves to just one book so I also highly recommend Native Treasures by Nevin Smith. The title is most appropriate as in reading this book you can sense the author's passion and intimate experience as he describes his favorite natives for the California garden. I personally found his Introduction California and Its Plants a wonderfully crafted summary of California and why our state has such a bounty of species. A big plus for this publication for those who enjoy propagating their own garden plants is that Mr. Smith includes a propagation section for each genera. In these sections the reader gets to benefit from some of Mr. Smith's many years of direct experience and expertise growing California natives.
From the back cover:
"Nevin Smith has spent his life growing plants and exploring the wild California landscape. A highly respected horticulturalist and practitioner who is also a gifted writer, Smith shares his years of experience growing native California plants in this lively, informative book. Rather than being a systematic “how-to” manual, Native Treasures combines Smith’s personal thoughts, sometimes maverick opinions, and matchless expertise with practical advice on selected groups of native plants and their culture. The author explains how California’s diverse terrain, climate, and geology support a wealth of plant species—more than 6000—and offers suggestions for designing with most of the major natives in cultivation, as well as with some more obscure but garden-worthy groups. With an engaging narrative and a wealth of illustrations, this ode to beauty and diversity celebrates California’s rich store of native plants and encourages readers to visit them in their native haunts and invite them into their gardens."
The Landscaping Ideas of Jays
When I first read The Landscaping Ideas of Jays, Judith Lowry's second book on gardening with California native plants, I immediately knew that I had found a kindred spirit. Whether enjoying native plants on an acre of pristine north coast land or on an urban apartment balcony native plant gardeners are a very passionate group. For them growing native plants is not a strictly a matter of function, but a way of life - a celebration of life and all its inherent and often seemingly magical processes. In this book Judith Lowry, in her beautiful prose, brings voice to this joy and connection we all feel but find hard to express. This is as much a book of poetry, a love story - as much as it is a practical guide to growing native plants. The book is written in seasonal order and a sampling of Judith's chapter titles will quickly introduce the reader to the poetic style of her writing. "Fall: Esperando la Lluvia: Waiting for the Rain; Winter: Eating the Rain; Spring: The Flower Dance in Modern Times; Summer: The pollination of Small Things." A short excerpt from her writing on willows: "The adjective 'willowy' is high praise; to look like a willow is a good thing, signifying flexibility, slenderness, and grace." And one of my favorites. "[Willows] may flourish on dry hillsides and in places where no obvious sources of water are available, discovering groundwater where it was not apparent. In this, they are like my easy going cat, who likes being petted but does not require it."
From the back cover:
"Elegantly organized by season, this lyrical yet practical guide to backyard restoration gardening celebrates the beauty, the challenges, and the rewards of growing native plants at home. Judith Larner Lowry, winner of the prestigious John Burroughs award, here builds on themes from her best-selling Gardening with a Wild Heart, which introduced restoration gardening as a new way of thinking about land and people. Drawing on her experiences in her own garden, Lowry offers guidance on how to plan a garden with birds, plants, and insects in mind; how to shape it with trees and shrubs, paths and trails, ponds, and other features; and how to cultivate, maintain, and harvest seeds and food from a diverse array of native annuals and perennials. Working in passionate collaboration with the scrub jays, quail, ants, and deer who visit her garden, and inspired by other gardeners, including some of the women pioneers of native plant horticulture, Lowry shares the delights of creating site-specific, ever-changing gardens that can help us better understand our place in the natural world."
Judith gardens on several acres in the north central coast and this book was inspired by her experiences on this land. Gardeners with more limited land holdings may find some of her experiences less practical but no less inspiring and educational.
I could not find this book available on the CNPS website so I am linking it to Amazon.com. The book is widely available however and you can easily find it at or order it from your local book seller.
When I first read The Landscaping Ideas of Jays, Judith Lowry's second book on gardening with California native plants, I immediately knew that I had found a kindred spirit. Whether enjoying native plants on an acre of pristine north coast land or on an urban apartment balcony native plant gardeners are a very passionate group. For them growing native plants is not a strictly a matter of function, but a way of life - a celebration of life and all its inherent and often seemingly magical processes. In this book Judith Lowry, in her beautiful prose, brings voice to this joy and connection we all feel but find hard to express. This is as much a book of poetry, a love story - as much as it is a practical guide to growing native plants. The book is written in seasonal order and a sampling of Judith's chapter titles will quickly introduce the reader to the poetic style of her writing. "Fall: Esperando la Lluvia: Waiting for the Rain; Winter: Eating the Rain; Spring: The Flower Dance in Modern Times; Summer: The pollination of Small Things." A short excerpt from her writing on willows: "The adjective 'willowy' is high praise; to look like a willow is a good thing, signifying flexibility, slenderness, and grace." And one of my favorites. "[Willows] may flourish on dry hillsides and in places where no obvious sources of water are available, discovering groundwater where it was not apparent. In this, they are like my easy going cat, who likes being petted but does not require it."
From the back cover:
"Elegantly organized by season, this lyrical yet practical guide to backyard restoration gardening celebrates the beauty, the challenges, and the rewards of growing native plants at home. Judith Larner Lowry, winner of the prestigious John Burroughs award, here builds on themes from her best-selling Gardening with a Wild Heart, which introduced restoration gardening as a new way of thinking about land and people. Drawing on her experiences in her own garden, Lowry offers guidance on how to plan a garden with birds, plants, and insects in mind; how to shape it with trees and shrubs, paths and trails, ponds, and other features; and how to cultivate, maintain, and harvest seeds and food from a diverse array of native annuals and perennials. Working in passionate collaboration with the scrub jays, quail, ants, and deer who visit her garden, and inspired by other gardeners, including some of the women pioneers of native plant horticulture, Lowry shares the delights of creating site-specific, ever-changing gardens that can help us better understand our place in the natural world."
Judith gardens on several acres in the north central coast and this book was inspired by her experiences on this land. Gardeners with more limited land holdings may find some of her experiences less practical but no less inspiring and educational.
I could not find this book available on the CNPS website so I am linking it to Amazon.com. The book is widely available however and you can easily find it at or order it from your local book seller.
Gardening with a Wild Heart
Judith Lowry's first book Gardening with a Wild Heart could rightfully also be titled Zen and Native Plant Gardening. This book is an adventure into both the mind and heart exploring why we choose to grow native plants with abundant thoughtful and inciteful perspective on how to go about building a native plant garden. As much a book on the philosophy of gardening as a practical guide Judith writes: "I garden for quail.....Counting back-yard quail is a way I have of reassuring myself, like counting rosary beads, that things are still somewhat okay." And serving as an ecological primer of sorts; on the ever shifting ways of coastal dunes she gently admonishes: "Historically, various government agencies thought it would be a good idea to stabilize these dunes, to eliminate that shifting. Perhaps they saw it as a form of erosion needing correction."
From the back cover California Wild Magazine quite accurately describes Judith's book as "A meditation on native plants, a reflective commentary on California's contemporary landscapes, a low-key lament for what once was, and an eloquent defense of what remains and what could be."
As with her Landscaping Ideas of Jays this book will not fit everyone's needs but Gardening with a Wild Heart is truly a delightful read and on our path to becoming better gardeners and better stewards of our home environment a most proper place to start from.
Judith Lowry's first book Gardening with a Wild Heart could rightfully also be titled Zen and Native Plant Gardening. This book is an adventure into both the mind and heart exploring why we choose to grow native plants with abundant thoughtful and inciteful perspective on how to go about building a native plant garden. As much a book on the philosophy of gardening as a practical guide Judith writes: "I garden for quail.....Counting back-yard quail is a way I have of reassuring myself, like counting rosary beads, that things are still somewhat okay." And serving as an ecological primer of sorts; on the ever shifting ways of coastal dunes she gently admonishes: "Historically, various government agencies thought it would be a good idea to stabilize these dunes, to eliminate that shifting. Perhaps they saw it as a form of erosion needing correction."
From the back cover California Wild Magazine quite accurately describes Judith's book as "A meditation on native plants, a reflective commentary on California's contemporary landscapes, a low-key lament for what once was, and an eloquent defense of what remains and what could be."
As with her Landscaping Ideas of Jays this book will not fit everyone's needs but Gardening with a Wild Heart is truly a delightful read and on our path to becoming better gardeners and better stewards of our home environment a most proper place to start from.
Websites
Las Pilitas Nursery
This website is chock full of information, photos, and even videos on growing native plants. Accompanied by plenty of toothy commentary and interesting opinions posted by the founder of Las Pilitas, the late Bert Wilson, the site is both informative and fun. This great plantsman was passionate about growing California's native plants and enjoyed sharing his experience to the benefit of all of us. Thank you Bert.
This website is chock full of information, photos, and even videos on growing native plants. Accompanied by plenty of toothy commentary and interesting opinions posted by the founder of Las Pilitas, the late Bert Wilson, the site is both informative and fun. This great plantsman was passionate about growing California's native plants and enjoyed sharing his experience to the benefit of all of us. Thank you Bert.
Tree of Life Nursery
Before the digital revolution TOL's catalog of native plants was an elegantly produced, handy, and treasured resource of information for early native plant aficionados and enthusiasts. This catalog is still being produced as a pdf file and can be downloaded from their website.
Before the digital revolution TOL's catalog of native plants was an elegantly produced, handy, and treasured resource of information for early native plant aficionados and enthusiasts. This catalog is still being produced as a pdf file and can be downloaded from their website.
Habitat Gardening
One of the greatest benefits and pleasures to gardening with native plants is in providing food and shelter for local wildlife. It is not difficult to qualify to have your garden officially certified as a habitat garden and having an official National Wildlife Federation plaque in your yard helps to educate neighbors about the value of native plant gardening.
Places to buy native plants and seeds
The variety and availability of native plants has grown considerably but depending upon where you live and what you are looking for finding one place that will have what you want often presents the greatest challenge to creating a native plant garden. Quality of plant stock is an additional issue which can make acquiring plants for your garden. Long range planning and patience is essential. CNPS has done a nifty job of compiling a list of nurseries grouped by state region. Although subject to becoming out dated this is a good place to start. If you are far from any of the nurseries mentioned Las Pilitas Nursery even has shipping services available. This is a wonderful service for those who live far from the major native plant nurseries. Some retail nurseries will possibly take special orders and will likely know if the plants you are looking for are available from their wholesale suppliers. Find out what their return policy is however as you could get stuck with a root bound specimen more ready for the compost pile than your garden. On her super informative blog site Weeding Wild Suburbia Barbara Eisenstein provides a very helpful article on how to select a healthy plant. This is also likely one of the very best native plant blogs that I have seen. Barbara is extremely knowledgeable, a gifted teacher, and a skilled photographer. Making good use of these talents Barbara has created a well formatted, informative, and attractive site.
Many of the organizations noted above and your local CNPS chapters have annual plant sales. Joining your local chapter and meeting with fellow gardeners in your area will often reward you with the best and most current information on where to get the best plants. Sometimes depending upon what you want to accomplish the plants you desire may be very hard to come by or just plain unavailable on the market. In these cases you may consider propagating your own material. This is also an attractive alternative if you have limited financial resources. If you have the space and a little extra time propagating your own plants is a most rewarding pastime. Many native plant gardeners generate their plants this way and often donate their surplus material to their local CNPS chapter, friends, or family.
Many of the organizations noted above and your local CNPS chapters have annual plant sales. Joining your local chapter and meeting with fellow gardeners in your area will often reward you with the best and most current information on where to get the best plants. Sometimes depending upon what you want to accomplish the plants you desire may be very hard to come by or just plain unavailable on the market. In these cases you may consider propagating your own material. This is also an attractive alternative if you have limited financial resources. If you have the space and a little extra time propagating your own plants is a most rewarding pastime. Many native plant gardeners generate their plants this way and often donate their surplus material to their local CNPS chapter, friends, or family.
Propagation of Native Plants
See Majorie Schmidt and Nevin Smith above as well as the References page under My Native Seeds
