Conserve water with California Natives

[Control-Z]

With the water restrictions in Los Angeles and other drought affected areas, a story about landscaping with California native plants a few weeks ago really impressed me. Replacing the lawn in one woman's garden with stone steppers and low indigenous brush and plants reduced the need to water from every other day to once every three weeks. Her garden was beautiful, seriously beautiful, and shaded by native trees and vines.

'Founded and incorporated in 1960, the Theodore Payne Foundation promotes the understanding and preservation of California native flora. '

http://www.theodorepayne.org/



The following is an article from earlier this year. (sorry so late)

“You don’t have to sacrifice beauty for water savings,” said Lili Singer, a noted horticulturist and organizer of this year’s tour. “Natives offer color, fragrance, habitat and much more. Whether it’s the sweet fragrance of hummingbird sage, the white, blue and purple blooms of California lilac, or the pink and white fairy wands of the native coral bells, native plants offer something for everyone.”


http://www.examiner.com/x-1440-LA-Green-Life-Examiner~y2009m4d1-This-weekend-Visit-46-Native-Gardens-on-the-Theodore-Payne-Native-Plant-Garden-Tour


I would just love a backyard that looked like this!

edit: subject line typo

[mamaleah]

1. It's totally true!

Native California plants are gorgeous! Tulips are not meant to grow in a climate like ours.

[Control-Z]

2. I have failed in my own backyard

more times than I care to admit, with the wrong plants and flowers. I just never thought a garden could be so beautiful with native plants. I can't wait to start a garden that doesn't fail.

[mamaleah]

3. Me too.

I grew up in the Northeast. When my husband and I moved to SoCal, I stupidly tried to plant all the plants I was familiar with and loved. Epic fail.

The bonus of Native California plants is they do not need nearly they amount of fussing!

Good luck! Hey...do we have a gardening group? That might be a cool DU group.

[Control-Z]

4. I'm not sure if there is a gardening group.

Surely, there must be. Especially now that the White House has a garden. I'll have to go look.

On edit: We do have one:


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=246

[Retrograde]

9. Yes, we do have a gardening group

California natives evolved to deal with seasonal rainfall, so unless they get a little water year-round they can look a bit ratty. A lot of them, especially bulbs, go dormant for the summer, basically looking like nothing until the winter rains come.

OTOH, it doesn't take much water to keep them looking attractive, and the native grasses have a hint of green all year long (it's just not that lush green Easterners are used to). The Mediterranean region has a similar climate, and shrubs like rosemary and lavender do very well here - I haven't watered mine in years: they get by on what rain they get.

[KamaAina]

5. * - unless you live in Palo Alto

As I recall, from my Bay Area days (mid-'80s), native California plants are actually banned in Palo Alto! :wow: Can't have them outcompeting the showier hibiscus, etc., now, can we? :sarcasm:

[Control-Z]

6. Are you serious?

Native plants banned? Holy crap!

What is their reason? I can't imagine.

[KamaAina]

7. As I recall, the reason was that the imported plants make for more lush landscaping

and they didn't want a block to be "ruined" by a yard that looked "scraggly" by comparison, y'know, like it was in a semi-arid climate or something. :eyes:

[Retrograde]

10. nobody's complained about my ceanothus out by the street

and Palo Alto planted a native garden by the old water tower on Alma. No, they're not banned here.

[KamaAina]

11. Well, I guess they changed that since then

seemed like one of the dumbest ideas ever. :dunce:

[omega minimo]

8. Rec. There are a lot of great natives and other drought tolerant plants, commonly found.

Great OP, Thank you. :hi:

[Control-Z]

14. Thanks.

I'm going to put some real time into picking the right plants for my backyard this time around. Even though our county recycles water, it just seems right to conserve everywhere we can and I love the look of the native plants. :hi:

[omega minimo]

15. Cool

PM me if you want to talk about it. Or we could see if there's anything in the Gardening Forum.... maybe do it there.

There are a lot of good, healthy plants at Target, many are drought tolerant. Some might surprise for how green and lush they appear, not "deserty." If you're on the coast, you've got ideal conditions, depending on fog...

This is not a native, but a lush plant, different colors, attracts hummingbirds and pollinators, takes full sun, not a lot of water.

Star Clusters


http://www.precisiondallas.com/images/photos/Public/Color,%20Summer/Penta%20-%20Rose.jpg

[Control-Z]

16. I would love your advise.

I would have never thought about going to Target for plants, so you've already helped.

I'm not sure if my area is considered coastal. With all the artificial landscaping it's hard to say what it is. I live about 8 - 10 miles inland, but with Laguna Canyon in between, we don't get much of the coastal conditions. It is already hot enough that I may have to wait until later in the year to get out there and start digging up the concrete dirt. But my backyard is smaller than a postage stamp so it won't be all that much work either way.

My biggest problem is my seriously brown thumb. Maybe that will actually help with natives?

[omega minimo]

18. Sure, once established, the plants do the work!

Target will have things labeled as drought tolerant and staff might be familiar with any natives.

Here are some links, including the OC Chapter of the California Native Plant Society. They will be a great resource and love to help you.

http://www.theodorepayne.org/links.html

http://www.cnps.org/cnps/chapters/map.php

http://www.occnps.org/

[Control-Z]

26. I'm headed out to Lowes

for some other things, and will take a look in the garden dept while I'm there. Maybe stop by Target on the way home.

I'll be sure and keep my progress (if there is any, lol) posted. I'm sure I'll have many questions. Thanks for all the info.

[GoCubsGo]

21. Natives are the best thing for people with "brown thumbs"

As long as you choose the right plants for your area, they should do fine. Being "native", they have been growing on their own, without any help, for centuries. Check with your county extension agent for plant suggestions. They are a goldmine for gardening and landscaping information.

[Control-Z]

27. Yes. That is what I was hoping.

Since So Cal tends to be brown, and the native plants still thrive, the brown thumb will come in handy this time. :)

[emilyg]

12. I thought you were going to tell me to

bathe with a Native American. Wouldn't mind.

[Control-Z]

17. Lol!!

I didn't really notice my wording until after it was too late to edit. It does kind of mislead, in a good way! Lol.

[K8-EEE]

13. Another way to be water wise: use recycled water!

I use about 70% recycled water in my veggie garden here in L.A.. I try to make sure that most of the water we use in the house goes to the garden, not down the drain!

I have buckets in the shower, watering cans in the sink, and I interupt my washer before the spin cycle to bail a few gallons out.

These tomatoes were grown with mostly "greywater" and they are delish!

If you use (as I do) the hemp-based peppermint soap -- it's actually good for the plants (bugs don't like peppermint!)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37971863@N07/3705742869/sizes/s/

I posted this avocado salad with red & yellow tomatoes in the DU gardening section -- the tomatoes, cilantro, and green onions are from my greywater garden!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37971863@N07/3705742869/sizes/s/

[Control-Z]

19. I actually live in a county

that recycles water.

The smell is not great around the water plants, but the tap water smells and tastes fine. Getting around the idea of drinking recycled water is the hardest part, but since I had already been drinking it for years before I found out, it was never really a problem for me.

[tjwash]

20. You can grow your own native spices too

I have native sage and rosemary bushes growing in the front yard

[GoCubsGo]

22. Rosemary is a wonderful plant!

There are lots of different varieties. My parents have big bushes of it, and they are in Phoenix. They variety they have grows like crazy, without much extra water, even in the desert.

[Control-Z]

31. My younger daughter's

name is Sage. She would be honored if I were to plant some. If I were a decent cook I would go with the spices, but because I'm not (and never will be) I think I would like the desert sage just for beautiful color. The white is beautiful too. Actually there are so many - I had no idea! (I'm not sure if the first pic is even sage??)

[XemaSab]

23. I started a thread for you in the gardening group

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=246x11929

I'm a huge fan of natives and drought-tolerant plants.

The front yard is all native, and the back yard is mostly not. Here's a photo from the back yard.

In this picture are Coronation Gold yarrow, gaillardia, Salvia "May Night," some not-yet blooming goldenrods, blue fescue, and some little white annuals we got at the store 6/$2.00. In the background is some lavender and more yarrow, and the big green monster behind the oriole feeder is a Mexican marigold (which flowers at Thanksgiving).



(Yeah, I know we have a lawn, but it gets watered about once every two weeks and that's why it's a ratty mess. I also know that the plants are too close together; I will move them in the fall.)

[Control-Z]

28. Thank you, XemaSab.

All the links are great!! (and a lot of work for you) I haven't had a chance to check them out yet, but I will. And I will try to post whatever progress I make.

Your yard is just beautiful, btw! I'm envious. Mine will never compare (being a very small yard). I can still fill it with some beautiful blooming plants, though, and maybe find something appropriate for shade.

I'm actually getting excited about attempting this!

[XemaSab]

32. It can totally compare

The area I posted is under 10x10... I'm sure your yard is a lot bigger.

[bananas]

24. You should post this in the California forum, too.

It moves a lot slower than GD, so the info will be around longer.
We're in drought restrictions now.

[Control-Z]

29. Good idea.

Thanks for the suggestion!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=141&topic_id=34864&mesg_id=34864

[eppur_se_muova]

25. For anyone who wants to go a-Googlin', the keyword is "xeriscape"

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=xeriscape&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g10

[Control-Z]

30. Someone else used the term

up thread. I didn't know that. And it hits a lot of beautiful sites. Thanks!