Natives on Parade

BACK TO FULL TOUR

Garden Features

1

Drought Tolerant

2

California Natives

3

Pesticide Free

4

Lawn-Free Landscaping

Partner: Santa Rosa Water

The front of the house is dominated by a huge heritage Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia). Enter through the east side gate and you will soon be in a beautiful habitat garden. Birds, bees and butterflies abound. The pipevine butterfly is the main butterfly, but the anise swallowtail is often seen nectaring on the Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’. Anna’s hummingbirds and the little titmouse are attracted by the feeders that I put out for them.

I moved into the house in 2022 and have been adding California natives and Mediterranean plants to the garden. Most of my plants have been purchased at the Milo Baker Chapter of the CA Native Plant Society plant sale.

When I moved in the edible grape vines had been growing there for years. They dominate the east side. The beautiful old lilac was also there. By the house there was a native spice bush (Calycanthus occidentalis) and the snowberry (Symphoricarpos mollis) when I moved in. The previous tenants had planted some native plants! They liked iris and so do I so there are many bearded iris in one bed.

I have improved the soil and worked by hard to create a beautiful garden in four and a half years.

Plants in this Garden

Plant Picker
A tree-like shrub with dark brown bark, dark green leaves, and white berry clusters.

Symphoricarpos albus ssp.

Snowberry
Organization

The snowberry bush is an adaptable California native that enjoys moist or dry shade and most well-drained soils. It will also do well in cool sun. It can grow 3-6 feet wide and 3 feet tall. Its spring and summer blooms of bell-shaped pinkish-white flowers attract pollinators, while its fall and winter white snowberries will feed the birds. The berries are mildly toxic to humans, cats, and dogs but safe for most other animals.

  • Water: Low
  • Light: Full SunPartial ShadeShade
  • Soil: Well Drained
Bright pink flowers clustered along their stems with dark green leaves

Erysimum spp

Wallflower
Organization

Short-lived perennials with differing growth habits with flower spikes of small flowers. Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’ is a popular hybrid that grows 3’ x 3-4’ and blooms from winter and into spring. Many hybrids with different flower colors are available.

  • Water: Low
  • Light: Full SunPartial Shade
  • Soil: Most Soils
Dark green, grass-like leaves with deep blue flowers with pointy, ruffled petals

Iris douglasiana & cvs

Douglas Iris, Pacific Coast Hybrids
Organization

Iris are a large and diverse group of perennials that grow from either bulbs or rhizomes. The California native Douglas iris and cultivars known as Pacific Coast Hybrids are an excellent choice for summer-dry gardens and understory plantings. Fall rain brings new growth in the form of thin, upright leaves, followed in late winter to early spring by the first blossoms. Douglas iris commonly ranges in color from lavender to purple, but cultivars are available in a range of colors including white and yellow. Established plantings can be lifted and divided after the first significant fall rain and either replanted or put into containers to share with others.

  • Water: Low
  • Light: Partial ShadeShade
  • Soil: Most Soils
Dark brown stems with pointed green leaves and purple pompom flowers at the top of each stem

Monardella villosa

Coyote Mint
Organization

Coyote Mint is a compact perennial or sub-shrub with aromatic foliage and a sprawling habit. Dense heads of purple flowers form in spring-to-summer that are attractive to butterflies and other insects. The low-growth habit of coyote mint makes it an excellent choice for the front of a border, along the edge of a path, or beneath larger shrubs such as manzanita or ceanothus. Monardella villosa spp. franciscana ‘Russian River’ and Monardella villosa spp. villosa ‘Mark West’ are available selections from Sonoma County.

  • Water: Very Low
  • Light: Full Sun
  • Soil: Most Soils
Tall green stems with corymb inflorescent clusters of small, purple flowers

Verbena spp

Verbena
Organization

Fast-growing perennials that thrive in hot locations and produce clusters of small, showy flowers in summer.

Examples:

  • V. bonariensis (3-6’ x 2-3’) is an upright perennial from South America with long, airy flower stalks. Reseeds readily and should not be planted near riparian areas where it can be invasive.
  • Garden verbena (V. x hybrida, 6-12” x 2-3’) is a popular and showy groundcover available in many colors.
  • Cedros Island verbena (V. lilacina ‘De La Mina’, 1-2’ x 2-3’) from the Cedros Island off the coast of Baja California is a popular native for its deep purple flower color and uniform growth habit.
  • Water: Very LowLow
  • Light: Full Sun
  • Soil: Well Drained
Desert Willow trees with wispy green leaves and pink flowers

Chilopsis linearis

Desert Willow
Organization

Chilopsis linearis is a deciduous shrub or small tree. Noted for fragrant, showy flowers in the spring and summer seasons. They are often multitrunked and fast-growing getting up to 15-30 feet tall and 10-20 feet wide. Holds foliage with occasional summer irrigation.

  • Water: Very LowLow
  • Light: Full Sun
  • Soil: Well Drained
Succulent plant with many stems, each sprouting thick, fleshy gray-green leaves with light pink tips.

Dudleya spp

Cliff Lettuce, Live Forever
Organization

Group of succulent perennials with a characteristic rosette shape and chalky appearance that are mostly native to central and southern California where they grow on rocky outcroppings and coastal cliffs. Provide these plants with good drainage and afternoon shade in hotter areas. Larger forms can provide a striking accent plant in summer-dry gardens. Plant dudleyas at a slight angle to help water drain away.

Examples: giant chalk dudleya (D. brittonii, 12-18”), sand lettuce (D. caespitosa, up to 8”), bluff lettuce (D. farinosa, 4”, forms small colonies), chalk liveforever (D. pulverulenta, up to 2’).

  • Water: Low
  • Light: Full SunPartial Shade
  • Soil: Well Drained
A group of small, peach-colored trumpet flowers with green leaves.

Mimulus aurantiacus and hybrids

Sticky Monkey Flower
Organization

The orange, tubular flowers of sticky monkey flower can be enjoyed in many locations throughout Sonoma and Marin counties in spring and summer, a testament to how well this plant is adapted to hot and dry conditions. The slightly sticky leaves benefit from light pinching and pruning to maintain an attractive appearance and support for the beautiful flowers. Many hybrids provide color variation. Do not confuse this plant with the red-flowered scarlet monkey flower (Mimulus cardinalis), an herbaceous riparian plant that requires regular water to thrive.

  • Water: Very Low
  • Light: Full SunPartial Shade
  • Soil: Sandy