Plant Selection
Plant Selection for California Gardens
Are you looking for a plant that can survive a shady dry garden or a sunny watered area? There are books and websites that can help you:
Sections 1-3 can be downloaded from Bob Perry's classic Landscape Plants for California Gardens. Lots of good stuff in those three sections. The book is huge, is used for the Plant Selection class at Merritt College, and it can be borrowed. The price fluctuates on the website. Buy low. October 2021 the download did not work. Check back.
Sunset's Western Gardens, also a classic, can be found online, in the library, or sometimes at Costco. Also check their Collections.
Alameda County County Demonstration Gardens and where you can find, for example, Earth-Friendly plants
UC Davis All-Stars - and it is a fun field trip to the UC Arboretum. Low water roses planted as part of the landscape? Yay!
SelecTree we probably don't need any more trees, but here you go.
Rose Selection for California Gardens
Earth-Kind roses ... Skeptical because this is from Texas? Or impressed? Do your homework and cross-reference their selections with other websites. We already know that Belinda's Dream, Mlle. Cecile Brunner, Perle d'Or like it here. Don't like Black-Spot? Then don't pick a rose that has the gene for Black-Spot! There are thousands to choose from.
Gregg Lowery's favorite roses: Madame Alfred Carrier, Henry Nevard, PaPa Meilland, Newport Fairy, Madame Isaac Periere.
Article on saving old roses
Xeriscaping
Don't waste water. Plan your plantings so you plant thirsty plants with thirsty plants and drought tolerant plants with other drought tolerant plants. (UCANR sheet)
Waterwonk is where you can look for plants for your area and find plants with the same water needs. If a plant has reduced water requirements in the summer, you can find that, too. WUCOLS is the name of the game, and you can find it on the UCANR website. (Waterwonk gets its info from UCANR. You decide which to use).
For wildlife
Nectar and bee plants from UCB bee garden.
Hummingbirds - aloes, sages. See a hummingbird drone in a Monarch grove in Mexico.
Xerces suggestions for our area.
Helpabee UC Berkeley
Our sister historical park, Shinn Park, has a beautiful Fremontodendron californicum, which might be Fremont's official flower. It's called a flannel bush, but only if that flannel is made of the itchiest wool.
Native Plant Selection
Yes, the California Nursery did sell some native plants. The nurserymen knew over 100 years ago that our desire for East Coast summer-thirsty plants was not sustainable. They talked about it at their annual meetings. George C. Roeding (Sr. and Jr.) were even given some credit for inspiring the California Native Plant Society. But guess what, people want what they want, and native plants is still a bit of a niche. But that gives us permission to include native plants in our landscape.
Las Pilitas is an informative and funny website
Calscape will help you find native plants that are local to your zip code and will do well in our climate.
Didn't grow up with a Southern California plantsman grand-dad? Need help pronouncing the Spanish name for Romneya coulteri, Matilija Poppy? (You could just call it the "Fried Egg Plant.")
The bay area has many native plant nurseries.
"Don't plant that! It's Poisonous!"
Many of our common garden plants are poisonous. Don't eat plants unless you know they are edible!
Here's a handy list from calflora.
Questions?
Q: What is "Topsoil 532"?
A: 50% sand / 30% soil / 20% amendment (compost)
These are the links that are in our Instagram profile!