10 Tips For a Successful California Native Plants Garden

California native annual (Photo – anniesannuals).

So you want to go back to basics by planting some native plants in your garden and save on the water bill?

Here are 10 tips to help you reach the right decision and make you more informed about your garden.

1- Your garden’s conditions matter

Know the conditions in your garden and pick plants accordingly to avoid changing the soil.

• Advice: Not all California native plants are drought-tolerant.

2- Know your soil

Some of California’s native plants thrive next to streams and rivers, others thrive in the desert.

• Advice: No matter what your soil conditions might be, there will always be a native plant that can fit.

3- Variety of plants

There are plants for every corner of the garden.

• Advice: You know the place where you wind up the hose? It’s always wet. There’s even a plant for that place as well.

4- Little water goes a long way

There are plants that are used to going for eight months without any measurable water on the surface (see also #10).

5- An efficient gardener is a happy gardener

Native plants use one-seventh of the water of a traditional garden, and need only a fifth of the maintenance.

6- Choose wisely

Chose a variety of sage, including Cleveland sage and its hybrids, which are sweet, fragrant and have beautiful blooms.

• Advice: Manzanitas, California lilacs and buckwheats are also recommended. They bloom white or pink flowers and attract lots of butterflies.

7- A flowering plant for every month

You may think the summer months mean your native plant garden will dry and wither, but that’s not the case.

• Advice: It’s very easy to make a garden with 12 months of color with California natives. You can have something flowering every month.

8- First year is crucial

One thing to keep in mind is that drought-resistant plants need at least a year of regular watering for their roots to take.

9- Little ones are the best

Even though native plants are really drought tolerant they still need to be watered regularly for the first year or two. That’s why it’s advised you plant little ones because they fare better.

• Advice: The smaller the plant, the more readily it transplants and roots.

10- Long term benefits

Your water bill may be a bit higher the first year or so, but the long-term benefits will outweigh the cost.

• Advice: Once the drought tolerant plants are established, they can go for a couple months without water.