Landscape Your Yard With Native California Plants
Landscaping with plants native to California is often the best way to create a low-maintenance, drought tolerant yard. Moreover, many native wildflowers and shrubs can prove to be unexpected beauties, all the while providing excellent habitat for birds and small mammals.
When creating such a garden, a balance can often be obtained between resource conservation and aesthetic appeal. For example, an attractive blend of yucca and ornamental succulents would require very little water, even in drier areas of the state. This singular benefit would be combined with all of the other advantages of using native plants, such as few pest problems, and a low fertilizer requirement.
Additionally, landscapes created with native plants can turn into valuable assets for local wildlife. Xeriscaped yards can serve as bridges between two separated populations, all the while providing food in the form of nectar, seeds, and leaves to pollinators and other small animals. Therefore, rather than disrupting the local balance as a heavily fertilized turf lawn would, plants native to California can create beautiful niches that are still environmentally friendly.
Given time, a zeriscaped yard will slowly mature, allowing older specimens to flower, and perhaps seed entirely new generations that will naturally maintain the vigor and health of the landscape. Excellent advice on how to begin this process can be found by contacting California’s Department of Organic Materials Management.
