We started laying out this area near the house 5 years ago. We wanted mostly natives, but we didn't ask enough questions or gave into a pretty face and some are Mediterranean, from other continents. Others are from right here or cultivars of natives. 
The manazanita--right-- came up after the big Gap Fire. One theory is these guys germinate due to all the smoke. I transplanted one which doesn't usually work, but it's huge already. Must be happy!
The photo below left is more of the five-year old yard with plants we added to a really sterile area. On the right is a path through large plants that were here (35 plus years) and survived my chainsaw. Ground cover is mostly non-native that was here and still growing.
Left are non-natives from before we started moving more that way. The salvia "hot lips" --lower left-- is maybe a cultivar of our local salvias. Can't find anything like it around the area, but butterflies love 'em. That big rock is loaded with oyster fossils from when my yard was 2000 feet lower. The rusty plant below is the seed heads of common buckwheat, a plant I abused with the mower for about 30 years until I decided to let it grow again. Nice all year, it has great flower clusters and now these contrasty seeds that are beginning to fall off.
I am plugging natives especially in cities and suburbs. Next time you want to live it up a little, put in a native to your area. You'll learn about the local flora and make the butterflies and birds happier. Even though the nectar of the non-natives attracts it doesn't provide the protein birds need when nesting because many fewer tasty insects are able to live on those exotic plants plus the natives need less water and survive our frequent drought years. If you're replacing just one exotic, make the new one a native for your own edification. There's nothing that will teach you about a plant like watching it carefully through the seasons and over the years. Who knows, you might take up phenology as a citizen scientist.
For those of you looking for other adventures try looking at my buddy Luigi's blog on his loooong hike 3000Km through New Zealand!
If you're looking for stylish wilderness photos for your new digs or to replace boring old art, drop by Lumnos Gallery, at the Santa Barbara Frame Shop1324 State St. for photos by Jeff Jones and friends. Lumnos.com
2 comments:
Great landscaping! Although I support your call for using "local" plants if we did that here in Hawaii we would have a rather bland garden. Most of the native plants evolved without much competition for pollinators and aren't very colorful. Of course, some rather striking environmental problems have been created by introducing non-native plants that people enjoyed elsewhere because they were showy or colorful (like the African Tulip Tree). In fact, I'd be willing to bet that at least one or two of your local plants would become seriously invasive here.
I do know that California poppies have become weeds in So. America, I think Argentina and/or Chile. They are nearly weeds here in that they once get started you better like them as they propagate rapidly in many different habitats. They try to take over our gravel walk ways and we let them one year which only made it worse!
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