Incorporating Native Plants in Your Yard

Native Gardening Basics: Your First Steps
Step One:  Information Gathering
  • Visit local botanical gardens, look at landscapes in your neighborhood, peruse native plant lists for ideas
  • Visit local gardens for ideas. Be sure to check out the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden in Claremont, Caroline Park in Redlands, Chino Wetlands Park and Maloof Gardens in Upland
Step Two: Examine Your Yard For Areas of Direct Sunlight
  • Water Availability
  • Soil Type
  • Drainage
Step Three:  Map It!
  •  Make a physical or mental map of garden location, including general plant palette
Step Four:  Get Your Site Ready
  • Measure out or mark off the potential garden site
  • Test the soil; if it is too hard, soak it with water a week prior to planting
  • Remove all weeds before planting
  • Do not apply fertilizers or soil amendments before plants
Native Garden Basics: Planting
  • Dig holes large enough to accommodate each individual plant root mass
  • Loosen root mass before planting
  • Put plant into ground, fill with dirt and gently press down on the planted area
  • Remember that CSS/Chaparral species like a mix of organic and inorganic (rocks) mulch. Gorilla Hair works especially well, but oak and pine mulches will also work
Native Plant Basics: Watering
  • Water almost excessively the first time; after that, water once every two weeks if soil is dry, 2 inches below mulch surface
  • Remember, water for life, not growth
  • Native plants hate dust- Lightly water for about 10 minutes, once a week to wash their leaves off
  • Drought tolerant natives hate summer water but like winter water. Collect stormwater in the winter and use it!
Native Plant Basics: Overwatering Hazards
  • Summer water after establishment results in hot, moist soils- tropical conditions for which they are not adapted and they can die as a result
  • Overwatering encourages the growth of non-natives and discourages natives
  • The only natives that like water at their "feet" are riparian species
  • Overwatering reduces tolerance to drought
  • Remember, natives hate summer water. After the first or second season, deep waterings in your native garden can be deadly!
Native Garden Basics: Design
  • Recommended foundation: strong evergreen foundation with foliar contrast
  • This helps the garden look good all year long
  • Evergreen foundation should contain plants of different sizes, shapes and textures
  • Colorful perennials should be placed around the border, spaced according to blooming season
Native Garden Basics: Dry Streambeds
  • Dry streambed created from rocks
  • Beautiful focal point
  • Slows, filters moisture before it runs onto the street and also prevents stormwater runoff
  • Downside: Very labor intensive
Native Garden Basics: Trouble Shooting
  • Plant for your climate and hydrology
  • California native plants are wild plants and they do not grow well under the same conditions as common garden plants
  • Excessive water and nutrients can be damaging to natives
  • Excessive weed presence can be very damaging to native gardens
Approaches to Converting a Turf Dominated Yard into a Native Plant Garden
The Clean-Slate Approach:
  • Complete or nearly complete removal of original landscape to make way for new plants
  • Not recommended unless you are very sure of what your plan is and exactly what it is you will be doing
The Bit-By-Bit Approach:
  • This approach is less radical and involves identifying portions of your yard that you will convert to native habitat gardens
  • Ensure that the portion you are selecting can be watered according to the needs of the native plants you are putting in
  • This allows you to experiment without the complete loss of your landscape; you can learn and experiment as you go