These four families of California native plants provide a wealth of drought-tolerant variety to your garden. Get to know a few of them and you’ll have flower color and habitat all year. Buckwheat and sage species can be annuals, perennials or subshrubs, while Ceanothus and manzanitas are typically groundcovers, shrubs or small trees. Come hear about a few of the speaker’s favorite members of these families. It’ll be SO hard for him to choose just a few!

Pete Veilleux is a master designer, nurseryman, and photographer. He creates gardens using native plants for long-lasting landscapes and helps people get the maximum use and pleasure from their patch of earth. He is the owner and propagator of East Bay Wilds Native Plant Nursery (www.eastbaywilds.com/) in Oakland and a tireless advocate of native gardening and information.