Basics of Gardening for Habitat

Understanding the Basics of Gardening for Habitat

What Brings Bees, Butterflies, Moths and Birds to our Garden

What is Gardening for Habitat? Learn why it's important:

• Read New York Times Best Seller Nature’s Best Hope by Doug Tallamy or tune into the video.
• Why should we grow native plants to save birds and butterflies?  Listen to Susan Karasoff here. 

Ready to get started? Here are some simple steps to transform your garden into a welcoming place for birds, butterflies, bees and other wildlife:

• How can you restore nature in your garden? Dennis Mudd shares his insights
• Need more information about pollinator plants and bees? Juanita Salisbury answers your questions in this talk. 
• Seeking butterfly resources? The Xerces Society is a great resource as well as the Bay Area Wildlife resource website. 
• Looking for more native seeds? Check out the great selection at Larner's Seeds. Various mixes are also available from Pacific Coast Seeds. 

Getting Started with Native Plants in your Garden

• Need help getting started with a native plant garden? Tips are available in this video
  
• When should you plant, water, prune, or leave things alone? Helen Popper shares a month-by-month guide for California gardeners.
• What planting methods and soil will ensure success? Haven Kiers from UC Davis shares some research. 
• Want to find more California Native plants specific to your area, and the butterflies that use them as host plants? Then check out the wonderful CNPS Calscape website, which includes descriptions and planting information about every California native plant and links to native plant nurseries all over the state. For a user guide to using this amazing resource, watch this talk.
• Check out the great resources on our website and the numerous talks on native plant gardening and native plant science on our YouTube channel.
• Need Plants? Find nurseries, seed stores and plant sales using our list of local retailers.
• Looking for a list of great books for gardening with native plants and for wildlife? Go to our resource page for books.

Activities for Native Plant Gardeners

Want to do more? 

• Join us on a chapter field trip. See what's coming up here or on our Meetup page.
• Discover flora and fauna in your region and across the globe, and even post your own observations on the iNaturalist app.
•  Attend the chapter's annual Growing Natives Garden tour. 
• Want to see most of California’s native habitats in one location? Check out the Regional Botanic Garden in Tilden Park. 
• Visit other public gardens with native plants. Here's is a list to get you started.
• The CNPS state website also has excellent resources and information to get you started with native plant science or gardening, like Bloom! California. 

California Native Plants at West Valley College

California native plants dominate the grounds at the West Valley College campus in Saratoga. It’s an excellent place to appreciate a wide variety of mature plants in a garden setting.  Starting from the front of the campus, between the Administration building and Campus Center, one immediately encounters a huge bed of California fuschias fuschias (Epilobium canum)  interspersed with narrow-leaf milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis), salvia, coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica), California roses (Rosa californica), and blue oaks (Quercus douglasii). When the fuschias begin blooming in late summer, this area becomes a hummingbird haven, filled with  a charm of these tiny birds zooming around each defending their own patch of flowers.

This huge bed of flowers is a wildlife magnet – in addition to hummingbirds, the area is rich with a variety of birds taking advantage of the nectar, seeds and insects. As can be seen in this picture, the flower stalks provide a perfect perch for a pair of lesser goldfinches to enjoy a meal of fuschia seeds.

Behind the Student Center, there is a patio where Redbud and manzanitas have been planted. A variety of native columbines and other flowers can be found in the flowerbeds that surround the building.

The section of Vasona Creek that runs through the campus has also been restored, and is a delightful place to look for wildlife – including brush rabbits, lizards and more. There have even been reports of bobcats in the area. You can find out more about this restoration project at: http://westvalley.edu/committees/Sustainability/Creek_Restoration/

A stroll through campus will reveal even more California natives. You’ll find specimens of blue elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea), redwood trees (Sequoia sempervirens), deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens), bush anemone (Carpenteria alifornica), buckeyes (Aesculus californica) and more. There’s even a small bog with carnivorous plants next to the Science building. Be sure to look at the huge blue oak tree in the center of campus – watch it carefully and you are likely to spot the acorn woodpeckers that are often busily at work in it.

The Saratoga Farmer’s Market is held at the campus on Saturday mornings – stop by and get some fresh produce and then take a stroll around campus.

California Native Trees for the Landscape

There are many California native trees that work well in landscapes. Our locally native trees deserve to be cultivated more often in the San Francisco Bay area, and this list focuses primarily on them. They are well adapted to our climate and soils and provide special value for wildlife. For more information about these trees, please visit calscape.org.

Trees 20 Feet and Under

Blue Elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea) is a fast growing deciduous tree with summer fruit that attract a wider range of birds than any other tree. Songbirds favor it highly for food and nesting. It is easy to grow and can adapt to both dry and moist conditions. It is very amenable to pruning.

Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis) is a deciduous tree that is covered in stunning pink flowers just before leaf emergence in the spring. It is a small tree - growing up to 20' and is fairly tolerant of a wide variety of soils, including clay. While not locally native, it grows well in the Bay Area. There are some beautiful specimens growing near the CNPS SCV Nursery at Hidden Villa in Los Altos Hills.

Arctostaphylos 'Dr. Hurd' (Dr. Hurd Manzanita) is a lovely choice if you need a small tree. While most manzanitas are closer to shrub in size, this is one of the tallest and can grow up to 15' tall (and wide). It originated in a garden in Portola Valley and does well in a wide variety of garden situations.

Ceanothus 'Ray Hartman' can grow up to 20' and is covered in beautiful blue flowers in early spring. It grows fairly quickly and is a good choice if you need a small, well-behaved tree. It can also be trained as a large shrub.

Western Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus betuloides) is found through much of the state. It can reach 15-20’. It can be trained into a single-trunked tree, but is often shrub-like in form with several main trunks when left to grow freely. In late spring, this small tree is covered with 1 - 2 inch long spiral seed heads which appear silver in the afternoon light.

The California Scrub Oak (Quercus berberidifolia) is a small oak that can reach up to 20'. However it grows very slowly, and is usually found as a small, compact shrub. A good choice for those who do not have the space for one of the larger oaks. Can be difficult to find in nurseries.  Learn why it's important to plant oaks.

Trees Over 20 Feet

Valley oak (Quercus lobata) and coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) grow fairly quickly and are easy to cultivate. Another wonderful local oak is canyon live oak (Quercus chrysolepis). This is the most widely distributed of our native oaks in California.While ancient trees which grew to maturity under summer dry conditions may resent summer irrigation, young oaks adapt to garden watering. Indeed, under garden conditions seedling oaks may reach 25 feet in ten years--they actually grow faster than many commonly planted trees! Learn why it's important to plant oaks.

Hollyleaf Cherry (Prunus ilicifolia) is a pretty evergreen tree with leaves that look similar to holly. It has pretty white flower clusters in the spring followed by small cherries with large pits that are popular with birds. It can grow up to 50' tall.

California Buckeye (Aesculus californica) is a beautiful tree with spectacular flower clusters in late winter and early spring. While it can grow up to 40' tall, it grows quite slowly, making it practical for even smaller gardens. Read this wonderful article about buckeyes by Roger Raiche to learn more about this lovely tree.

The California Bay Laurel (Umbellularia californica) becomes a stately evergreen tree that can reach 60'. Its fragrant leaves can be used in cooking (although in smaller quantities than its Mediterranean relative, the bay tree). It releases chemicals that supress other plants from growing, so it should not be siturated where understory plantings are desired.

The Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii) is one of the world's most beautiful broadleaf evergreen trees. It can grow up to 100', but is more commonly 25-40' in dry conditions. It be challenging to cultivate in a home garden, but it is a spectactular addition to the garden for those who are fortunate enough to grow it successfully.

Big-leaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) is very attractive, but it needs some moisture and does well when planted close to a water source.  It can grow over 65' tall so be sure to plant it where there is enough space because it is fast growing in the right conditions.

The coast redwood is met with too often in cultivation locally. It does best when planted in cool areas with significant fog drip. The temptation to plant this tree in dry inland areas has resulted in many dead or dying trees. Unless you live in an area where these trees grow naturally, resist the urge to plant one.

Capitancillos Drive Native Plant Demonstration Garden

This garden adjoins over a half mile of Capitancillos Drive in San Jose. It is a labor of love by one of the residents of the neighborhood, supported by other neighbors who live along the way. Started in 1995 with the planting of 125 coast live oaks by Our City Forest (http://www.ourcityforest.org/), it has been maintained and filled in with an extensive collection of chaparral shrubs and plants. It blends beautifully with the Guadalupe Creek riparian zone, which is adjacent to the garden.

Backed by huge granite boulders and the meadow beyond, the shrubs and trees stand out nicely, yet seem to be part of the natural landscape. The plants are hand-watered until established, by Patrick Pizzo, who designed and installed this impressive garden. Lovely established specimens include a variety of ceanothus and manzanitas, sugar bush, spicebush, bush anenome, mountain mahogany, island bush snapdragon, coast silktassel, lemonade berry, sages, coyote brush, coyote mint, buckwheats, monkeyflowers, silver bush lupine, and much more. Plants are labelled, making it easy to find and identify specific cultivars.

The garden provides food and shelter for wildlife from the adjacent Guadalupe Watershed and Guadalupe Creek. Bluebird nest boxes maintained by the Audubon Society provide additional habitat in the garden.

Here is a plant list for the garden.

Directions: From Hwy 85, go south on Camden to Coleman. Turn left on Coleman, and left again on Redmond, then right on Oak Canyon Drive. Oak Canyon Drive becomes Oak Canyon Place. Continue to the cul-de-sac and turn about. The garden borders the meadow for 0.6 miles. Ample free parking is available on the street next to the garden.

Native Plantings in Jeffrey Fontana Park

A beautiful selection of mature and new native plant gardens can be found in Jeffry Fontana Park in San Jose. Wandering through the park, you will find plants from both northern and southern California in a variety of settings.

This is the perfect place to view plants that grow well in San Jose and find ideas for your own gardens.

From buckwheats to monkeyflowers to California fuschias, you’ll see something in bloom year-round. Many of the plants are labelled, making it easy to identify your favorites.

The two original berms were planted in 2011 as an alternative landscape feature to tall trees under PG&E power transmission lines. The plants are well-established and no longer need irrigation.

Five Islands

This garden was planted at the beginning of 2018, although the concept was conceived years before. In the words of Patrick Pizzo, its founder:

The concept of the Five Island Project was born about six years ago.  We wanted to create islands or berms much like the two that we first introduced into our park, Jeffrey Fontana, as an alternative landscape feature to tall trees, which have impact on the safe delivery of power transmission by PG&E.  You see, our two parks, T.J. Martin and J. Fontana are contiguous along the PG&E power transmission easement in south San Jose.  Our contribution, toward potential loss of trees, was to develop native plant and shrub alternatives.  This was our first effort.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLGX6CPQBw0

Now near this island is an open area between heritage coast live oak trees, Quercus agrifolia.  Our vision was to have a network of islands/berms in this open area.  Neighbors wanted to have an alternative to weeds and summer dust storms.  The area is about 120 foot by 120 foot.  We envisioned five CA native plant islands in this open area. 

Part of the reason for the passage of time was due to the drought.  The City policy became ‘no new plantings’.  Then, a couple of years ago, with MFPA postured financially to support a major project, the idea came to the fore and I was asked to implement the proposed project.  During the four years leading up to this okay, we had been in multiple conversations with our Parks Department in San Jose about the Five Island Project.  About a year ago, we broke ground. 

The elongated islands are about 35 by 15 foot and of elliptical shape.  The spine is about 2 foot high, tapered to ground level, providing good drainage.  The native soil was removed or ‘dished’; and this native dirt (sand and adobe) was mixed with ‘garden soil’ from Evergreen Supply in San Jose.  It is the lowest grade of organic soil on the market.  The combined soils were used to create the islands/berms.  Each island is sponsored, to raise money to implement the project.  We have five sponsors:  East Bay Wilds, DGDG, Almaden Valley Nursery, PG&E and the past presidents of our organization: MFPA (Martin-Fontana Parks Association):

https://martinfontanaparksassociation.blog

After forming the islands, plants were planted.  Each sponsor selected plants and designed their own gardens.  Directly after planting, drip-irrigation was installed.  We are using Techline drip line with pressure-opened emitters: 1 gallon per hour per emitter.  The emitters are spaced 18 inches apart.  I designed the irrigation system and will relate at the site-visit.  Currently, due to low rain (nothing Jan and Feb), we irrigate every 8 days for 1/2 hour and this is working out fine.  We have a variety of water-need plants on the island, by design, so it will be a challenge to fine-tune any summer watering.   The islands were planted from mid-Jan through the end of February, which worked out great as you recall the beautiful weather (minus rain).  The plants seem very happy with their new homes.

Additional information is available at:

 https://martinfontanaparksassociation.blog/2018/06/19/have-you-been-to-the-islands-yet/

Here is a plant list for the five islands.

Directions: The original two berms and the Five Islands area of the park is across from 1278 Oakglen Way, San Jose. Street parking is available.

Native Trees of San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties

Where to Buy Native Plant Seeds

Late fall and winter are the best times to sow native plant seeds. Online sources offer the widest selection of native plant seeds, but it is possible to find them in local stores. It often takes a little searching to find them  -- here are some tips here to help you locate them. If you know of seed sources in the Bay Area that are not included on this page, please send updates to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Bay Area Stores where native seeds have been spotted

Many nurseries and even big box hardware stores carry a limited number of native plant seeds and seed mixes, but it can be challenging trying to find packets of seed mixes with only natives as many mixes that include "California" in the name include non-native seeds. It's important to carefully read the list of included flowers before buying. We've identified two native seed mixes that have been spotted in Bay Area stores:

• California Color - Flower mix by Botanical Interests
• California Native Wildflower Mixture by Stover Seeds

Both of these companies also offer seed mixes with similar names that contain non-native plant seeds, so be sure to check carefully before purchasing.

Stores where these and other native seeds and native seed mixes have been found:

• Almaden Valley Nursery,15800 Almaden Expy, San Jose - Carries Botanical Interests seeds. Look for "California Color Flower Mix Seeds". There are a number of other mixes that include the word "California" in the name, but contain non-native species. 
• CNL Native Plant Nursery, 254 Shoreline Hwy, Mill Valley - Variety of native seeds, many of them locally grown and packaged.
• Home Depot - Carries Stover seeds. Look for "California Native Wildflower Mixture". Available in 1.5oz and 10gm. There are several similarly named Stover mixes that contain non-natives, so be careful. You can also order directly from Stover.
• Summerwinds - Carries Botanical Interests seeds. Look for "California Color Flower Mix Seeds". There are a number of other mixes that include the word "California" in the name, but contain non-native species.  
• Watershed Nursery, 601 A Canal Blvd., Richmond - Carries a variety of native seeds
• Yerba Buena Nursery, 12511 San Mateo Rd. (Hwy 92), Half Moon Bay. Good selection of seeds.

Availability changes frequently, so call ahead or ask at the information desk if you have trouble locating seeds.

California Poppies

The most commonly available native plant seeds are California poppies. Since there are many non-native poppies, make sure the botanical name is "Eschscholzia california" when choosing poppy seeds. In addition to the well known orange California poppies, California poppy seeds are available for a rainbow of other colors. Some commonly available ones include:

• Mission Bells - a double/semi-double variety with a rainbow of colors - white, orange, red, yellow and rose.
• Mikado - scarlet-orange
• Sundew - lemon-yellow

Online vendors with a wide selection of California poppies:

• Eden Brothers: https://www.edenbrothers.com/collections/california_poppy_seeds
• Seedman.com: https://www.seedman.com/californiapoppy.htm

Online Seed Stores

CANativeSeeds - Online seed store based in Castro Valley. https://www.etsy.com/shop/CaliforniaNativeShop

Larner Seeds; PO Box 407 or 235 Grove Road; Bolinas 94971; (415) 868-9407; Mail order seeds and California native wildflowers, perennials, grasses, shrubs, and trees. Retail plants at the nursery from October through July.

Natureseed.com: Natureseed.com took over distribution for Pacific Coast Seed and Hedgerow Farms. They also carry seeds from a variety of other sources, so it's important to read the species list carefully when you are buying mixes as many of them include non-native seeds.

Pacific Coast Seed; 533 Hawthorne Place, Livermore 94550; (925) 373-4417 or (800) 733-3462 (sold through natureseed.com)

San Diego Chapter, California Native Plant Society seed store; San Diego, CA, Contact Form; Sells California native seeds primarily from Southern California in small quantities for home and demonstration gardens

Seedhunt; PO Box 96, Freedom 95019; Mail order annual and perennial seed with hard to find selections and about one-third native

The Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers and Native Plants Inc.;10459 Tuxford Street, Sun Valley 91352, (818) 768-1802; Online ordering available for seeds. Many useful plant resources on the site

S&S Seeds; P.O. Box 1275, Carpinteria, CA 93014; (805) 684-0436; Wholesale seeds, with $150 minimum order.

Stover: Seeds are often also available at Home Depot. In addition to "California Native Wildflower Mixture" they often have Narrow-Leaved Milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis), Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophila menziesii), Blue Flax (Linum lewisii), Desert Bluebells / California Bluebells (Phacelia campanularia).

Berries for Birds

By Jeff Caldwell

One of the best ways to watch birds is to find native plants laden with ripe fruits of the sorts they love to eat. They often come out in the open to feed, and when there is plenty of good food they seem more at ease with human presence, or at least much less likely to fly far away. About two weeks ago I was gathering ripe coffeeberry fruits and was astonished at what a good look I was able to get of the western bluebirds which continued to feed on them, or retreated but a very short distance, eyeing me as I eyed them! Yellow-rumped warblers were with them.

A very satisfying way to enjoy birds is to plant native plants which provide food for them. Many berrying plants attract birds. Some people plant non-native species such as pyracantha or cotoneaster for the birds, but native berries attract a greater diversity of songbirds and often greater numbers as well. The flowers, foliage, leaf litter, etc., of native species also supports a greater diversity and abundance of invertebrates upon which the birds will feed year round.

Some of the more useful berrying species are:

Mexican elderberry (Sambucus mexicana)
Female house finch on blue elderberry (Steve Rosenthal)	This is a common riparian species, sometimes found at the base of hills or in ravines. The fruits in early summer attract an extremely wide range of birds, such as quail, thrashers, grosbeaks, woodpeckers, orioles, house finches, and orange-crowned warblers. It is very easy to cultivate. It does tend to get large and can be rangy, but responds well to pruning. It can be cut to the ground every year (or whenever it gets too big) in its winter dormant season, and it will still grow up to flower and set fruit.
Hollyleaf cherry (Prunus ilicifolia)
Holly-leaved cherry (Prunus ilicifolia) (Arvind Kumar)	This popular landscaping subject provides good bird food. The seeds may be planted where the plants are wanted. They are often planted as screens along property lines. They can be severely hedged, but it is best to allow them to grow at least 6 feet tall, or better yet, give them plenty of room to develop as specimens. For maximum value to birds allow them to be branched to the ground and allow leaf litter to accumulate.
California coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica)
California coffeeberry (Rhamnus Californica) (Arvind Kumar)	This shrub is particularly useful because it provides succulent berries in early fall. Many birds visit it year round for insects. It is an attractive foliage plant, easy to cultivate and grows quickly.
Brown dogwood (Cornus glabrata)
Brown dogwood (Cornus glabrata) (Jed & Bonnie McClellan)	This riparian species grows very fast with some water. It features lush foliage, bright blue berries in late summer loved by many songbirds, and some fall color as well. Small birds like to nest in it. To observe it with its associated birds in the wild check out the stands found along Old Page Mill Road in Palo Alto.
Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia)
Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) (Arvind Kumar)	The bright red berries are the favorite food of robins and waxwings in winter, with more than 20 species of birds utilizing them for food. The seeds contain a small percentage of cyanide compounds, but nevertheless purple finches (seed predators) rip open the fruits to eat great numbers of them. In its season no berry is more attractive. The birds do not get "drunk" on toyon as they do with the non-native pyracantha which often results in tragedy if a busy street is adjacent. Toyon is very easy to grow. Give it enough room so that little or no pruning will be required. Very interesting insects, many bees in some cases, visit its early summer white flower panicles.
Oregon grape (Berberis aquifolium) and Shinyleaf barberry (Berberis pinnata)
Oregon grape (Berberis aquifolium) (Arvind Kumar)	These are easy to grow and quite decorative. I will never forget how close I was able to approach Phainopeplas feeding on Berberis pinnata fruits at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden in Claremont. They were most reluctant to leave such a delicious feast.
Poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum)
Poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum) (Arvind Kumar)	In the cashew family, the fruits are attractive to birds that normally eat mast or insects, such as jays, woodpeckers, titmice, and wrentits. Poison oak is an important food for many birds, especially wrentits and hermit thrushes. Poison oak is not as hard to live with as some people think. Obviously it may be wise to clear it away from trails or heavily used areas; nuisance seedlings can be dealt with conveniently and safely with a mini weed wrench (a product of the New Tribe company).

There are many other fine berries for birds, such as thimbleberry, hairy honeysuckle, wild grape, blue witch -- any berry species is worth trying. Flocks of yellow warblers will come for Pacific wax myrtle.

 

Books for the Native Plant Gardener

Many of the books listed here are available for purchase during Chapter plant sales and programs. Members receive a discount. A list of books stocked by the chapter is available here.

FUNDAMENTAL BOOKS
	DESIGNING CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS GARDENS: THE PLANT COMMUNITY APPROACH TO ARTFUL, ECOLOGICAL GARDENS. Glenn Keator and Alrie Middlebrook. University of California Press (June 4, 2007). 352 pp, paperback. This book was created with the aim of conveying the awesome diversity and beauty of California's native plants and demonstrating how they can be brought into ecologically sound, attractive, workable, and artful gardens. Structured around major California plant communities--bluffs, redwoods, the Channel Islands, coastal scrub, grasslands, deserts, oak woodlands, mixed evergreen woodlands, riparian, chaparral, mountain meadows, and wetlands--the book's twelve chapters each include sample plans for a native garden design accompanied by original drawings, color photographs, a plant list, tips on successful gardening with individual species, and more.
	CALIFORNIA NATIVE GARDENING, A MONTH-BY-MONTH GUIDE. Helen Popper. University of California Press (2012). 217 pp, paperback. Helen Popper is a long-time member of the Santa Clara Valley chapter of the California Native Plant Society and one of the first Gardening with Natives subgroup members. She was the note taker at the group's early monthly meetings, and this book is a compilation of the knowledge of the native plant society members from those meetings. Popper goes over some of the concepts in the book at a CNPS meeting.
	CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS FOR THE GARDEN. Carol Bornstein, David Fross, Bart O'Brien. Cachuma Press (December 1, 2005). 280 pp, paperback & hardback. This comprehensive resource features more than 500 of the best California native plants for gardening. Written by three of the state's leading native-plant horticulturists and illustrated with 450 color photos, this reference book also includes chapters on landscape design, installation, and maintenance. Detailed lists of recommended native plants for a variety of situations and appendices with information on places to see native plants and where to buy them are also provided.
	GARDENING WITH A WILD HEART. Judith Larner Lowry. University of California Press (1999), Berkeley, CA. 252 pp, softback. A compelling investigation into the whys and hows of gardening with native plants. Its engaging style mixes personal history, botany, anthropology, and ecology, and brings it all to bear on what you could be doing in your yard. This book has inspired many to practice restoration gardening.
FOR THE ENTHUSIAST
		GARDENERS' GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA WILDFLOWERS. Kevin Connelly. Theodore Payne Foundation, 10459 Tuxford Street, Sun Valley, CA 91352. A personal take on wildflower gardening, with a focus on Southern California wildflowers.
		CALIFORNIA NATIVE TREES AND SHRUBS. Lee Lenz, John Dourley. Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. Out of print.
		SEED PROPAGATION OF NATIVE CALIFORNIA PLANTS. Dara Emery. Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, CA. 115 pp, softback. An extensive table lists germination and propagation requirements of hundreds of native species.
	COMPATIBLE PLANTS UNDER AND AROUND OAKS. Bruce Hagen et al. California Oak Foundation, 1212 Broadway, Suite 810, Oakland, CA 94612. 69 pp, softback.
	FLOWERING SHRUBS OF CALIFORNIA AND THEIR VALUE TO THE GARDENER. Lester Rowntree. Stanford University Press. 1939. One of the earliest and best written books on native plants. Worth looking for in used book stores.
	THE LANDSCAPING IDEAS OF JAYS: A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BACKYARD RESTORATION GARDEN. Judith Larner Lowry. University of California Press, 2007. 292 pp, softback. Elegantly organized by season, this lyrical yet practical guide to backyard restoration gardening celebrates the beauty, the challenges, and the rewards of growing native plants at home. Judith Larner Lowry, winner of the prestigious John Burroughs award, here builds on themes from her best-selling Gardening with a Wild Heart, which introduced restoration gardening as a new way of thinking about land and people. Drawing on her experiences in her own garden, Lowry offers guidance on how to plan a garden with birds, plants, and insects in mind; how to shape it with trees and shrubs, paths and trails, ponds, and other features; and how to cultivate, maintain, and harvest seeds and food from a diverse array of native annuals and perennials. Working in passionate collaboration with the scrub jays, quail, ants, and deer who visit her garden, and inspired by other gardeners, including some of the women pioneers of native plant horticulture, Lowry shares the delights of creating site-specific, ever-changing gardens that can help us better understand our place in the natural world.
	THE CALIFORNIA LANDSCAPE GARDEN: ECOLOGY, CULTURE, AND DESIGN. Mark Francis, Andreas Reimann. University of California Press. 1999. 254 pp, hardcover. The beauty, resources, and natural processes of the California landscape are brought to the home garden in Mark Francis and Andreas Reimann's fine testament to ecological gardening. The authors connect history, culture, region, and design to help us understand how California and its human population have evolved historically and how individuals today can make a difference in the state's future in their own backyards. The authors' goal is to bring the history of the California garden up to date with the ecological and cultural concerns of our time. Francis and Reimann use California's natural beauty and habitat as a starting point for inspiring Californians to see their gardens as extensions of the surrounding landscape. They provide essential information on native plants and wildlife, ecology and bioregionalism, landscape history and design concepts, as well as numerous examples showing how to integrate environmental principles in one's garden. Landscape meaning and regional thinking are an important part of an ecosystem approach to home gardening, say the authors. This is a book for anyone seeking a garden philosophy that is environmentally sensitive, and even experienced home gardeners, landscape professionals, and horticulturists will find new and useful material here.
CLASSIC REFERENCES
	GROWING CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS. Marjorie Schmidt. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. 366 pages, softback. First published in 1981, this book is still at the top of the heap when it comes to books on native plant gardening. Written for the gardener, the book covers a wide variety of native plants, their characteristics, culture information, and estimate of garden value. This is a must-have book for beginners and experts alike.
		NATIVE PERENNIALS OF CALIFORNIA. Glenn Keator. Chronicle Books, San Francisco, CA. 303 pp, softback. This out-of-print book is worth hunting for in used bookstores for its encyclopedic content.
	NATIVE SHRUBS OF CALIFORNIA. Glenn Keator. Chronicle Books, San Francisco, CA. 314 pp, softback. A handy reference on woody native plants. A particularly useful section is the appendix on commonly available cultivars.
IRRIGATION
	RELIABLE RAIN: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION. Howard Hendrix, Stuart Straw. Taunton. 140 pp, softback.
		DRIP IRRIGATION FOR EVERY LANDSCAPE AND ALL CLIMATES. Robert Kourik. Metamorphic Press. 118 pp, softback.
CALIFORNIA & LOCAL FLORA
		Checklist of the Vascular Plants of San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties.This publication documents over 2,000 species occurring in our two counties. The checklist includes the scientific and common names as in the 2nd edition of The Jepson Manual. Each species also includes the local preserves the plant occurs in, and other information about our local plants. Softcover coil bound (5 ½) x (8 ½), 161 pages.160 pp. The checklist can be purchased at the online CNPS SCV Nursery store.
		THE JEPSON MANUAL: HIGHER PLANTS OF CALIFORNIA. James Hickman, ed. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. The final word on California native plants.
	A CALIFORNIA FLORA. Philip Munz. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. 1681 + 224 pp, hardback. Obsoleted by Jepson, this reference is still a favorite of many botanists.
		FLORA OF THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS OF CALIFORNIA. John Hunter Thomas. Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA. 434 pp, softback.
	FLORA OF THE MOUNT HAMILTON RANGE. Helen Sharsmith. CNPS, Berkeley. 94 pp, softback. Out of print but worth hunting for at used bookstores.
		FLORA OF THE SAN BRUNO MOUNTAINS. Elizbeth McClintock et al. CNPS, 909 12th Street, Suite 116, Sacramento, CA 95814. 223 pp, softback.
	CONIFERS OF CALIFORNIA. Ronald M. Lanner. Cachuma Press, P.O. Box 560, Los Olivos, CA 93441. 288 pp, softback. Award-winning book on all 52 majestic evergreen trees of the state. A superb mix of writing style, botanical knowledge, and appealing presentation. It may be the only book you need on the subject.
		OAKS OF CALIFORNIA. Bruce Pavlik et al. Cachuma Press, P.O. Box 560, Los Olivos, CA 93441. 184 pp, softback. An engagingly written and produced work on California's native oaks. Browse the beautiful pictures and captions, or read a chapter at leisure. A great first reference for identifying common oaks.
INSPIRATION FROM NATURE
		CALIFORNIA'S WILD GARDENS: A Living Legacy. Phyllis M. Faber, ed. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 235 pp, hardback. The breathtaking beauty of California's native plants is captured in over 500 photographs and engaging commentary in an all-color, coffee table book format.
	WILDFLOWERS OF CALIFORNIA. Larry Ulrich, Susan Lamb. Companion Press, Santa Barbara, CA. 136 pp, softback. While not about gardening, this book will leave you marveling at the beauty and diversity of California native wildflowers, and wishing you could grow them in your garden. Detailed captions accompany each photograph, with the plant name and location, allowing you to plan field trips, or visit your local native nursery for seeds.
NATURAL HISTORY & ETHNOBOTANY
		AN ISLAND CALLED CALIFORNIA. Elna Bakker. University of California Press. 400 pp, softback. A classic reference which connects the native flora, fauna, climate, and geography of each biotic community in the state.
	TENDING THE WILD: NATIVE AMERICAN KNOWLEDGE AND THE MANAGEMENT OF CALIFORNIA'S NATURAL RESOURCES. M. Kat Anderson. University of California Press, 2006. 555 pp, paperback. John Muir was an early proponent of a view we still hold today--that much of California was pristine, untouched wilderness before the arrival of Europeans. But as this groundbreaking book demonstrates, what Muir was really seeing when he admired the grand vistas of Yosemite and the gold and purple flowers carpeting the Central Valley were the fertile gardens of the Sierra Miwok and Valley Yokuts Indians, modified and made productive by centuries of harvesting, tilling, sowing, pruning, and burning. Marvelously detailed and beautifully written, Tending the Wild is an unparalleled examination of Native American knowledge and uses of California's natural resources that reshapes our understanding of native cultures and shows how we might begin to use their knowledge in our own conservation efforts. Tending the Wild persuasively argues that this traditional ecological knowledge is essential if we are to successfully meet the challenge of living sustainably.
OUT OF PRINT CLASSICS
	THE HABITAT GARDEN BOOK. Nancy Bauer. Coyote Ridge Press, P.O. Box 192, Sebastopol, CA 95473. 56 pp, softback. This little gem makes for a great beginning to gardening for birds, bees, and butterflies, with written and pictorial vignettes of habitat and food plants in bloom. Native plants are well-represented, although the book includes some non-natives as well. If you are just getting interested in bringing natives into your garden, this book puts it all into context.
	BUTTERFLY GARDENING. Xerces Society, Smithsonian Institution. Sierra Club Books, San Francisco. 1998. 208 pp, softback. Essays by experts on gardening for butterflies, with many exquisite color closeups, master plant list, life cycle, photography, and resource list.
	NATIVE PLANTS FOR CALIFORNIA GARDENS. Lee Lenz. Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. 1956. 166 pp, hardback. Out of print, but may be available through used book sellers.
	OUT OF THE WILD AND INTO THE GARDEN. Bart O'Brien, Lorrae Fuentes, Lydia Newcombe, Eds. Symposium proceedings. Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Occasional Publications. Part I, 1992, 212 pp. Part II, 1995, 262 pp. Part III, 1997, 134 pp.

This page compiled by Arvind Kumar, Jeffrey Caldwell, Tanya Kucak, Vivian Neou and Agi Kehoe. Send your comments and suggestions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Butterfly Gardening

calscape.org: CNPS database of native plants and associated butterflies and moths (both host and nectar plants). Searchable.

California Plants as Resources for Lepidoptera: a document that lists many moth and butterfly species and their host & nectar plants

BUTTERFLY GARDENING: SELECTED REFERENCES

Arbuckle, Nancy and Cedric Crocker (eds.). 1991. How to Attract Hummingbirds and Butterflies. Ortho Books.

Caldwell, Jeff. Notes on Larval Food Plants of Some Bay Area Butterflies. 3pp.-xeroxed

Garth, John S. and J.W. Tilden. 1986. California Butterflies. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Stewart, Bob. 1997. Common Butterflies of California. Point Reyes Station, CA: West Coast Lady Press.

Stokes, Donald, Lillian Stokes and Ernest Williams. 1991. The Butterfly Book: An Easy Guide to Butterfly Gardening, Identification, and Behavior. Little, Brown and Company.

Tekulsky, Mathew. 1985. The Butterfly Garden. Boston: The Harvard Common Press.

Xerces Society/Smithsonian Institution. 1990. Butterfly Gardening. Sierra Club Books.