A properly designed California native plant landscape may contain an evergreen foundation, while providing splashes of seasonal color that change for the season.
To have the best success with introducing natives to your landscape, it’s best to do some planning, beginning with a site analysis. When thinking about natives, you will want to consider your soil, sun and shade patterns, slope, drainage, and irrigation, in addition to how you want to use the space. Some foothills residents also need to plan for deer.
You have essentially three high level options:
1. Do it yourself, guided by classes or books
2. Consult with a professional for your design and/or implementation
3. Hire a professional native plant landscaper to do it all for you
Classes: Nurseries and other relevant places such as Theodore Payne Foundation, Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden, and Tree of Life all offer low cost (or free) seminars and classes.
Books: See our reference page for recommended books on landscape design.
Native Plant Landscape Designers: Please contact your local retail native plant nursery for a list of experienced NATIVE plant landscapers in your area. Some designers are available for hourly consultations; others would prefer to design and implement an entire project.
Now read about how to select plants for your garden.
A chapter of the California Native Plant Society, 2707 K Street, Suite I, Sacramento, California 95816-5113
CNPS San Gabriel Mountains Chapter, 1750 North Altadena Drive, Pasadena, California 91107-1046
All text on this page is Copyright © 2010-2023 CNPS San Gabriel Mountains Chapter unless otherwise indicated. All photos are Copyright by the authors.
