Mimulus

Tops on the list of desirable shrubs is Arctostaphylos, commonly called manzanita. Again, there are many choices in this genus. Handsome and tree-like are ‘Dr. Hurd’, ‘Hood Mountain’ and ‘Austin Griffiths’. ‘Sentinel’ is one of the more upright varieties, eventually reaching five to six feet.   Medium sized Manzanitas are ‘Howard McMinn,’ ‘Sunset,’ ‘John Dourley’ and ‘Wayside,’…

Another very showy native is Dendromecon harfordii (California bush poppy).  In late spring, it is covered in bright yellow flowers and flowers intermittently throughout the summer.  

This native plant is of variable appearance, but generally has narrow bluish green foliage and blue to purple flowers.  The variety ‘Margarita Bop’ was discovered at Las Pilitas Nursery in Santa Margarita.  It sends up wands of fuchsia and violet blue flowers in spring and early summer and requires little to moderate water, as do other heterophyllus.    

Trichostema lanatum (woolly blue curls) grows to three to five feet high and four to eight feet wide.  The dark green leaves are pungent when bruised.  The purple flowers are fuzzy and appear in spring.  The plant will continue to bloom during summer and autumn if it is deadheaded.  Trichostema takes full sun and needs…

The Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri) is one of the most spectacular California native plants. Getting it started can be difficult, but once established, it requires no irrigation and may, in fact, need to be watched so as not to take over your garden.

Prunus lyonii (Catalina Cherry) and Prunus ilicifolia (Holly leaf Cherry) are two evergreen shrubs that are extremely useful as screens or background plants. They both have red berries in late summer which the birds find very desirable.