Carpenteria californica

Mimulus aurantiacus, or monkey flower, grows to about four feet and blooms in a wide range of colors from white to dark red.  It likes sun or part shade, good drainage and little water.

Heteromeles arbutifolia, or toyon, is an evergreen native shrub with thick, leathery leaves.  The flat heads of white flowers in spring attract bees and the bright red berries that follow are favored by birds.  Toyon usually grows as a dense shrub to six to ten feet tall and wide, but can also be trained as…

Rhamnus californica, or coffeeberry, is an evergreen shrub that can grow from three to fifteen feet, depending on the variety and the climate in which it is planted.  The common name comes from the berries that turn black once they have ripened.  It is not particular about soil and can take sun or partial shade. …

For the shade, try Heuchera maxima, a cream flowering coral bell that looks great under oak trees and needs very little water.

Buckwheats provide color spring and summer. Eriogonum umbellatum (sulphur buckwheat) sports bright yellow flowers in spring. Eriogonum giganteum (St. Catherine’s Lace) is topped with creamy clusters of flower sprays reaching as high as five feet. The star of the genus, Eriogonum grande var. rubescens (rosy buckwheat) displays rosy buttons atop rounded gray-green leaves for most of…

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.