A must-have for every gardener in California looking for a new way to garden in a changing climate In recent years California has been facing extreme drought, and in 2015 they passed state-wide water restrictions that affect home owners. Unfortunately the drought is only going to get worse, and gardeners who aren’t willing to abandon their beloved pastime entirely are going to have to learn how to garden with the absolute minimum of water. The Drought-Defying California Garden highlights the best 230 plants to grow, shares advice on how to get them established, and offers tips on how to maintain them with the minimum amount of water. All of the plants are native to California—making them uniquely adept at managing the harsh climate—and include perennials, annuals, shrubs, trees, and succulents.
In my many years in the horticulture industry, especially in the teaching end, I've found that the vast majority of gardeners believe that the real challenge in gardening is to produce a beautiful garden with minimal care. However, the "true" gardener likes to push and is willing to make the needed adjustments, work, sacrifice, whatever, to grow some prized possession. And what on earth is wrong with that? If a gardener is so inclined, he or she is welcome to brag about having a perfect lawn, or growing the first Isoplexis canariensis in the neighborhood. Yet only a very tiny percentage of people want the challenge of growing really unsuitable plants, which involves not just extra time on the gardener's part, but also includes heavy resource use. Besides, some plants are too specialized for the average gardener. Everyone is welcome to dig, bag, chill, spit, and turn summersaults to get a temperamental posy to do just right. But telling others to do this is less than good advice. There is plenty of "fun" in gardening to keep everyone busy; we don't need "work" to make gardening fun. In this book, Felder presents us with the "what-does-best" plants--the plants that fill our gardens with the least care needed, and that, in turn, allow us more quality time in our garden oases. For those who want a landscape of entirely low-maintenance, this is certainly the listing of the lowest. "Tough," as in the title of this book, is Felder's word for "hardy." "Tough" is also the word for Felder's no-nonsense style that cuts through the--let us say--manure of the plant selection process.--Adapted from introduction.
DIVHave you ever wondered which plants and flowers to grow in California, and how to do it?/divDIV/divDIVThe California Getting Started Garden Guide features region-specific advice on planting, growing, and caring for more than 150 of California’s top ornamental and native plants. From flowers and grasses to trees and palms, this step-by-step guide includes useful information for the novice and experienced gardener alike, geared exclusively toward the particular climatic concerns of Californians. With gorgeous full-color photos of each plant, this book will increase the enjoyment and satisfaction of any gardener hoping to learn about—and master—the natural environment of California./div
"California Native Plants for the Garden" is a comprehensive resource that features more than 500 of the best California native plants for gardening in the Mediterranean-climate areas of the world. Authored by three of the state's leading native-plant horticulturalists 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 are also provided.
It may be the Golden State, but your garden can be any color you want it to be. California is already famous as one of the world's leading fruit and vegetable producers--but a glance at a valley oak or California buckwheat is just a small glimpse of the native plants the state has to offer the home gardener. Written by Alameda resident and longtime gardening journalist Claire Splan, California Month-by-Month Gardening is the sister manual to our California Getting Started Garden Guide. Inside, Splan dedicates a thoroughly detailed chapter to each month of the year, telling you what species you should consider planting, precisely when you should plant them, and how to care for them for maximum health. Within each month are recommendations for annuals, bulbs, lawns (and lawn alternatives), natives, perennials, roses, shrubs, trees, vines, and groundcovers. An introductory overview of California's microclimates and soil types, along with a primer on general gardening techniques and a color-coded USDA zone map, prepares you to make your best effort as a gardener in California. Splan's instructions go much further than just the basics, as you learn how to plan, plant, care for, water, fertilize, and troubleshoot your diverse garden spaces during every single month of the year. Fully illustrated with beautiful color photography of the "how to" steps and plants, California Month-by-Month Gardening keeps your garden prosperous through all types of California weather and terrain. For our full introduction to gardening in California, we also recommend companion books California Getting Started Garden Guide and California Fruit & Vegetable Gardening.
Water shortages and water rationing are commonplace throughout California, rendering expanses of lawn and thirsty, nonnative plants unsustainable. The California Native Landscape addresses both concerns by showing homeowners how to succeed with natives and showing them how lush, colorful, and thriving their landscape can be. The authors stress the importance of smart garden design and combining the right plants to promote the natural symbiosis that occurs within plant communities. Native plants also play an important role in creating fire-resistant landscapes, and this new book has cutting-edge information on this crucial topic, refuting the myth that natives are more fire-prone than nonnatives. With its unique combination of proven techniques, environmental wisdom, and inspiring design advice, this is an essential resource for all California gardeners who want to create a beautiful, ecologically appropriate, and resource-conserving home landscape.
Beloved perennial of the green-thumbed in the golden state, and now revised and sporting a gorgeous new cover, Northern California Gardening is a comprehensive, illustrated guide for both novice and expert gardeners. San Francisco Chronicle garden columnist Katherine Grace Endicott maps out the rewards of reaping what you sow from flowers and fruits to herbs and vegetables throughout Northern California. The unique month-by-month format helps readers find answers when they need them, while detailed information on native and nonnative species and basic planting and pruning techniques make carefree gardening easier than ever. Add to that a completely new and updated source list, and finding just the right plants and seeds is as simple as watching them grow.
"An excellent how-to book on California native plant landscaping . . . with plans, photographs, and plant lists which are sure to fire the imagination of any gardener."--Arvind Kumar, California Native Plant Society
Gardening. Environmental Studies. Photographs by Saxon Holt. Illustrations by Richard Pembroke. This lavishly illustrated book celebrates the challenges and opportunities of gardening in Mediterranean climates, with special reference to northern California's San Francisco Bay Region. The core of the book is a catalog of more than 650 plants suited to regions with mild, usually wet winters and dry, often hot summers. These plants thrive with moderate to no summer irrigation when established, require little or no maintenance, and are reasonably available from nurseries, botanic gardens, native plant sales, or specialty seed suppliers. Many of the 542 color photographs show plants in garden settings to suggest attractive and compatible plant combinations. Summary charts provide information on each plant, such as bloom time, needs for water and sun, and preferences for coastal or inland microclimates. Lists suggest plants for special situations, such as hot sites, dryish shade, small gardens, and clay soils. Chapters on landscape design and maintenance inspire readers to make gardens that use little water and no harmful chemicals, with a focus on building healthy soil. Practical steps to successful design are supplemented with ideas for designing with microclimate, attracting wildlife, and fire safety. Sidebars by local experts discuss weather, natural landscapes, design solutions, and gardening with recycled water. "A valuable resource for climate-compatible gardening in the San Franciso Bay Area that will also be of interest to gardeners in other parts of the world with a similar seasonal pattern of winter rain and dry summers. This book will occupy a prominent place in my library for many years to come." Katherine Greenberg, president Mediterranean Garden Society "This book is beautifully designed with abundant photographs of plants, many in garden settings, and it is packed with the kind of information gardeners need for their own special situations. Simply stunning Bravo " Phyllis M. Faber, editor University of California Press"
