Schinus molle, if it's the same tree that grows in FL as Brazilian pepper, isn't native to North America. It's also a major invasive in FL. I don't know what it does in CA. This may be yet another case of the nursery trade continuing to propagte and sell trees which are invasive, simply because they are easy to grow. And it may be that it isn't invasive in CA, or isn't YET invasive - there's no saying if it WOULD become so if it isn't. As well, it can cause allergies in some people from handling leaves, twigs and berries. I may be wrong, and it's not the same tree.... I think I would go with the Sorbus, between the 2, although it isn't native either. Maybe you need to find another nursery? I am sure there are native CA trees that would give the benefits - shade, wildlife, attractive - that you want. Since I don't live in your area, I can only suggest you look in the Sunset Garden Book and see what trees they suggest as small patio trees, refining down from there. What about a madrone tree - they are very attractive, and certainly NOT formal? While not necessarily native, one of the flowering crabapples might also be nice, giving spring flowers in white or pink, green or red leaves and fruits in various colors and sizes, some lasting and some edible by people as well, if only in jam or jelly.

Salvia leucantha kinda goes dormant in the winter and is best if cut to ground each spring. I'm a bit colder in winter than you and mine were sticks by Feb. I took them all out and replaced with ceanothus and dwarf bottlebrush 'little john'. Something else you might look into is bush germander teucrium fruticana. It is blooming now and the blue purple is very remarkable. I like the gray foliage something different other than green. I thin it every other year. Hummers and bees love it. I also use a lot of sweet pea bush and other salvis.

1) To show people that native plants are beautiful, excellent choices for landscaping, to help stop foreign invasive plants from being used. True, but often natives just do not respond the same way to cultivation as they tend to be soil specific, requiring more aeration of the general clayey type soils that constitute the fill that is used in lots homes are built upon. And as people tend to have lawns the way the lawn is handled is generally how the rest of the yard is handled, and that is as easily as possible. 2) To support native plants and animals. These plants were selected because a number of native California butterflies, birds, moths, etc. feed on them. We are also trying to expand the territory of the lonely little grey fox that lives near the conservancy. While many of the plants you list may be attracted to butterflies and moths as well as hummingbirds, you need plants that produce seeds that birds will eat and in your list only the Ribes appears to be so. Plants that are annuals or biennials that produce small seeds for finches or larger seeds for the larger birds of your area, which you need to research. Also butterflies need plants such as milkweed for their caterpillars to feed on. "Lonely little gray fox"??? Grey foxes are solitary hunters! And they can climb trees which is one of their escape routes from dogs. You need large trees with cavities in them for the fox to hide in. Also you will need debris piles, such as piled up branches etc for rodents to live in that the fox can feed on. 3) the bushier plants are meant to discourage trespassing. There is a real issue of homeless people basically invading sections of the river and destroying it. We want to use these plants as a barrier to save the last pristine section of land, which is only maybe a fourth of a mile long, less wide. None of the plants you list can create a suitable barrier apart from the Cornus and even it is not enough to dispell intruders. You need plants like THISTLES fronted by NETTLES to form a wall at least 5 feet deep to discourage intruders but once these idiots learn you are growing Datura then forget it as they will simply find a way to destroy your barriers to get to this plant that is used as a drug. I could not believe that you would list such a dangerous plant like this. It should not be encouraged to be grown. 4) open the door for more native planting projects. If this one is successful, we would do greater habitat restoration projects, where we would actually plant more things that would naturally occur in the area. I really think you people should contact the California Native Plant Society in your area and really talk this over with them. They have the knowledge and resources that can assist you. Check the link. Here is a link that might be useful: CNPS Santa Clara Valley

I had several Sunset manzanitas and liked their form and vigor. I really like all manzanitas, they are tough, relatively fast growing and even in the dead of summer with no water they look green and fresh, something which many natives can't do. But unfortunately, all of my manzanitas have eventually succumbed to branch die back, each one grew great for several years and then started slowly dying.