There are plenty of Salvia growers but you might want to rethink using them for cutflowers. They're not the best for that purpose; they "shatter" quickly. Take a look at some of these: CALIFORNIA NATIVES FOR CUTTING For flowers, foliage and/or berries Arctostaphylos MANZANITA Artemisia californica CALIFORNIA SAGEBRUSH Bloomeria crocea GOLDEN STARS Brodiaea elegans HARVEST BRODIAEA Carpenteria californica ÂElizabeth BUSH ANEMONE Cercis occidentalis, C. o. ÂAlba WESTERN REDBUD Chlorogalum pomeridianum AMOLE, SOAP PLANT Clarkia amoena GODETIA Clarkia unguiculata ELEGANT CLARKIA, FAREWELL-TO-SPRING Collinsia heterophylla CHINESE HOUSES Comarostaphylis diversifolia SUMMER HOLLY Corethrogyne (Lessingia) californica CALIFORNIA ASTER Dichelostemma ida-maia FIRECRACKER FLOWER Dichelostemma pulchellum BLUE DICKS, WILD HYACINTH Dudleya pulverulenta CHALK LETTUCE Epipactis gigantea GIANT STREAM ORCHID Eriogonum arborescens SANTA CRUZ ISLAND BUCKWHEAT Eriogonum giganteum ST. CATHERINEÂS LACE Eriophyllum confertiflorum GOLDEN YARROW Eriophyllum lanatum arachnoideum GOLDEN YARROW Galvezia speciosa ISLAND SNAPDRAGON Hesperocallis undulata DESERT-LILY Hesperoyucca whipplei CHAPARRAL YUCCA Heteromeles arbutifolia TOYON Iris Pacific Coast Hybrids PCH IRIS Isocoma menziesii COAST GOLDENBUSH Juncus balticus BALTIC RUSH Juncus effusus COMMON RUSH Juncus mexicanus MEXICAN RUSH Juncus patens RUSH Juncus xiphioides FLAT-BLADED RUSH Leymus condensatus GIANT WILD RYE Leymus triticoides BEARDLESS WILD RYE Lilium "Corallitos Hybrids" CORALLITOS LILIES Lilium rubescens CHAPARRAL LILY Madia elegans ELEGANT TARWEED Mahonia ÂGolden Abundance G. A. BARBERRY Mahonia ÂSkylark SKYLARK MAHONIA Melica californica CALIFORNIA MELIC Mimulus aurantiacus and Hybrids BUSH MONKEY FLOWER Monardella crispa WAVY-LEAF DUNE MINT Monardella villosa COYOTE MINT Myrica californica PACIFIC WAX MYRTLE Perityle incana GUADALUPE ISLAND ROCK DAISY Philadelphus lewisii californicus CALIFORNIA MOCK ORANGE Polystichum munitum WESTERN SWORD FERN Rhamnus californica COFFEEBERRY Ribes aureum gracillimum GOLDEN CURRANT Ribes sanguineum glutinosum RED-FLOWERING CURRANT Solidago californica CALIFORNIA GOLDENROD Solidago spathulata COAST GOLDENROD Symphoricarpus SNOWBERRIES Trichostema lanatum WOOLY BLUE-CURLS Triteleia hyacinthina WHITE HYACINTH BRODIAEA Triteleia laxa PRETTY FACE, TRIPLET LILY Vaccinium ovatum EVERGREEN HUCKLEBERRY Wyethia angustifolia NARROW-LEAF MULE EARS Zigadenus fremontii STAR-LILY Joe

Davallia trichomanoides, or Squirrel's Foot Fern Typha or Cattails, there are 11 species, says Wikipedia Moss roses, my favorite is Alfred du Dalmas, sometimes called Mousseline, for the scent of the flowers is reminiscent of French linens. There are cultivars with mossier buds. Some Lavenders have very soft leaves, and soft velvety flowers especially right before they open, I love to feel them. Sinningia, or florists, Gloxinia. Roman Chamomile makes a wonderful "rug."

Update (2013 follow-up) of successful steep slope plantings on a dry sandy slope in So. Calif. In my previous post, I listed drought-tolerant Calif. natives used in my initial plantings. But the fire department does NOT like summer-deciduous plants such as sages. And as water was reduced, plants such as Wooly Blue Curls did not survive. It has been a 10-year project and this is how I turned a steep dry sandy slope into a drought-tolerant garden: 1) Basic Calif-native trees & shrubs were planted (a couple of Coast Live Oaks, lots of fire-resistant Toyons, McMinn Manzanitas, Sunset Manzanitas and the wonderful Hollyleaf Cherry are good choices). At the driest upper areas, Palo Verde Trees were planted for their deep tap roots and provide 25% shade cover when leafed out during the summer. 2) The slope is very steep. As I worked the sloped while planting and watering, a curvy informal foot trail started to form. As the trees and shrubs took hold of the soil, these foot trails were gradually deepened. Most native ground covers are sold as tiny little things that can't get a hold on steep slopes or are buried under a shovel of dirt unless planted at the base of an agave for protection. Tip: Buckwheat prostrate is a great steep-slope ground-cover that drapes down and hides the vertical cut edge of pathways. 3) The native flower shrubs (Wooly Blue Curls) died. Calif. Fushia is very dought resistant and is best if tucked under an agave to brighten up the driest desert plantings at the upper level. As the trees, shrubs and trails became established, lots of agaves were added to hold the surface soil. Cabbage-sized boulders were often used to hold new plants into the slope. 4) Erosion: A line of three monster Blue Agaves were planted in a horizontal line whenever a "dam" was needed to divert rainwater from running straight down the slope. The maturing slope contours (trails) were gradually deepened and dirt bermed up so that rainwater would travel across the slope and flow into collection basins behind trees and shrubs along the way. The pathway/contours took a lot of time to evolve but was well worth the effort. Instead of walking "on" the slope, the deepened pathways amongst the plantings now gives the feeling of a nature hike. 5) Gradually, non-native plants (aloes) were added to the semi-shaded areas. For the upper "desert" area, tons of barrel cactus and agaves were used as a ground cover alongside uprights such as pony-tail palms and colorful upright non-native Sticks on Fire & Crown of Thorns. This large (1/2 acre) hot dry, sandy steep slope was a real challenge and still is not finished. To make things look right on a large steep slope, you will need dozens of each plant to form groupings. You can use dozens of spikey Agave Geminiflora to give the illusion of a "meadow". Dozens of Golden Barrel cactus planted in an informal "swirl" along a switchback gives the impression of a flower garden from a distance. With a little imagination and a lot work, a steep slope can become a beautiful garden. Take courage, though, because it takes YEARS before others are able to "see" what you have planted. And on difficult slopes, it is better to overplant your basics of trees & shrubs because on a contoured steep slope, a sprinkler grid is too complex and you will lose some trees/shrubs when hand-watering is reduced.

I just happened upon this posting, and feel compelled to add a bit of info regarding fertilizing new plantings. The current "rule" regarding California native plantings is NOT to fertilize or amend soil at planting. This is especially true if the plants are native to your local area. In theory, if it's a native, the soil should contain everything your plant needs. That said, by virtue of normal landscaping practices, we have mucked things up for our plants. Still, with natives, it's best to start without fertilizer. If your plants are from other Mediterranean climate areas of the world, then a little starter fertilizer may be helpful. It may also be necessary to amend the soil to improve drainage. They key is to match the plant's natural habitat and needs as closely as possible. Note: if you have clay soil, but your plant is native to an area with different characteristics (rocky, sandy, low phosphorus, etc.), you need to be mindful of this. Clay is wonderfully fertile, but tough on plants that prefer better drainage. If you do choose to fertilize, organic fertilizers are better for the plants, soil, and the environment.