I hear you, I'm just north of Edwards AFB, and have pure clay. Takes days and days with a pick-axe to dig down a foot or too. Been digging all last week to plant two more Mexican Fan Palm trees in my fron yard! Mix it in with about half compost though, then your soil is money. Retains some water, yet drains good enough. Oh how I wish I could afford a little tractor to dig that up!

Yes, it's most definitely clay soil (I live in cal city). What I did before planting my TF lawn and all my flowers and garden, was get a truck load of humus (or compost). I got it from these guys in Lancaster: http://californiaquarryproducts.com/humus_compost_planter_mix.php It's only $22/skip (2 skips pretty well fill a long bed truck). That was enough to mix with a 1,000 sq ft for the lawn and all my garden and flower space. It's probably 30-40% compost and the rest clay now. But you have to break out the pick axe and go to town on that clay soil for days before mixing it in. It's a lot of work, but I break up the clay to almost 1 foot down for proper drainage, then mix in all the compost (breaking up clay chuncks bigger than .5" or so). Every year I throw some more compost on top of everything and let the water break it down into the soil on it's own. Needless to say, everything I grow has done awesome with mainly just the compost and a couple fertilizing's each year. You'll regret it if you don't break up that clay and amend it before planting, not much will grow if you don't! Good luck! I don't know how much your water is down in AV, but I use roughly 2-3,000 Cu Ft per month and it's only ~$20/month. Well worth it for me!

I'd like to trade for one package if I have something you'd like. Here is my list of fresh seed: Fennel - Smoky Bronze - 2015 Asclepias curassavica Milkweed - aka Tropical - Silky Gold - 2015 Asclepias curassavica Milkweed - aka Tropical - red & orange - 2015 Senna marilandica - Maryland wild senna - 2015 Liatris ligulistylis - Meadow blazing star - 2015 leonotis nepetifolia - Lion's tail - 2015 - (just purchased and can't attest to quality) Garlic Chives - 2014 Callicarpa americana - American Beautyberry - 2015 Mary

I have seen them on mine. Not many usually , just one cat. I have seen butterflies off different types on them.