Hi Ingrid, Here are some of the books I've found very helpful and enjoyable. I'm posting the front and back covers of each. They're all different but still handy to have for various purposes. I bought them all in the garden shop of Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden (which is conveniently quite close to where I live and within walking distance if I'm feeling adventurous and don't intend to buy any plants!). Bart O'brien who co-authored all 3 has long been on staff at RSABG and is a noted authority on California native plants, including one of my favs Rosa minutifolia. Carol Bornstein was the Director of Horticulture at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. She's a great advocate for locally appropriate plants, and champions one I'm still having trouble finding, the lovely grass, Bothriochloa barbinodis (Silver Beadgrass). David Fross is the founder of Native Sons Wholesale Nursery a source for many of the companion plants I've selected to grow with my roses. Btw, David Fross introduced a cultivar of a Calfornia native rose--Rosa californica 'Los Berros' (and yes I have it!). From From Gardening Books This one is arranged like an encyclopedia (by scientific names but with common names provided too, plus there's an index), showing many CA native plants in gardens or their natural environment. For each plant there is standard information provided such as what kind of plant it is, where it grows, light, soil, and water preferences, etc. Here's an excerpt from page 102 that describes California buckwheat: "Eriogonum fasciculatum California Buckwheat Plant type: Evergreen shrub. Geographic Zones: All except high mountains. Light: Sun to partial shade. Soil: Adaptable; well-drained preferred. Water: Drought tolerant to occasional. Natural Habitat and Range: Dry slopes and canyons in coastal scrub, chaparral, desert woodland, and desert scrub below 8000 feet; Alameda County south to northwestern Baja California and east to southwestern Utah and Arizona." Then there is a color photo of the plant along with information about the location of the photo, followed by 5 paragraphs of detailed notes, including multiple named cultivars. And that is the basic format for the whole book, with the amount of notes varying from plant to plant. There are in addition some excellent appendices that list places to see native plants growing as well as where to buy them. I consult this book all the time when considering what to add or not to add to my garden. It has saved me a lot of grief! 271 pages. From Gardening Books From Gardening Books This one has all sorts of handy data. There's a great plant list where the plants are grouped by form--trees, small trees/large shrubs, shrubs, sub-shrubs/perennials, vines, groundcovers, and cacti/succulents and arranged by watering needs--very low, low, medium, and high. There are sections on soil (including a neat quick test and table for determining the soil type in your garden), watering, climate, planting, care, pests, weeds, etc. 238 pages. From Gardening Books From Gardening Books This book is packed full of suggestions for replacing the traditional lawn and how to go about it. It is loaded with color pictures of examples of various options. Lawn replacements that this book covers include: greenswards, meadows, rock gardens, succulent gardens, carpet and tapestry gardens, kitchen gardens, green roofs. There is also an encyclopedia (like the one in California Native Plants for the Garden) of plants for those recommended. 154 pages. Melissa

Hey Guys, it is so good to read again from all the old timers, that I have learned so much from in the past years. I come here hardly ever anymore, missing the old timers and the old friendly forum. Our garden does not look very good as well these days. Many tropicals have hard time surviving the weather we have been having lately. Most of my time and effort is taken by homeschooling my son (we just started this school year, after a not that good experience in magnet school last year) and chess tournaments (new passion of my son :-) I do wish everybody a great New Year, especially to those who deal with hardships. I would be up for a plant swap. Just to see everybody would be great! Maybe it is the motivation that I am lacking to kick me into the gardening mode again. Veronika J"s new passions: turtles and chess :-)

Oh Beth--She has such a sweet face-and I'm sure she is so thankful to have a 'mommy' that will take good care of her-does she like to ride? Alli went everywhere with me- I am glad you have a companion--she will take care of you and be always on your side--and I won't have to think of you being alone!! Remy--I would like some rudbeckia--I manage a 30 year old 96 unit apartment complex that has been ignored for years--so I am planting things everywhere I can to 'perk' it up Carol has sent me some purple iris and Maureen sent dahlias and daylillies--Beth has been sending seeds every month-from a different swap-so it's starting to look up around here!! Let me know what I need to do! Debbya--Toby is such a handsome guy--I am torn between getting another bulldog--or a boston--my house is just too quiet! Better get to work Jeanette

You're welcome! I'm new to gardening, too. most I what I do know is completely theoretical (i.e. I read about gardening online more than I actually garden!) so I'm still in the highly trial-and-error phase of gardening! I'll be curious to hear how your bottlebrush does...they have those planted as landscaping plants in a thoroughfare near me and I wonder what they are doing right now. Though, I highly doubt we will see any white stuff here.