Don't know where you are getting your info but I do not know of any California native grass species that grows THREE INCHES OR LESS TALL! At least any that I have seen commercially available. Most California grasses are bunch grasses and these are the species that occur in meadows in the state. The meadows are an assortment of mixed annuals, biennials, and perennials with varying degrees of preponderance of two to three bunch grass species thrown into the view. Carex pansa-California Meadow Sedge Click here to read short info bit This sedge species according to Munz, A California Flora, can grow from 6 inches to 12 inches tall. It is found naturally along the coast in what Munz describes as Coastal Strand communities. What this means is that the species is found in areas that are cool and subject to coastal fog year round and may never experience any freezing weather though may reach the upper 30sF. This plant IS NOT A MEADOW PLANT. California meadows are summer dryland plants and can be exposed to broad ranges in temps each day from lows in the 50sF during summer with highs commonly in the 80sF to 90sF. Sedges are not really lawn type plants as they tend to spread rather than form a tight bedding of stems, though they can be forced to mat out by restricting the area in which they can spread. My personal experience with Carex species is that they spread out and in so doing the older stems die out as the rhizomes spread out. This link California grasslands passed off as meadows by the CNPS has an image of the Carex species and recommendations on planting etc. This site defines meadows that I define are grasslands, more akin to prairies,and not meadows which is a more open stand of plants with a preponderance of grass species. But that is just my bent on the definition. Here is a link that might be useful: Larner Seeds

Rather than a Galium, I believe you have a Diodia, perhaps Diodia virginiana, Virginia buttonweed (which despite the name is apparently a native of Alabama). Native or not, it will take over. It roots as it goes, and can sprout from a loose bit cut off by the lawnmower, as well as by seed. If yours spread from a small clump to a 2'x3' clump over the summer, that means it's spreading at least 12" in a season. How big is your flowerbed? Here's an interesting article about Virginia buttonweed in lawns. (I have to say, though, that I never water my lawn, and it grows tall between mowings -- but the buttonweed is still spreading.) http://mobilebotanicalgardens.org/2012/07/12/beating-buttonweed/

john MO - I found Guns, Germs, and steel to be very interesting as well. It certainly seems like Eurasia has tended to send more invasive plants (and animals and microbes) to other parts of the world than have gone in the opposite direction. I've read in other places that the larger the landmass, the more cases there are of various species "invading" each other's territory, and the more the native species are resilient against new competitors. As the world's largest single landmass, this would mean that Eurasia would tend to have the most resilient or adaptive species on average, more resistant to other species and also more capable of out-competing other species on their own territory. There are still quite a few invasive species from other continents besides Eurasia, though. I've heard that common grey squirrels from the eastern US and Canada were introduced to Britain and have driven the native red squirrels almost to endangered status. There is some type of freshwater fish from the southeastern US that was introduced into southern China to try and control insect larvae, but it has also almost wiped out several species of native fish in some regions. There is a type of jellyfish from the eastern coastal waters of the US that has become a menace in the Black Sea and has undermined much of the anchovy-fishing industry in that area. The common prickly pear cactus from North America became massively invasive in parts of Australia until they found an insect that helped control it. From Australia, the melaleuca has become a well-known invasive species in Florida. A number of different species of Eucalyptus were introduced to California in the late 19th-early 20th century and some of them grew so well they became invasive pests. In more recent years, several species of eucalyptus have been grown around the Mediterranean and some threatened to become invasive there as well, especially in Spain. There was a website with a URL that I've unfortunately forgotten that listed 15 or so plant and animal species from the US and Canada or their coastal waters that have become serious invasive pests in other parts of the world. I wish I knew where to find it now.

You might see if there are any wholesalers who can supply smaller tubes of the Purple fountain for landscapers - even if you ask a landscaper to buy them in - if you can get cheaper pots and sacrifice some plunes by giving a good haircut, you could try dividing the clumps & could probably produce 4 times the number for planting out. In terms of native grasses, I don;t know your area, I know I find a lot of roadside grasses in my area very pleasant even though some may be weeds. Do be careful though when I say "weeds" some species can be very invasive - Qld now has a problem with the other fountain grass. I found this site which can supply small trial quantities of seed and has some good sections of notes on grasses and their uses (no commercial interest) Here is a link that might be useful: native grass seed supplier