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Category: Garden Planning Tools

Category: Garden Planning Tools

Plants of the Channel Islands

Kevin Alison introduces you to the unique species of California’s Channel Islands. Kevin also tells the natural history of these plants, some interesting evolutionary adaptations, and how these plants can be used in the natural garden.

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Inland Gardening

Have you ever used the word ‘only’ in the same sentence as ‘90 degrees’ or found yourself convinced that gardening where you live is a sort of purification process akin to hot yoga? If so, then you are probably an inland gardener.

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Intermediate Gardening

Assuming you don’t spend more than a couple of days at a time near 100 in the summer but also don’t describe your general weather as having a coastal influence you probably fit into this intermediate category. In other words you aren’t constantly cool but you aren’t altogether melting either. Below is a condensed list of native plants that will do well in your region.

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The California Garden

The California garden is tended nature in miniature. It’s not about the plants. It’s about generosity. It’s about giving back to the land and giving oneself the pleasure and satisfaction of loving, getting involved, and tending a garden modeled after the natural beauty of the region.

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Summer Garden Color

Summer Garden Color Tree of Life Nursery is here to squash those rumors that California native plants are brown in the summer. The following list

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Handy Plant Respecifier

The Handy Plant “Respecifier” lists California natives that should replace common exotic ornamental landscape choices. These suggestions are only a small sample of the possibilities available

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Native Plantings for Slopes

For slope plantings you will need an array of plants that have different root depths in order to keep the slope intact. Check out our list of California native plants for your slopes.

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Summer Water for Native Plants

California native plants are well adapted to our climate and can tolerate extended periods of heat and drought in their natural setting. Many natives experience a drought-induced dormancy in the summer. They simply maintain their size and shape, add very little to no new growth, and sometimes even lose a few leaves toward the end of the season.This is how they “tough it out”.

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Native Grasses

Many native grasses here in California are drought tolerant. Listed below are some of our favorite California native grasses.

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