Native Spring Foliage in Northern California

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cicerone

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Native Spring Foliage in Northern California
« on: May 02, 2012, 09:33:08 PM »
My young garden is not much to look at yet, but up close I'm finding plenty to keep my interest with my natives, most of which are doing well. I can't get enough of the leaves and red bark of manzanitas. Shame they grow so incredibly slow (or so it seems)

Arctostaphylos montaraensis - Montara Manzanita
Arctostaphylos 'Emerald Carpet' - Emerald Carpet Manzanita
Rhododendron Occidentale - Western Azalea
Iris douglasiana - Douglas Iris
Artemisia pycnocephala 'David's Choice' - David's Choice Sandhill Sage
Myrica Californica - Pacific Wax Myrtle
- Creating a California Native / Mediterranean garden in the San Francisco Fogbelt

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Alisdair

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Re: Native Spring Foliage in Northern California
« Reply #1 on: May 03, 2012, 08:05:35 AM »
Lovely plants! That beach sage (? Artemisia pycnocephala) looks particularly interesting, and I imagine would also do well in hotter drier places than your fog belt?
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

Jill S

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Re: Native Spring Foliage in Northern California
« Reply #2 on: May 03, 2012, 09:57:22 AM »
Alisdair, there are UK suppliers listed by RHS for Artemisia pycnocephala
Member of RHS and MGS. Gardens in Surrey, UK and, whenever I get the chance, on Paros, Greece where the learning curve is not the only thing that's steep.

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Alisdair

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Re: Native Spring Foliage in Northern California
« Reply #3 on: May 03, 2012, 11:05:37 AM »
Thanks, Jill!
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

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MikeHardman

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Re: Native Spring Foliage in Northern California
« Reply #4 on: May 03, 2012, 03:30:39 PM »
Manzanita reminds me of hiking, driving and photography in the California Sierras in the 1980s - wonderful scenery, flowers (love the Dodecatheons), etc.
Your Myrica californica reminds me of Dodonea viscosa by its luminous green leaves.
« Last Edit: May 07, 2012, 07:27:40 PM by MikeHardman »
Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England

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cicerone

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Re: Native Spring Foliage in Northern California
« Reply #5 on: May 03, 2012, 04:10:16 PM »
Thanks everyone. Yes, that beach sage is interesting. Incredibly soft, gray foliage. Naturally occurring along the foggy (yet otherwise dry) coast in Point Reyes just north of San Francisco. I was told it does just fine with a bit of shade inland.

http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/viewplant.php?pid=95

Looked up Dodonaea. Yes, I love that apple green foliage, especially in contrast to most of our natives which are dusty dark green... Here's a couple more, my mountain coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica tomentella) and coyote mint (Monardella Villosa)
« Last Edit: May 03, 2012, 04:19:09 PM by cicerone »
- Creating a California Native / Mediterranean garden in the San Francisco Fogbelt