The beautiful cycle of natural connections between native plants and native pollinators is the focus of this garden. A variety of perennials and shrubs that bloom throughout the seasons offer sustenance for a diversity of pollinators; each section of the garden focuses on some of the plants favored by a specific type of pollinator. This slideshow describes the building of this garden at the Bay Model in Sausalito in 2018-19.
Gardening During DroughtNative plants are adapted to our summer-dry climate, and they make a particularly good choice when water is in short supply.
Planting Natives in SpringCare of new plants purchased and planted in the spring, when the rainy season is winding down
Planting Natives in Fall Care of new plants purchased and planted in the fall, ahead of rainy season
Sowing wildflower mixInstructions for planting wildflower seed mix over a large area
Best Plants for BeesA listing of the native plants attractive to native bees and which species will visit your flowers. From the Urban Bee Lab, Berkeley
Butterfly Larval Host plantsWhat to plant to attract specific species of butterflies to your garden
How to provide nectar resources for adult butterflies
Our Native PollinatorsHow to differentiate the most common bees, flies and bugs that are likely to pollinate your garden
Gardening in Deer CountryNotes on which plants are least tempting to deer and some tips on protecting your plants until they are established
Chaparral plant listChaparral plants thrive on open slopes with full sun, low water and fast-draining, gravelly soil
Grasslands plant ListGrasslands mix perennial bunchgrasses with bulbs and annual wildflowers that die back as the dry season occurs
Plant list for Under OaksOaks should not be watered in summer and these plants will thrive under those conditions as well
Riparian plant listRiparian plants grow in damp, streamside conditions, and usually will tolerate some degree of shade and water immersion
Native Plants for Shady SlopesLandscaping a north facing or shady slope can be problematic for a number of reasons.
Native Plants for Sunny SlopesMany of California’s native plants are ideal for sunny slopes.
Plants that will tolerate saltwater or brackish water
Planting MilkweedsTips on germinating milkweed plants from seed
Tips for imitating the fire-adapted strategies that assist germination of salvias from seed
Tips for fall planting of native bulbs
Care of BulbsNotes on handling and care of native bulbs through summer dormancy for fall planting
What Not to PlantInvasive, non-native plants that should not be in your garden and suggested ideas for replacing them if they are
This coastal native habitat garden in West Marin features a native hedgerow with lots of manzanitas and other native shrubs and perennial bordens packed with native plants to provide habitat for beneficial insects, birds and butterflies.
This is a recently planted native garden in West Marin that is fully exposed to sun and wind. Significan positive interaction with neighbors as the garden evolved made this garden a community builder.
Photo gallery of a Southern Marin native garden featuring plants native to Marin County
The Bay Area has several public gardens that display California native plants. Here is information on their location, hours and admission policies.
Here are some useful websites for native plant gardeners in the Bay Area. Today, there is no need to go from nursery to nursery looking for a particular plant. Plant inventories for most native plant nurseries are now online. The web is also a good source of horticultural advice and information about what native plants are adapted to particular conditions and plant communities.
In 2012, the Marin Chapter of CNPS created a native plant demonstration garden at Green Point Nursery. This slide show takes you through the process of creating this garden. (Note that this demonstration garden no longer exists since the Chapter no longer has the use of space at Green Point Nursery.)
The finished demonstration garden filled in quicklyThis The garden had to be created from scratch on bare flat ground. To create aesthetic interest and better drainage, a berm was constructed to which large rocks were added. Although most home gardens will use existing soil and terrain rather than a newly constructed berm, the planning steps and construction sequence that we used for this demonstration garden are similar to those used in creating a home garden.
Many local nurseries carry some California native plants. The nurseries listed here are ones that specialize in California native plants. Most have online plant inventories on their websites. Because online inventories may not fully reflect current stock available, we suggest that before making a trip to buy a plant based on plant inventory on a nursery’s website, you make a call to confirm that the nursery still has the plants you want.