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White Sage is Weird
White sage is an aromatic plant in the mint family that grows in Southern California and Northern Baja California and nowhere else in the world. In addition to its rarity, not just any bee or insect can pollinate this plant. The white sage flower needs a heavy bee like a California bumblebee or a Carpenter […]
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Sage Sings Tonight
Tonight the doors open at 6:30 p.m. as the Orange County chapter of the California Native Plant Society launches A Sage in Every Garden. OCCNPS will also screen Saging the World at the Norman Murray Community Center this evening, Wednesday, November 9 at 7:30 p.m. Four members of the Acjachemen Nation will join us and […]
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Sage Celebration Begins November 9
The California Native Plant Society Orange County chapter (OCCNPS) has a multi-event evening planned on Wednesday, November 9 at the Norman Murray Community Center in Mission Viejo. Everyone is invited to join us. 6:30 p.m. Doors Open 6:45 p.m. A Sage in Every Garden Giveaway Begins At 6:45, OCCNPS will begin giving away 96 four-inch […]
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White Saging
I’ve met several people recently who believe that burning white sage smudge sticks will remove evil spirits from their house. Yesterday, someone told me that she burned white sage for cleansing her house, but it didn’t work. I suggested that she might consider planting a white sage and caring for it as a more healing […]
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White Sage is Wild
When I first began gardening with California native plants thirty years ago, I was often unsuccessful. I planted my new native plants in flat planters next to my grass lawn. I overwatered and wondered why the plants weren’t surviving. Even poppy seeds didn’t grow. But one of the plants that survived my beginning native plant […]
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Why White Sage?
White sage, also known as Sacred Sage, is a sacred plant to Indigenous Peoples, used ceremonially for prayer. White sage is special because it grows only in Southern California and in Northern Baja California. It grows nowhere else in the world. Unfortunately, current television shows and movies have popularized sage smudging as a quick and […]
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A Sage in Every Garden Coming Soon
The Orange County chapter of the California Native Plant Society (OCCNPS) is partnering with Roger’s Gardens this fall to distribute 2,000 four-inch White Sage (Salvia apiana) plants to Orange County homeowners. The campaign begins November 2022 and extends through February 2023. A Sage in Every Garden is modeled after the 2019 buckwheat giveaway campaign. OCCNPS […]
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Working with HOA’s to Install Native Plants
If you are a native plant enthusiast, you can influence the installation of native plants on Homeowner Association (HOA) common area property. Homeowner Association boards are made up of neighbors who likely have little to no native gardening experience. Consequently, board members rely on their HOA landscape contractor for planting suggestions. When boards rely on […]
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More Fab Front-Yard Natives
Let’s explore a few more “front-yard” California natives that are HOA-approved, evergreen, and are pleasing to the eye no matter what the season. The California lilac (Ceanothus sp.) is a must-have native plant for every front landscape. This gorgeous shrub blooms in the spring with soft, fragrant flowers. When not in bloom, the shrub has […]
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Elegant Shrubs for the Garden
Today’s post features California native shrubs that are “front-yard natives” because they look good year-round, are easy to care for, HOA’s love them, and they are evergreen. Manzanitas (Arctostaphylos species) are great in front-garden landscapes because they are leafy evergreen plants with bell-shaped blossoms that support native bumblebees and other wildlife. ‘Sunset’ manzanitas are medium-sized […]
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Designing a California Native Garden
Today I am highlighting a few California native plants that provide a formal foundation for a home landscape. Planting a California native garden is a beautiful solution for the state’s water challenges because native plants reduce water consumption while also supporting nature. If you have space in your home landscape, a Coast Live Oak (Quercus […]
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Why Native Plants Matter
California native plants can be a little tricky for the inexperienced gardener, and if you live in central and north Orange County, they can be hard to find. So why bother planting native plants in your garden? Because wildlife, butterflies, and native bumblebees are absolutely dependent upon local native plants for food and shelter, and […]
A Sage and A Buckwheat in Every Garden
Buckwheat Brings Butterflies
A Sage and A Buckwheat in Every Garden 