New Native California Plants Garden at the FJH #xeriscaping

This weekend us at the FJH planted a new garden in our back yard. Accomplished with the help of Occidental College's Dr. North and students Sean Sasaki and Alex Broad, this garden features few truly edible plants and instead is focused on xeriscaping.

Definition: Xeriscaping refers to landscaping and gardening in ways that reduce or eliminate the need for supplemental water from irrigation. It is promoted in regions that do not have easily accessible, plentiful, or reliable supplies of fresh water, and is gaining acceptance in other areas as climate patterns shift.

Wow thanks Wikipedia!

Hey FJH, is xeriscaping right for my garden?

Answer: Hey great question. I would say that our new garden looks great. However, it all depends on what you are trying to accomplish. If you want to supplement your food then no, why would you ever do this?!!?? The only plant we have that is edible is the Manzanita which produces berries for cider. But, if you want to beautify your back yard with out destroying the planet then xeriscaping could be gr8 4 u! 

Here are some of the plants we used:

A Manzanita: This is the common name for around one hundred species of chaparral shrub that grow in the Los Angeles basin. They have cool bark! They can be pruned to stay small, but I particularly like the gnarled look they get as they age.

Aloe vera: this plant will save us from our greatest perils and woes! It holds the cures for everything, from sun burns to normal burns! Our Aloe vera is pink, exciting!

Ceanothus: pronounced: see-I-Know-this! Wow, helpful hint. Secret: rub the flowers between your hands and you will get soap. Wow! This is a terrible photo and makes our back yard look bad.

And Hollywood Cherry too! This may look like an Oak, but it is not!

The Los Angeles Basin Ecology: In California we live in a Mediterranean climate, which means despite our somewhat wet winters we have dry summers. The plants that grow here are adapted to live in at least one of the micro-climates found here in Los Angeles.  LA is also surrounded on three sides by mountains, the only place on the west coast to feature this type of topography, and makes our water situation here fairly unique.

While you can xerispace with plants native to one of the many deserts in the southwest U.S., if you live in LA why not try using plants native to this area? This is a great alternative if you want to xeriscape, but don't particularly like succulents or cacti.

I hope this helps, and remember, never garden alone. Several people hurt their foreheads each year on rakes, shovels, and other advanced tools. Try to always take a lesson on advanced tools from your local nursery and keep yourself updated on the latest hazards from pitchforks.

 Thanx Sean!