Product Description

---

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #48695 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

From the Back Cover
Gardeners use native plants for many reasons. In addition to providing year-round beauty with relatively little maintenance, landscaping with native plants contributes to the repair of the natural ecosystem and brings us closer to our environment. With such a diverse and spectacular array of native plant material available to gardeners in the coastal and desert climates of Southern California, the opportunities for creative and attractive landscapes are seemingly endless.

In Landscaping with Native Plants of Southern California, George Oxford Miller offers the definitive guide to choosing the best of the best among the native plants of the region. Covering wildflowers, shrubs, trees, vines, cacti, and groundcovers, this comprehensive, richly illustrated book selects the species that combine ornamental qualities, growth habit, adaptability, low maintenance, and beauty for the highest landscape value. The illustrations, maps, and charts provide guidelines for species selection and planting, ongoing maintenance, landscape design, and water and energy conservation. In-depth plant profiles describe the habitat requirements for nearly 300 native plant species, subspecies, and varieties, with stunning photographs illustrating how each plant looks and responds to landscape conditions.

As the interest in native-plant landscaping and xeriscaping continues to expand, this is a book that belongs on the shelf of every gardener and landscaper in Southern California.

Environmental photojournalist George Oxford Miller is writer, photographer, and third-generation nurseryman. He is well known for his many magazine articles, books, and photography on the plants and animals of Texas and the Southwest. His work has appeared in periodicals such as Living Bird, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation and in publications of the National Wildlife Federation and the Sierra Club. He is author or co-author of several books, including Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas, Landscaping with Native Plants of the Southwest, A Field Guide to Wildlife of Texas and the Southwest, and The Ozarks: The People, the Mountains, the Magic. Miller resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

About the Author

is writer, photographer, and third-generation nurseryman. His work has appeared in periodicals such as Living Bird, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation and in publications of the National Wildlife Federation and the Sierra Club. Miller is author or co-author of several books, including Landscaping with Native Plants of the Southwest, Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas, A Field Guide to Wildlife of Texas and the Southwest, and The Ozarks: The People, the Mountains, the Magic. He lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Foreword

At a time when urbanization is rampant worldwide and Southern California seems to lead the trend, there are rays of hope. Thinking, acting, or being "green," thankfully, is becoming more and more popular. The obliteration of so much of the native landscape, coupled with the many unsustainable ways in which we impact the environment, has alarmed increasing numbers of people. There is growing interest in fostering a way of life that provides better stewardship of our vital natural resources, such as water, while preserving and celebrating those things that give us our sense of place: our native plants. San Diego County has the greatest species diversity of any county in the United States, and at the same time it is home to the greatest number of federally listed endangered species of any county outside of Hawaii. Clearly, in many instances the native habitat for so many Southern California plants simply no longer exists and the opportunities to reclaim habitat are few. However, our commercial and residential landscapes provide a wealth of opportunity to provide space for our native species, and given the diversity of the Southern California flora, the plant palette for a garden landscape is particularly rich. Beyond that, these plants generally require less water, are less prone to disease, require fewer chemical amendments, and provide needed habitat for native wildlife. George Oxford Miller has produced a resource in Landscaping with Native Plants of Southern California that illustrates hundreds of native So Cal plants in diagnostic photos and informative text. Just as important, the book helps us to understand how to use and care for these garden treasures. It serves as an important tool for those who already know and appreciate the value of using native plants in landscapes, but also serves to help generate interest and add to the number of people who pursue this worthwhile focus in landscaping.

Julian Duval President/CEO Quail Botanical Gardens Encinitas, California

An Introduction to Landscaping with Native Plants of Southern California

This book assumes four premises. First, landscaping increases property values and aesthetic appeal and can decrease monthly utility expenses. Second, indigenous plants are superior to most imported species for landscaping because natives are naturally adapted to the region's climate and soil. Third, and to me most important, landscaping with plants indigenous to our area, as opposed to foreign species well adapted to this salubrious climate, helps to repair the environment and restore the biodiversity. Human development can be expected to alter the countryside from its natural state, but it doesn't have to eradicate the biological heritage of our native plants and animals. We can all do our part by replacing some of the plants removed to build our houses, streets, and businesses. Last, by drawing on the rich native plant life of Southern California, we can create stunning garden designs that appeal to all the senses and offer a peaceful retreat in our own backyards. The botanical diversity of Southern California encompasses plants adapted to the frost-free Mediterranean climate of the South Coast, rich inland valleys, eroded foothills, mountains with fog-drenched slopes that face the Pacific Ocean, arid eastern-facing slopes, snow-capped peaks, and the most extreme deserts in North America. That a plant is native to Southern California certainly does not imply that it can be planted anywhere within the region. Each of the six (or more) major vegetative provinces in Southern California recognized by botanists has a unique community of plants adapted to its specific soil and climatic conditions. For the purposes of landscape applications, this book divides Southern California into six landscape zones based on the temperature variations, frost-free days, moisture, and altitude gradients. This book will help you to analyze your yard and decide which plants best match your specific habitat. Many of the thousands of native plants growing in our region have characteristics that will enhance your landscape with attractive foliage, flowers, fruit, or bark throughout the year. This book describes more than 250 species of trees, shrubs, vines, wildflowers, groundcovers, and cacti with exceptional landscape merit. I favored plants with a wide landscape range over those with very specific or demanding habitat requirements, though some exceptional specialties are included. The "Native Plant Profiles" describe each species and variety in detail, including each plant's range; specific soil, moisture, and shade requirements; temperature tolerance; size, shape, and suitable landscaping uses; and flower, foliage, and fruit characteristics. Perhaps most important, photographs of the selected species further help homeowners and landscapers decide which plants can best suit their needs. Before going out and buying new plants, however, every gardener must first come to understand his or her own landscape and the requirements of establishing a garden using native plants. The maps and listings of landscape zones will help you to identify the rainfall and temperature variation within your area. Individual chapters address the issues of landscape maintenance, landscaping to attract wildlife, and xeriscape plantings, with listings of appropriate plants for each situation. The appendices at the back of the book offer suggestions of plants for specific landscape needs. Separate listings itemize evergreen plants and tell you how to colorscape for year-round beauty with flowering trees and shrubs. When used together, this book's chapters, plant descriptions, and appendices answer the majority of questions that a landscaper or gardener will have about landscaping with native plants.

---

Customer Reviews

Very useful!
This book is both practical and visually appealing. It provides basic gardening instructions and includes a full color visual encyclopedia of native Southern California plants. I recommend it to anyone in Southern California who is searching for a more environmentally friendly way to landscape.

native plants oof S cal.
excellent book. very informative. I am planning on giving a lecture on native plants and butterfly host plants so this book is an excellent source.