It’s always been a goal of mine to add more natives to my garden. But, admittedly, it’s been a goal that’s been at the back of my mind and often gets pushed aside.

I recently attended an online garden tour that started with a talk by Douglas Tallamy on the importance of adding more natives in our community. I’ve heard Tallamy talk before, but it hasn’t seemed to click until now. I felt inspired that – even with my small patch of land – I could make a difference and help my local environment. 

As a California resident I turned mostly to Calflora for help on which plants were native to my area. I also relied on Xerces Society. Both resources had lists of natives in my state, and even as specific as natives in my county. I went through the list and searched for each plant in Google to see what kind of opportunities came up for purchasing. I got a lot of options for buying through Amazon or Etsy, but I wanted to support a local nursery with my adventures. I finally stumbled upon a nursery within a two hour drive. I gave them a call and two days later I found myself on a mini road trip to pick up my new plants!

In the background, from left to right, is: Vaccinium ovatum (Evergreen Huckleberry), Corylus cornuta ssp. californica (Western Hazelnut), and Baccharis pilularis (Coyote Brush).
And in the foreground, from left to right, is: Epilobium canum (California Fuchsia), Phacelia californica (California Phacelia), and Solidago californica (California Goldenrod).

I’m so excited to transplant these and see the local wildlife find food and shelter in my garden!