Helpful Landscape Tips
CREATE AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE CALIFORNIA GARDEN

CBL landscapes has compiled a list of helpful website links, books, and magazines related to creating an environmentally sustainable California garden. There is an extensive amount of information in each of these resources. We hope this information is helpful to you in your efforts to create an environmentally sustainable CA garden. We will edit this page from time to time updating it with new information. If you would like further information regarding any of these topics please contact us.
The following are the topic headings for the various linked sites, books, and magazines:
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- * Links to Great Sources Web Sources for Plant Information
- ― * Plant Databases
- ― * Drought Tolerant Plant Databases
- ― * CA Native Plants and Gardens
- * Green Roofs and Living Walls Links
- * Unique Specialty Southern CA Retail Nurseries Links
- * Favorite Botanic Gardens of Southern CA Links
- * Some Our Favorite Habitat Conservation Groups of Southern CA Links
- * A List of Links of Governmental & NPO Organizations Tasked to keeping Los Angeles clean.
- * California Garden and Plant Books
- ― * General Information Books Pertaining to CA Gardening and Design
- ― * Pool and Spa Books
- ― * Mediterranean Garden (outside CA) Books
- ― * Japanese Garden Books
- ― * Succulent Related Books
- ― * Organic Vegetable Gardening for Southern CA Books
- ― * Native Plants in the Garden Books
- ― * Field Guides & Books Relating to Native Plants in their Natural habitats
- ― * Field Guides to the Birds and Butterflies of Southern California
- * Favorite Garden Related Magazines
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― THE CALIFORNIA GARDEN
Links to Great Sources Web Sources for Plant Information
General Plant databases
http://www.smgrowers.com/ San Marcos Growers (wholesale growers) - see their plant database
http://www.monrovia.com/ Monrovia Nursery (wholesale growers) - see their plant catalogue
Drought Tolerant Plant Databases
http://www.sdbgarden.org/lowwater.htm San Diego Botanic Garden Low Water Plant List
http://www.delange.org/XeriscapeCN/XeriscapeCN.htm The Xeriscape Landscape Plants For The Arizona Desert Environment
http://www.succulent-plant.com/home.html The Succulent Plant Page
CA Native Plants and Gardens
http://www.cnps.org/ The California Native Plant Society – find your local chapter and join!
http://www.laspilitas.com/ Las Pilitas nursery
http://www.theodorepayne.org/ Theodore Payne Foundation
http://www.rsabg.org/index.php Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
Green Roofs and Living Walls Link
http://www.greenroofs.org/ Green Roofs for Healthy Cities
Unique Specialty Southern CA Retail Nurseries Links
There are lots of good nurseries in Southern CA, but to list one we probably would have list at least 40… So we chose to list specialty nurseries that are offer a unique plant palette. If you have suggestions of a nursery we should put on the list please email us with its name and city.
http://www.cactuscenter.com/ CA Cactus Center
http://www.ranchosoledad.com/ Rancho Soledad Nurseries, Inc.
http://www.junglemusic.net/ Jungle Music Palms & Cycads
http://www.rainforestflora.com/index.php Rainforest Flora
http://www.laspilitas.com/ Las Pilitas Nursery
http://www.theodorepayne.org/ Theodore Payne Foundation
http://www.rsabg.org/nursery Grow Native Nursery
http://www.seaside-gardens.com/index.html Seaside Gardens
http://www.berkeleyhort.com/ Berkeley Horticulture Nursery
Favorite Botanic Gardens of Southern CA Links
http://www.sdbgarden.org/index.html San Diego Botanic Garden
http://www.rsabg.org/ Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
http://www.arboretum.org/ The Arboretum - Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden
http://www.huntington.org/default.aspx The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanic Gardens
http://www.descansogardens.org/ Descanso Gardens
http://www.venturabotanicalgardens.com/ Ventura Botanic Garden (In the planning stages…)
http://www.lotusland.org/ Ganna Walska Lotusland
http://www.sbbg.org/ Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens
Favorite Habitat Conservation Groups of Southern CA Links
http://folar.org/ Friends of the Los Angeles River
http://www.treepeople.org/ Tree People
http://www.cwp.org/ Center for Watershed Protection
http://www.surfrider.org/ Surfrider Foundation
http://www.healthebay.org/ Heal The Bay
http://www.sdcoastkeeper.org/ San Diego Coast Keepers
http://www.smbaykeeper.org/ Santa Monica Baykeepers
http://www.seashepherd.org/ Sea Shepard
http://sandiego.sierraclub.org/home/index.asp Sierra Club, San Diego Chapter
http://angeles.sierraclub.org/orange/ Sierra Club, Orange County Chapter
http://angeles.sierraclub.org/ Sierra Club, Angeles Chapter
http://www.venturasierraclub.org/ Sierra Club, Ventura Chapter
http://lospadres.sierraclub.org/ Sierra Club, Los Padres Chapter
http://www.sccnps.org/ CA Native Plant Society, South Coast Chapter
http://www.occnps.org/ CA Native Plant Society, Orange County Chapter
http://www.cnps-sgm.org/ CA Native Plant Society, San Gabriel Mountains Chapter
http://www.lasmmcnps.org/ CA Native Plant Society, Los Angeles/Santa Monica Mountains Chapter
http://www.cnpsci.org/ CA Native Plant Society, Channel Islands Chapter
http://www.venturahillsides.org/ Ventura Hillsides Conservancy
http://www.ovlc.org/ Ojai Valley Land Conservancy
http://www.habitatla.org/ Habitat for Humanity, Greater LA Chapter (Habitat for Humans too!)
http://www.nature.org/ The Nature Conservancy
A Compiled List of Links of Governmental & NPO Organizations Tasked to keeping Los Angeles clean?...
http://ladpw.org/epd/links/links.cfm CleanLA, LA County Public Works Dept. (lots of links to Governmental (Fed, CA, & local) and non-profit organizations
Books for the California Garden
This is just a short list of some of the books that we think have value to those who enjoy CA gardens. There are at least 100 other book titles we would love to put on this list. However, this a good general list of books covering a wide range of styles and information that encompass the CA garden. We provided a disproportionate number of titles on native plants, and field guides because this is a compilation resources that are not as widely known about. We will continue to add and edit this list.
General Information Books Pertaining to CA Gardening and Design
The New Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide
(Sunset Western Garden Book) by the Editors of Sunset Magazine (2012)
The Gardens of California: Four Centuries of Design from Mission to Modern
by Nancy Goslee Power, Mick Hales and K. C. Witherell (Feb 2001)
Plants and Landscapes for Summer-Dry Climates of the San Francisco Bay Region
by EAST BAY M.U.D. WATER CONSERVATION STAFF (Jan 1, 2004)
Reimagining the California Lawn:Water-Conserving Plants, Practices, and Designs
by Carol Bornstein, David Fross, Bart O'Brien and John Evarts (Apr 1, 2011)
Trees of the California Landscape
by Charles R. Hatch (Sep 4, 2007)
Firescaping: Creating fire-resistant landscapes, gardens, and properties in California's diverse environments
by Douglas Kent (Apr 6, 2005)
Landscape Plants for California Gardens
by Robert C. Perry (Apr 2010)
The Subtropical Garden
by Jacqueline Walker (Sep 15, 1996)
Tropical Plants for Home and Garden
by William Warren and Luca Invernizzi Tettoni (Mar 1, 2006)
Red-Tile Style
by Arrol Gellner and Douglas Keister (Nov 21, 2002)
Courtyard Gardens (Country Living Gardener)
by Toby Musgrave (Feb 1, 2005)
Patio: Garden Design & Inspiration
by Jamie Durie
Private Paradise: Contemporary American Gardens
by Charlotte M. Frieze and Charles A. Birnbaum (Oct 25, 2011)
Pool and Spa Books
The Al Fresco Life: Pools, Spas, Bars, and Kitchens
by Joe Vassallo and Mary Vail (Feb 2009)
The New American Swimming Pool: Innovations in Design and Construction: 40 Case Studies
by James Grayson Trulove (May 1, 2001)
Mediterranean Garden (outside CA) Books
Italian Gardens
by Judy Wade (Sep 14, 2002)
Sun-Drenched Gardens: The Mediterranean Style
by Jan Smithen (Oct 2, 2002)
Gardening the Mediterranean Way: How to Create a Waterwise, Drought-Tolerant Garden
by Heidi Gildemeister (Sep 1, 2004)
The Australian Garden
by Diana Snape (Jul 1, 2003)
Hacienda Courtyards (Mexican Design Books)
by Karen Witynski and Joe P. Carr (Aug 9, 2007)
Hacienda Courtyards (Mexican Design Books)
by Karen Witynski and Joe P. Carr (Aug 9, 2007)
Morocco: Courtyards and Gardens
by Achva Benzinberg Stein (Dec 1, 2007)
Japanese Garden Books
A Japanese Touch for Your Garden: Revised and Expanded Edition
by Kiyoshi Seike, Masanobu Kudo, David H. Engel and Sadao Hibi (Feb 1, 2009
Landscapes for Small Spaces: Japanese Courtyard Gardens
by Katsuhiko Mizuno (Aug 30, 2002)
Courtyard Gardens of Kyoto's Merchant Houses
by Mizuno Katsuhiko (Dec 15, 2006)
The Gardens of Japan
by Teiji Itoh (Sep 16, 1998)
Succulent Related Books
Succulents for the Contemporary Garden
by Yvonne Cave (Jan 9, 2003)
Hardy Succulents: Tough Plants for Every Climate
by Gwen Moore Kelaidis and Saxon Holt (Feb 20, 2008)
Agaves, Yuccas, and Related Plants: A Gardener's Guide
by Gary Irish and Mary F. Irish (May 10, 2000)
Succulent Container Gardens: Design Eye-Catching Displays with 350 Easy-Care Plants
by Debra Lee Baldwin (Jan 20, 2010)
The Complete Book of Cacti & Succulents
by Terry(Author) Hewitt (Jul 7, 1997)
Designing with Succulents
by Debra Lee Baldwin (Apr 15, 2007)
Complete Book of Cacti & Succulents
by Terry Hewitt (Jul 7, 1997)
Organic Vegetable Gardening for Southern CA Books
Pat Welsh's Southern California Organic Gardening (3rd Edition): Month by Month
by Pat Welsh(Dec 2, 2009)
Rodale's Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening: The Indispensable Green Resource for Every Gardener
by Fern Marshall Bradley, Barbara Ellis and Ellen Phillips (Feb 3, 2009)
The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Pest and Disease Control: A Complete Guide to Maintaining a Healthy Garden and Yard the Earth-Friendly Way (Rodale Organic Gardening Books)
by Fern Marshall Bradley, Barbara W. Ellis and Deborah L. Martin (Feb 2, 2010)
Native Plants in the Garden Books
Designing California Native Gardens: The Plant Community Approach to Artful, Ecological Gardens
by Glenn Keator and Alrie Middlebrook (Jun 4, 2007)
Growing California Native Plants
by Marjorie G. Schmidt (Dec 29, 1980)
Gardening with a Wild Heart: Restoring California's Native Landscapes at Home
by Judith Larner Lowry(Mar 19, 2007)
The California Landscape Garden: Ecology, Culture, and Design
by Mark Francis, Andreas Reimann and Yan Nascimbene (Jun 22, 1999)
Field Guides & Books Relating to Native Plants in their Natural habitats
The Jepson Manual: Vascular Plants of California, Second Edition, Thoroughly Revised and Expanded
by Bruce G. Baldwin, Douglas H. Goldman, David J Keil and Robert Patterson (Jan 31,
2012
Flowering Plants: The Santa Monica Mountains, Coastal and Chaparral Regions of Southern California
by Nancy Dale (Mar 1986)
Southern California Native Flower Garden, The: A Guide to Size, Bloom, Foliage, Color, and Texture
by Susan Van Atta and Peter Gaede (Aug 1, 2009)
Introduction to the Plant Life of Southern California: Coast to Foothills
by Philip W. Rundel and John Robert Gustafson (Paperback - Apr 29, 2005)
Wildflowers of California
by Susan Lamb and Larry Ulrich (Sep 1, 1994)
California's Changing Landscapes: Diversity and Conservation of California Vegetation
by Michael G. Barbour, California Native Plant s, Bruce M. Pavlik and Susan Lindstrom
(Dec 1991)
Field Guides to the Birds and Butterflies of Southern California
Birds of California Field Guide
by Stan Tekiela (Aug 1, 2003)
An Introduction to Southern California Birds
by Herbert Clarke (Sep 1989)
Backyard Birds of California: How to Identify and Attract the Top 25 Birds
by Bill Fenimore (Mar 27, 2008)
An Introduction to Southern California Butterflies
by Fred Heath and Herbert Clarke (Mar 2004)
California Butterflies & Moths: An Introduction to Familiar Species
by James Kavanagh (Sep 1, 2007)
Favorite Garden Related Magazines
Garden Design
Garden Design is a lifestyle magazine designed for the upscale, design-conscious reader who is passionate about gardening and landscape design. Regular columns cover unusual plants, art and ornaments, tools and maintenance, landscape and lighting, water gardens, sunrooms, and outdoor furniture. The magazine also contains photo layouts of spectacular gardens, how-to articles, design resources, a buyer's guide, gardening tips, and information about events and garden shows.
Dwell
Dwell is the first and only magazine to explore both the interiors and the exteriors of modern home design in a stylish, yet accessible way. With focus on a new modernistic approach to home design that offers identity, creativity and harmony.
Sunset Magazine
A Magazine that covers travel, garden, home, and food, guiding readers to experiences and advantages only the West can offer. Sunset provides foolproof yet adventurous recipes, step-by-step gardening information, ingenious designs for homes and outdoor-living spaces, and travel discoveries for day trips and weekend escapes.
Atomic Ranch
Atomic Ranch is a magazine devoted to postwar (1948-1970s) ranch houses and modernist tract homes that features cool renovations, interior design and landscaping. Looking for affordable solutions and resources for stylish living? Check out Atomic Ranch: the magazine for the rest of us.
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