Trees and drought-tolerant gardening resources

(Listed commercial enterprises for information only, not an endorsement)(list

 

Trees

 

City Plants, website for LA City’s free-tree program. Please note that the city is not currently planting free street trees in Mar Vista nor delivering up to seven free five-gallon trees to your address, but you can attend a give-away event to pick them up

 

TreePeople’s education programs engage and support students, teachers, and communities with ecological knowledge, stewardship skills, environmental equity, and nature experiences

 

The LA County Tree Canopy Map is a dataset that allows users to assess existing conditions and identify potential priority areas where enhanced urban greening could contribute to climate resilience, environmental equity, and public health improvement

 

Boething Treeland Farms, 23475 Long Valley Road, Woodland Hills CA, 91367, 818.316.2000. Good selection of mature trees (and other plants) with labels so you can see what trees look like in person

 

selectree.calpoly.edu, the Cal Poly Pomona tree selection guide

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Venice Verdant Group, the volunteer arbor group in Venice Beach, CA Group, the volunteer arbor group in Venice Beach, CA.

 

Nurseries

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Annie’s Annuals and Perennials, a nursery in Richmond, California and mail order business. Sign up to receive their catalogue

 

Armstrong’s Garden Centers, several locations. In Santa Monica at 3226 Wilshire Blvd. 90403, 310.829.6766. Their selection of native plants is getting better all the time and the quality is good. Accumulate points with every purchase for a discount later. Open daily 9am-6pm

 

C&S Nursery, 3615 Hauser Blvd. Los Angeles 90016, 323.296.6657. Many plants and native plants, good prices. Inventory changes often. Open 7am-4pm Monday-Friday and 7am-noon on Saturday

 

Flora Grubb Gardens, 13198 Mindanao Way Marina del Rey 90292. At site of old Marina Nursery. Great variety and quality of natives from Mediterranean climates like ours. Open daily 9am - 6pm
 

Plant Material, Altadena, Glassell Park, and Silver Lake. Drought-tolerant natives and others, gifty things

 

Potted, 3158 Los Feliz Blvd. Los Angeles, 323.665.3801. A few plants and lots of plant-related merchandise… pots, fountains, outdoor living. Open daily 10am-6pm

 

Rolling Greens, several locations, coming to Santa Monica.  In Culver City: 9528 Jefferson Blvd. 90232, 310.559.8656. Great for pots. Open Monday-Saturday 7:30am-5pm, Sunday 9am-5pm

 

Sunset Nursery, 4368 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles 90029, 323.661.1642. Sweet, family owned, neighborhood nursery that stocks natives. Worth a trip. Open daily 9am-5pm

 

Theodore Payne, 10459 Tuxford St. Sun Valley CA 91352, 818.768.1802. Native plants, seeds, bulbs, tee-shirts, hats, books, spring and fall sales, classes, spring garden tour. Natives planted on the grounds of the nursery so you can see what they look like at maturity. Open Tuesday-Saturday 8:30-4:30

 

Yamaguchi Bonsai Nursery, 1905 Sawtelle Blvd. West Los Angeles 90025, 310.473.5444. A few native plants  plus succulents, pots, and fountains. They can order pots, fountains, benches and more from Campania International

 

Merrihew's Sunset Garden is located at 1526 Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica. 310-452-1051. Open 9-5 everyday, except Sunday 10:30-5

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Cactus and succulents

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California Cactus Center, 216 S Rosemead Blvd. Pasadena 91107, 626.795.2788. Family business with a wide variety of rare and common specimens. Beautiful potted arrangements. Open Friday-Sunday 10am-3pm

 

California Nursery Specialties, Cactus Ranch, 19420 Saticoy, Reseda 91335, 818.894.5694. Tons of cacti and succulents, lots of fun. Open to the public only Saturday and Sunday 11am – 5pm (6pm in the summer)

 

LA Succulents, 11226 Christy Ave, Lake View Terrace 91342, 818.732.0611. Unique cactus and succulents plus drought-tolerant plants. Open Thursday and Friday 10am-3pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-4pm

 

Take a look at books by Debra Lee Baldwin. For example, “Succulents Simplified”

 

Online resources

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Australian Native Plants, ornamental trees and shrubs for Mediterranean gardens. Mail order. Tour the growing grounds by appointment only, in Casitas Springs in the Ojai Valley, 800.701.6517 or
805.649.3362. You can email owner Jo O’Connell at jo@australianplants.com

 

California Invasive Plant Council protects California’s environment and economy from invasive plants. See its brochure: Don’t Plant a Pest landscape alternatives

 

California Native Plant Society, brings together science, education, conservation, and gardening to power the native plant movement. See Calscape.org to find plants that are native to your zip code area

 

Las Pilitas is a great web site and nursery in Santa Margarita. You can mail order plants

 

Catalogues for garden extras: trellises, pots, fountains… BestNest, Frontgate, Plow and Hearth, Wayfair, Wind and Weather

 

Books

 

“A Californian’s Guide to the Trees among Us” a book by Matt Ritter. Matt teaches at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

 

“California Master Gardener Handbook” Comprehensive information about soil, watering, pest control, weeds, and more

 

“California Native Plants for the Garden” Carol Bornstein, David Fross, Bart O’Brien. A must-have

 

“The Encyclopedia of Native Grasses” By a local, John Greelee

 

“Gardening for Geeeks” Christy Wilhelmi, a Mar Vista resident and landscape designer

 

“Landscape Plants for California Gardens” Bob Perry. A big hardback with color photos of every plant listed. They are categorized in several ways including by how much water they need, where you want to plant them and more

 

“Reimagining the California Lawn” Carol Bornstein, David Fross, Bart O’Brien. Lots of ideas for replacing your grass with natives and non-natives drought-tolerant gardening

 

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