It would be lovely to design an all (or mostly) pink-blooming garden. If this sounds like fun, keep reading to find out which plants I would choose. The nine featured plants are loved by bees and many also attract butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators.

One of the most beautiful and versatile evergreen shrubs for the garden, and my personal favorite, is the genus Arctostaphylos (Manzanitas). With more than 50 different species found in the wild including many natural hybrids, manzanitas are one of the most abundant native shrubs growing on the coast through the foothills of California.

There is much to do in the California native garden right now! Many perennials are coming alive as their growing season begins. Now through the end of November is my favorite time of the year to plant native herbaceous (plants without woody stems) perennials, shrubs, trees and annual wildflowers.

Chickens do like to graze on the seeds, if you allow the plants to go to seed. Generally this leaves enough seeds for plants to self-sow, if that is their way. Here are some other important concepts to consider…