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Yarrow is an all-star, popular plant choice among California native gardeners, including beginners! It is durable and easy to grow in a wide range of soil types and has low moisture requirements. It reseeds and spreads quickly, making it a good groundcover plant for lawn replacement.

Yarrow's abundant white flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other insects. It is a staple in native pollinator gardens throughout the state. Yarrow has many alternative common names, including soldier's woundwort and nosebleed plant. They reflect its long history as an important medicinal plant.

California fescue (Festuca californica) is a fast-growing perennial grass. It grows in clumps that spray out from the center to 3 feet wide and can reach 4 feet tall. The rough leaves are narrow but long, hosting butterflies and moths. 

California fescu is often used for revegetating grassland that has been cleared or claimed by non-native grasses. It prefers loamy or clay soils, grows poorly in sandy soils and tolerates serpentine soil.  It grows in full sun or part shade and takes very low water.  In summer, once established, it can be watered only 3 times per month.

The Douglas Iris (Iris douglasiana) is a common and attractive wildflower of the coastal regions of Northern and Central California and Southern Oregon, with scattered locations inland. The Douglas Iris grows mainly at lower elevations, below 330 feet, though it is occasionally found at heights of up to 3,300 feet.

It is most common in grasslands near the coast; it is regarded as a noxious weed in pastures, because it forms clumps that inhibit other vegetation, and its leaves are bitter and unpalatable to cattle.

Douglas Iris prefers part or full shade and richer soils and is fast growing near the coast. If not planted next to a creek or in a naturally wet area, it likes summer water every 2 to 4 weeks. It is more drought tolerant near the coast where it benefits from cooler temperatures and fog. The flowers can be highly variable in color, and many cultivars are available.

Coyote Mint is a spreading subshrub distinguished by its fragrant mint-scented foliage and delicate lavender flowers. During the summer blooming season, the flowers are attractive to bees and especially butterflies. The 'Russian River' cultivar is a popular nursery selection.

Coyote mint does best in well-drained soil. It is drought tolerant, but bloom and foliage quality improve with some summer irrigation, particularly inland. Light pruning helps maintain a neat appearance.

In traditional medicine, the leaves are made into a tea that treats upset stomach and other ailments.

Pink-flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum var. glutinosum), also known as Blood Currant, is a fast-growing shrub with beautiful pendant pink flowers that bloom from winter to spring. This variety, primarily found along the coast and in the Coast Ranges of California, grows upright with a vase-shaped form, reaching up to 10 feet in height and 6 feet in width. The fruit is a dark purple, oval berry, edible but with an insipid taste, making it more suitable for birds.

It thrives in part sun to shade and well-draining acidic soil but adapts to a variety of soils. While it needs some summer water in hot inland areas, it is more drought-tolerant near the coast. This shrub attracts hummingbirds and insects, while its berries are enjoyed by fruit-eating birds. It also hosts up to 80 species of butterflies and moths.

Like many other species of salvia, Hummingbird Sage is a magnet for pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and --- of course --- hummingbirds! This attractive sage is notable for its bold pink and red flowering spikes and pleasant fragrance. It spreads by rhizomes and over time can cover a large area, making it a popular groundcover plant.

Hummingbird Sage grows well in shade and part-shade. In its natural environment, it's often found under trees and large shrubs. It is drought tolerant and can survive without summer irrigation once established. Some supplemental water will keep the foliage green.