Native Garden

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The earliest inhabitants of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon were the native Indians who lived on the shores and upland areas of the watershed. There were no grocery or drugstores during these times. All of their food, medicine and shelter came from the plants or animals of the lagoon and coastal areas. Although there was an ample supply of fish and wildlife, the majority of the food they consumed came from the native plants. Many of the native plant medicinal applications first discovered by the Indian people have been successfully commercialized by modern day pharmaceutical companies and are used by millions of people around the world.

 

Our native garden contains over 750 plants, comprising over 50 different species. There are eight different types of sage plants, five varieties of manzanita, four species of wild lilac, and a variety of buckwheat, coffeeberry, currants, honeysuckle and hummingbird fuschia plus many others! All of our native plants are drought tolerant and require very little water. In fact, a good way to kill a native plant is by overwatering it.

 

Although modern day Californians do not rely on native plants for food or medicine as native people once did, there are many other reasons why the cultivation and use of native plants is important. The use of native plants benefits our ecology by promoting biodiversity and reducing the use of water. Growing native plants in our backyard gardens helps to restore some of the natural biodiversity of southern California which has been drastically reduced through development and urbanization. Restoring balance to our ecosystems benefits wildlife, many of whom are dependent on the habitat provided by native vegetation. Once established, native plants require very little irrigation. Using drought tolerant natives conserves one of our most precious and scarce natural resources and saves money on water costs as well!

 

The following is a sampling of some of the plants found in our native garden and some of their early uses: