The commonly referred to landscaping reference resource for choosing water appropriate plants in Southern California is the 154 page, Landscape Plants for California Gardens written by Professor Emeritus, Bob Perry from Cal Poly Pomona. This pamphlet will walk you through how plants are identified by the level of their water use, and includes extensive plant and tree lists with images.
If you want the pleasure of finding out about the native plants and trees that can be used for climate appropriate and water-wise landscaping in the Ojai region, AND viewing good images, visit the California Native Plant Society’s Calscape site for the Ojai Valley.
For some great water-wise landscaping plan ideas to wet your landscaping appetite, visit the City of Corona landscaping site, or the San Jose site for Garden Designs and Demonstrations
The Ojai Valley Green Coalition, in partnership with the City of Ojai, is in the process of creating a strategic plan for revitalizing the Ojai Community Demonstration Garden as a public green space and educational garden demonstrating water-wise landscaping strategies and best practices. For more information on participating in the public Watershed Approach educational workshops designed to inform the strategic design of the Community Demonstration Garden contact the OVGC by writing to tod@ojaivalleygreencoalition.org