Blue Eyed Grass -- Sisyrinchium bellum

When I first saw a picture of this plant, I knew I had to incorporate it somewhere in my garden. The best place to find native plants near me is Tree of Life nursery in San Juan Capistrano, at mile 7 on the Ortega Highway. Tree of Life is a quiet, serene space that is like a botanical garden. I love to walk around and see the incredible array of native species they have cultivated. As I learn more about what grows in California, the nursery has become an invaluable resource for me. Every plant is labeled with pertinent information.
Though this is a grass that will reseed naturally, and will do well on a hillside or in a meadow, I really wanted to incorporate this dainty, sweet little plant with its gorgeous blue color into my small space. The leaves are tall, narrow and spear-like, rising up from a basal bottom. The color ranges from white to violet blue, and there is a golden-eyed variety as well. It's semi-evergreen perennial that does well in nearly any space with little to moderate water. I have it planted near some Yerba Buena, underneath a pink rose bush.


It will do well in a container with mixed annuals, or placed into little spaces between shrubs and perennials. It will go dormant in a dry garden in the summer, but with added water, or along the coast, it will stay in bloom. Pests and diseases tend to leave it alone.

Sticky Monkey Flower--Mimulus

This cute 2-3 ft tall plant grows wild in parts of California and is considered a native. It comes in several colors, and there are mimulus with yellow blooms growing wild along the hillsides in my neighborhood. The one I found at Tree of Life nursery in San Juan Capistrano is scarlet colored, though it seems more of an orange to me! Each blossom has a cute little monkey face inside it. The foliage is bright green, and sticky. Insects love it, hummingbirds love it and they need very little water. They tolerate a wide range of conditions and soils. The plants live for only a few years, but the stems can be weighed down with rocks, and roots will form where the nodes touch the ground, and the old stems can be severed from the mother plant. Aphids love monkey flowers, probably because of the sticky leaves and fleshy stems. I also discovered that snails like the leaves too. I put a plastic collar with copper tape around the entire plant when I put it into the ground. They need good air circulation to prevent fungal diseases.