Beguiled by California’s Native Charm

Kudos to Garden Editor Robert Smaus for a well-researched and excellent article on using native plants for landscaping. For years, Californians have raped and pillaged the indigenous flora and fauna to the point of extinction for many, and there is no better time to start the healing process.

I came here from the East Coast and initially was not impressed with the native plants. I felt that compared with where I grew up, California was rather brown and often unappealing. But over the years, I have come to not only enjoy our natives but truly appreciate their subtle beauty and importance in the ecosystem of this region. We have too many non-natives that have created a “green desert” where vegetation exists, and animals don’t.

LEON BAGINSKI

Laguna Niguel

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