About

Welcome to Manzanita Mania!, my blog that aims to chronicle my experiences with California native plants, both in the garden and in the wild. Through my words and photos, I hope to inspire others to embrace native plant gardening.

I am relatively new to native plants and gardening in general. Prior to 2011, I had not planted a single plant in the ground. Here in 2014, I have several hundred to my credit but still consider myself a novice. I aspire to one day become a master gardener like my mother and aunt.

My interest in native plants began in 2010 when my wife and I purchased our first home in San Mateo, California. We inherited front and back yards filled with crab grass and generic plants common to many homes in the neighborhood.  With my initial foray into landscaping, I wanted to try something different: a lawn and pesticide free yard that would attract local wildlife and require less water and maintenance. Naturally, my research led me to native plants.

These past few years of native gardening have been equally frustrating and gratifying. I have killed nearly as many plants as I’ve placed in the ground. With every death, however, a valuable lesson is learned. The garden is constantly evolving and improving to the point where, this spring, it was featured on the Going Native Garden Tour.

I invite you to come learn about native gardening along with me. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me at ManzanitaManiaBlog@gmail.com

Happy gardening and long live the manzanita!