Hello,
We have recently moved from the North Coast - Cleveland, OH - to Central "coast," CA (Atascadero, CA, which is about 20 mi. N of San Luis Obispo, and halfway between LA and San Francisco.)
Needless to say, everything is different! I thought I had a good handle on the Midwestern plants and trees in Ohio, and I was a dedicated gardener. But I'm suffering from sensory overload out here because all the plants seem new and strange. The "alien" feeling hasn't worn off yet.
We are only 10 miles from the coast, but our climate is described as more of a "high desert" - but I am not sure if this is accurate or not. The higher elevation does make for more extremes than a typical coastal climate. We have hotter summers (100 degrees F is not unheard of), very cool nights (60s or 50s, even in summer), and even a couple of winter frosts, although they are not considered "hard" ones. For example, neighbors have told me that we can't grow bougainvillea here (winters are too cold), even though I see it growing in the coastal area, which is only 10 minutes away.
I was wondering: can anyone recommend some good books on xeriscaping and on "high-desert" climates (if this is infact where I am)? Aside from the temperature and humidity differences, I would like to garden in a style that conserves water as much as possible - everything here is so dry that is seems "crispy"!
Thanks for any info,
- Lisa