Good suggestions, all.
Let me give you some more information.
Useable front yard is south-facing and about 50 feet by 50 feet. Useable backyard is about 70 feet by 90 feet, more than half level and the last part sloping down to a freshwater, tidal slough to form a north-facing slope. Thee is a very large oak tree next to the slough at the north-east corner of the backyard, about half on each side of the property line.
In the front yard I have to get permission from the homeowner’s association for trees but am free to do pretty much whatever else in “flower” beds if I the visual display is not noticeably outrageous as you drive by.
FYI, the property is not in a fire zone, just part of suburbia that happens to back up to a slough. Most likely problem around here is flooding, but I am on what is considered high ground about ten or more feet above normal high tide - while the rest of the neighborhood and much of the town is well below
I already compost. I can figure out how to protect stuff as needed. If trees take years to mature – so be it.
Like I wrote, just about everything grows here. I have begun researching California native plant nurseries. My idea is to begin growing useful and /or edible native plants.
Not only would this help me learn to identify the plants, but I would eventually have small samples available with which to try primitive skills. I hope the yard would become more ecologically friendly and drought-resistant; it might also help attractive wildlife for my backyard learn-to-track project..
So, the question is, assuming no other real world limitations, what plants or plant categories would be best to have represented in the yard?
These sites suggest some plants that I will investigate:
http://www.friendsofcortemaderacreek.org/cn/miwokplants.pdfhttp://www.primitiveways.com/harvesting_gathering.html
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