My parents emigrated from the "old country" to Mountain View and then to West San Jose prior to my first memories, but I will always be a native of the Santa Clara Valley. This might explain my affinity for native species and a few of the imported species that have become so traditional in western gardens. With the exception of North American maples, I prefer to use species that enjoy endemic climate and soil instead of species that would rather be somewhere else.

Some garden enthusiasts take this philosophy one step further and primarily, or even exclusively, use species native to the area. This is not as simple as more traditional gardening because many native species are not as conducive to common nursery production culture as more common species and may consequently be difficult to find. Few production nurseries accommodate cultural requirements of native species like Yerba Buena Nursery in Woodside does.

The annual Wildflower Show organized by the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the California Native Plant Society is a good source for seed of some wildflower species that are endemic to Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. More than 400 native wildflowers and other native species will be exhibited with accurate identification labels, so that if seed of an interesting species isn't available, you can at least get the name. Books, posters and other items relevant to wildflowers will be for sale during this event.

The show will be April 24 and 25 at the Hospitality Management Building of Mission College, located at 3000 Mission College Blvd. in Santa Clara. More information may be obtained by telephoning 650.941.1068 or on the Internet at www.cnps-scv.org.

Native species inhabited the Santa Clara Valley long before the first residents of Sunnyvale arrived. Like others who are native to the valley, native species prefer the original environment that they have adapted to rather than an environment that has been modified to accommodate those imported from areas with different climates and soil types. For example, native species are adapted to the endemic semi-arid climate and may therefore not tolerate irrigation necessary to sustain many common imported species. This is why so many are not easily grown in nurseries, where confinement of roots within cans necessitates regular irrigation.

Native species are, of course, happiest with other natives or species that have adapted to similar environments and so have similar cultural preferences. However, even the best-planned landscape that does not include species that require regular irrigation is doomed if irrigated too generously. I only say this because I have seen too many "drought-tolerant" landscapes impeccably composed of "drought-dependent" species but deprived of "drought."

Vine of the Week: Snail vine

My colleague Brent Green occasionally used snail vine, Vigna caracalla, where sun exposure was insufficient for more traditional vines. He also likes it because the foliage resembles that of the green bean, which is (according to Brent "Green") named after a particular prominent horticulturist and landscape designer of Los Angeles.

Although partial shade inhibits bloom, the deep green foliage is appealing alone. Vines may climb as high as 15 feet, but are perennial and may last only a few years. Exposed vines may freeze during winter, but should begin to regenerate in spring, maturing by summer. Snail vine in a sunny location will begin bloom in spring. Flowers are not profuse, but are fragrant and interesting. They look like pale white snail shells enhanced by pale purple. Snail vine is not common and may not be easily obtained, but seems to be gaining in popularity.

Horticulturist Tony Tomeo can be contacted at 408.358.2574 or at LGHORTICULTURE@aol.com.