A working list: native alternatives to thirsty ornamentals in Mediterranean climates
By The db.garden practice· June 12, 2026· 1 min read
Carex pansa for the lawn that nobody mows. Festuca californica where the blue fescue keeps dying in the heat. Salvia clevelandii where the client wants lavender but the soil wants drainage the site doesn't have.
The trick with substitutions is matching the role, not the plant: the texture it brings, the mass it holds, the season it carries. A good swap is invisible in the design and obvious on the water bill.
We keep this list growing inside db.garden — filter by climate and water need, and the alternatives surface themselves.
About the author
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