Tidal Influx plants for bayside site...and who's going to Strybing?

Hi everyone,

I am so far behind reading this list...I think I may just skip a bunch and
browse the subject lines when I need something specific. *sigh* I miss
reading all of you!

I'm putting together a landscape design for a site in San Jose, CA near
where a creek enters the bay (zoning-wise, it's considered a "tidal influx"
area rather than "riparian"). The site sits atop a bank and has apparently
been plowed for years--there are no existing plants on the site, while the
bank is home to willows and cattails. It's near the local landfill and not
far from a group of sludge ponds (oh joy).

Because the site is near a creek, I need to be especially careful in
choosing well-behaved plants that fit the site and won't cause trouble
later. I'd love to use natives, but I am open to non-invasive non-natives
(possibly natives to other Mediterranean climate areas). Due to the
neighbors (!) I'd love to find some fragrant plants to help counteract the
existing occasional odors. As this will be a commercial site--one part will
be an office, I believe, and retail buildings will be built close by--I'd
like to provide an outdoor oasis for people working there--a picnic area,
perhaps.

Does anyone have any suggestions for trees, shrubs and/or perennials to
plant in this site?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Cheryl

ps. Who's going to the Strybing symposium in a few weeks? Obviously
Alessandra and Nick, since they're speaking, but it would be fun to have a
Medit list face-to-face meeting there.

--------------------------------------
Cheryl Renshaw
renshaw@best.com
http://www.best.com/~renshaw/
--------------------------------------
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index