I can't tell you about the soil; that's really area specific. What I can say is that the constraint here is usually water; we don't get much rain. LA averages about 15 inches a year, mostly between October and April. Think Mediterranean, if that helps you visualize. Personally, I have developed an interest in California natives; there is a great native plant nursery not far from there in San Juan Capistrano.

It is not just the low rainfall, but the supply of water has to be transported to Southern California from far away. Supply and demand means our water bills are only going to get higher and higher. To see how beautiful California natives can look (natives are not just cactus and succulents), visit theodorepayne.org. Not all natives are drought-tolerant, but many of them are.

Soil changes a great deal from one city to the next. And so does the climate, a lot of varied ecosystems here. Although "most" soil can be amended, the most significant changes for you would probably be if your ecosystem experiences frost. So it is hard to say what it would be like. One thing you can be assured of is: a longer growing season for annuals and vegetables, a deficiency of water, a larger variety of genus that can be grown here and a deficiency of water. Sometimes the water is regulated i.e. hours one can water their lawns and garden, and days of the week that it can be done.