Hi,
I am looking for some advice on what natives we should use to replace the removed Ivy, Vinca, and Himalayan Blackberry.
The area is a common area of a townhouse complex located in Santa Cruz, California on a south-facing slope that leads down to a riparian-creek area and is shaded from 12noon on.
The natives existing in our area consist of Coast Live Oaks, Coffeeberry, Willows, Poison Oak, and Blackberry.
When I first moved here almost three years ago, the area was in really bad shape...extremely overgrown from 20 years of neglect. Ivy and vinca was growing over almost everything and large mats of thick vines were growing and pulling over all the trees and plants. See the photo gallery link...it shows the progress of the project from 2007 thru 2009 in chronological order. For the most part, I've been just using tree chips/mulch to cover the areas where I've removed the ivy & vinca. Now I want to replant.
The main issue here is that this area is the buffer zone between our property and the designated "open space" property / riparian corridor (which we also own). The ivy and vinca had clearly escaped the landscape border over ten years ago and was never maintained.
I would love to find a replacement for the ivy that's evergreen, drought-resistant and native, and that will grow in shade. Also wondering if there are any tall native grasses (un-mowed) that would be ok to grow here and there?
thanks in advance! | 
