Looking for something special for your garden this fall? The California Native Plant Society (CNPS) suggests planting California native plants to enjoy stunning displays in spring.

Hidden Villa’s semiannual native plant sale isn’t until Oct. 15, but now is the time to begin thinking about how you could use native plants to make your gardening easier and more dramatic all at the same time.

California native plants are naturally adapted to the local soil and climate, thrive without amendments, fertilizers or pesticides, and offer incomparable habitat value. Fall is an excellent time to plant in California, when the summer heat has dissipated and rain is just around the corner. The rains help native plants establish root systems, and reduce the need for supplemental water. In California’s unique climate, this below-ground growth during winter powers the stunning floral displays of spring.

Volunteers with the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the CNPS maintain the nursery year round at Hidden Villa in Los Altos Hills.

Arvind Kumar, a member of CNPS, said that the biggest attraction of the sale is, “These are plants you cannot find at regular nurseries,”

California has one of the most diverse plant communities in the world, with more than 6,000 native species. Kumar said, “We have more native plants in California than in the rest of the country combined.”

“Every time you build a home, you clear away the native plant life that had been there. We encourage people to plant natives in their garden as a way to minimize or mitigate the impact of development.”

For a beginner interested in native plant gardening, Kumar recommends education before planting: “Meet people, ask questions. … There are some excellent books on the market, and in CNPS there are a lot of very experienced native plant specialists and gardeners.”

At the 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. sale Oct. 15, you will be able to choose from scores of hard-to-find species, from deer grass and monkey flower to redbud and blue-eyed grass, from orchids and lilies to sedums and buckwheat.

Hidden Villa Ranch, 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos Hills, is two miles west of the I-280 Moody/El Monte Road exit. Bring boxes to carry your purchases home. Cash or check only.