IT'S TIME TO PLANT CALIFORNIA NATIVE FLOWERS.

Byline: JANE GATES Gardening

SANTA CLARITA - Although some experts recommend planting California natives in the autumn, there is an equal number who recommend winter as the best time so vulnerable growth sprouting in the fall won't be caught by winter frosts.

I've had successes and failures at both times, so I recommend trying a little of both and see what works best for your lot of land.

Some of the showiest perennial natives are the yellow flowered California buckwheat, woolly blue curls, the Matilija poppy, Cleveland sage and Carpenteria.

As for showy annuals, you can plant seeds of California poppies (sometimes lasting as short-lived perennials), clarkia, phaecelia, ``shooting star'' (mentzelia), or ``tidy tips'' (layia). This is a good time to plant them on a cleanly cut (and ideally, raked) sunny hillside.

Plan on losing a good percentage of California flora (and your seeds) to California fauna (birds, rodents, insects, etc.) But if the rains are cooperative - and they've been pretty good so far - you could get a garden or hillside ablaze with California annual natives in the spring.

And if they like the location, they'll self-seed for years to come.

There are other good plants to seed in open areas, places you want to let go colorfully wild or a hillside. Try lupins, galliardias, nemophilas (``baby blue eyes'' - plant with some shade), and low native grasses.

Stick to low-growers wherever possible, keeping fire safety in mind. Larger shrubs or even trees can be safely planted on hillsides or open areas if they are grouped with large clear spaces in between groupings that would act as firebreaks.

Keep groupings away from the house and do this only if you have a large planting area so you can cluster the groups in a natural design. Otherwise you will dot your landscape with plant groupings that look more like wallpaper than a flowing natural picture.

If you have enough space, you can even work dry riverbeds, stairways or paths into the design, creating not only a beautiful landscape, but adding interest, mobility and more firebreaks.

Garden cleanup continues. If you can keep on top of those weeds as they germinate, they'll be a lot easier to pull than later when root systems become extensive. Keep mulching. Tender roots will appreciate the blanket these cool nights. Pruning can begin on trees and bushes as well, now that sap has slowed into winter dormancy.

If you see frost damage on shrubs and perennials, you may chose to wait a month or two before cutting them back, allowing the already damaged tips to take the brunt of future frosts. I'll discuss pruning a little more next time.

This is also the time to go shopping for bare-root plants. You'll find a fine selection of roses, fruit and decorative trees, berries and shrubs in nurseries and home supply stores. Planting bare-root plants saves money and gives you a larger choice than you can expect later in the season with potted plants. The plants will grow quickly without transplant shock in the spring as they wake up from winter dormancy and find their roots free of pots with a nice new home to spread into.