You can get a mediterranean cottage look by mixing native/drought tolerant flowering shrubs and succulents used as groundcover. You can also add some trailing succulents in a planter on the plant shelf to add the impression of cottage. .
Planting in San Diego is best done no sooner than the end of October, through January - after the first rains . . (which get later and later) so plants have an opportunity to put down roots during the cooler months and can better hang on through the end of the hot summer. Use this time to amend your soil, grow and pull weeds. .You can use flowering succulents like zaucheneria, red apple underneath flowering shrubs . . Tons of flowering shrubs in the native section, but group them in plantings of 5 or 7 so you get massing, look for those with variegated greens . . .

Go to the library and check out san diego home and garden back issues - with the gray house and brown roof, red tile accents, you'll want a red door,