Using California Native Plants not on HOA approved list?

Hi,
I've hired a landscaping company, but I really, really want a all California native plants backyard. So I'm about to hire a designer from a local native plants nursery to pick out the plants.

The problem is, very few native plants seem to be on the list. My landscaper (not the designer) said in his experience, if the plan looks nicely done, it should be OK most of the time. But I'm nervous to pay for a designer if in the end I cannot use any of the plants she picked out.

Have you used any plants not on the list? How did the HOA react?
Thanks!

I would leave these plants out for now and plant them after you've submitted your "notice of completion" to HOA, then plant them.  If they look nice, very unlikely they will ever know. 

Plus I would think if a plant dies a couple years after close, most homeowners just to to a nursery or Home Depot, pick a new plant and plant it without looking at HOA docs.  I've done this with no issue.