Help me design my California garden!?

I have a relatively small plot in my yard in California and I would like to put drought-resistant plants in. Any suggestions as to what plants and soil/rocks/liner I should use? This is all entirely new to me so the more detailed you can be the better.

Ideally, I d like 4 or 5 plants that don t overreach onto the cement by much. I would like to put them in some type of rock bed, but not sure what this encompasses.

I also have a dog that frequents the yard and I would like something that wouldn t hurt her or attract her into digging there.

THANK YOU!