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Tour: Santa Margarita WaterWorks Garden

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Entrance with Bird
Strawberry Madrone
Coast  Live Oak
Blackfoot Daisy
Coast  Rosemary
Kleinia
California Sycamore
Hen and Chicks
Strawberry Madrone

Common name:Strawberry Madrone
Botanical name:Arbutus 'Marina'

The 'Marina' has gorgeous bark, with leaves that are smaller and not as glossy as Pacific Madrone. Its flowers are pink, borne in pendant clusters in the summer. The fruit is large, red and quite ornamental. The plant should be grown in sun to part shade, with little or no summer watering when established. The 'Marina' prefers good drainage.

Coast  Live Oak

Common name:Coast Live Oak
Botanical name:Quercus agrifolia

The Coast Live Oak is an evergreen round headed tree. It can reach 15'-40' high and 20' wide; it grows very well from the coastal areas to the interior valleys. It is native to California, is drought tolerant, and attracts butterflies.

Blackfoot Daisy

Common name:Blackfoot Daisy
Botanical name:Melampodium leucanthum

Small mounding perennial grows quickly to 1' x 2'. White daisylike flowers with yellow centers cover the plant nearly year-round The leaves are narrow and gray-green. Accepts full sun or partial shade but blooms better in the sun. Bright and colorful groundcover. Plant in well-drained soil. Native to the southwest U.S. and Mexico.

Coast  Rosemary

Common name:Coast Rosemary
Botanical name:Westringia 'Wynyabbie Gem'

This evergreen shrub will grow 3'-6' high and 6'-8' wide and has lavender flowers that bloom from February through spring. It is drought tolerant and does well in full sun or partial shade.

Kleinia

Common name:Kleinia
Botanical name:Senecio mandraliscae

This succulent perennial will grow to about 1.5' tall and 2' wide. It has curved, bluish gray leaves that are about 3.5" long and very slender.

California Sycamore

Common name:California Sycamore
Botanical name:Platanus racemosa

The California Sycamore is a fast growing deciduous tree that reaches up to 40'-50' high. It tolerates heat, smog, and drought conditions as well as moist conditions; it is native to riparian areas. It has interesting mottled bark when the tree is bare in winter.

Hen and Chicks

Common name:Hen and Chicks
Botanical name:Echeveria 'Imbricata'

This succulent perennial is very small, growing only 2"-3" high. It produces orange, pink, and red blooms and does best in full sun and moist soil.

Permeable Surfaces

If you have impermeable paving that you would like to make permeable, there are two main methods for doing so:
1. Break up hard paved surfaces to create spaces for water to seep through.
2. Remove and replace the surfaces with permeable paving.

Click in the green box for more information

Designer: Amelia Herndon-Steen, SMWD

Entrance with Bird
Image: 1 of 19

Photographer: SMWD

Soils and Compost:

Practice grass-cycling by leaving short grass clippings on lawns after mowing, so that nutrients and organic matter are returned to the soil.

Integrated Pest Management:

Drip and other smart irrigation delivers water directly to roots, allowing no excess water for weeds.