Common name:Silver Mound Artemisia
Botanical name:Artemisia schmidtiana 'Silver Mound'
This mounding perennial will grow 1'-3' high and has medium-sized silvery white leaves with yellow and white flowers.
Common name:Daylily, D. Moon Hybrid
Botanical name:Hemerocallis 'D. Moon'
This Daylily has clear yellow blooms above handsome foliage. It has even bloomed in January!
Common name:Lavender Cotton
Botanical name:Santolina chamaecyparissus
This ground cover/small shrub will grow to 3' tall and has small, grayish silver leaves with yellow flowers that bloom in the summer.
Common name:Butterfly-Iris, Fortnight Lily
Botanical name:Dietes iridioides
This clumping evergreen Iris bears tall, narrow leaves to 30" tall and white flowers marked purple in the center on stalks up to 3' tall. This variety has stiffer, darker foliage than the bicolor form. It requires sun to part shade with little or no summer watering when established.
Common name:Crape Myrtle
Botanical name:Lagerstroemia indica
The new leaves of this species are 2" long, bright green, and tinged with bronze. Some cultivars have spectacular fall color. When it has a bare outline, its rounded seed capsules add interest. Its delicate flowers bloom in 6"-12" long clusters. The flower colors could be shades of red, rose, pink, purple, and white, blooming in summer. It thrives on heat, and new cultivars have been created that resist mildew. This tree prefers full sun and has low watering needs once it's established.
Common name:Mondo Grass, Lily Grass
Botanical name:Ophiopogon japonicus
This Ophiopogon japonicus is a grass-like plant growing to about 6"-8" high. Its leaves are 1/8" wide, and about 8"-12" long. It makes a beautiful ground cover or accent plant, and does well in Asian style gardens.
Common name:Fox Tail Agave, Velvet Agave
Botanical name:Agave attenuata
This Agave has a dramatic tropical form. Even light frost can damage its succulent leaves. It is great for containers. In the low desert, partial sun will be best. If it becomes top heavy, simply cut and stick in the ground to root. It is not a fast grower and has light green foliage. It will also die after flowering but pups around the mother will survive. Distinctive with its large rosette of leaves perched on a long curving trunk, it is a native from Mexico.
Common name:Myers Asparagus
Botanical name:Asparagus densiflorus 'Myers'
An evergreen groundcover, the 'Myers' also makes an excellent hanging basket plant when larger in size. Its formal looking fronds have an even, spiral arrangement of leaflets. It is damaged by severe frosts, and looks best with at least occasional watering.
Common name:Tree Aloe
Botanical name:Aloe arborescens
This shrub is large, full of branches and produces deep orange blooms. The flowers produce a nectar that is attractive to many different birds; this plant is grown all over the world.
Common name:New Zealand Flax, Purple
Botanical name:Phormium tenax 'Atropurpureum'
Phormium tenax 'Atropurpureum' is an evergreen perennial. Big, dramatic plant composed of many swordlike, stiffly vertical leaves can reach 5' tall. Leaves are purple red. Flowers stems reach high above leaves, bearing clusters of 1"-2" blossoms in dark red.
Designer: California Native Garden
Photographer: GardenSoft
Maintain a two to four inch layer of mulch on the soil surface to reduce weeds, infiltrate rain water, and reduce compaction.
Be sure to fix all leaks promptly no matter how small they may seem.
Develop healthy soil for plants that are vigorous and naturally pest-resistant.