Common name:Bougainvillea, Barbara Karst
Botanical name:Bougainvillea 'Barbara Karst'

The large amount of flamboyant color on this species creates a wonderful accent in a garden. Varieties can be in bush or vine form; colors vary. Once established, they tend to be carefree. All varieties are susceptible to frost damage. The 'Barbara Karst' variety blooms bright red in full sun; more crimson if in shade. It blooms early and long. It is senstive to frost and will die back hard but comes back in a number of weeks. Be carefeul of this in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Common name:Spear Lily
Botanical name:Doryanthes palmeri

This large succulent will grow 6'-15' high and produces huge clusters of leaves. It produces clusters of reddish brown flowers that bloom in the summer and does well in a lot of shade with regular water.

Common name:Medio Picta Century Plant
Botanical name:Agave americana medio-picta

This form has arching leaves with a creamy white stripe down the center of the blue-green leaf. The leaves are outstanding with their arching form and are well armed with a stout, terminal spine as well as marginal teeth. It is somewhat smaller than the americana variety, growing to around 4.' It prefers full sun, well drained soil and will perform well in containers. This form also will die after bloom but will survive in the form of new pups around the old plant. Susceptible to Agave Snout Weevil.

Common name:Red Yucca
Botanical name:Hesperaloe parviflora

This spectacular succulent grows to 3'-4' tall and wide. Blue green leaves are strap-like, leathery, long, with white fraying fibers on the edges. During the summer, dark pink flowers are seen on red flower arching stalks. Hummingbirds love these flowers. This evergreen plant is drought tolerant once it's established but will appreciate extra water during the summer to promote blooms. Plant in full sun or light shade, with well draining soil. Deer like the foliage. This plant looks great in pots.

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.

Common name:Coast Live Oak
Botanical name:Quercus agrifolia

Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) is one of the best trees for California native or California-friendly gardens. It grows very well from the coastal areas to the interior valleys. It is an evergreen tree that can reach 25’-70' tall and up to 70' wide, so make sure you have the space in your garden to support it. It is considered very low-water-use and is susceptible to root rot in gardens that are over-irrigated. Plant it with other California natives or low-water plants and stick to a watering cycle that includes watering during the fall, winter, and spring with no supplemental water in the summer. The tree is a slow grower and has an irregular shape when it is young, so it is important to make minimal pruning cuts to improve the look of the canopy. Over-pruning or hedging can take years to recover from, so consult or hire a licensed arborist when the shaping becomes out of your reach. This tree will eventually become a large shade tree; therefore, the plant selection around it may need to be adjusted as it matures. This tree should be planted at least five feet away from any hardscape areas, 20 feet from structures such as houses and buildings, and not near any powerlines. Shrubs and perennials should be planted about four feet away from this tree. It should be irrigated for about 45 minutes once a week when using most in-line drip irrigation systems.

Common name:Purple Tree Aeonium
Botanical name:Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop'

Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop' is a succulent perennial that is used for accenting effect. Aeonium arboreum grows 3' tall and wide. Each branch has a 6"-8 " wide rosette of dark green, fleshy leaves.The flowers are yellow in clusters.

Common name:New Gold Trailing Lantana
Botanical name:Lantana 'New Gold'

This reliable ground cover/shrub blooms periodically throughout the year with gold colored flowers. Blooms attract butterflies. Lantana forms a dark green mound up to 18" tall and 3' wide. It prefers deep, infrequent watering and occasional pruning. It may suffer from frost damage but it recovers quickly. It is root hardy and susceptible to whiteflies.