Hotlinks:
ADD
Second Path to the Door
Crape Myrtle
Homestead Purple Verbena
Mexican Bush Sage, Mexican Sage
Spanish Lavender
Coast Rosemary, Westringia
Otto Quast Spanish Lavender
Santa Barbara or Mexican Daisy
Large Blue Fescue, Tufted Fescue
Border or Garden Penstemon
Crape Myrtle

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.

Homestead Purple Verbena

Common name:Homestead Purple Verbena
Botanical name:Verbena 'Homestead Purple'

This perennial will reach 1'-2' tall and has small green leaves with purple flowers that bloom during warm weather. It is frost tender but will come back when the ground warms up. Feed with an all-purpose fertilizer once a month during the growing season. Verbena works as a great groundcover. Pinch ends to promote dense growth.

Mexican Bush Sage, Mexican Sage

Common name:Mexican Bush Sage, Mexican Sage
Botanical name:Salvia leucantha

The Mexican Sage is a bushy shrub that grows 3'-4' tall and wide. It has hairy white stems, grey-green leaves and velvet-like purple flower spikes that bloom summer through fall. This shrub tolerates sun, light shade, low to moderate water, and is cold hardy to 15 degrees F. The Mexican Sage attracts hummingbirds. Be careful not to overwater.

Spanish Lavender

Common name:Spanish Lavender
Botanical name:Lavandula stoechas pedunculata

This dense shrub grows 2'-3' tall with blue-grey foliage and deep purple flowers that have large showy bracts in spring and summer near the top of the spikes. It has low watering needs once it's established. It prefers full sun. Foliage is aromatic.

Coast Rosemary, Westringia

Common name:Coast Rosemary, Westringia
Botanical name:Westringia fruticosa

The Coast Rosemary is an evergreen dense shrub that grows 3-6 ft. tall. It has soft gray-green leaves and white flowers throughout the year and prefers full sun. It is drought tolerant once it's established but will look better with extra summer watering.

Otto Quast Spanish Lavender

Common name:Otto Quast Spanish Lavender
Botanical name:Lavandula stoechas p. 'Otto Quast'

This lavender grows to 2' tall. The flower spikes are topped with purple bracts. It is drought tolerant - Cornflower Farms

Santa Barbara or Mexican Daisy

Common name:Santa Barbara or Mexican Daisy
Botanical name:Erigeron karvinskianus

This low mounding perennial, with fine leaves and white to pinkish daisy-like flowers, is an excellent asset to rock gardens.

Large Blue Fescue, Tufted Fescue

Common name:Large Blue Fescue, Tufted Fescue
Botanical name:Festuca amethystina 'Superba'

'Superba' is a hardy fescue with finely textured blue-green foliage that grows 8"-12' tall. It has spring flowers with tan spikes and purple tones that are 12" above the foliage .This fescue is a very showy, neat grass for sunny well draining spots. It prefers regular watering. This lovely ground cover is great in dry creek beds and borders.

Border or Garden Penstemon

Common name:Border or Garden Penstemon
Botanical name:Penstemon hybrids selection

This perennial plant will reach 3' high and has medium-sized, glossy dark green leaves with red, pink, lavender or purple flowers that bloom in summer and fall. It needs a bit extra water in the summer and no water in the winter. Hummingbirds love the flowers. This plant is great for cut flowers and color borders.

Designer:

Second Path to the Door

Photographer: GardenSoft

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.

Water Saving Tip:

In general, lawns only need to be watered once every three days.

Check your irrigation controller and reduce watering times if necessary.

Integrated Pest Management:

Attract, or buy beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewings to control pest outbreaks in your garden.