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.
Common name:Coast Live Oak
Botanical name:Quercus agrifolia
The Coast Live Oak is an evergreen, round-headed tree. It can reach 20'-70' high and 20' wide or more and grows very well from the coastal areas to the interior valleys. It is native to CA, is drought tolerant, and attracts butterflies and birds. Foliage is dark green and shaped like hollies. It is stress deciduous (leaves fall if stressed by lack of water). It prefers full sun and no fertilizer.
| Designer: | Curving Lathwork Fence |
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:
Apply a layer of mulch around plants to reduce moisture loss.
Choose organic mulches, such as shredded bark, compost or aged sawdust.
Integrated Pest Management:
Drip and other smart irrigation delivers water directly to roots, allowing no excess water for weeds.