Common name:California or Golden Poppy
Botanical name:Eschscholzia californica
This small annual (sometimes acts as a perennial) plant will grow to less than 1' tall and has light, small blue-green leaves with gold and orange flowers that bloom in spring and summer.
Common name:Eastern Redbud
Botanical name:Cercis canadensis
This small, deciduous tree with a rounded head is covered with small flowers of a rose pink color in the spring before the appearance of heart-shaped leaves. It can grow to 25' tall with an equal spread. It has a low branching habit with a rounded form. During fall, foliage turns yellow. Eastern Redbud lives about 20 years. This is a great patio tree or for a small front yard.
Common name:Evergreen Eulalia
Botanical name:Miscanthus transmorrisonensis
This grass will reach 2.5'-3.5' tall and has narrow, green leaves. Eulalia will arch and have an 8' wide spread. Golden flower spikes appear in spring, lasting through winter, shooting up 6' tall. Eulalia is drought tolerant once it's established but give occasional water to spruce it up. It prefers full to part sun. Give this grass some width area.
Common name:Mexican Feather Grass
Botanical name:Nassella tenuissima
The Mexican Fan Grass is a fine, airy grass that is emerald green in color. It has many soft yellow-beige flower stalks in the spring.It is extremely invasive; the California Invasive Plant Council is working to halt commercial sale of this grass because it is taking over natural areas. This grass grows 10"-12" tall , 1'-2' wide, and is drought tolerant.
Common name:Sunburst Honey Locust
Botanical name:Gleditsia triacanthos inermis 'Sunburst'
This beautiful deciduous tree has tiny, yellow leaflets in spring, changing to lime green in summer, then golden in fall. It has an oval and pyramidal shape reaching 40' tall and 30' wide. Flowers are considered insignificant. This tree is used in urban areas as it tolerates heat, smog, drought, occasional flooding and saline soils.
Common name:Rose selected cultivars
Botanical name:Rosa species
These shrubs and vines are the most-loved in the West and are very resilient. They come in a wide variety of sizes and colors and are easy to maintain with proper care. Roses can be espaliered or used on a trellis or as shrubs along walkways. Some are fragrant; most have thorns.
Designer: Jody Palmer | Wildly Intoxicating |
Photographer: GardenSoft |
Incorporate compost 6" into your soil to retain water, reduce compaction, feed earthworms, and provide valuable nutrients to your plants.
Change spray sprinklers to low-flow bubbler or drip systems. Shrubs and trees are ideal candidates for this type of irrigation because the water is applied directly to the root zones.
Drip and other smart irrigation delivers water directly to roots, allowing no excess water for weeds.