Common name:New Zealand Flax
Botanical name:Phormium tenax 'Atropurpureum'
Phormium tenax 'Atropurpureum' is an evergreen perennial. Big, dramatic plant composed of many swordlike, stiffly vertical leaves (9 ft. long, to 5 in. wide) in a fan pattern. Leaves are purple red. Flowers stems reach high above leaves, bearing clusters of 1-2 in. blossoms in dark red to yellow.
Common name:Kleinia
Botanical name:Senecio mandraliscae
This succulent perennial will grow to about 1.5' tall and 2' wide. It has curved, blue/gray leaves that are about 3.5" long and very slender.
Common name:Adagio Eulalia Grass
Botanical name:Miscanthus sinensis 'Adagio'
These deciduous grasses grow from 3'-6' tall, and often turn orange or dark red before going dormant. Tall, showy spikes of feathery, curved seed heads are borne and retained well into the winter or the following spring. It should receive sun to part shade, and average to little summer watering.
Designer:
Photographer: Vicki Anderson
Practice grass-cycling by leaving short grass clippings on lawns after mowing, so that nutrients and organic matter are returned to the soil.
Remove irrigation water and fertilizer from areas where you don't want weeds to grow.