Common name:Saltillo Evening Primrose
Botanical name:Oenothera stubbei
This ground cover grows quickly to 6" x 4'. The dense mat of dark green foliage provides a nice back drop for the large butter yellow flowers. Blooms appear spring through fall. The flowers have a sweet fragrance and are open from dusk to early morning. Native to northeast Mexico.
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:Rock Purslane
Botanical name:Calandrinia grandiflora
This perennial will grow 12-36" and produces large blue/green rosettes that last for a long season. It produces large, silky, lavender/pink flowers that have lime/green, purple spotted calyces.
Common name:Kangaroo Paws, Red
Botanical name:Anigozanthos hybrids
This tender perennial is a clump-forming evergreen that produces fuzzy, yellow green flowers that bloom in spring and last for over 2 months. Many sizes and varieties are available including yellow and pink flowers.
Common name:Sea Lavender, Statice
Botanical name:Limonium perezii
This mounding shrub will reach about 3' high and has large, dark green leaves with small blue and purple flowers that bloom in spring and summer.
Common name:Mueller's Fescue
Botanical name:Festuca muelleri
This Central European native fescue has shiny, dark green, thin blades that are slightly bluish green. It is a cool season grass that grows up to 8" tall and wide. If massed together, it can become a lawn alternative. Flowers appear in early summer but are considered insignificant. This fescue does best in full sun with moist, well draining soil. In warm inland areas, it appreciates afternoon shade. This clumping plant is drought tolerant once it's established.
Common name:Candy Corn Plant
Botanical name:Cuphea micropetala
Candy Corn Plant is a small evergreen shrub that grows to 1-3' tall and 1'-2' wide. From late summer through fall, tubular yellow flowers emerge from stems, then changing to orange. Many flowers have both colors, thus the common name. Flowers resemble those of penstemons and are slightly sticky. This plant does best in full sun in coastal areas but appreciates afternoon shade in warm, inland valleys. It does best with regular watering and is not frost tolerant. Leaves are long, thin, pointed and evergreen.
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.
Drip and other smart irrigation delivers water directly to roots, allowing no excess water for weeds.