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Garden Beds
Argentine Verbena
Mexican Fan Palm
Ginkgo Tree, Maidenhair Tree
Purple Smoke Tree
Glossy Abelia
Allepo Pine
Lamb's Ears
Sweet-Pea Shrub
Copper Canyon Dasiy, Perennial Mari
Pink Mexican Evening Primrose
Rosemary
Powis Castle Artemisia
Wheeler's Dwarf Pittosporum
Indian Hawthorne or Rhaph
Argentine Verbena

Common name:Argentine Verbena
Botanical name:Verbena bonariensis

This 4'-5' tall plant is a drought hardy performer, with blooms atop the sturdy, squarish stem all summer and fall. The flower is a striking purple tuft that makes a good fresh or dried flower. The sparse foliage makes this a great accent flower that hovers high and blends well. Deadheading will prolong its blooming. -Holland WIldflower Farm

Mexican Fan Palm

Common name:Mexican Fan Palm
Botanical name:Washingtonia robusta

The Mexican Fan Palm is a very tall, rapidly growing palm with large, fan-shaped leaves. It has a tropical look, and can grow several feet a year. This species is excellent for larger gardens and lining streets and avenues.

Ginkgo Tree, Maidenhair Tree

Common name:Ginkgo Tree, Maidenhair Tree
Botanical name:Ginkgo biloba

The Ginko biloba, with its distinct fan-shaped leaves, initially grows with a pyramidal habit, but later becomes wide-spreading. It is slow growing. Leaves turn golden yellow in the fall. Dropping fruit can be a nuisance but you can purchase a male plant to avoid the fruit. Ginkgo can also be used as bonsai. It is generally not bothered by insects or disease.

Purple Smoke Tree

Common name:Purple Smoke Tree
Botanical name:Cotinus coggygria 'Purpureus'

A deciduous shrub or small tree that grows up to 10' tall, the 'Purpureus' is grown for its wispy, thread-like flower clusters and outstanding fall color. Its foliage has a reddish purple color that turns somewhat green in summer. The plant requires sun to part shade, with little or no summer water. -Monterey Bay Nursery

Glossy Abelia

Common name:Glossy Abelia
Botanical name:Abelia X grandiflora

Abelia X grandiflora is a semi-evergreen shrub of medium size. It has small, white, fragrant flowers that bloom from spring through the fall season. Bracts add a bronzy tint to the flowers. Abelia makes a good sheared hedge or screen. When unsheared, it is naturally arching.

Allepo Pine

Common name:Allepo Pine
Botanical name:Pinus halepensis

The Pinus halepensis exhibits moderate growth to 30' or more, with an open, irregular crown. Mature trees have horizontal spreading branches, 20' wide and more. The needles light green in color, with a length of 2.5"- 4". Flowers are insignificant. Cones appear on the tree after a few years, rounded and oval shaped, about 3" long. Allepo Pine prefers full sun and low watering, although it will drop its needles if water stressed.

Lamb's Ears

Common name:Lamb's Ears
Botanical name:Stachys byzantina

This tiny, herbaceous shrub will grow less than 1' tall and has medium sized, grayish green leaves with blue and lavender flowers that bloom in the spring.

Sweet-Pea Shrub

Common name:Sweet-Pea Shrub
Botanical name:Polygala X dalmaisiana

This evergreen shrub grows to a height of 5'. Its leaves are blue green, and the flowers produced are pea-like, with a purplish pink color.

Copper Canyon Dasiy, Perennial Mari

Common name:Copper Canyon Dasiy, Perennial Mari
Botanical name:Tagetes lemmonii

This larger perennial will grow to 6' tall and has small, light green leaves with yellow mustard colored flowers that bloom in winter and spring. Cut back to within 6" of the ground to refresh and reduce the size of the plant. This plant is a riot of color!

Pink Mexican Evening Primrose

Common name:Pink Mexican Evening Primrose
Botanical name:Oenothera speciosa 'Rosea'

Oenothera speciosa 'Rosea' is a perennial groundcover. It grows 10"-12" high, with profuse showing of 1.5" wide rose pink blooms in summer. Flowers open in daytime and stems die back after bloom. It can be highly invasive.

Rosemary

Common name:Rosemary
Botanical name:Rosmarinus officinalis

Rosemary is hardy in full sun areas where winter temperatures do not drop below 10 degrees F. They can be grown in a clay pot with well-drained, porous soil in bright indoor light, and will also flourish on the backporch in spring, summer and fall. Its beautiful, slowly trailing stems and shiny slender leaves are perfect for showing off the small, light blue flowers that blossom in the summer. -Holland WIldflower Farm

Powis Castle Artemisia

Common name:Powis Castle Artemisia
Botanical name:Artemisia 'Powis Castle'

This mounding shrub reaches 3' high and up to 5' wide with fine silver foliage. - Cornflower Farms

Wheeler's Dwarf Pittosporum

Common name:Wheeler's Dwarf Pittosporum
Botanical name:Pittosporum tobira 'Wheeler's Dwarf'

This handsome dwarf form of the Pittosporum tobira grows into a low, dense mound that is covered with glossy, evergreen foliage.

Indian Hawthorne or Rhaph

Common name:Indian Hawthorne or Rhaph
Botanical name:Rhaphiolepis indica

This small shrub will grow 2' tall and 4' wide. It has small, dark green leaves that get a red tint in the winter and deep pink flowers that bloom fall through spring.

Designer: CLWA

Garden Beds

Photographer: GardenSoft

Soils and Compost:

Maintain a two to four inch layer of mulch on the soil surface to reduce weeds, infiltrate rain water, and reduce compaction.

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:

Remove irrigation water and fertilizer from areas where you don't want weeds to grow.