Tiled Steps

Common name:Yellow Bird Of Paradise
Botanical name:Caesalpinia gilliesii

This Bird of Paradise is an upright, fast growing small tree or large shrub, 10' tall by 8' wide. Clusters of yellow flowers have long red stamens. Natural growth habit is irregular and open, but can be pruned to encourage dense growth. It is quite hardy and can be frost tolerant. As pods mature, they split spewing seeds. Ripe seeds are poisonous. It may be somewhat invasive but it is easy to control. This plant is drought tolerant.

Common name:Verbena
Botanical name:Verbena peruviana

This perennial forms a flat mat that covers an area rapidly. It has dark green leaves with clusters of bright flowers that bloom all year. Hybrids will have a little more height, different flower colors and spread more slowly. It is drought tolerant.

Common name:Trailing Germander
Botanical name:Teucrium X lucidrys

This mini-shrub with small, shiny, dark green leaves on woody stems can be sheared and shaped. The stems trail and rise to 24", with lovely, reddish purple flowers between the upper leaves. It can be used as a low hedge plant in herbal knot gardens. To encourage branching, it should be pruned in the spring. -Holland WIldflower Farm

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:

Replace turf with groundcovers, trees, and shrubs. If you have areas where no one uses the grass, patches that do not grow well, or a turf area too small to water without runoff, consider replacing the turf with water-efficient landscaping.

Integrated Pest Management:

Drip and other smart irrigation delivers water directly to roots, allowing no excess water for weeds.