Common name:New Zealand Flax
Botanical name:Phormium tenax

New Zealand Flax is a large, bold plant with stiffly vertical, sword-like, green leaves that arise from its base. It should be grown under full sun for best color. Varieties will offer different growth habits and leaf color.

Common name:Prostrate Rosemary
Botanical name:Rosmarinus officinalis 'Prostratus'

The 'Prostratus' grows to a height of 2'-3' with a spread to 8'. Its flowers are pale, lavender-blue in color, and the leaves are needle-like with a dark, blue-green color. This plant makes a good ground cover, and its leaves can be used as seasoning in cooking. Bloomtime is winter and spring, but also intermittently throughout the year. This ground cover like full sun and well draining soil. It is drought tolerant once it's established.

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, 2'-3' tall and 4'-5' wide. This shrub is covered with glossy, evergreen foliage. Small, fragrant, white flowers cover this shrub in spring. It prefers full to part sun and is drought tolerant once its established. Give extra water in summer. Wheeler's Dwarf is dependable and easy to grow. Prune in winter to keep shape.

Common name:Euryops Daisy
Botanical name:Euryops pectinatus

This dependable shrub with 2" bright yellow, daisy-like flowers, blooms almost year-round. Its leaves are grey-green in color and divided. This shrub can reach 6' tall and wide. It is very hardy, doing well in full sun and becoming drought tolerant once it's established.

Common name:Siberian Elm
Botanical name:Ulmus pumila

This deciduous tree will grow quickly to 50' tall and 40' wide. It has smooth, dark green leaves that turn yellow in fall. Branches are brittle and breaking which causes shape of tree to be irregular. Pale green flowers bloom in spring, before leafing out occurs. Flowers are inconspicuous. This tree is considered invasive since seeds can self sow. Plant in a difficult hillside.

Common name:Hollyhock
Botanical name:Alcea rosea

This plant grows 4-8' high and is particularly useful for background screening. It grows best in full sun in deep, rich, well drained soils and can produce a variety of colors of flowers.

Common name:Waxleaf Privet
Botanical name:Ligustrum japonicum 'Texanum'

This dense, evergreen shrub reaches 6'-8' tall and 4'-6' wide. Waxleaf Privet has dark green, leathery, evergreen leaves that make a great privacy hedge. White fragrant flowers bloom in spring and summer. Bees love these flowers! Blue black berries follow bloom season. Part of this shrub may be poisonous if ingested. It prefers full sun to light shade with a medium amount of watering, more in hot summer months.

Common name:Nandina, Heavenly Bamboo
Botanical name:Nandina domestica

Nandina domestica is a graceful upright shrub that grows from 3'-6' in height. It gets its name from its bamboo-like growth habit. When thinned from the center it bears a remarkable resemblance to bamboo. It is best used in groups. It can be used in a shaded patio or out in a shrub border with full sun. An interesting feature of Heavenly Bamboo is the bronze color in the new growth when planted in full sun. It also bears clusters of white flowers in the spring.

Using Water Wisely

An efficient watering system applies the right amount of water to the right parts of the garden at the right time. This conserves water and saves you money.

Click in the green box for more information