Common name:Midnight Penstemon (dark purple)
Botanical name:Penstemon 'Midnight'

This bushy, perennial shrub is 2'-3' high with tall, deep violet or blue flower spikes that bloom in spring through fall. Leaves are dark green, lance-shaped and evergreen. Plant in full sun in coastal areas but give afternoon shade in warm inland areas. This plant is a show stopper but short lived, lasting 3-5 years. Well worth the effort to plant!

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

This mounding shrub reaches 3 ft. high and up to 5ft. wide with fine silver foliage. It does well in coastal areas as well as inland warm areas. It rarely blooms but is used for its beautiful foliage. It is striking next to perennials with bright colors. This shrub prefers full sun and well draining soil. It is drought tolerant once it's established.

Common name:Firebird Border Penstemon (red)
Botanical name:Penstemon 'Firebird'

Penstemon gloxiniodes 'Firebird' is perennial with spectacular red flowers in spring and fall. This dependable plant quickly reaches 3' tall, with lance-shaped, dark green leaves on stems. Trumpet shaped flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Plant in full sun in coastal areas but provide afternoon shade in warm inland areas. It has low watering needs but will do better with extra summer water in hot inland valleys. It need well draining soil. Penstemon should be replaced every 5 years.

Common name:Moonshine Yarrow, Milfoil, Sneezewo
Botanical name:Achillea 'Moonshine'

Long, straight stems with pale yellow flowers are striking on the mats of green to grey-green leaves of this plant, which are flatter and less divided than those of the Achillea millefolium. This Yarrow propagates easily from rooted cuttings or divisions which should be performed in the early spring or fall. Following bloom, one should dead head the plant and divide the clumps when it appears crowded. Introduced by Alan Bloom in the 1950's.

Dealing With Drought

More than half of the water used at your home is for outside purposes. Studies show that on average, half of the water used outdoors is wasted. The leading cause of waste is incorrectly set and poorly managed irrigation controllers. The second biggest cause of wastage is broken irrigation equipment that goes undetected. There are a few basic things you can do to make a big difference in your water use.

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