Common name:Flannel Bush, Fremontia cv.
Botanical name:Fremontodendron 'California Glory'
California Glory is a open and spreading evergreen shrub 10-20 ft. in height with many yellow flowers blooming in spring. It needs good drainage and little summer water. It is a native plant to California as the name suggests and it is drought tolerant. -Cornflower Farms
Common name:Needle Grass
Botanical name:Stipa pulchra
The needle grass is a cool season bunchgrass that grows 1-2 ft. tall with graceful, shiny flower stalks that reach 30 in. long in the spring. This grass is fire retardant, tolerates drought, and is good in mass plantings and restoration uses. The needle grass is California's State Grass and is a beneficial insect plant. -Cornflower Farms
Common name:California Lilac
Botanical name:Ceanothus 'Dark Star'
The 'Dark Star' grows to 4-6' tall and 6-8' wide, producing small, rounded clusters of dark blule flowers from light burgundy buds that appear in spring. Its habit is compact, with small, warty leaves growing to only 1/2" long. -Monterey Bay Nursery
Common name:California Poppy, Golden Poppy
Botanical name:Eschscholzia californica
This small annual (sometimes acts as a perennial) plant will grow to less than 1' tall and has light, small blue/green leaves with gold and orange flowers that bloom in spring and summer.
Common name:Foothill Penstemon
Botanical name:Penstemon heterophyllus
This perennial will grow 1.5'-2' tall and 2-3' wide. It has glossy, blue/green foliage with flowers that vary in color and bloom from spring through early summer.
Common name:California Fan Palm
Botanical name:Washingtonia filifera
California Fan Palm is the only palm native to California. It populates the areas along the San Andreas Fault where desert water has seeped to the surface and formed springs. It grows to 60' tall and 20' wide. It has light green fronds 3-6' long. One of the most common uses of the palms fronds by Native Californians was in forming housing and hatched Ramadas. Fronds and frond fiber were also used to make sandals, cordage, nets and mats.
Common name:Blue Elderberry
Botanical name:Sambucus mexicana
The blue elderberry is a deciduous shrub that grows 4-10 ft. tall or tree that reaches up to 40 ft. high. The leaves of this plant have 5-9 leaflets with white spring flower clusters developing into blue berries. The blue elderberry is a native to California, is drought tolerant and is a beneficial insect plant.
-Cornflower Farms
Native Plants attract birds in abundance.
Putting the right plants in the right places in the right groupings is both the challenge and art of good landscape design.
Click in the green box for more information
Designer: Armstrong & Walker Land. Arch. | Backyard Meadow |
Photographer: GardenSoft |
Maintain a two to four inch layer of mulch on the soil surface to reduce weeds, infiltrate rain water, and reduce compaction.
Mulching and adding compost to soil can minimize evaporation and help soil absorb and store water.
Drip and other smart irrigation delivers water directly to roots, allowing no excess water for weeds.