Common name:Beach Strawberry, Coastal Strawberr
Botanical name:Fragaria chiloensis

This perennial grows 4"-8" high with tooth-edged leaves and ornamental strawberries during the fall. Cut back or mow in early spring to encourage new growth.

Maintenance Tips

Fragaria chiloensis is a lovely ground cover that is also known as Coastal Strawberry. It is a very well-behaved ground cover, requiring very little maintenance to keep it looking and performing its best. It is best known for its berries which are very attractive to birds and other wildlife. The plant rarely grows taller than 4-6" and spreads out through its root system, creating a dense mat. The plant is susceptible to many types of fungi because of the moisture and the lack of airflow in its dense environment. Treating the plant with a systemic or topical fungicide may be necessary if the infection is killing the plant. Thatching the ground cover and drying the area out can help control fungal issues as well.

Common name:Mother of Thyme, creeping thyme
Botanical name:Thymus serpyllum

This attractive and reliable groundcover is so dense that it can smother out weeds. It reaches 3" tall and spreads 30". Leaves are tiny and dark green. Can tolerate some foot traffic. Tiny pink flowers appear in summer. This plant is great for a rock or Mediterranean style garden. It prefers full to part sun and has low water requirements once it's established. It will cover adjacent sidewalks and rocks. Bees love this plant too.

Maintenance Tips

Thymus serpyllum is a very low-growing, creeping plant. It is not used for culinary purposes but it makes an excellent ornamental ground cover. This is a very low-maintenance plant if it is planted in ideal conditions. It is drought tolerant and prefers full sun but can thrive in any soil condition. During the cooler, wetter months, the excess moisture can cause the plant to lose leaves and thin out. It is susceptible to root rot, mostly in the warmer months when people tend to overwater. If symptoms of root rot are present, stop watering and allow the soil to dry out. If the problem is killing off the plant, a systemic fungicide can be applied to treat the disease.

Common name:Bitsy Hybrid Daylily
Botanical name:Hemerocallis 'Bitsy'

This Daylily has yellow flowers in profusion for over 250 days per year. Thin stalks give an airy, fairy-like quality. Tiny 2" lemon-yellow blossoms appear very early in the season above 12"-20" tall slender, grassy foliage

Common name:Sunburst Coreopsis
Botanical name:Coreopsis grandiflora

The 'Double Sunburst' is a wonderful cultivar and a showy, Southeast U.S. native. Golden yellow, double flowers on 2' bushy plants bloom during spring in full sun and average to dry soils. It makes for good cut flowers, and pruning keeps the plants abundant with blooms.

Maintenance Tips

Coreopsis grandiflora is a clumping evergreen perennial with very showy flowers that emerge in spring. This is a very drought-tolerant plant that will look and perform its best in full sun and well-drained soil. It grows 2-3’ tall and 1-2’ wide, so can be used in just about any space in any sized garden without having to prune to maintain the size. This plant rarely has any pest problems, but it is susceptible to some fungal infections, usually brought on by wet conditions in poorly drained soils. This plant will benefit from some fertilizer to keep it looking and performing its best. Deadheading is the best way to keep the plant blooming throughout the year. As soon as the flowers fade and seeding begins, the look and the health of the plant can decline. Once this happens, the plant can be cut back hard to invigorate and encourage new growth.

Common name:Artichoke
Botanical name:Cynara scolymus

This perennial will grow 4' tall and 6'-8' wide. It has silvery green leaves with bluish purple flowers that bloom in spring. Artichoke is a favorite fruit/vegetable of California kitchens but it is a great ornamental plant often overlooked for color contrast. It is very tolerant of little water when planted for ornamental purposes.

Common name:Avocado, Palta
Botanical name:Persea americana

This is a large tree that can grow as large as an oak. Its exotic, semi-tropical, drupe fruit is famous for making guacamole dip. Frost damages this plant.

Common name:Liquidambar, American Sweet Gum
Botanical name:Liquidambar styraciflua

A tall, deciduous tree of upright, pyramidal habit, the liquidamber has dark green, maple-like leaves that turn beautiful shades of red and yellow in the fall season. It can be used as a single specimen, hedge, or grouped plant.

Common name:Iceland Poppy
Botanical name:Papaver nudicaule

This Iceland Poppy produces leaves that are divided with flowers, appearing on stems 1'-2' high. These flowers are cup-shaped to 3" across, and come in colors of yellow, orange, salmon, rose, pink and cream.

Common name:American or African Marigold
Botanical name:Tagetes erecta

This Marigold will grow to about 3' high and has small, green or dark green leaves with orange, yellow, or white flowers that bloom in spring, summer, and fall.