Common name:Irene Rosemary
Botanical name:Rosmarinus officinalis 'Irene'

This evergreen shrub will grow 1'-1.5' tall and 2'-3' wide. It has small, dark green leaves with rich, lavender blue flowers that bloom all year.

Common name:Windmill Palm, Hemp Palm
Botanical name:Trachycarpus fortunei

This easy-to-grow palm of medium height will mature to a size of 30' tall, and its slender trunk is covered with dense, heavy fiber topped with a crown of rich green, fan-shaped leaves.

Common name:Jerusalem Sage
Botanical name:Phlomis fruticosa

This hardy perennial is a useful, old-time garden plant with coarse, woolly gray green, wrinkled leaves and yellow, 1" flowers in ball-shaped whorls. It handles drought and poor soils but needs full sun.

Maintenance Tips

Phlomis fruticose is an herbaceous shrub that is native to the Mediterranean region but is frequently used in California native gardens. This is a dense shrub that can reach 4' tall and wide with whorls of bright yellow flowers reaching another 12" above the foliage. This plant has fuzzy leaves that can be quite irritating to the skin, eyes, and sinuses, so minimal pruning on these plants is desirable. To keep the pruning to a minimum, plant these plants in sunny locations with well-drained soil and give them 4-5' of space to reach their mature size. They send out the majority of their blooms in the spring and summer. Once the flowers are spent, the plant can be deadheaded or even sheared back to about a third. The plant will start sending out new growth quickly and possibly send out new blooms if the weather stays warm. Although this is an herbaceous plant, shearing will cause it to develop some woody branches in the interior. The plant will benefit greatly from occasional thinning of the branches to allow sunlight into the interior.

Common name:Kangeroo Paws Big Red
Botanical name:Anigozanthos 'Big Red'

Anigozanthos flavidus 'Tall Red' is a perennial with dark green, smooth, swordlike evergreen leaves. It produces spikes of striking, fuzzy, tubular, red flowers that are curved at the tips. The flowers attract hummingbirds. Flowers bloom from late spring to fall if spent flowering spikes are cut to the ground. It makes for a good cut flower.

Maintenance Tips

Anigozanthos 'Big Red' is one of the largest Kangaroo Paws. It is an evergreen perennial with a strappy leaf structure and flower stalks that can rise 6' or more into the air. This is a very low-maintenance plant that only requires deadheading the spent blooms to keep it looking and performing its best. When the bright red flower starts to fade to a wheat color, that would be the time for cleaning up the plant. The old flower stalks will not re-bloom, so they should be cut back completely down inside of the foliage. New flower stalks will emerge throughout the spring and summer. Along the coast or in humid climates, this plant is susceptible to some fungal diseases. Plant them in well-drained soil in areas that are on the dry side to help avoid such problems. They are also very attractive to snails and slugs, so it is best to avoid conditions where these pests thrive.

Common name:Daylily (hybrid selection)
Botanical name:Hemerocallis hybrids

These summer-blooming perennials form clumps with large, grass-like leaves. Its showy flowers, resembling lilies, are borne in clusters on stems held well above the foliage. Daylilies can be found in many colors: yellow, orange, red, purple, pink or multi-colored. Hemerocallis does better in well-draining soil and with extra summer water. Hemerocallis are very hardy,with few or none pests/problems.

Common name:Peruvian Lily, Alstroemeria
Botanical name:Alstroemeria hybrids

The deciduous rhizomes of this Peruvian Lily will often run aggressively if not controlled. They grow best in full to partial sun with some summer watering in dry climates. The florist strains can reach 6' tall, while the compact strains range from 12" 36" tall. For extra long, florist quality stems, stake or grow through netting for support.

Common name:French Lavender, Toothed Lavender
Botanical name:Lavandula dentata

This lavender has green leaves and will grow 3' tall and 5' wide. It has lavender flowers that are prominent in the spring and summer months.