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:Morning Light Silver Grass
Botanical name:Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light'

The 'Morning Light' is also a taller variety, growing to 6'-8' tall with delicate feathery plumes and very thin graceful leaves. This is a variegated form. It should receive sun to part shade, and average to little summer watering. Tall grasses are highly combustible.

Common name:Mediterranean Tree Mallow
Botanical name:Lavatera maritima

This large, shrubby perennial grows up to 8' and has profuse lavender pink flowers with maroon highlights. From the Mallow family, the flowers are produced year round and are especially showy in the fall.

Maintenance Tips

Lavatera maritima is a tall, woody shrub that is commonly called Tree Mallow. The plant can grow up to 8' tall and about 4-6' wide. This is a very low-maintenance plant if it is given the space to reach its full mature size. It is very attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees and rarely has any pest problems. It is very fast growing and will send out large hibiscus-shaped flowers throughout the summer. If it is planted in a sunny, well-drained location and the winter is dry and mild, this shrub can continue to bloom throughout the year. It is susceptible to root rot or other fungal diseases, which are often the result of overwatering during the hottest months of the year. This plant will do best with very little water once established. If it requires pruning to improve the shape, stick to the thinning method - pruning back the tallest branches to the center and allowing sunlight to reach the interior of the plant.

Common name:Parasol Aeonium
Botanical name:Aeonium arboreum

Parasol Aeonium is an upright succulent with rosette leaf clusters. It forms a mound and can be easily propagated by cuttings.

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:Bearded Iris
Botanical name:Iris Bearded Hybrids

This perennial will grow 1'-3' tall and has medium size, blue green leaves with wonderful flowers that come in a variety of colors.

Common name:Curly Top Sedge
Botanical name:Carex buchananii

This orange bronze ornamental grass/reed is 2'-3' tall and 1'-2' wide and does best in full sun to part shade.