Common name:Brown Sedge
Botanical name:Carex testacea

Brown Sedge is an evergreen perennial that reaches 2' tall bearing very narrow, coppery brown leaves splitting to hair-like threads at their tips, and continuing to grow to 4'-8' in length. This plant should be grown in sun with little or no summer watering.

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:Incana Cranesbill
Botanical name:Geranium incanum

Geranium incanum is grown as a trailing or mounding perennial to a size of 1' tall, spreading by underground runners to cover relatively large areas if healthy. Its foliage has a wispy, ferny texture. The dark, rosy violet flowers can appear almost all year in areas of mild climates. The plant needs good drainage, and most suffer die back in cold winters. Proper growth conditions include sun with little or no summer watering.

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: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: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:Pink Muhly Regal Mist
Botanical name:Muhlenbergia capillaris 'Regal Mist'

Fast growing grass forms 3' dense rosette. During bloom period in fall, a haze of frothy deep pink flowers cover the plant. Small clump grass with narrow glossy green leaves. It will go dormant in the winter and should be cut to ground in spring. Accepts full sun, reflected sun or light shade. Native to eastern Texas.

Maintenance Tips

Muhlenbergia capillaris 'Regal Mist' is a large, dramatic grass with a dome-shaped structure arching in all directions. The foliage can reach 2-3' tall and the wispy pink flowers can rise another 12-15" in the summer. This grass requires almost no maintenance if it is planted in its ideal conditions. A sunny location, well-drained soil, and the space to reach its mature size will ensure that it thrives without having to prune for size or shape. It is common to cut back perennial grasses very hard in the winter to prune off the old spent flowers. If you are planning on winter pruning, it is best to wait until you see some new foliage emerge so the newly emerging leaves can cover the cuts quickly.

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.