Palmer’s Indian Mallow
Abutilon palmeri
- Plant Form: Shrub, perennial herb
- Water Use: Extremely low
- Mature Size: 4-6 ft. tall and 3-5 ft. wide
- Exposure: Full sun
- Bloom Time: Spring (Mar – May), Summer (June – Aug), Year-round
- Native to: Southern California, SW U.S., Northern Mexico
- Hardiness: Cold hardy to 20°F
This Southern California native plant grows so fast and lush, it’s hard to believe it hails from America’s dry southwest deserts and requires so little water. Its velvety leaves are so soft (think horses’ noses), you’ll want to pet them! Use its interesting, silky-haired fruits in dry flower arrangements, and enjoy its orange flowers most of the year.
Palmer’s Indian Mallow has lush subtropical foliage and fast growth that belies its extreme tolerance for heat, drought, and poor soil. This mallow is a relatively rare native of the American southwest, but its qualities are so prized, it is grown by dozens of nurseries across the West. Soft, velvety, heart-shaped leaves cover this herbaceous plant, forming a silvery backdrop to its golden flowers which are most prolific in spring and summer, but can appear almost year-round. Its multi-parted, silky-haired fruits are used in dry flower arrangements. Although happiest in rocky or sandy well-draining soil with only occasional irrigation under full or reflected sun, it does appreciate light shade in the hottest inland deserts. Cage young plants against rabbit nibbling. After flowering, cut flower stems back to the first set of full leaves for a tidier shape. Protect from hard frosts, and trim back any frost-damaged tips. Place near seating areas or pathways to fully enjoy its soft, touchable texture.
Check out our “Garden Tasks” for October
Autumn Daffodil
Sternbergia lutea
- Plant Form: Perennial bulb
- Water Use: Low
- Mature Size: 0.25 – 0.5 ft. tall and wide
- Exposure: Full sun
- Bloom Time: Fall (Sept – Oct)
- Native to: Southern Europe, Asia
- Hardiness: Cold hardy to 28°F
This cheery surprise arrives to brighten your garden in the fall, seeming to appear out of nowhere. Autumn Daffodil bulbs sleep underground all summer, then burst up with bunches of yellow, waxy flowers in September and October, closely followed by clusters of strap-shaped leaves all winter. This plant’s charm and easy maintenance has garnered it awards — once you plant your own, you’ll know why.
Autumn Daffodil pops up through bare ground when you least expect it, just as autumn arrives. Its crocus-like, goblet-shaped, waxy yellow flowers each appear singly on 5 to 6-inch-tall stems. Soon after, deep green, strap-shaped leaves emerge that persist through winter, feeding the bulbs so they survive through their summer dormancy. Eventually these leaves disappear in spring until the next fall bloom. This heirloom bulb is so ridiculously easy to grow, and looks so charming, it has earned the prestigious “Award of Garden Merit” from the Royal Horticultural Society for its outstanding qualities. Happily, rabbits and deer rarely bother this plant. Plant bulbs 5-6 inches deep and 4-6 inches apart in late summer. Accepts most soil types, but they must be well-drained. Prefers full sun, and hot and dry summer months, so don’t give it too much summer water. Brightens up border fronts, rock gardens, cottage gardens, Mediterranean gardens, foundations, containers (with evergreen companion plants), pathways, and sidewalks.
Check out our “Garden Tasks” for September
Blonde Ambition Blue Grama Grass
Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’
- Plant Form: Perennial grass
- Water Use: Very low
- Mature Size: 2-3 ft. tall and wide
- Exposure: Full sun
- Bloom Time: Spring (Mar – May), Summer (June – Aug)
- Native to: Southern California, Canada, North America, Mexico
- Hardiness: Cold hardy to -30°F
There are so many desirable aspects of this interesting bunchgrass that Blonde Ambition Blue Grama Grass is bound to find at least one way into every gardener’s heart. It is long lived, deep rooted, drought tolerant, very low water-use, extremely cold tolerant, heat tolerant, deer resistant, can tolerate foot traffic and mowing, provides winter interest with distinctive seed heads, attracts songbirds, is comfy in containers, and even makes interesting dried flower arrangements. Can you resist it?
Blue Grama Grass is a long-lived bunchgrass with distinctive seed heads that look like curved combs or blonde sets of eyelashes. Its unique seed heads hover horizontally above green foliage from summer into fall, starting out chartreuse, then turning brown, and finally blonde (hinting at this selection’s name). In winter, its leaves also dry to a tan color, so this warm-season bunchgrass looks best when cut back in early spring to 2-3 inches above the ground to remove last winter’s dry leaves and flower spikes. Don’t prune too soon, though–the dried, tan seed heads are interesting all winter, and wintering songbirds love the seeds. This drought-tolerant, extremely cold-hardy grass fits into any garden style, including rock gardens, Mediterranean gardens, meadow gardens and naturalized areas. Lovely as a specimen plant, or along sunny paths, in borders and beds, in containers, or massed as a groundcover. Tolerates foot traffic and mowing, so it makes a great choice for drought-tolerant lawns. Its interesting flowers work wonders in dried arrangements.
Check out our “Garden Tasks” for August
Carob Tree
Ceratonia siliqua
- Plant Form: Evergreen tree, shrub
- Water Use: Very low
- Mature Size: 30-45 ft. tall and wide
- Exposure: Full sun
- Bloom Time: Fall (Sept – Nov)
- Native to: Mediterranean region, Iran
- Hardiness: Cold hardy to 20°F
Evergreen shade trees that can take the heat, cold, wind, and drought of our deserts are hard to come by, but Carob Tree takes all those challenges in stride. After established with infrequent watering, little or no summer water may be needed for Carob Trees to survive. You can train this plant into a tree for shade, or allow it to remain a shrub to create a windbreak, sound barrier, or tall hedge.
Carob Tree, best known for its cultivated seed pods used as a substitute for chocolate, is also valued for its ornamental landscape qualities. Its dense canopy of glossy, evergreen foliage makes a wonderful shade tree. Allowed to grow naturally, it retains its bushy form as a multi-stemmed shrub with branches to the ground, useful as a big hedge. If the plant is trained as a tree, with lower branches removed, it grows into a dense, rounded tree. Trees are either male or female, with both needed to produce carob fruit. Female trees produce flattened, brown leathery pods 1 foot long, which can be messy and may require occasional clean-up. Request a male tree to avoid fruit drop. Young trees may need winter protection the first year or two. Water infrequently and deeply until established, after which little or no summer water may be needed. Use as a shade tree, windbreak, sound barrier, or tall hedge.
Check out our “Garden Tasks” for July
Creeping Thyme
Thymus praecox ssp. articus
- Plant Form: Groundcover, perennial herb
- Water Use: Very low, low
- Mature Size: 2-3 in. tall x 1.5-2.5 ft. wide
- Exposure: Full sun, part shade
- Bloom Time: Summer (June – August), Fall (Sept)
- Native to: Europe
- Hardiness: Cold hardy to 10°F
This low, mat-forming groundcover is delightful in so many ways; it is low maintenance, low water-using, it attracts butterflies when in bloom, it releases a pleasant fragrance when crushed under light foot traffic, and it softens hard edges of anything from rocks to walls, ledges to dry banks. Let your Creeping Thyme cascade over a container or spread out as a lawn substitute.
Creeping Thyme is a low evergreen ground cover that fits into small spaces but seems to bring big smiles to everyone passing by. It has a pleasant, spicy fragrance when crushed, and it will tolerate light foot traffic to release its scent. The stems spread out horizontally, taking root to form a flat mat, easily spreading over rocks, ledges, or a dry bank. In summer, this mounding plant produces a bounty of lilac or pink flowers that attract butterflies. This low water-use plant is also low maintenance, needing only slight pruning to maintain shape. Creeping Thyme does best in well-drained soils, and suffers in wet or poorly-drained soils. Perfect in pots, between rocks or stepping stones, draping over walls or banks, as a lawn substitute, or in any small area that needs a touch of magic (try it in a fairy garden).
Check out our “Garden Tasks” for June
Smokey Coast Rosemary
Westringia fruticosa ‘Smokey’
- Plant Form: Evergreen Shrub
- Water Use: Low
- Mature Size: 3-6 ft. tall x 4-5 ft. wide
- Exposure: Full sun, part shade
- Bloom Time: Spring (March – May),
Summer (June – August) - Native to: Australia
- Hardiness: Cold hardy to 20°F
This compact, neat shrub is a favorite of landscape professionals because of its low maintenance needs, drought tolerance, versatility, and the beautiful contrast of its foliage with green-leaved companion plants.
Smokey Coast Rosemary is a rugged Australian native with dainty evergreen leaves covered in soft white hair that makes the whole plant appear “smokey”. Its dark green leaves are edged in creamy white margins, creating attractive foliage year-round. Small, two-lipped white flowers tinged in purple can appear almost any time of year, but are most prolific in spring. Landscape professionals commonly use this outstanding plant because it is fast-growing, versatile, strong, drought-tolerant, and resilient. This compact shrub retains a neat, globe shape without pruning, and lends itself to low borders or hedges, as well as mass plantings, accents among green-leaved companions, and for erosion control. Beautiful in butterfly and Mediterranean gardens.
