Common name:Yellow Bird Of Paradise
Botanical name:Caesalpinia gilliesii
This Bird of Paradise is an upright, fast growing small tree or large shrub, 10' tall by 8' wide. Clusters of yellow flowers have long red stamens. Natural growth habit is irregular and open, but can be pruned to encourage dense growth. It is quite hardy and can be frost tolerant. As pods mature, they split spewing seeds. Ripe seeds are poisonous. It may be somewhat invasive but it is easy to control. This plant is drought tolerant.
Common name:Verbena
Botanical name:Verbena peruviana
This perennial forms a flat mat that covers an area rapidly. It has dark green leaves with clusters of bright flowers that bloom all year. Hybrids will have a little more height, different flower colors and spread more slowly. It is drought tolerant.
Common name:Trailing Germander
Botanical name:Teucrium X lucidrys
This mini-shrub with small, shiny, dark green leaves on woody stems can be sheared and shaped. The stems trail and rise to 24", with lovely, reddish purple flowers between the upper leaves. It can be used as a low hedge plant in herbal knot gardens. To encourage branching, it should be pruned in the spring. -Holland WIldflower Farm
Designer: Joe Varonin | Tiled Steps |
Photographer: Nancy Warfel |
Maintain a two to four inch layer of mulch on the soil surface to reduce weeds, infiltrate rain water, and reduce compaction.
Check your irrigation controller once a month, and adjust as necessary.
Most plants require only one-third as much water in winter as they do in summer.
Develop healthy soil for plants that are vigorous and naturally pest-resistant.