Common name:Fountain Grass
Botanical name:Pennisetum alopecuroides

Pennisetum alopecuroides is a perennial grass. Bright green, 3-4 ft. foliage clumps are topped by pinkish plumes in early summer. Leaves turn yellow in fall, brown in winter.

Common name:Catmint
Botanical name:Nepeta X faassenii

Nepeta faassenii makes soft, gray-green, undulating mounds o 1.5 ft. high in bloom. The small leaves are attractive to cats. This perennial has lavender blue flowers in late spring, and early summer.

Common name:Western Redbud
Botanical name:Cercis occidentalis

This deciduous shrub ranges from 6-20 ft. tall and 10-15 ft. wide. It is desirable for its magenta spring flowers, yellow to red fall color, and dangling winter seed pods. It is tolerant of many soil types, drought and oak root fungus. It attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. The Western Redbud can be found statewide in California in the foothills below 4500 ft. elevations in chaparral and woodland communities - Cornflower Farms

Common name:Manzanita Emerald Carpet
Botanical name:Arctostaphylos 'Emerald Carpet'

The 'Emerald Carpet' is an evergreen groundcover that grows to 1' tall by 6-8' wide. It is favored by many landscapers as the manzanita of choice for inland situations. It has dark green leaves and exhibits compact growth. This variety is relatively tolerant of adverse soil conditions. -Monterey Bay Nursery

Common name:Red Leaf Japanese Barberry
Botanical name:Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea'

A thorny, deciduous shrub growing 4-6' high and as wide, Red Japanese Barberry can be contained with some light pruning in winter. Its purplish-red leaves contrast beautifully against a dark green background. It prefers full sun and regular watering, more in hot summer months. This is a great barrier plant.

Common name:Catmint
Botanical name:Nepeta X faassenii

Nepeta faassenii makes soft, gray-green, undulating mounds o 1.5 ft. high in bloom. The small leaves are attractive to cats. This perennial has lavender blue flowers in late spring, and early summer.

Common name:Society Garlic
Botanical name:Tulbaghia violacea

This clumping perennial will grow less than 1' tall and has narrow, blue green leaves. Clusters of lavender flowers bloom in spring and summer. Leaves and flowers have a distinct onion or garlic smell if crushed.

Common name:Santa Barbara Daisy
Botanical name:Erigeron karvinskianus 'Profusion'

This herbacious perennial quickly grows to 1' tall and 3' wide. White daisy-like flowers with gold centers bloom heavily in spring and fall in the low desert but in higher elevations, bloomtime is only during the summer. The foliage is hairy and gray green. It does better in light shade if planted in the low desert. This plant attracts butterflies. It looks great in rock gardens, crevices, on walls, borders, containers, hanging baskets. It tolerates sand and wind; it does best with well draining, moist soil.

Sustainable Fertilization

If you mulch heavily as recommended in the compost and mulch fact sheets you should not need traditional fertilization. Sustainable landscapes fertilize themselves as soil organisms break down and recycle the dropped leaves into nutrients.

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