Common name:Maiden Grass
Botanical name:Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus'

The 'Gracillimus' is a taller variety, often growing to 6-8' tall with delicate feathery plumes and very thin graceful leaves. It should receive sun to part shade, and average to little summer watering. -Monterey Bay Nursery M

Common name:Silver Arrow Miscanthus
Botanical name:Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberfeder'

Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberfeder' grows 5-6 ft. tall and wide. The bright green foliage has an attractive silver streak throught the middle of each leaf. The flowers shoot up 2-3 ft. above the foliage.

Common name:Quartz Creek Rush
Botanical name:Juncus effusus pac. 'Quartz Creek'

This selection of a vibrant green reed is widely used in landscapes due to its carefree nature and rigid upright structure. This Juncus initially grows very rapidily and then slows to eventually clump to 36" wide. It will reach a height of approximately 24-36". Reguires fairly regular water in the warmer months to perform well.

Common name:Early Sunrise Coreopsis
Botanical name:Coreopsis grandiflora 'Early Sunrise'

The 'Early Sunrise' is a wonderful cultivar and showy, southern U.S. native. Golden yellow double flowers on 2' bushy plants bloom from June to September in full sun and average to dry soils. It makes for good cut flowers, and pruning keeps the plants abundant with blooms. -Holland WIldflower Farm

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.

Common name:Dwarf Strawberry Tree
Botanical name:Arbutus unedo 'Compacta'

This is a compact evergreen shrub that grows to 5 ft. high. It has white flowers and red fruit throughout the year. It is also a very clean, colorful , " deer resistant " shrub.

Common name:Variegated Japanese Silver Grass
Botanical name:Miscanthus sinensis 'Variegatus'

This tall,mounding grass will grow to about 6' high and has seasonally deciduous, greenish/white variegated leaves.

Dealing With Drought

More than half of the water used at your home is for outside purposes. Studies show that on average, half of the water used outdoors is wasted. The leading cause of waste is incorrectly set and poorly managed irrigation controllers. The second biggest cause of wastage is broken irrigation equipment that goes undetected. There are a few basic things you can do to make a big difference in your water use.

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