Common name:Catmint
Botanical name:Nepeta X faassenii
Nepeta faassenii makes soft, gray green, undulating mounds that are 1.5' high when blooming. The small leaves are attractive to cats. This perennial has lavender blue flowers in late spring and early summer.
Common name:Mundi Rosemary
Botanical name:Westringia fruticosa 'Mundi'
A great groundcover form of coastal rosemary. Used as a specimen or in mass, Mundi is great for tough roadsides and residential gardens alike. Best suited to Zones 9-11 in arid climates although Mundi continues to show potential for low water gardens in humid regions. It’s super short height and infrequent pruning requirement distinguish Mundi from other Westringia currently on the market. Coastal rosemary, so named for its rosemary-like leaves, is a drought and salt tolerant shrub that works well in coastal plantings. Some Westringia varieties, including Mundi, are also proving to be adapt to humid, subtropical climates of the southeastern US. So while Westringia are best suited to Mediterranean climates.
Common name:Miss Lemonâ„¢ Abelia
Botanical name:Abelia X gra. 'Miss Lemon'
An outstanding Abelia with bright variegated foliage that starts yellow with green centers when young, then matures to ivory and green. Produces a heavy bloom of white flowers for summer and fall.
Common name:Whale's Tongue Agave
Botanical name:Agave ovatifolia
This versatile Agave is a solitary plant, growing quite large, with rosettes that can reach 7' across. Leaves are grayish white color with small marginal teeth. The leaf blade is short, wide and distinctively cupped, thus the common name, Whale's Tongue. This Agave looks great in a pot on a patio, under trees, with large boulders or planted with other succulents. It can take intense heat and cold. It grows moderately fast but prefers well drained soil.
Common name:Sunshine Ligustrum
Botanical name:Ligustrum sinense 'Sunshine'
Sunshine Ligustrum is a hybrized Ligustrum with charteuse colored leaves. It grows to about 6 ft. in height and 3-4 ft. wide. It makes a great short hedge. Incredible color accent. Full sun to part shade and tough.
Common name:Horsetail Restio
Botanical name:Elegia capensis
This attractive perennial resembles a grass gone wild. Stalks reach 6'-8' tall, with even spacing of long feathery branches and paper-like bracts. Plants can spread 7' wide. Clusters of small brown flowers appear above foliage in fall and winter. This plant needs constant moisture and well draining soil in full or part sun. It is dramatic when moving in the wind.
Designer: Susan Morrison
Photographer: Vicki Anderson
Practice grass-cycling by leaving short grass clippings on lawns after mowing, so that nutrients and organic matter are returned to the soil.
Drip and other smart irrigation delivers water directly to roots, allowing no excess water for weeds.