Common name:Golden Barrel Cactus
Botanical name:Echinocactus grusonii

Golden Barrel Cactus has a globe shaped trunk and vertical ribs lined with thick rows of golden spines. It grows slowly to 3' tall. It looks handsome in containers. It can thrive in full sun but prefers some shade in low desert. This cactus prefers well drained soil and rots with poor drainage.

Common name:Princess Flower
Botanical name:Tibouchina urvilleana

The Princess Flower is a rangy, loosely constructed evergreen shrub with oval, velvety leaves that are 3"-6" in length. Dramatic and elegant, 3" wide royal purple flowers form at the ends of the branches during the warm season. The shrub has very eye-catching flowers. When grown in the warmer valley areas, this plant prefers protection from hot, drying winds.

Common name:Protea
Botanical name:Protea cultivars

This attractive flowering plant produces large tight clusters that are tubular in form and are surrounded by colored bracts. Therefore, a very colorful artichoke or thistle will bloom. As cut flowers, their color will endure for weeks, and their shape will remain long afterward.

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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