Common name:Jerusalem Sage
Botanical name:Phlomis fruticosa

This hardy perennial is a useful, old-time garden plant with coarse, woolly gray green, wrinkled leaves and yellow, 1" flowers in ball-shaped whorls. It handles drought and poor soils but needs full sun.

Common name:Lamb's Ears
Botanical name:Stachys byzantina

This tiny, herbaceous shrub will grow less than 1' tall and has medium sized, grayish green leaves with blue and lavender flowers that bloom in the spring.

Common name:Artichoke
Botanical name:Cynara scolymus

This perennial will grow 4' tall and 6'-8' wide. It has silvery green leaves with bluish purple flowers that bloom in spring. Artichoke is a favorite fruit/vegetable of California kitchens but it is a great ornamental plant often overlooked for color contrast. It is very tolerant of little water when planted for ornamental purposes.

Common name:Yarrow Moonshine
Botanical name:Achillea 'Moonshine'

Pale yellow flowers appear to float on long, slender stems. Leaves are green to gray-green leaves, which are flatter and less divided than those of the Achillea millefolium. Yarrows propagate easily from rooted cuttings or division, which should be perfo Yarrows propagate easily from rooted cuttings or division, which should be performed in the early spring or fall. Following bloom, one should dead head the plant and divide the clumps when it appears crowded.

Common name:Peruvian Lily, Alstroemeria
Botanical name:Alstroemeria hybrids

The deciduous rhizomes of this Peruvian Lily will often run aggressively if not controlled. They grow best in full to partial sun with some summer watering in dry climates. The florist strains can reach 6' tall, while the compact strains range from 12" 36" tall. For extra long, florist quality stems, stake or grow through netting for support.

Pest Management

Are pests bugging you? If pests are taking over there might be a good reason! Instead of grabbing that bottle of spray, consider using techniques that can solve your pest problems without toxic pesticides.

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