Common name:Sweet Pea
Botanical name:Lathyrus odoratus

This is an old-fashioned, all time favorite annual. Sweet Pea is a sweet scented, flowering vine for spring and early summer gardens.

Common name:Blue Potato Bush
Botanical name:Lycianthes rantonnetii

This plant will grow 6 x 8' wide and produces beautiful purple flowers tha bloom all year. It does best in full sun and is very drought tolerant.

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:Fox Tail Agave, Velvet Agave
Botanical name:Agave attenuata

This Agave has a dramatic tropical form. Even light frost can damage its succulent leaves. It is great for containers. In the low desert, partial sun will be best. If it becomes top heavy, simply cut and stick in the ground to root. It is not a fast grower and has light green foliage. It will also die after flowering but pups around the mother will survive. Distinctive with its large rosette of leaves perched on a long curving trunk, it is a native from Mexico.

Common name:Tuscan Blue Upright Rosemary
Botanical name:Rosmarinus officinalis 'Tuscan Blue'

The Upright Rosemary is an upright shrub that grows 3'-6' tall. It has dark green leaves and bright, showy, lavender blue flowers throughout the year. This shrub is drought tolerant and attracts butterflies.

Common name:Silver Mound Artemisia
Botanical name:Artemisia schmidtiana 'Silver Mound'

This mounding perennial will grow 1'-3' high and has medium-sized silvery white leaves with yellow and white flowers.

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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