Common name:Canyon Prince Wild Rye
Botanical name:Leymus condensatus 'Canyon Prince'

One of the best known and utilized native grass selections in Southern California, this beautiful, blue gray foliage spreads out 3'-4' or more. It will reach a height of 2'-3'. It rarely flowers. It does spread by rhizomes although not as vigorously as some closely related species. It can be extremely drought tolerant and care must be taken not to over water this species as it can rot from the center. Otherwise, it is carefree and requires virtually no maintenance.

Common name:Kangaroo Paw 'Yellow'
Botanical name:Anigozanthos 'Yellow'

This herbaceous perennial can reach 4'-6' tall and 2'-3' wide. Kangaroo Paw has strap-like leaves and fuzzy tubular-shaped, yellow flowers that bloom in spring and fade as summer progresses. They can be used for cut or dried flowers. The flowers have nectar which attract hummingbirds. Kangaroo Paw does well in full sun and looks great in borders, mass plantings, and in pots. It can do well in drought tolerant conditions. It prefers sandy soil and deep, infrequent watering.

Common name:Kangaroo Paws Big Red
Botanical name:Anigozanthos 'Big Red'

Anigozanthos flavidus 'Tall Red' is a perennial with dark green, smooth, swordlike evergreen leaves. It produces spikes of striking, fuzzy, tubular flowers in yellow-green, tinged with red that are curved at the tips. The flowers attract hummingbirds. Flowers bloom from late spring to fall if spent flowering spikes are cut to the ground. It makes for a good cut flower.

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:Provence Lavender
Botanical name:Lavandula X intermedia 'Provence'

With tall 24"-30" stems, 'Provence' has true, lavender colored flowers that are fragrant and excellent for cutting. It flowers in early June and has large, gray green leaves.

Common name:Ferned-Leaved Tickseed
Botanical name:Bidens ferulifolia 'Goldmarie'

Tickseed grows 14'-18" tall. It is a heat tolerant variety that is perfect for cascading, bright color in baskets, containers, and window boxes. Finely divided foliage is covered with gold, single flowers. It blooms until first frost. Plant in full sun. It needs well-drained soi.

Common name:Trailing Germander
Botanical name:Teucrium X lucidrys

This mini-shrub with small, shiny, dark green leaves on woody stems can be sheared and shaped. The stems trail and rise to 24", with lovely, reddish purple flowers between the upper leaves. It can be used as a low hedge plant in herbal knot gardens. To encourage branching, it should be pruned in the spring.

Using Permeable Surfaces

If you have impermeable paving that you would like to make permeable, there are two main methods for doing so:
1. Break up hard paved surfaces to create spaces for water to seep through.
2. Remove and replace the surfaces with permeable paving.

Click in the green box for more information

This permeable paving has sand grouting rather than sealed grouting allowing water to percolate between the stones.

Common name:New Zealand Flax, Purple
Botanical name:Phormium tenax 'Atropurpureum'

Phormium tenax 'Atropurpureum' is an evergreen perennial. Big, dramatic plant composed of many swordlike, stiffly vertical leaves can reach 5' tall. Leaves are purple red. Flowers stems reach high above leaves, bearing clusters of 1"-2" blossoms in dark red.