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.

Common name:Tricolor Mountain Flax
Botanical name:Phormium cookianum hookeri 'Tricolor'

Standing 6' high, this variety of Phormium is yellow with green and light rose variegation.

Common name:Concha California Lilac
Botanical name:Ceanothus 'Concha'

Concha is a lilac that grows 6'-8' in height and width. It has small narrow leaves with intense dark blue flower clusters in spring. It is tolerant of coastal and inland conditions. -Cornflower Farms

Common name:Yellow Moraea, Fortnight Lily
Botanical name:Dietes bicolor

This clumping perennial Iris relative stands 3'-4' high. It has light yellow, iris-like flowers with maroon blotches that are about 2" wide. It performs best in full sun and in soil with good drainage.

Common name:Freeway Daisy, Trailing African Dai
Botanical name:Osteospermum fruticosum

This groundcover will grow 1'-3' tall and has medium-sized, green leaves with purple or blue flowers that can bloom all year.

Common name:Santa Barbara Daisy, Mexican Daisy
Botanical name:Erigeron karvinskianus

This low mounding perennial, with fine leaves and white to pinkish, daisy-like flowers, is an excellent asset to rock gardens.

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.

Click in the green box for more information