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Large Swath of Color
Sunshine Ligustrum
Yarrow
Catmint
Everett's California Fuchsia
Oriental Fountain Grass
Chitalpa
Purple Hopseed Bush or Hop Bush
Golden Spirit Smoke Tree
Sunshine Ligustrum

Common name:Sunshine Ligustrum
Botanical name:Ligustrum sinense 'Sunshine'

Sunshine Ligustrum is a hybrized Ligustrum with charteuse colored leaves. It grows to about 6 ft. in height and 3-4 ft. wide. It makes a great short hedge. Incredible color accent. Full sun to part shade and tough.

Yarrow

Common name:Yarrow
Botanical name:Achillea millefolium

This Achillea features spreading mats of fern-like rosettes, along with deeply divided leaves of a green or gray green color. In this form, the flowers are usually a white tone. Stems can reach 2'-3' above foliage. 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.

Catmint

Common name:Catmint
Botanical name:Nepeta X faassenii

Nepeta faassenii makes soft, gray green, undulating mounds that are 1.5' high when blooming. The small leaves are attractive to cats. This perennial has lavender blue flowers in late spring and early summer.

Everett's California Fuchsia

Common name:Everett's California Fuchsia
Botanical name:Epilobium californica 'Everett's Choice'

The California Fuchsia is a perennial that is also a ground cover since it reaches less than 1' tall. It does spread 4'-5' wide. Foliage is dense and fuzzy that is gray green with whitish hairs. Everett's Choice is more mounding and low to the ground than the parent plant. This California native has red, narrow, trumpet-shaped blooms from late summer through fall that attract hummingbirds. Deer resistant. It prefers full sun in coastal areas but will appreciate afternoon shade in warm inland areas. Established plants are drought tolerant but could use more water during hot summer months. This plant tolerates poor soil but does best in well draining soil. After first year, prune in winter.

Oriental Fountain Grass

Common name:Oriental Fountain Grass
Botanical name:Pennisetum orientale

Oriental Fountain Grass is a clumping, warm-season grass with spectacular pink flowers.

Chitalpa

Common name:Chitalpa
Botanical name:Chitalpa tashkentensis 'Pink Dawn'

This medium size deciduous tree grows rapidly to 20-30' high and as wide, producing long, pointed, deep green leaves. Upon these leaves grow the pink to white trumpet shaped flowers with purple markings. Over a long season, these flowers will appear in showy clusters.

Purple Hopseed Bush or Hop Bush

Common name:Purple Hopseed Bush or Hop Bush
Botanical name:Dodonaea viscosa 'Purpurea'

This fast-growing shrub has an upright, branching habit that reaches a height of 12'-15', with willow-like leaves that are 4" in length. Its foliage is bronzy-green in color, which turns a reddish-purple shade in the fall and winter. It has compact growth and requires full sun for the best results.

Golden Spirit Smoke Tree

Common name:Golden Spirit Smoke Tree
Botanical name:Cotinus coggygria 'Golden Spirit'

Golden Spirit Smoke Tree or 'Ancot' is a cultivar of the Cotinus clan with changing color foliage. This striking color, shockingly bright actually, makes it a natural focal point and specimen plant. It is a multi-stemmed shrub that can grow up to 8' tall and 6' wide in 10 years, thus resembling a small tree. Rounded leaves emerge in spring with lime green color, changing to gold in summer and then turning to coral or red in fall before dropping leaves. Pink flower plumes emerge during summer. This shrub does best in full or part sun with well draining, fertile soil. It needs regular watering when root system is being established, then occasional deep watering and more during hot spells. It has a rounded habit and can be pruned every few years to tidy plant and promote colorful foliage. Fertilize in spring.

Designer: Susan Morrison

Large Swath of Color
Image: 7 of 15

Photographer: Vicki Anderson

 

Soils and Compost:

Physical weed control, including mulching, or hand removal protects the watershed from harmful chemicals.

Water-Saving Tip:

Change spray sprinklers to low-flow bubbler or drip systems. Shrubs and trees are ideal candidates for this type of irrigation because the water is applied directly to the root zones.

Integrated Pest Management:

Drip and other smart irrigation delivers water directly to roots, allowing no excess water for weeds.