My neighbor’s hollyhocks are blooming again. They tower over her garden with huge flowers and I admit to being a wee bit jealous. The old-fashioned garden hollyhock of my childhood storybooks is also called Althaea rosea. They are native to the Mediterranean region which means they make perfect flowers for a low water yard. See? Read More…
Category: drought tolerant
Euryops: Drought Tolerant, Fast Growing Winter Flowering Shrubs For Southern California
If you are looking for a nice drought tolerant shrub that flowers almost year-round try Euryops. I planted these as a quick fix for a bare bed about four years ago. I knew they were fairly fast growing and flowered in winter. The plan was to get something started quick and fill in the blank Read More…
What’s Blooming In Southern California This April
Wondering what to plant now that will bloom next spring? Here are a few heat-resistant, drought-tolerant ideas for you. All of the plants in my garden are growing on rainfall alone. Umm, OK, when it was 120 degrees last year I may have given them a little extra water, but that was it, really. I Read More…
Heat Wave Takes Toll On Southern California Gardens With Sunburned Plants
My plants are frying! OK, so it’s been over 100 degrees here in sunny so Cal for the past few days. That’s OK, it’s called summer, we learned about this in school. And the state of California has declared a drought, and the city of Los Angeles is asking us to reduce our water consumption. Read More…
Leyland Cypress Fast-Growing Drought Tolerant Landscape Screen Plants
Leyland cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii) is a very fast growing tree that grows tall and thin, making them perfect for privacy screen plants in the landscape. These shrubs can grow four to five feet in one season! Their columnar shape helps them fit in along the back of the border or between houses. The top is a Read More…
Flowering Thyme, Drought Tolerant Herb With Elvin Blooms For #FloralFriday
I have a new addition to my drought tolerant herb collection; thyme. Common Thyme or English Thyme (Latin name Thymus vulgaris) is another Mediterranean native, so it’s perfect for my dry garden too. These herbs grow as small shrubs or shrublets with tiny, oval leaves measuring just 1/4 inch long. They are perennial and flower Read More…
Plant Profile: Rosemary Herb Plant Growth And Care
Did you know rosemary is drought tolerant? I’ve just added a new rosemary page to my So Cal gardening site where I try to focus on low water plants. Here are a few excerpts for my gardening blog pals: Fragrant rosemary (rosmarinus officinalis) is a perennial, evergreen shrub. Not only are they wonderful cooking herbs, Read More…
Fall Planting Tips: 3 Flowering Succulent Plants For Drought Tolerant Gardens And Containers
Succulents are plants that are able to store water in their stems and leaves, enabling them to live for long periods of time without water. They are similar to cactus but without the thorns (usually). This is a very large grouping of plants with many different colors, leaf shapes and growth habits. Most flowering succulent Read More…
Flowering Lavender Herb Plants in My Sunny, Dry Southern California Garden
Here is one of my favorite plants; lavender. I have two French lavender plants growing in my garden. Both have been flowering for months now and both have proven to be extremely drought tolerant and beautiful. Even lavender leaves are sticky with essential oils and perfume the air. I use the flowers and leaves for Read More…
Fall Planting Time: Four Flowering Shrubs for Dry Southwestern Gardens
Fall is just around the corner and for gardeners in the southwestern US, it is a great time to think about planting perennial, flowering shrubs. This is also a great time to plan out your landscape for next year, including preparing for more drought! Benefits of planting in autumn is a little extra free water Read More…