Rockrose Front Yard

Common name:Butterfly Iris
Botanical name:Dietes vegeta

This clumping evergreen iris bears tall, narrow leaves to 30" tall and white flowers marked purple in the center on stalks to 3' tall. This variety has stiffer, darker foiliage than the bicolor form. It requires sun to part shade with little or no summer watering when established. -Monterey Bay Nursery

Common name:CatMint
Botanical name:Nepeta faassenii

Nepeta faassenii makes soft, gray-green, undulating mounds o 1.5 ft. high in bloom. The small leaves are attractive to cats. This perennial has lavender blue flowers in late spring, and early summer.

Common name:Orchid Spot Rockrose
Botanical name:Cistus purpureus

This is a consistently good performer, with leaves of 1-2" inches that are dark green on top, and gray and hairy beneath. Its long, blooming 3" wide flowers are a reddish-purple color with a red spot at the base of each petal, and are quite attractive. It can be pruned regularly. This plant is a small evergreen shrub with narrow wavyedged aromatic leaves. It has large rosy crimson flowers with a maroon blotch at the base. It has yellow stamens.

Common name:Foothill Penstemon
Botanical name:Penstemon heterophyllus

This perennial will grow 1.5'-2' tall and 2-3' wide. It has glossy, blue/green foliage with flowers that vary in color and bloom from spring through early summer.

Soils and Compost:

Practice grass-cycling by leaving short grass clippings on lawns after mowing, so that nutrients and organic matter are returned to the soil.

Water Saving Tip:

Even during our hottest months we don't need to water daily.

Give your plants a chance to breath.

Water late at night or in the early morning hours to avoid losses to wind and evaporation.

Integrated Pest Management:

Attract, or buy beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewings to control pest outbreaks in your garden.