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Tour: Lamb's Ear Garden

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Lamb's Ear Garden Olive and Rock
Olive, Edible Olive
Bird of Paradise
Mendocino Reed Grass
Nandina, Heavenly Bamboo
New Zealand Flax
Dwarf Vinca or Periwinkle
Snow-In-Summer
Olive, Edible Olive

Common name:Olive, Edible Olive
Botanical name:Olea europaea

This broad tree will slowly grow to 20'-30' tall and wide. It has small, grey-green, evergreen leaves. Small white fragrant flowers bloom in spring, followed by fleshy black fruit that appears in fall. Fruit is messy and can stain sidewalks. There are cultivars that do not produce fruit. Some folks are allergic to the blooms. This tree is very long lived, with a beautiful gnarled trunk. It prefers full sun and low watering in summer months (twice a month) and none during the winter, when established.

Bird of Paradise

Common name:Bird of Paradise
Botanical name:Strelitzia reginae

This shrub will grow to 6' tall and has large, grey-green fronds with orange, blue, white, or multi-colored flowers that bloom throughout the year.

Mendocino Reed Grass

Common name:Mendocino Reed Grass
Botanical name:Calamagrostis foliosa

This tufted perennial bunchgrass is native to the Northern California coastal scrub. It forms a beautiful, dense mound of grey-green leaves that reach 2' tall, with showy arching buff colred flower stalks to 3' tall in spring and summer. Reed Grass foliage turn into an attractive purple coloration in the fall and winter. This evergreen should be grown under sun, with little or no summer watering required. -Monterey Bay Nursery

Nandina, Heavenly Bamboo

Common name:Nandina, Heavenly Bamboo
Botanical name:Nandina domestica

Nandina domestica is a graceful upright shrub that grows from 3'-6' in height. It gets its name from its bamboo-like growth habit. When thinned from the center it bears a remarkable resemblance to bamboo. It is best used in groups. It can be used in a shaded patio or out in a shrub border with full sun. An interesting feature of Heavenly Bamboo is the bronze color in the new growth when planted in full sun. It also bears clusters of white flowers in the spring.

New Zealand Flax

Common name:New Zealand Flax
Botanical name:Phormium tenax

New Zealand Flax is a large, bold plant with stiffly vertical, sword-like, green leaves that arise from its base. It should be grown under full sun for best color. Varieties will offer different growth habits and leaf color.

Dwarf Vinca or Periwinkle

Common name:Dwarf Vinca or Periwinkle
Botanical name:Vinca minor

This groundcover will grow less than 1' tall and has small, glossy, dark green leaves with blue, purple, lavender, or white flowers that bloom in the spring.

Snow-In-Summer

Common name:Snow-In-Summer
Botanical name:Cerastium tomentosum

Masses of snow white flowers highlight this plant during the early summer season. This attractive ground cover is a great filler among other plants and rocks. Foliage is silver gray or gray/green and is woolly. This plant tolerates coastal conditions and desert areas. Use in rock settings, in hanging baskets, containers, or as a lawn substitute. Cut back in fall to refresh plant.

Catch basin for runoff.

Designer: Jeff Gamboni

Lamb's Ear Garden Olive and Rock
Image: 1 of 6

Photographer: GardenSoft

Water Saving Tip:

Replace turf with groundcovers, trees, and shrubs. If you have areas where no one uses the grass, patches that do not grow well, or a turf area too small to water without runoff, consider replacing the turf with water-efficient landscaping.