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Lamb's Ear Garden Windo Detail
Olive, Edible Olive
Snow-In-Summer
Mendocino Reed Grass
Bird of Paradise
Lamb's Ear
New Zealand Flax
Compact Lacy Nandina
Tree Roses
Sprenger Asparagus
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.

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.

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

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.

Lamb's Ear

Common name:Lamb's Ear
Botanical name:Stachys byzantina

This tiny shrub will grow less than 1' tall and has medium-size, greyish-green leaves with blue and lavender flowers that bloom in the spring. This shrub is grown more for its velvety leaves than the flowers. It is drought tolerant once it's established. Be careful not to overwater.

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.

Compact Lacy Nandina

Common name:Compact Lacy Nandina
Botanical name:Nandina domestica 'Compacta'

The dwarf heavenly bamboo is an evergreen shrub that grows 4'-5' high. It has green and bronze foliage that turns red in the winter. It is resistant to oak root fungus and hardy to 10 degrees F. The dwarf heavenly bamboo is native to CA and is drought tolerant. -Cornflower Farms

Tree Roses

Common name:Tree Roses
Botanical name:Rosa Tree varieties

Tree roses are actually shrubs that have been grafted or grown in a way that looks like a tree, ie with a trunk. Tree roses can be floribundas, hybrid teas, or grandifloras. They are typically used as specimen plants. Make sure the plant is tied to a stake in case of strong winds.

Sprenger Asparagus

Common name:Sprenger Asparagus
Botanical name:Asparagus densiflorus 'Sprengeri'

This plant is given a soft, mound-like appearance by the long, arching branches that are found covered with small, bright green leaves. It is able to grow in either full sun or partial shade.

Catch basin for runoff.

Designer: Jeff Gamboni

Lamb's Ear Garden Windo Detail
Image: 2 of 41

Photographer: GardenSoft

Water Saving Tip:

Check the soil's moisture level before watering.

You can reduce your water use 20-50% by regularly checking the soil before watering.