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Raucous but Fun
Lavender Cotton
California Fuchsia, Zauschneria
Blue Fescue
Oriental Fountain Grass
Reed Grass
Chinese Pistache
Spiny Rush
Lavender Cotton

Common name:Lavender Cotton
Botanical name:Santolina chamaecyparissus

This ground cover/small shrub will grow to 3' tall and has small, grayish silver leaves with yellow flowers that bloom in the summer.

California Fuchsia, Zauschneria

Common name:California Fuchsia, Zauschneria
Botanical name:Epilobium canum

The California fuchsia is a perennial with dense, narrow, green gray foliage and red orange summer flowers. The growth habit of this plant is sprawling and low. The California fuchsia is native to California, is drought tolerant, and attracts hummingbirds.

Blue Fescue

Common name:Blue Fescue
Botanical name:Festuca glauca

This ground cover/grass will grow less than 1' tall and has small, blue green leaves.

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.

Reed Grass

Common name:Reed Grass
Botanical name:Calamagrostis foliosa

This tufted, perennial bunchgrass forms a beautiful, dense mound of gray green leaves that reach 2' tall, with showy arching flower stalks to 3' tall. Reed Grass leaves assume an attractive purple coloration in the fall and winter. This evergreen should be grown under sun, with little or no summer watering required. Tall grasses are highly combustible.

Chinese Pistache

Common name:Chinese Pistache
Botanical name:Pistacia chinensis

The Pistacia chinensis is a deciduous tree with broad, spreading growth to 50' in height. Its leaves have 10-16 leaflets, and the fall coloring arrives in beautiful shades of red, orange and yellow. The young trees are often gawky, but some become shapely with age.

Spiny Rush

Common name:Spiny Rush
Botanical name:Juncus acutus

This native Rush grows naturally in moist alkaline soils especially in coastal salt marshes. As one of the larger native Rushes, growing to 3'-4' tall and 3'-4' wide, it can provide interest through form and structure in a natural garden setting. It is carefree-looking. The tips of the leaves are sharp so care should be taken when designing the landscape not to place this species close to walkways, etc. Tall grasses are highly combustible.

Designer:

Raucous but Fun

Photographer: GardenSoft

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:

Irrigate in the early morning to minimize evaporation.

Integrated Pest Management:

Remove irrigation water and fertilizer from areas where you don't want weeds to grow.