Christiane Holmquist Landscape Design

Dry Shade Plant Design with Pizzazz – Not a Headache with these Gems

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Creating an appealing plant composition , especially when aiming for a low water needs design, can be tricky in the shade. Dry shade plant design poses more challenges: Plants grown here have different irrigation needs than their colleagues in the sun; the competition for light and nutrients from trees or large shrubs can be strong, and the choice of suitable plants that are not the “tried and proven” Agapanthus, Indian Hawthorn or Clivia is limited.

dry shade plantsPink Gaura Gaura lindheimeri ‘Siskyou Pink’

Adventurous gardeners will have discovered that a surprising number of drought tolerant plants that we might only expect to see in the full sun can tolerate and even welcome a good amount of shade, adapting to the lower light, (although they might respond with reduced flowering and sparser growth), but who can do all that experimenting to find out which ones work and which ones just won’t? It’s therefore great to know that a few growers of tough and beautiful plants for our climate, soils, and limited water supply have done this work for us and that they make their findings freely available. Here are the ones whose plants I use most often in my designs, and whose search tools make the selection of shade-tolerant plants easier!

One of the first to come to mind is San Marcos Growers in Carpenteria, CA. Since 1979 they have been growing “plants appropriate to California’s Mediterranean climate, including many California native plants, as well as vines, trees, shrubs, ferns, perennials, succulents, ornamental grasses and grass-like plants from other areas around the world.”

Their website offers a full plant inventory with photos and descriptions; it includes an “Advanced Search” tool that helps you zero in on their plants that tolerate shade: Check, say, ‘shrub’, and ‘tolerates drought’, and ‘shade’, then click on ‘submit’, et voilà! You’ll get a list of 348 shrubs tolerant of various degrees of shade, with their full descriptions.

This is an impressive number of dry shade tolerant shrubs! Here are a few that I found exciting because of their either unusual foliage or appealing form:

Dry shade plant Acacia cognata Cousin Itt to 3 ft by 4-6 ft sun shadeLittle River Wattle Acacia cognate ‘Cousin Itt’

2-3 ft tall and 4-6 ft wide, its amazing foliage in low undulating mounds has an unusual, grass-like appearance, and I appreciate its appealing texture contrast to plants with fleshier foliage such as Honeybush, Aloes or large-leafed Bromeliads, or the rounder, hardy foliage of Coffeeberry or Creeping Barberry. As the grower says, it’s a “great plant for informal mounding along a dry stream bed, rock garden, tumbling down a slope or as a large potted specimen.”

Here are a few more shade-tolerant, water-wise shrubs and perennials:

Dry shade plant Ceanothus_griseus_horizontalis_Yankee_Point

Yankee Point Ceanothus Ceanothus griseus horizontalis ‘Yankee Point’

A “fast-growing, durable groundcover.. 2 to 3 feet tall and spreads 8 to 12 or more feet … glossy, dark green leaves and bright blue flower clusters in winter through early spring. .. will grow inland with no watering once established when sited in partial shade. Especially effective as a large-scale groundcover where salt-laden ocean spray is a factor. Hardy to about 15° F… Judicious pruning is recommended to maintain a dense form and promote vigor. “

Yankee Point can also be used as a formal hedge and tolerates shearing with a hedge trimmer well. (It doesn’t like hacking though, a couple of hard prunings can kill it. Keep the garden hacks away from it.)

Dry shade plants Myrsine africana African Boxwood rev (2)African Boxwood Myrsine africana

Here’s the “backbone” shrub that I described above, and what a versatile shrub it is! Evergreen, adapted to sun and shade, with an upright, slightly arching form, not too tall (5-7 ft), dense small-leaved foliage. It is a welcome backdrop to colorful and more ephemeral perennials planted in the foreground. It could be hedged if that fits your design.

Dry shade plant garryaelliptica_evie

Evie’s Silk Tassel Garrya elliptica ‘Evie’s’

Here’s a large evergreen shrub or small tree, 8 to 10 feet round (could get larger in perfect conditions.) It is useful as background or specimen drawing the eye. Catkins of creamy white flowers with a maroon tinge appear each winter. Full sun or part shade, quite drought tolerant although it can handle summer water. Salt and wind tolerant. Use it as an excellent screen, informal hedge, or espaliered. It’s a Bay Area native.

dry shade plant Geranium_incanum self seeds sheer every 2-3 yearsCarpet Geranium Geranium incanum

This is a tender South African perennial that forms bushy 10-inch tall mats of delicate wiry leaves and pale mauve flowers that appear from spring to fall. Trim plants after bloom flush to prevent seeding. Cut to the ground every other year to tidy up the clumps. A very tough plant in the coastal garden, tolerating drought and neglect. It makes a good groundcover in full sun. It is hardy to about 20 degrees F. A most beautiful weed!

Although only a wholesale nursery, San Marcos Growers deliver to many local nurseries, and you can order here your favorites. (See their Retail Nursery Locator as well as their Online Nursery Page)

dry shade plants Gaura lindheimeri Siskyou Pink dry shade plants

Pink Gaura Gaura lindheimeri ‘Siskyou Pink’

What’s not to like about this airy and delicate native from Mexico/Texas? In the spring it sends up arching sprays of small orchid-like blooms and continues to flower throughout the summer. It loves the sun but is also ideal for planting beneath desert trees. Just remember to give it enough room so you can enjoy it fully (3-4 ft spread).

Mountain States Wholesale Nursery, in their work of over 43 years, they have grown desert-adapted plants that “include hues and forms which far surpass our earlier hopes of adding texture, refinement, brilliance – pizzazz, if you will – to already proven durability…. To assist you in your selection process, Mountain States Wholesale Nursery offers over 450 taxa of desert-adapted trees, shrubs, ornamental grasses, accents, flowering perennials, groundcovers, and vines. We specialize in providing landscape plants that combine beauty and water economy.”

Dry shade plants Muhlenbergia rigens Deer Grass

Deer Grass Muhlenbergia rigens

I love ornamental grasses. Nothing else softens boulders, sturdy cacti, and fleshy succulents more naturally and evokes water having just vanished in a seasonal creek… As MSWN describe it at their website: “ Dependable and adaptable, Deer Grass is the backbone of many desert gardens… Native to the Southwest at elevations up to 7000 feet, Deer Grass thrives in varied conditions. It flourishes in full sun, difficult reflected heat exposures and tolerates quite a bit of shade. Deer Grass is extremely drought tolerant, although the foliage browns out if adequate water is not available in the summer. It also handles high rainfall, virtually any soils, and is hardy to -10ºF, USDA Zone 6.

Here’s what Wendy Proud, MSWN’s California Sales Representative wrote in her recent newsletter:

“Changing over from a water loving landscape to one which is less thirsty can be tricky in the shade. Dry shade probably has the least amount of plants available compared to other possible zones in the landscape.  Specific irrigation needs are key along with reasonable expectations about the speed of growth, blooming and eventual size of the plants being chosen.  Mountain States certainly offers plants that can handle some shade and actually many would say they like it…. if they could speak. 🙂  Attached is a list of those plants who like shade, which can also be found on our website.

There’s a tab labeled “Information Sheets” on the left side of our homepage that will direct you to more groupings of plants for specific issues or areas of interest such as, Salt Tolerant, Rabbit Resistant or Hummingbird Paradise.  Really helpful lists when you’re needing suggestions. “

And here the entire MSWN plant list for dry shade.

Although MSWN is a wholesale grower, their plants are either available through local retail nurseries or can be ordered here. And here’s the list of retail nurseries that MSWN delivers to: http://www.mswn.com/links/more

Mountain States Wholesale Nursery Dry Shade Plants

A retail & wholesale nursery that is a delight to visit (with a much shorter drive) is Waterwise Botanicals in Bonsall (WWB).  The “acres of beautiful nursery and growing grounds, including demonstration gardens, ponds, and a shade house full of creative treasures to inspire you“ will put any plant lover to the resistance test; the signage on their plants is excellent, as is their online plant catalog with photos and descriptions.

Here I found lots of dry shade tolerant plants, and I was especially surprised to find a shrub here that’s a smaller version of the very popular Tea Tree, growing in the shade!

Dry Shade Plant Leptospermums coparium 'Dwarf Pink' 2 x 2-3 ft sun or shade
‘Dwarf Pink’ Tea Tree Leptospermum scoparium ‘Dwarf Pink’

I like its dainty appearance, its convenient size (only 2 ft tall by 2-3 ft wide) and delicate foliage of tiny burgundy leaves, all attributes that invite to combine it many other colors. Imagine how appealing it would look placed next to a fleshy purple/burgundy succulent such as Aeonium ‘Silk’.

Don’t wait to visit this nursery! Regular events for the garden enthusiast also make this a great place to visit. Most entertaining are their ponds that the manager Tom Jesch built himself without filters, without pumps, beautifully balanced with aquatic plants, fish, and turtles. These ponds draw lots of wildlife and invite to take a seat alongside and observe the goings on.

The WWB blog contains entertaining and useful information. Here’s one that I especially appreciated: Summer maintenance of ornamental grasses!

I hope that putting a satisfying low-water-use plant composition together for the shady parts of your garden is a bit easier for you with the above-listed websites and tools. Even here, I’d suggest to strive for balance of size, texture, form and color. I myself start “from the top”: After making sure that there is an overhead shelter or roof of sorts (the eaves of a house, or the canopy of a tree or large shrub), I start with one or more woody shrubs as background structure (Myrsine f.e. – see above) that sort of glue and hold all together. To me, woody plants also add the sense of longevity and permanence. Then I consider the midground, if there is room, such as a mid-size shrub. Finally, I work on the foreground where I place a shorter perennial or succulent (by nature the more short-lived plant – for ex. Gaura – see above). Lastly, color is often something I find least important in these compositions, as it always seems to fall into place, and insisting on the perfect color simply reduces the number of available plants to nothing.

It feels good to recommend these growers; their dedication to offering a wide range of water-wise plants that are well suited to our soils and environment, be they in the sun or the shade, on the coast or in the desert, helps me contribute a small part to the preservation of our natural resources, without sacrificing the delight in our gardens.

Rediscover the Connection with Nature with Beautiful and Undemanding Plants

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I hope spring has revived your gardening interests to rediscover your connection with nature, and that you have been well.  My spring clean-up is not done yet; I’m still finishing bird netting over my strawberries, refreshing mulch, and getting my irrigation in shape.

In my last two posts, I was considering how hardscape has come to dominate many of our landscapes, and how the beauty, intimacy and romance has gone out of them. Today I want to show how well-selected plants can balance out the hard structures making our gardens softer and more welcoming.

[I’ll be speaking about this topic at the Water Conservation Garden on June 11, from 10-12 a.m. Come and join me and see more in-depth information and examples. I’d love to see you there!]

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This pool deck feels hot, and even in the water I imagine needing sunglasses to tolerate the glare from pavement and walls.

This design looks like many prized landscapes that boast a lot of flawless architecture; an artful pool, perfect stucco’ed retaining walls, a big deck with BBQ and Palapa dominate this backyard. Naturally we are proud of the beautiful materials used in these designs, but to me these landscapes look overdesigned and lifeless; I feel that they miss the opportunity to provide a true connection to the land, our family, even ourselves.

However, our gardens can be ideal vehicles to give our lives greater depth when we give plants greater importance and let them enchant us, when we let them make our gardens softer and more welcoming. Here is a list of plants that have presence in the garden, have in their combined use strong emotional impact and fulfill many of the functions that we have handed over to the “hardscapes”. Most of these are very drought-conscious or drought tolerant, so not only do they serve our immediate needs, they also help conserve water…

TREES

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This house begs to be dressed up and anchored to its place, with the help of trees.

Most gardens, even the smallest ones, need at least one or two trees. Trees shelter a garden space; anchor a home to its site by giving it the right proportions; they can frame a view, impart age and “wisdom” and provide needed shade and well-being. As architectural elements, they provide a “vertical element”; give a sense of place.
The following lists are by no means exhaustive; they only give a glimpse of what’s possible.

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The trees play a big role in making this front garden much more welcoming.

Obviously, a good choice unites the site conditions with the tree’s character as well as the likes and dislikes of the person who will live with the tree.

Also, consider that a tree that naturally suckers can be trained into a “multi-trunked” tree that offers the opportunity to enjoy its trunks better, show off its shape and create an open, airy screen. A multi-trunk Crape Myrtle comes to mind…

Medium to large deciduous trees: canopies for shelter and shade
Chinaberry Melia azederach
White Empress Tree Paulownia fortune
Chinese Pistache Pistachia chinensis
Chinese Flame Tree Koelreuteria bipinnata
Mesquite Propopis spp.
Mimosa or  Silk Tree Albizia julibrissin

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A tree’s foliage softens the many stone elements in this design; its canopy hugs the entrance into this garden.

Evergreen trees
Strawberry Tree Arbutus ‘Marina’
Texas Olive Cordia boissieri
Sweet Bay Laurus nobilis
Phoenix Date Palm Phoenix
Oak (many species) Quercus spp.
Magnolia
Acacia & Wattle (many) Acacia spp.
Primrose Tree Lagunaria patersonii

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Instead of gate columns, a duo of Floss Silk Trees frames the entrance into this garden. The Mimosa in the center will soon shade even more of this welcoming entrance.

Small deciduous, attention-grabbing speminen trees
Paperbark Marple Acer griseu
Chinese Fringe Tree Chionanthus retus
Crape Myrtle Lagerstroemia indica & Lagerstroemia hybrids
Palo Verde Parkinsonia aculeata
California Buckeye, Horse Chestnut Aesculus californica

Trees with distinctive foliage and/or attractive fall foliage; or with great winter silhouette
Crape Myrtle Lagerstroemia spp.
‘Forest Pansy’ Redbud Cercis Canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’
Locust Robinia pseudoacacia
Mesquite Prosopis spp.
California Buckeye Aesculus californicus
Cork Oak Quercus suber

ENCLOSURES & SCREENING  (TREES & SHRUBS)

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If it weren’t for the view of the ocean that we want to preserve, the shrubs and trees would soon hide all surrounding roofs and structures and reinforce the feeling of private sanctuary.

Let plants do the screening and enclosing (or at least hide the hard materials). The enclosure responds to an ancient desire for protection, and screening out an unwanted view or our neighbors’ homes and windows creates the best environment in which we can feel completely at ease, relax and connect with ourselves.

Camouflaging the boundaries to our private “universe” creates the sense that we are surrounded by nature which can make our gardens feel larger. Hedges of mixed plantings can provide a good screen or enclosure that requires only minimal pruning and shows off a variety of textures and colors.

Screening Plants (some might need gentle pruning to integrate into the hedge)
Toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia (a California native)
Yew Pine Podocarpus macrophylus and P. macrophyllus maki Shrubby Yew Pine
Oleander Nerium oleander
Bamboo Bambusa spp.
Lemon Bottle Brush Callistemon citrinus
Bay Laurus nobilis
Boxwood  Buxus sempervirens (when left unclipped as it is rarely seen, it develops a form that is sensuous and curvaceuous)

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Bamboo is on its way to hide the tall house in the background.

Exclamation points & Beacons; “Power Plants”, & columnar/fastigiated plants
These are plants with strong presence that replace gate columns or other devices of directing traffic; they also impart a very personal character to the garden.

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Iconic Italian Cypresses give this garden a Mediterranean feel (10)

Cedar Cedrus spp.
Boxwood Buxus sempervirens
Greenlee’s Blue Rocket Cupressus guadalupensis ‘Greenlee’s Blue Rocket’
Tecate Cypress Cupressus forebesii
Italian Cypress Cupressus sempervirens
Bottlebrush ‘Sim’ Callistemon vimiminalis ‘Slim’
Icee Blue Yellow-Wood Podocarpus ‘Icee Blue’
Kohuhu Pittosporum tenuifolium (various)

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The flowering Bromeliads Vriesea imperialis tower like exclamation points in this plant scene and give this garden an exotic feel.

THE FOREGROUND

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Some form of pavement might be welcome for certain activities in the garden, such as dining, lounging or hanging around a pool.  However, many plants can be employed to soften the edges of pavement, to connect spaces, and to break up large expanses of pavement.

They can also guide our paces and allow rich encounters in the garden. Their closeness to the visitor demands a variety of textures and colors.

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A narrow path invites an intimate and casual journey of discovery.

Low-growing, softening perennials
Trailing Buttercups, Sundrops Calylophus drummondii (or Calylophus hartwegii)
Little One Verbena Verbena bonariensis ‘Little One’
Stalked Bulbine Bulbine frutescens
Ground Morning Glory Convolvulus mauritanicus (C. sabatius)
Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca F. vesca californica (fruit bearing, excellent groundcover for shady situations)
Pink Spice Cranesbill Pelargonium ionidiflorum

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For less-often used paths, you could use just mulch, no edging needed.

THE MID GROUND

Mid ground shrubs anchor the design, provide longevity and structure; they serve as also fillers; some can do double duty as accents.  For these, I like to use shrubs with woody character; they are needed to “ground” the soft and inherently ephemeral perennials. In most designs, I prefer evergreen shrubs; they need not be shrubs with attractive bloom.

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The pavement echoes the sinuous forms of plants that work together to create the experience of discovery on approaching the hidden sitting area.

In landscapes with more succulents, I like to use shrubby succulents that keep their form and their ‘leafy’ or fleshy foliage (Senecio, Aeonium haworthii).

Mid-ground shrubs
Dwarf variegated Myrtle Myrtle Myrtus communis ‘Variegata’ compacta
Creeping Barberry Berberis repens
Hummingbird Sage Salvia spathaceae  (California native plant)
Rockrose ‘Sunset’ Cistus ‘Sunset’ 2-3 x 6-8 ft; evergreen, magenta flowers
Senecio amanensis
Aeonium haworthii
Geraldton Waxflower ‘Purple Gem’ and ‘Purple Pride’ Chamaelaucium uncinatum
Blue Bells Eremophila hygrophana
Grevillea rosmarinifolius ‘Scarlet Sprite’ , foundation shrub, 4-5 ft,

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Plants invite the path to curve around them, creating suspense and making you wonder what’s behind them.

Cacti, succulents, yucca-like plants: Plants with striking foliage and/or form
Century Plant Agave spp.
Aloe spp.
Candelabra Cactus Cereus peruvianus
Sotol Dasylirion spp.
Dragon Tree Dracaena draco
Barrel Cactus Echinocactus spp.
Beargrass Nolina spp.
Prickly Pear Opuntia
Yucca
Clumping Bamboo Bambusa spp.
Sago Palm Cycas revoluta
Chamal Dioon spp.

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A Vriesea imperialis Terrestrial Bromeliad is a dramatic accent here – but just wait until it’s in bloom! (see above)

THE LARGE STUFF: Accents & “signature”

Sometimes it’s useful to employ shrubs that draw the eye, perhaps in order to distract from an unwanted sight behind it… These shrubs can be “signature” plants that enhance or underline the character of the garden: Subtropical, or Mediterranean, or California native, or Urban/modern.

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A Yellow Bird of Paradise sets the theme in this garden where succulents, drought tolerant perennials and grasses create an entertaining variety of undemanding plants.

Tecoma ‘Solar Flare’
Texas Ranger Leucophyllum frutescens
Baja Fairy Duster Calliandra californica
Brazilian Copper Tree Euphorbia cotinifolia
Arabian Lilac Vitex trifolia ‘Purpurea’

Large backround shrubs
Some shrubs are needed to simply give the illusion of being surrounded by endless nature, as back ground plants.
Griselinia Griselinia littoralis
Sweet Olive Osmanthus fragrans
Toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia
Bay Laurus nobilis

EMOTIONAL IMPACT, NOT ARCHITECTURE

I believe a garden, in order to enhance our connection with nature, to nurture us and to be memorable, needs to appeal to our emotions, whether is has a modern geometric design or is more free-form, naturalistic in character. I’d do this by making the garden look “grown” and casual, not forced, like in this example: When creating a southwest garden and imitating the desert floor, consider a mix of several sizes and textures of that hard material: A desert floor is made up of fine textured sand, coarser gravel, and small and large pebbles interspersed with rocks. A groundcover therefore made of a uniform cover of gravel would look unnatural.

Placement and size of plants: When placing a bold grouping of, say, Barrel Cacti, make sure the placement is asymmetrical, in order to achieve a nature-made effect. Introduce these plants in different sizes, not all the same which would look contrived.

Mix textures:  Avoid making a garden with only strong textured plants; in nature, those plants are always surrounded by more ephemeral, fine textured plants.

In other words, study how plants and landscapes grow… disguise the hand that is designing the garden, and aim for the emotional impact that a naturalistic garden can impart, even when it is a geometrically organized, modern design.

Look to my next post for more on how plants can help us create living designs.

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A Matter Of Balance: Don’t Allow the Hardscape to Dominate the Planting

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Don’t allow the hardscape to dominate the planting

Part 2

In my last post I endeavored to put plants in the forefront of our gardens in order to make them softer and more welcoming: Under our southern sun pavements, structures and other built structures create glare and very deep shadows. How can we reduce the harshness of this bright white light in residential landscape design?

I think the primordial quality of a well-designed garden is its ability to let our eyes and minds rest. To that effect, I want to employ shade, light-absorbing textures, coolness, perhaps even the sound of water. I try to balance out the hard structures with drought resistant landscaping and let the plants play an equal if not greater role in the organization and feel of the design. Here are a few tricks how to employ plants to that effect:

hard surface balanced with softening plants

This entrance area can be extremely bright, but Redbuds and oaks add a “roof” to the approaching visitor and create shade.

Don’t let too much hardscape take the warmth out of your garden

No massive gate columns here: The framing of this garden entrance is done by the swollen trunks of Floss Silk Tree Ceiba insignia, which also provides shade; the young mimosa in the island has a very soft light-absorbing deep green foliage and will create a wonderful welcoming coolness.

Even in full non-day sun, someone sitting on that bench would be able to admire the cool blue of this beautiful Potato Bush.

Even in full none-day sun, someone sitting on that bench would be able to admire the cool blue of this beautiful Potato Bush.

Here, a low water and low maintenance clumping grass reflects light like an animal’s fur, and the shade of the shrubs beyond is in contrast to the bright patio on the right.

Here, a low water and low maintenance clumping grass reflects light like an animal’s fur, and the shade of the shrubs beyond is in contrast to the bright patio on the right.

grasses swaying in the wind

A boulder echoes the horizontal line of the eaves, while grasses repeat the vertical lines of the window frame.

Plants have many roles: They create the visual pleasure that changes through the seasons because of the seasonal bloom, and they offer a juxtaposition of delicate textures with the outlines of strict architecture or rugged boulders. Plants can repeat the dynamic contrast between horizontal and vertical lines already present in the architecture of a house. Leaning pine branches intersect with vertical grass blades, while vertical flower stems stand at a right angle to a boulder’s edge.

These dark bromeliads provide contrast to the lightness of the house’s walls, strappy irises play off of the low horizontal stone wall, and palms throw their interesting shadows on the walls.

These dark bromeliads provide contrast to the lightness of the house’s walls, strappy irises play off of the low horizontal stone wall, and palms throw their interesting shadows on the walls.

secret yet inviting garden

Although many “hardscape elements” are used here, plants scale down their proportions and make them soften until they almost disappear. Plants are employed to edge this stone path, and instead of an umbrella or arbor, the tree canopy on the left shelters a bench.

While the stone and wood create light and dark structure, plants soften the overall effect.  Even the light-colored pavers are more inviting when edged in grass.

While the stone and wood create light and dark structure, plants soften the overall effect.  Even the light-colored pavers are more inviting when edged in grass.

Here, the stone flower beds will start to look less heavy when the vines start to take over the arbor and the perennials and shrubs gain their mature height, cascading over the sides to soften them. While distinctly dividing the side of the house into different areas, each area becomes its own secret garden.

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Plants create suspense: Where is the path leading? Your eye bounces down the path from the Aloe to the pink flowering Rock Purslane to the yellow Mexican Marigold. They thus create the illusion of a larger yard.

A minimal structure for vines will soon create much-needed shade, while all around plants absorb some of the light. The purple-flowered tree is a Jacaranda; the white shrub on the left is Iceberg Rose.

A minimal structure for vines will soon create much-needed shade, while all around plants absorb some of the light. The purple-flowered tree is a Jacaranda; the white shrub on the left is Iceberg Rose.

Soon, the three Podocarpus trees along the back wall will be tall enough to screen out the neighbor’s house and all boundaries will be obscured, thus creating total privacy in a natural setting.

Plants help to separate this sitting area from the entrance and to make if feel more private.

Plants help to separate this sitting area from the entrance and to make if feel more private.

This design also creates the illusion of distance, giving the front yard a larger feel. The small deciduous shrub will provide more shade and privacy as it matures, and give an excellent opportunity to use creative landscape lighting to add drama at night by revealing its beautiful branch structure.

Instead of walls and doors, planter pockets serve to break up the pavement and to separate one usable area from another.

Instead of walls and doors, planter pockets serve to break up the pavement and to separate one usable area from another.

Getting away from hardscapes is a challenge; there are sexy materials that don’t need watering or maintenance, and will last close to forever.  Stone, wood, glass, metal, and even fiberglass or plastic are very versatile and lend themselves to a variety of different uses. Be it fencing or furniture, these materials can help us give places to ‘hang’ our plants, much like in a big wardrobe.

Many landscape architects and landscape designers in San Diego (and elsewhere) have been trained to use these materials as the back-bones and foundations to build around – and upon – with plants in secondary filler roles.  But plants can also serve this purpose; let yourself fall in love with the texture and structure of a plant, or your favorite tree, or a color, and design around that.

Tell your designer that this is the plant you want to showcase or use.  Say you want a great big hedge of something to serve as a fence.  Think about using our native Toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia, or a Silverberry Eleagnus pungens.  Both are tough shrubs with attractive foliage, colorful berries (Toyon) and fragrant flowers (Silverberry) that are very undemanding in soil, water or light and that can be sheered, pruned or trained into small trees or an evergreen screen.   If you prefer beautiful craftsmanship, think about how a simple perfect circle carved from stone, laid in brick, or made of wood can’t help but stand out best when surrounded by the chaos and asymmetry of plants.

Right now is a great time to look for California natives, drought-tolerant succulents and waterwise perennials, shrubs and trees at your local nurseries!

 

I believe this is a topic that will interest many gardeners, and I’ll talk about it in greater detail and colorful examples in a presentation at the Water Conservation Garden in El Cajon on June 11, at 9:30 a.m., in a class entitled “Balancing hardscapes with plants”.  Look for a detailed description in the coming weeks at the Garden’s website.  I’d be happy to greet you there!

Endless Summer: Landscape Design With Water Conservation

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A journey to transform a garden and find beauty, serenity and sustainability.

Landscape Design With Water ConservationProblem:

An East-Coast garden under a California sky; Soulless, uninviting, and thirsty.

Solution:

Start with a blank slate.

Welcome with a lively tapestry of fascinating, region-appropriate plants that put nature back into the garden and help rediscover its soul.

Landscape Design With Water Conservation
At some time after purchasing this Southern California home, it occurred to the homeowner how unwelcoming its existing landscape was:

The East-Coast landscape with lawn and roses didn’t work for this Ranch-style house, nor did it respond well to the need for water conservation.

Landscape Design With Water Conservation

This home, whose architecture, materials, and siting have more of a Frank Lloyd Wright feel to them, invited a simpler and serene landscape that would thrive even with parsimonious amounts of water and would incorporate California landscape elements: Clear skies and brilliant light, rugged nature with canyons and arroyos, boulder-strewn mountains, deserts, and a host of interesting native plants that are known worldwide.

Landscape Design With Water Conservation

Designed by Ken Ronchetti, whose architecture has “a soft strength in its simplicity”, the homeowner was ready to explore how to make her garden more inviting and how to capture its soul: Could succulents, California natives and other water-wise plants, until then unknown to her, complement and hold up to this architecture?

Landscape Design With Water Conservation

The first priority was to integrate the existing Live Oak and Paperbark Trees; both have reached a beautiful maturity. The stone cladding of walls and pilasters create a strong element, and we knew that incorporating boulders would play up their strength and be part of the landscape.

Landscape Design With Water Conservation

Knowing the client’s love for plants, I subdivided the area into separate spaces to be discovered on a path. This path is important to put the visitor into the landscape, not just view it from the edges.

She’d be able to wander through individual garden rooms and planting scenes or stop at the bench under the Oak tree, inviting rest and discovery of a tapestry of perennials, woody California native shrubs, and succulents that are endlessly entertaining and consume very little supplemental water.

Landscape Design With Water Conservation

The courtyard is walled in, resulting in the need for the landscape to be open and allow a feeling of depth. Therefore the plant compositions stay mainly low so that the can eye can wander across the tapestry of interesting plants.

Visible here are Sundrops Calylophus drummondii, Agave ‘Blue Glow’, Blue Bedder (Beard Tongue) Penstemon heterophyllus ‘Margarita BoP’ , against the foliage of Velvet Elephant Ear Kalanchoe beharensis, and Golden Breath of Heaven Coleonema pulchellum ‘Sunset Gold’.

Landscape Design With Water Conservation

Many beautiful boulders now echo the rugged stone element used for walls, walkways, and pilasters. Among them a bubbling boulder is the focal point upon arrival. It is surrounded by plants that highlight its beauty and ruggedness.

Landscape Design With Water Conservation

The heavy downpour during a recent thunderstorm tricked a Mountain Lilac here into re-bloom several months after its first bloom this spring. It makes a lovely companion to other drought tolerant plants: Agaves, Sundrops Calylophus drummondii, Crassula coccinea ‘Campfire’, Echeveria Ruffles, and Blue Oatgrass Helictotrichon sempervirens, Silver Spurge Echeveria rigida, Aloe Little Gem Aloe rudikoppe.

Landscape Design With Water Conservation

It is a balancing act to create harmony and cohesion with a limited plant palette, but limiting it is important to avoid a hodgepodge and mere plant museum. Here, drought resistant ‘Pink Spice’ Geranium Pelargonium ionidiflorum mingle with Echeveria ‘Ruffles’, Verbena ‘Little One’ Verbena bonariensis ‘Little One’, and Sundrops Calylophus drummondii.

Landscape Design With Water Conservation

Always conscious of sustainability, the existing picket fence was kept; Although more befitting the previous Victorian landscape style rather than the new one, it was found useful to accentuate the feeling of intimacy and keep rabbits and raccoons out as much as possible.

Landscape Design With Water Conservation

This garden is very much an experimental site:  It is growing, evolving and confirms our trust in the future as the plants mature. Some of these plants, such as Blue Sedge Carex flacca have shown to be the wrong choice for this garden (they never stopped sprawling).

Finding the right amount of supplemental water is a bit of a challenge as with varying sun exposure, tree canopies and roof overhang there are more individual watering zones than one might expect.

Landscape Design With Water Conservation

I’m passionate about juxtaposing different textures and forms to create tension and interest, so placing a wispy grass or delicate perennial next to a heavy boulder is a knee-jerk gesture.

RSF 2015 (13)

Also appealing to me is placing a fleshy succulent next to the rugged mass of a boulder; I feel that both complement each other, and although the Sunset Jade Crassula argentea in this picture can’t hold up to the sturdiness of the rock, its equally robust and ‘weighty’, and both plants heighten up their individual qualities.

RSF 2015 (10)

Evoking the mountains and their delicate windswept plant companions, Agave ‘Blue Glow’ and Foothill Penstemon Penstemon heterophyllus ‘Margarita BOP’ nestle between these boulders.

RSF 2015 (12)

Against the canopy of the Paperbark Tree Melaleuca quinquenervia the perennials,grasses and succulents, this feels like the relief of a sunny clearing in the forest.

RSF 2015 (7)

I am very happy that the owner has asked me to keep an eye on this garden and help it mature with monthly maintenance. Looking at these photos and considering the time that has elapsed since the garden was first planted, I’m struck again at how exciting it is to care for all these plants.

What will the garden mature into? Will the plants keep their promise?
I’m delighted by the garden’s serenity, and the homeowner’s words give me great joy: “You couldn’t have captured my vision any better.”

Photography courtesy of Emma Almendarez.

Getting Back To Nature – Xeriscape Landscaping with California Natives

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Xeriscape Landscaping With California Natives

A flowery meadow at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden

A recent visit to the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden brought me much delight and revived my old love for a landscape type that we rarely see here in Southern California: An urban haven entirely dedicated to the cultivation and exhibition of a California native-scape.

This is a jewel of a garden situated south of the San Gabriel foothills which offers a great example of xeriscape landscaping. The 86 acres are beautifully designed and entirely planted with cultivars and wild species of native plants, whose exploration leads you through various habitats and a mosaic of vegetation patterns, such as desert, chaparral, grasslands, forest, and riparian (areas on the banks of fresh water).

Xeriscape Landscaping With California Natives

(Truly) Majestic Oak Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia

I had come to the Garden with several designer friends who, like me, were interested in refreshing our knowledge of California natives and finding inspiration for new landscape design ideas. And those we found!  Conifers and oaks, Manzanita and Buck eye… Sage and Monkey flower, Anemone and  Woolly Blue Curls, and on and on…

Xeriscape Landscaping With California Natives

Smelling the flowers  under a Palo Verde Parkinsonia aculeata

After wandering through the gardens the entire day, I was convinced that here are the drought resistant plants that can thrive in all of our gardens, no matter how tricky the situation. With these I can create any type of home landscape design, whether formal Mediterranean or California “eclectic”, whether modern restrained or flowery-cottage-y or romantic country, and create a feeling in them of satisfaction and being ‘at home’.

Here’s a selection of the Natives that I noted for their beauty, versatility and design interest:

California Buckeye Aesculus Californica

Xeriscape Landscaping With California Natives

California Buckeye Aesculus californica

Xeriscape Landscaping With California Natives

California Buckeye branch structure

Type: Deciduous tree. Mature trees can reach 15 to 45 ft with greater spread. Sun. Soil: Adaptable.

Water: Drought tolerant to regular.

Natural habitat: Woodland mostly away from the coast and below 4,000 ft.

This tree responds to heat or drought stress by dropping its leaves which reveals the pretty trunk structure and silvery smooth bark. In spring, branches clad with bright apple green foliage carry bottle-brush flower white (rarely pink) clusters, 4-12 inch long. The heavy round fruit ripens in late fall and splits to reveal shiny, 1-3 inch chestnut-brown seeds that gave the tree its name.

Design interest and uses: One of the showiest flowering trees: Grown as single or multi-trunked tree or large shrub with rounded crown which makes a complement or counterpoint to coast live oak, foothill pine and California Bay. It is an excellent choice to shade south or west side of a house.

Hummingbird Sage Salvia Spathacea

Xeriscape Landscaping With California Natives

Hummingbird Sage Salvia spathacea

This herbaceous allergenic perennial is a pretty work-horse. It is chiefly noticed for its whorls of showy bracts and flowers with hairy, softly sticky pointed leaves that all exude a spicey and fruity fragrance.

Water: drought tolerant to occasional.

Goundcover: Only 10 to 30 inches tall, it spreads in a dense colony and is easily controlled by pulling up the new plants at the end of the rhizomes. In the warm season it flowers almost continuously with pagoda-like stalks bearing several dense whorls of dark maroon or ruby red bracts that offset the 1 to 1 ½ inch long magenta to salmon flowers. Deadheading the dried flower stalks keeps this plant tidy if desired (and the bloom coming).

Design interest/uses: Successful in the sun or shade, as groundcover or erosion control on banks or under the canopy of oaks and other trees where it contends with root competition and lack of direct sunlight. It draws bees, other insects and hummingbirds and works also as container plant. It mixes well with plants that won’t be smothered by its large leaves, such as bunch grasses, irises, manzanitas and coffeeberries.

Salvia Clevelandii ‘Bee’s Bliss’

Xeriscape Landscaping With California Natives

Salvia ‘Bee’s Bliss’

Type: Perennial

Water: Drought tolerant to occasional.

When in bloom with lovely periwinkle blue flowers on 1-foot-long stalks, Salvia ‘Bee’s Bliss’ (hybrid of Cleveland Sage and purple Sage) draws insects and birds. This cultivar (hybrid between Cleveland and purple sage) reaches 1 to 2 ft tall and spreads quickly to 8 feet wide. It is subject to powdery mildew during cool weather, but the mildew disappears as temps heat up.

There are a couple of hybrids available in nurseries. Other cultivars are ‘Allen Chickering’ ; ‘Pozo Blue’, ‘Aromas’, ‘Mrs. Beard’ has masses of plae blue flowers and a similar form, and more reliable than ‘Dara’s Choice’ which grows in partial shade.

Design interest: Low, sturdy and attractive groundcover for sunny slopes where it is used as erosion control; rarely browsed by deer.

Xeriscape Landscaping With California Natives

 A Coyote puppy soaking up the warm sunshine.

To plant or not to plant (now) – that’s the question

Working with California native plants, I’ve learned that in some ways they are not that different from non-native species. Find the right plants for the garden’s soil, sun, and water, and they are easy to grow and maintain. The further you stretch out of a plant’s comfort zone, the higher maintenance it will require.

Here’s what the experts at Las Pilitas Nursery say:

“In years like 2013, if you have the water, plant from about December to February in the hot interior, plant all year in the rest of the state, particularly if you’re replacing a lawn or something else that needs a lot of water. If you’re replacing the lawn you’re going to save a lot of water in just a few months so do not feel guilty about using that water for change. New plantings need to be watered once a week for the first season in a dry year like 2013. So as long as you can do that, you can replace that dead looking non-native landscape.”

We are lucky that several local nurseries not only grow California Natives, but that they offer help with diy landscape design offering expert instructions and workshops. At Tree of Life Nursery, you can find many clear and useful planting and maintenance guidelines. Moosa Creek Nursery also makes guidelines available. Recon Native Plants grow California native plants for the landscape and the habitat restoration industry.

Back in the Garden, as I was soaking in the sunshine that was bathing a large stand of Matilija Poppy, my eyes were drawn to the brilliant color splashes of yellow Palo Verde bloom, deep pink of Desert Willow trumpets and vibrant-orange blossoms of Desert Cholla.  It struck me how harmonious the composition was, in color, texture and form, and I marveled at how appealing this scene was to me.

Palo Verde_Desert Willow_Cholla

A flowering Palo Verde dancing with Desert Willow; Desert Cholla trying to get a foot in

What is then the essence of this landscape that so draws me? Is it the idea that this landscape has thrived without our pruning, watering and fussing, for millions of years? Is it because of this California flora providing such a rich source of beautiful, diverse and durable garden plants? Or is it that it is the only sustainable landscape design that feels “right” in our bright light, growing out of our rustling leaf litter under oaks or Sycamore, or in the fragrant shade of pine trees, or the between the crunchy leaf litter of our chaparral? For me, it is the only landscape type that I feel nurtured with, and that gives me the strongest ‘sense of place’.

 

Photos courtesy Koby’s Garden Alchemy and Christiane Holmquist

When in drought: Fall in love with water wise landscape

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quiet bark mulch

With the recent rains, it’d be easy to forget last year’s water worries – if it weren’t for the memory of our ever rising water bills! Winter isn’t over yet and more rain is in the forecast, but our overall water shortage and Southern California’s water dependence are a serious problem that is not likely to go away any time soon.

This challenge shouldn’t fill your hearts with dread however: In the following I’m going to show you how water conservation can be turned into a pleasurable task that makes you fall in love with your garden again.

PamandMartyWygod
Martin J. Wygod, a racehorse breeder, and his wife, Pam, in their Rancho Santa Fe garden. With more than 100 acres, they have replaced much of their landscaping with succulents, cutting their water consumption in half from what it was in 2004.
Credit Sandy Huffaker for The New York Times

The New York Times recently focused on Rancho Santa Fe in a report on efforts to reduce water use during the drought. The initiative taken by Martin and Pam Wygod is highlighted. I’ve worked with the Wygods since 2012 and accepted their challenge to redesign their landscaping to achieve a significant reduction in water use.

When I started the collaboration with Mrs. Wygod, she had selected the entrance courtyard because it seemed particularly well suited to her goals. With great determination she had already removed all previous plants so that the empty space would allow her to better visualize the alternative: A garden that would express her love for a more naturalistic and intimate space and her dream of repose and calm; one with a rich variety of textures and colors, of more wildlife and quiet stimulus for the senses, every time you walk through it.
Moreover, creating a symphony from the great variety of beautiful water-conserving plants that our climate allows us to grow would be so much more exciting than the traditional lawn-cum-roses that had been there before; and importantly, this garden would also satisfy her desire for greater water conservation.

wygod front garden

Above a ”teaser” concept sheet used to help the client visualize the general feel and theme of her garden

In the following weeks, I collaborated with my client on several drafts and concepts to help her capture her vision. Initially, inspired by the beautiful rock veneer on the house façade and perimeter wall, I drafted a naturalistic landscape with several low mounds, boulders and a rock fountain, and with stone-edged gravel paths winding through the garden, inviting discovery and contemplation.

Concept front yd middle

Above, one of the draft concepts showing gravel paths and gently mounding planter beds

This undulating landscape would be alive with exceptional drought tolerant plants from Mediterranean-type climate zones. The existing mature Live Oak would need to be preserved as well as the big Paper Bark Tree. For the latter finding companion plants would be a bit of a challenge because the root competition under its canopy is fierce. On the other side of the garden, under the Live Oak Quercus agrifolia, the plant selection would have to be extra careful: Already stressed from the lawn removal and the shut-off of the regular lawn water we needed to avoid disturbing the Oak’s roots even more and provide the irrigation solely timed to the needs of this California native.

Initially very fond of this first concept and after a few weeks of consideration, my client realized however that she preferred a quieter, more dreamy and calming landscape. I suggested to play the stone element down a bit by removing gravel and rock edging, thereby calming the scene. Also, we agreed that the mounds made the landscape design “too busy”, and that they took away from a generous sense of space.

We did retain the large boulders and winding path ways, while putting the paving selection for the pathways on hold; my client couldn’t “feel” yet what material she’d want to walk on in her garden.

Garden without edger

A walkway, still undefined, winds through this xeriscape design.

While I was working on the re-design, Mrs. Wygod found a beautiful bench; placed invitingly in the shade under the Oak, traveling the garden paths would be even more irresistible.

walkway

Above, the same garden scene, photographed a year later: The pathways havs become more defined by adding a narrow black edging and a soft, small-pellet fir bark.

Once we had communicated and understood the layout of the garden beds and determined most of the hardscape elements, creating the planting plan was exciting:  Putting together a plant list that attempts to incorporate the client’s very personal preferences for textures and colors, and that is suitable for the various micro-climates in this garden (shade under overhang and under trees; root competition, seasonal sun exposure in other places etc.) is a like a challenging piece of music, and you’re thrilled when you have done well.

Of course it helps when your client is as fond of plants, too, and open to a certain measure of experimentation where you hope that a certain plant will like the situation you place it in and then wait to see how it performs.

I couldn’t have been luckier than with this client:  Experienced and fond of her gardens she is aware that gardens need time to grow in and that each plant choice is an investment in the future that requires patience.

Entrance Garden

The garden in its third year; it’s coming together

Now in its third year, the garden is still evolving:  Plants are growing in and need to be pruned and gently directed; some haven’t liked the micro-climate and needed to be replaced (it’s too hot in this garden for Blue Oat Grass Helictotrichon sempervirens); Blue Sedge Carex flacca proved to be too much of a spreader and started to engulf the neighboring plants.  The perennial Penstemon heterophyllus ‘Margarita BOP’ is a delicate plant that is not easy to find the right amount of irrigation for, so it often displays dried leaves around the base and is in my mind too ‘unkempt’ looking. Perhaps ‘Little One’ Verbena will be more satisfying?

And the long-considered fountain will be added next; it will be a stunning addition to this garden.

Penstemon 1
Penstemon heterophyllus ‘Margarita BOP’, a temperamental perennial

As the NYT article points out, the water savings achieved in this garden are considerable. Moreover, the homeowners’ pleasure that they derive from this garden is real:

“We are thrilled with the front garden. You were able to take my thoughts and transfer them to a stunning garden. A friend of mine from NJ who is head of the Garden Club was so impressed with the garden she took photos to share with her members.
The fountain will be a project for when I am here to look at the stone with you. Step by step we are building the garden."

Bench and boulder

The bench is still an important focal point of the garden, but not much longer: We are about to add the long-awaited boulder fountain. Soon!

Get ready for a most promising planting season: Here are some beauties for plant-aholics to drool over Part III

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(In my previous posts Get ready for a promising planting season: Here are some beauties for plant-aholics to drool over Part I and Get ready for a promising planting season: Here are some beauties for plant-aholics to drool over Part II I presented a selection of promising plants that have fascinated me for a long time and that I find useful for many landscape designs. The following is the next installment to my previous posts.)

After the long summer months, the cooler days after a rain are so invigorating, and gardening gets much easier. The light has a special brilliance to it, and the ground is still moist from the first rains this fall. This is my most productive gardening time outside, and when I hear again the sweet, drawn-out Tzeee of the White-crowned Sparrow who recently returned to our gardens after spending spring and summer in the northern regions, I can zone out and be completely at peace.

This is also a very productive time for the plants although we don’t see much of it: With cooler weather plants don’t get stressed (if not hit immediately by Santa Ana winds); the roots are actively growing and will be ready to push out new growth above ground come spring.

Before people get too much wrapped up in the upcoming holiday preparations, I’d like to continue my look around at my magazine clippings, flagged articles and photo gallery and share with you more promising plant discoveries or other interesting tidbits from the landscape and gardening world.

First of all I’d like to mention my delight that this magazine is available again: Garden Design Subscribe to Garden Design magazine, after a hiatus of a couple of years it’s being published again in a revised format. It is in my opinion the only American magazine that educates and makes us dream; without any ads, the close to 130 pages feel substantial like a book, with scrumptious photos and detailed articles. They highlight garden creators and great gardens across America. The garden writers and contributing editors, oftentimes garden artists themselves, cover art, exceptional plants, plant-travel and publish a calendar of landscape events offered in several distinct gardening zones. I find it a must-read for anybody who is interested in the landscaped environment and our interaction with it.

Here now a few more exceptional plants that I’ve found worth my investment of time, money and muscle:

Chondropetalum tectorum Small Cape Rush, Bamboo Rush

Chondropetalum tectorum Small Cape Rush, Bamboo Rush

Chondropetalum tectorum Small Cape Rush, Bamboo Rush

At the recent Fall Festival at Waterwise Botanicals www.waterwisebotanicals.com, local grower of outstanding garden plants for water-stared Southern California, I saw how this fascinating Bamboo Rush complimented the beautiful pond that Tom Jesch, manager of this operation, has built.

It’s a lovely pond, full of life with small and larger fish, aquatic plants and many insects and other wildlife that come to drink here; it’s built without liner, pump or mechanical filters. The pond alone is worth a visit; the nursery is open to the public.

Against the pond’s background, Chondropetalum tectorum (Small Cape Rush) from South Africa is a remarkably attractive plant that brings movement and stature to any landscape, be it a naturalistic/eclectic Californian; modern/contemporary or minimalist. It would demand attention planted in mass or as single accent. It is a low maintenance, low water-use plant that evokes the water without necessarily needing its presence; the grass-like plant looks equally good sited along a dry stream bed or a seasonal pond.

Cape Rush forms dense tufted clumps from which arise 2-3 foot tall dark green unbranched stems. The dark brown sheaths at the joints drop off in summer leaving a dark band. Late in the season the stems arch gracefully from the weight of clusters of small brown flowers at the tips.
Plant in full to part sun. It is drought tolerant, and appreciates supplemental water in spring. It is hardy to about 20-25 degrees F. It can be successfully planted in seaside gardens, used in relatively dry landscapes or used as a plant in the shallows of a water garden. Tolerates a wide soil pH range.

Summary:

3-4 ft high x 3-4 ft wide; sun or shade exposure; drought tolerant; hardy to 2-25 F.

(Don’t confuse this plant with the larger Chondropetalum elephantinum; it is a more robust form up to 6 feet tall.)

Leptospermum scoparium ‘Apple Blossom’ ‘Apple Blossom’ New Zealand Tea Tree

Leptospermum scoparium Apple Blossom

Leptospermum scoparium ‘Apple Blossom’ ‘Apple Blossom’ New Zealand Tea Tree

In this garden where we used many succulents and drought tolerant Mediterranean and California natives, the tall shrub in the background with the pink flowers is Leptospermum scoparium ‘Apple Blossom’ (New Zealand Tea Tree ‘Apple Blossom’). This shrub seems to shelter the smaller plants in the foreground, and it makes a pleasing link between them and the canopy of the oak. It also provides a long-lived contrast with the ruggedness of the boulders and the fleshy structure of the Agave desmetiana ‘Variegata’ on the right.

‘Apple Blossom’ Tea Tree is evergreen with double light-pink flowers that appear in a very strong flush in the spring as well as in the fall. Its tiny needle-like green leaves are often tinged with pink (especially during cold temperatures). It requires good drainage, is drought tolerant, and is hardy down to about 20 degrees F.  This shrub can also be used as container plant.

Summary:

Upright shrub to 8 ft tall x same width; full sun; drought tolerant /requires good drainage.

Aeonium hybrid ‘Cabernet’

Aeonium Cabernet

Aeonium hybrid ‘Cabernet’

Aeonium hybrid ‘Cabernet’ with its deep green & wine colored foliage is a low-growing, rounded shrubby succulent that gets to about 2-3 ft wide and to 8 inches tall; in late winter it blooms with brilliant yellow flowers. Here it shows off its tight form against the chartreuse fronds of Coleonema ‘Sunset Gold’, Lavender and the red branches of ‘Apple Blossom’ New Zealand Tea Tree.

I use it as useful contrasting and unifying plant against which more delicate perennials, grasses or more fine-textured shrubs can display their beauty.

Aeonium Cabernet needs full sun in more coastal areas or part shade; in hot inland locations it’s best to protect it from the hot sun. It is summer dormant which means it rests here; over-watering will damage it. Leaves will just tighten but plump right up again with the cooler season. It’s front tender and is quite water-wise; too much water makes it flop.

Summary

9 inch tall x 2-3 ft wide; full sun / part shade; regular water to water-wise. Front tender

Crassula capitella ‘Campfire’

Crassula capitella ‘Campfire’

Crassula capitella ‘Campfire’

In this photo, you can see the reddish tips of the fleshy upright succulent branches of Crassula capitella ‘Campfire’ (Campfire Crassula). This groundcover-type produces propeller-like leaves that mature from light green to bright red.

It grows prostrate, forming mats about 6 inches tall to 2 to 3 feet tall wide . Clusters of white flowers rest on the leaves in the summer. It does best in well-draining soil that is allowed to dry out in between watering. If it can’t dry out regularly, it will produce black spots and floppy growth.

It does well in part sun but also in full sun with minimal water as I observed in my hot inland garden where its growth was much tighter and the foliage color more intense. In gardens where it was not allowed to dry out between watering, I noticed that it produce black branch tips and a very floppy growth.

This Crassula is not very hardy and will be damaged below 30 degrees F°.

Summary:

6in x 3 ft wide; full sun / part shade; well draining soil; drought tolerant to regular water.

 

I hope that these selections will inspire you and assist you in your landscape design.

I wish everyone a fun and healthy planting season, and much satisfaction next year when these plants come into their own.

And my best wishes to everyone for a lovely holiday and a prosperous New Year.

Get ready for a promising planting season: Here are some beauties for plant-aholics to drool over Part II

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In my previous post, I wrote about very enticing plant discoveries that will make our drought resistant landscape designs more varied, interesting and satisfying. Here are more of these plants:

low water plants

Caesalpinia gilliesii (Poinciana gilliesii ) Desert Bird of Paradise

On a recent visit to Waterwise Botanicals, respected nursery/grower of California friendly plants in Bonsall , I noticed the delicate form and pretty flowers of a small tree crowning a planting vignette of succulents and waterwise perennial grasses , on a small mound. Here’s how the grower describes it:

“This shrub/small tree, growing to 6-8 ft tall and wide [I saw it as an about 10 ft tree] is a perfect water-wise choice for a landscape. It is prettiest when pruned out as a very small, multi-trunked tree. Soft, lacy, fernlike foliage provides the back-drop for exotic yellow flowers with long, protruding red “feathery” stamens that bloom repeatedly for most of spring through fall. Loves full sun; drought tolerant when established. Hardy to 10s. Excellent as a mountain, valley or desert plant. Attracts butterflies; distasteful to deer. Will go winter deciduous in cold climates.”

This little tree is also offered by Mountain States Wholesale Nursery, whose great desert adapted plants are well suited to our local climate and are being sold at local nurseries. Their website describes this plant:

“Caesalpinia gilliesii Yellow Bird of Paradise

This upright, fast growing deciduous shrub originated from Argentina and Uruguay, and has naturalized in sub-tropical areas of America. Clusters of bright yellow flowers with long red stamens are produced in the summer. Its natural growth habit is irregular and open, but pruning will encourage dense growth. Older plants may attain a height of 10 feet and nearly as wide.

This long-lived and durable plant is tolerant of cold, heat and drought, and performs best in full sun exposures. All parts of this plant are toxic. It is root hardy to -10°F. “

I’d use this plant as patio tree in small spaces, or as accent in a xeriscape design with other drought resistant plants. Its canopy would allow more delicate succulents such as Echeverias and Aeoniums to profit of its dappled shade; it could also be planted against a hot wall and soften it.

low maintenance landscape

9Adenanthos cuneatus ‘Coral Drift’ Flame Bush

Here’s another promising plant that caught my eye at the September meeting of the San Diego Horticultural Society: Adenanthos cuneatus ‘Coral’ Drift Flame Bush.

The speaker at this meeting was plantsman Randy Baldwin of San Marcos Growers in Goleta Valley, north of Santa Barbara. He presented a selection of their fantastic “Plants Appropriate to the California Garden”. (I’ll be writing more about these exciting plants in my next blog post.) Here’s what their website says about Flame Bush:

“Adenanthos cuneatus ‘Coral Drift’ (Flame Bush) – A low-growing shrub to 2 to 4 feet tall by 3 to 5 feet wide with wedge-shaped silver-gray leaves that flush bright pink when in new growth and small red flowers with green at their base. The species is a common coastal plant along the south coast of Western Australia and this selection was made for its outstandingly bright pink new growth and compact low spreading habit. Plant in full sun in a well-drained soil. Drought tolerant once established. Though a coastal species, it has been grown in England since 1824 and is listed as hardy to winter temperatures – we speculate that it will likely prove hardy to at least 15 to 20 degrees F. A nice low plant for a rock garden or in a mixed mediterranean climate garden – very useful in beachside conditions.” Also described here as evergreen and deer tolerant.

San Marcos Growers’ have a well-known track record of providing the most interesting, climate-adapted and diverse plants that are sturdy and long lasting, and that I can purchase at a local nursery. With its rounded form and medium size, I think it would echo the rounded form of the boulders in my garden and make an attractive companion to the more delicate succulents or ephemeral perennials in my garden. Can you imagine how pretty it could look as under-story shrub under the canopy of the Desert Bird of Paradise?

Randy showed many more exciting drought resistant plants suitable to many different landscape styles, and I’ll continue to list them in my next blog post; keep looking out for it!

Get ready for a promising planting season: Here are some beauties for plant-aholics to drool over Part I

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Roger’s Red Grape

Roger’s Red Grape

The recent untimely heat wave is barely forgotten, but I‘m noticing the first signs that many of our water-wise plants have awakened from their summer beauty rest: Their green branch tips and new leaves are proof that they are actively growing again.

With the cooler nights and fresh breezes announcing fall, my impatience is growing to be out in the garden; I’d want to be planting and trying out some of the exciting plants that I have noticed in the recent months and that I could barely stop myself from buying.

The gardeners among us know that there’s always room in our gardens to improve and tweak, to improvise and create, or to replace those plants that have proven to be not so sturdy or are otherwise unsatisfactory. This provides us with a welcome excuse to compile our wish list, research these plants and see which ones we’ll fall for this year!

With plant sales happening now and some great growers offering their new releases, it would be easy to get carried away and come home with trunks full of exciting plants. I have done this myself and given in to plant cravings that I later regretted: A garden that is a collection of plants can look really disjointed, and I have come to prefer a garden that shows a theme and some continuity, and repetition of colors and textures does make for more soothing calm.

So with the following list I hope to highlight a few of the plants that make me drool. Besides drawing from my own notes, I have asked a couple of landscape designer friends to share their favorites.

All these plants have many wonderful attributes in common: They are xeriphytes from all over the world that share many desirable attributes: They are drought resistant plants (also marketed as “waterwise plants”), hardy, with a good structure and undemanding in maintenance (that includes fertilizer and pruning) and provide year-round interest.

Landscape Designer Marilyn Guidroz of Marilyn’s Garden Design says:

Drought Resistant shrubs

Leucophyllum langmaniae ‘Rio Bravo’ Texas Ranger ‘Rio Bravo’

‘Rio Braco’ Texas Ranger is a fast growing, dense screen shrub that needs no pruning after the initial shaping to become established.  At maturity it reaches 5 ft ht x 5 ft wide.

This is a drought tolerant shrub that only requires a once a month deep watering in the summer months once it is established.

The lovely lavender flowers cover the shrub in intermittent waves during the hot humid months of summer and fall.  [In my experience in dry summers, the flowers are more sparse.] The evergreen foliage is a soft mint green all year long.

I like to use this plant as a dry garden border, a screening shrub and a colorful focal accent.

drought tolerant plants

Vitex californica ‘Rogers Red’ Grape ‘Roger’s Red’

This is my favorite fall color plant.  It is great as a screen on fencing.  It takes moderate water and can even handle regular water if in an area that receives more.  It is best in full sun and can handle partial shade.  A deciduous native plant that has edible fruit and climbs by tendrils.  Has gray-green leaf color all summer and then turns brilliant red in fall.

Owner/landscape contractor Mark Sterk of Columbine Landscape Inc. recommends:

drought tolerant shrubs

Rosmarinus ‘Roman Beauty’ Roman Beauty Rosemary

Rosemary ‘Roman Beauty’, dwarf to 2’, they say, and grows in an upright, roundish form that is consistent and easy to keep in place. It also has a more graceful appearance and a bit of a different color than the usual look.

Here’s more about ‘Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Roman Beauty’ (‘Roman Beauty Rosemary):

A compact and slow growing semi-upright Rosemary with slightly arching stems bearing narrow mid-green leaves and violet-blue flowers in late winter and spring. This plant will likely get somewhat larger but 2 year old plants only measured 16 inches tall by 12 inches wide. Plant in full sun. As with other Rosemary it is resistant to deer and rabbit predation, tolerant to salt spray, alkaline soils and drought. Hardy to 15°F.

This shrublet could add that “needle-like” element that coniferous plants introduce (great contrast to a rounder, fleshier foliage), or allude to a classic Mediterranean landscape. I’d use it as an important connector and “glue” that, frequently repeated, can hold all your other plants together. (See my previous post about the role of shrubs: Better Beds with Shrubs).

drought resistant plants

Abelia x grandiflora ‘Kaleidoscope’ Glossy Abelia Kaleidoscope

Mark goes on to recommend:

“Abelia ‘Kaleidoscope’ — variegated, dwarf, same kind of form as the Rosemary, but grows to 4-5’, I believe. White flowers, gold variegated foliage — good pop! Not sure if it’s low water, but we’re using it that way and it seems to do well.” (San Marcos Growers list this plant as needing ‘moderate water’.)

Please keep an eye out for my follow-up post where I share more exciting plants that promise to make a great show in your gardens next year.

drought resistant plants

Rhomneya coulteri Matilija Poppy

Also: Next month, October 13, at the monthly meeting of the San Diego Horticultural Society I’ll be one of three landscape designers giving a presentation about design options for those who are considering removing their lawn.

Here’s more information: http://sdhort.org/

I’d love to see you there!

Better Beds with Shrubs, Part ll

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As trees represent the “ceiling” in the garden room, shrubs can act as dividers or walls, as highlights, focal points, or screens.

Plant materials are one of the most important design elements for the floor, the walls and ceiling of outdoor rooms. They are living elements and need special care in selection and placement in the landscape.

In my previous post, I wrote about the many functions that shrubs can fill in the landscape, and how vital they are for a sustainable landscape design to be satisfying.

In this part, I continue to explore how to design with these plants and give a few choice examples.

How to design with shrubs

A Potato Bush crowns this perennial arrangement.

A Potato Bush crowns this perennial arrangement.

A good place for a larger a well-formed shrub is most often the background where it can serve as distinctive backdrop.

In this scene the Potato Bush Solanum rantonnettii lends solidity to a bed of lower growing perennials and grasses and adds an element of long lasting interest.

Coneflower shrubs

Coneflower shrubs as stand-alones in this planter bed

If you choose a shrub with colorful foliage and exceptional shape that doesn’t require constant pruning and that can stand up behind your perennials you have perhaps the perfect focal point. And with this it can deserve a place in the middle of your planter bed or even foreground (see Coneflowers above).

Contrasting forms, textures and colors

The chartreuse, ferny foliage of this Sunset Gold Breath of Heaven will always contrast with the fleshy rosettes of the Aeonium ‘Cabernet’.

Some shrubs are indispensable not as backdrop, but mingling right in the midst , such as here the ‘Sunset Gold Pink Breath of Heaven Coleonema pulchella. Its luminous feathery foliage is a great permanent teaser next to the dark and fleshy foliage of the Aeonium ‘Cabernet’ on the left.

Two Round Leaf Tea Trees

Two Round Leaf Tea Trees flank the path

For shrubs such as the Round Leaf Tea Tree Leptospermum rotundifolium (another drought tolerant shrub native to Australia and New Zealand) , flowers that draw bees and hummingbirds almost year round are an added benefits; their cascading form and evergreen foliage provide a great backdrop to a tapestry of smaller, more delicate perennials. Its delicate foliage is also in great contrast to the fleshy and sturdy leaves of the succulents (Felt Plant Kalanchoe beharensis and Agave ‘Blue Glow’ as well as Echeverias, Crassula Campfire’, and Sedums).

Although this is not a formal design, shrubs can be used to lend symmetry to the design by repeating them on either side of a walkway, as shown above.

Care should be taken with the pink color of this Tea Tree; an orange flower next to it could be viewed as jarring. However, all reds tinged with blue, blues, purples and yellows are great.

Yellow Spreader Lantana is a feisty substitute for more frilly perennials.

Yellow Spreader Lantana is a feisty substitute for more frilly perennials.

Some shrubs, like the yellow ‘Spreading Sunset’ Lantana here, deserve a foreground place: They can take the place of perennials, have good-looking foliage, almost year-round bloom , good form, and have hardly any ups and downs. It is almost unbeatable in permanence and attraction. It is also very drought tolerant and will easily re-sprout if damaged by mild frost.

A butterfly bush in the background

The Butterfly Bush has its firm place in the hearts of many gardeners

The Butterfly Bush Buddleia davidii – a must-have? It’s quite drought tolerant unless planted in inland valleys where it seems to need more water to look good… Its showy flowers have a heavenly fragrance and are magnets for hummingbirds, butterflies and other insects. However, its flowering season lasts a few weeks only, after which the blooms becomes sparse, and the majority of the flowers are faded and dried up and make this shrub less than attractive in my eyes. Add to this the yearly pruning to keep it at a manageable size and encourage re-blooming, this is a plant that demands quite a bit of work – and is still quite popular.

Bottlebrush as sentinel

A Bottlebrush used in this way makes you wonder what’s beyond the turn of the path it obscures.

Placed in the way as is the Bottle Brush above, shrubs can add tension and mystery to a garden scene by partially blocking the view and causing the stroller to wonder what’s behind the bend in the path. Incidentally, this shrub also acts as divider between this and the next ‘garden room’.

Shrubs screening the garden shed

Shrubs can be used as garden screens, hiding things like this garden house.

Here’s a list of choice shrubs:

Grevillea Superb

Grevillea Superb

Focal Point shrubs:

Coneflower: ‘Safari Sunshine’ or ‘Goldstrike’, or ‘Jester’, or ‘Silvan’…Leucospermum & Leucadendron
Potato Bush Solanum rantonetti
Grevillea ‘Superb ‘(see above)
Roundleaf Tea Tree Lepstospermum rotundifolium
Bottlebrush ‘Mauve Mist’ Callistemon Mauve Mist

Back-ground, “backdrop” or mid-border shrubs:
Toyon Heteromeles arbutifolium
African Boxwood Myrsine africana
Baja Fairy Duster Calliandra californica
Texas Rangers: ‘Heavenly Cloud’, ‘Thunder Cloud’, ‘Green Cloud’ , ‘Lynn’s Legacy’… Leuphyllum frutescens & L. langmanniae
Bougainvillea ! (shrub form)
Parney Cotoneaster Cotoneaster lacteus
Golden Breath of Heaven Coleonema pulchellum ‘Sunset Gold’

For the foreground:
Lantana selections and hybrids: ‘Dwarf Yellow’, ‘Gold Rush’, ‘Rainbow’ etc.
Grevillea Coastal Gem Grevillea lanigera ‘Coastal Gem’
Bearberry ‘Low Fast’ Cotoneaster damneri ‘Low Fast’

Shrubs to 4 ft

Botanical/Common Names Size Where to plant Characteristics/Qualities
Grevillea lanigera ‘Coastal Gem’ Grevillea ‘Coastal Gem’ 1 ft x 4-5 ft Full sun; light shade. Best in neutral to slightly acidic soil Low water needs/drought tolerant. Reminds me of pink-flowering Rosemary… with dense grey-green needle-like foliage that arch and curve downwards, carrying small pink-red, spidery flowers from winter to late spring. Great as woody, hardy foreground shrub and groundcover among softer perennials and fleshy-leaved succulents. Used in repetition will ‘knit’ all together.
Coleonema pulchellum ‘Sunset Gold’ – Golden Breath of Heaven 2-4 ft x 4-6 ft Full sun/ light shade with good drainage. Medium water needs * Great plant for its low, spreading, cascading form; as mid-border shrub its golden-greenish foliage contrasts well with succulents or perennials with fleshier texture and darker color.
Has small pinkish-white flowers in winter to spring.
Lantana ‘Golden Spreader’ Dwarf Yellow Lantana
(see also Yellow Spreader Lantana)		 2 ft to 6 ft Full sun; light shade Low, spreading foreground shrub with deep green smallish-narrow leaves, sporting bright yellow flowers most of the year. Loves heat, has moderate watering needs. Tender to frost. Use it as stand-in for frillier perennials; used in repetition will “knit” smaller perennials and succulents together. Lantana is a well-used plant and has many attractive hybrid-“sisters”.

Shrubs to 8 ft

Botanical/Common Names Size Where to plant Characteristics
Myrsine africana African Boxwood 6-8 ft x 4-5 ft Full sun or dry shade. This is a tough evergreen backdrop shrub with tiny deep green leaves and insignificant flowers. Its form can be tightly upright/rounded in full sun, or more open cascading in shadier situations. Drought tolerant/low water needs. I like its almost “elegant” foliage as background to colorful perennials of any texture as well as cool- or hot-colored succulents. Makes also small hedges. Hardy to 20-25 degrees.
Leucophyllum candidum ‘Thunder Cloud’ Thunder Cloud Texas Ranger 3 ft x 3-4 ft Full sun, reflected heat. Needs good drainage (excellent plant for slopes)
Mid-border shrub. Densely branched with compact form; fine silvery foliage. Low water needs.		 Blooms repeatedly during summer and fall with deep violet flowers. Great contrast to grasses with silvery or much darker foliage as well as succulents or smaller perennials. There are many other very attractive Leucophyllums available at Mountain States Nursery (see below)
Tecoma ‘Solar Flare’ Solar Flare Esperanza 4-6 ft x 4-6 ft Full sun. Upright spreading shrub with bright green foliage and yellow-orange flowers spring thru fall. Loves heat; fast growers. Low to moderate water needs. Prune only occasionally to cut back on reaching branches, and prune hard after frost. Great screening shrub and “big sister” plant that provides a colorful and vibrant companion and ‘chaperon’ in the background. Also attractive as stand-alone accent shrub or focal point shrub.

Shrubs to 10 ft and above

Botanical/Common Names Size Where to plant Characteristics
Cotoneaster lacteus Parney Cotoneaster, Red Clusterberry 8-12 x same Full sun , part shade Mounding shrub with dark-green foliage that is pale beige/silvery leaves on the underside. Tolerates dry conditions. Clusters of small white flowers in spring; red berries in fall/winter.
Excellent as screening and arching, spreading background plant that through its permanent form and foliage provides a great stabilizing effect. Could also be used as attractive focal point shrub. Will re-seed if conditions are right (with adequate water).
Adenanthos sericeus – Coastal Woollybush 6-10 ft x 4-6 ft Full sun; light shade. Needs well-draining soil. A fine-textured shrub with silvery green, soft-needle-like foliage and branches that reach skywards in upright, undulating fashion. Little to low water needs. Its foliage color makes a soft, almost elegant backdrop to more colorful perennials, smaller shrubs or succulents. As screening shrub is a ‘distractor’ rather than a dense screen. Great for “Mediterranean” designs or as softening agent in designs consisting of mostly succulents. Excellent in coastal conditions as it is both salt and wind tolerant. Cold hardy to 25 degrees. Great cut foliage.
Grevillea ‘Long John’ Grevillea ‘Long John’ 8-10 ft x 8-12 ft Full sun; light shade An upright, rounded shrub that is drought tolerant/low water needs. Hardy to 20 degrees. Foliage is narrow, needle-like along vertical branches, with airy “see-through” appearance; intriguing rosy-pink/red flowers. Beautiful “distractor” of ugly sites rather than opaque screen; airy backdrop to interesting foreground plants. Could also be used as tall accent shrub or focal point.

* WATER NEEDS
Low = Might survive in coastal conditions on normal rainfall (which hasn’t happened in the last few years) but need infrequent deep irrigation in drier conditions (f. ex. Every 2-3 or 4-5 weeks depending on location and soil.)

Medium = Water regularly for it to be attractive in the garden: In coastal conditions this might be 1x/week to 1x/every two weeks once established; more often in hot/dry conditions. May also need supplemental water in dry winters.

[For a more in-depth research data on the watering needs and irrigation practices of these plants, please consult WUCOLS IV, the research results published by the University of California Cooperative Extension and the California Department of Water Resources. This study sought to determine the irrigation needs of ornamental plants and make recommendations for irrigation practices for many areas of our state. WUCOLS (Water Use Classification of Landscape Species) categorizes the most commonly used ornamental plants, assigning a relative value to the irrigation required for each plant. In late 2014, 22 years after the first WUCOLS study, WUCOLS I was published athe new online version nd 15 years after the last edition, WUCOLS STUDY III, WUCOLS IV is now available on the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources Website.]

RESOURCES
Please consult these grower/nursery websites for more plant information and availability:
Waterwise Botanicals, Bonsall www.waterwisebotanicals.com
San Marcos Growers, www.smgrowers.com
Green Meadow Growers, Bonsall www.greenmeadowgrowers.com
Mountain States Nursery www.mswn.com

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"Christiane, your design is beautiful. Viewers love the design and color. Thank you so much for all your support while the project was being developed. It would have been more stressful for me had you not held my hand regularly.”

Rachel Michel

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Christiane Holmquist

Christiane HolmquistLandscape Designer
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