xeriscape San Diego Archives - Christiane Holmquist Landscape Design

The Eye-Catching Bromeliad – No Tenderfoot in the Drought Resistant Landscape

August 30, 2013 By Christiane Homquist 4 Comments

In my previous post I wrote about terrestrial bromeliads, a group of plants that can make beautiful, even majestic attention-grabbers in your garden while being perfect companions to many drought resistant plants. Their form, foliage and colors lend themselves very well to be paired with succulents, cacti and other low water plants in the sustainable landscape design.

Bromeliads can be attractive specimen in the difficult areas of your garden, such as in hot reflected light or one that hardly sees any as on the north side of a house, under the eaves.

With this ability to do double-duty they can therefore be a great help with the tough spots when you design your landscape.

They all prefer these growing conditions:

Good drainage
Overhead watering
Full sun or partial to full shade
Frost resistant to about 20°
Resistant to salt spray
Low in fertilizer needs (which will speed up the growth at the expense of some of the leaf color; in general it will make the leaves greener)
Moderate watering: overhead; 1x/week, sometimes more in hot weather (or hotter location, as an inland valley); 1x/month in cooler areas

Some noteworthy peculiarities of the bromeliads:

Most of the bromeliads that people grow only bloom a single time; some re-bloom. (The process is explained in detail at the site of the Bromeliad Society International.)

However, it can take years before they reach maturity and bloom; some produce flowers that stay on the plant for months or even years. Some grow “pups” or “offsets” before bloom; others grow these after the mother plant is done blooming and can now direct “her” energy into producing pups (some bromeliads also grow seeds). So for the one mother plant, you’ll probably end up with between 2 and 5 smaller plants once bloom has finished,.

These offsets can be cut or dug up and re-potted. For some of the bromeliads, especially the larger Vrieseas, I’d suggest to buy a larger plant to replace the mother plant as it take a few years until the offsets have reached the parent’s size..”.

Here now are the ‘toughies’ that I was talking about and see whether you can’t find one that would bring pizzazz to your garden.

The Vriesea imperialis in bloom is an unforgettable sight.

The Vriesea imperialis (now classified as Alcantarea) is regal bromeliad with leathery, green strappy leaves with a deep wine-red tinge to it that intensifies in the sun. It is spectacular plant even when not in bloom because of its perfect form that relies solely on its rosette, and is as such a good companion to a modern/contemporary design.

It will develop, with several years of growth, a giant rosette, 4 to 5 ft large. It can tolerate full sun, even in my Ramona valley, but also tolerates partial shade. (When the temps reach 100 ° consistently, it’s better to give it afternoon protection.)

When it has reached its mature size which can take several years, it produces a giant inflorescence (flower stalk) that reaches up to 10 ft into the air and lingers for 4-5 months.

The New Zealand site “Bromeliads online” says about the Vriesea imperialis:

“In the garden these stately plants are easy to grow and trouble free. They will grow in virtually any soil, but prefer free draining soil. Application of fertiliser will certainly get them growing faster and bigger, but a reduction in leaf colour in the red types may result. They are completely resistant to salt spray and wind, coping with near cyclone conditions even when planted in an exposed position. They are surprisingly cold hardy, coping with up to frosts of several degrees. However young plants may be frost burnt. Full sun produces the best leaf colour and form, even with the green types. In tropical conditions some burning may occur in the middle of summer, but in temperate climates burning is rare, unless the plants have not been acclimatised before planting out.”

Here are more bromeliads for the full sun:

Neoregelia compacta

Neoregelia ‘Fireball’

More bromeliads for the sun are the red Neoregelia ‘compacta’ and Neoregelia ‘Fireball’; they won’t get bigger than 1-2 ft wide and tall, and it’s the sun that brings out their red coloration, but they can also tolerate partial shade (which will make them greener).

Neoregelia pauciflora

Neoregelia pauciflora is nice and apple green that stays the same in sun or shade in cooler/more moderate climates; in a hot inland valley it will probably prefer the dappled shade under a tree – you might find it’s worth a try in your location.

For these bromeliads applies that the sun brings out their coloration. They can reach up to 2 ft across, spreading slowly by “offsets” (called “pups” with succulents) their flowers are short in the cup. They have most spectacular colorful foliage.

Aechmea blanchetiana

The Aechmea blanchetiana is a striking one with its apple-green foliage forming a rosette, up to 2-3 ft tall and 3-4 ft wide, slowly widening. Its “sister’ Aechmea blanchetiana ‘Tangerine’ will intensify its orange hues with more sun exposure.

Aechmea cv. ‘Prietro’

The Aechmea cv. ‘Prietro’ is a bromeliad with almost black foliage black that produces striking orange red flowers. This would make a great companion to purple or chartreuse and yellow succulents, and it likes the full sun. Size: smallish, 15-18 inches tall, by 18×18 inches wide.

Aechmea comata ‘Lemon Lime’

Aechmea comata ‘Lemon Lime‘: This is one that can take any exposure and has the perfect size of 2-3 ft x 2-3 ft.

Aechmea recurvata

Aechmea recurvata, another one for the sun, short 1-2 f x 1-2 ft. Beautiful and striking when planted in masses.

Bilbergia Baton Rouge

The Bilgerbia Baton Rouge is one for the worst sites: heat (even reflected), sunny. It can therefore be easily paired with cacti and some succulents. It will grow with vase-shaped rosettes that are about 12 inches across and to 24-30″ tall, and will slowly form an ever widening clump.

SHADE bromeliads

Vriesea sanguinolenta

The Vriesea sanguinolenta is also a stately plant. This one prefers the dappled shade. It can grow to 3 x 3 ft.

Vriesea fosteriana

The Vriesea fosteriana is another interesting one,with its marbled strappy leaves. It forms a rosette to 2-3 ft large.

Neoregelia ‘Magic Star Mint’

Here’s one that can do both: Shade or sun. Is the modest sized Neoregelia ‘Magic Star Mint’. Its size is 1-2 ft x 1-2 ft (with slowly ever widening clumps).

Dyckia fosteriana hybrid ‘Brittlestar’

From the Bromeliad family: Dyckia fosteriana hybrids ‘Brittlestar‘. It’s suitable for bright light, full sun or shade. Dyckias are succulents from the bromeliad family that form small clumps to about 8 inches by 8 inches, slowly widening, that bloom with orange flowers on a 2-3 upright, slightly branching inflorescence (here: flower stalk). With stiff and thorny leaves, prefer rocky and/or sunny areas and have a natural tendency to clump leading to thick, large mats. It’s cold hardy to 20-25 °.

Don’t forget that all these bromeliads are un-demanding in their water-needs and fit beautifully into xeriscape designs.

I thank Eric from Rancho Soledad and deeply appreciate his generous help with this article!

Sustainable Landscape Design – Celebrating California at its Best

May 1, 2013 By Christiane Homquist 2 Comments

Everything about the location of their new home appealed to Ara and Diego: Conveniently located at a comfortable driving distance to schools, work (both work in medical research at a local university), shopping and cultural events of San Diego, and located in a quiet residential neighborhood, it offered a magnificent view of San Diego Bay, right from their back patio. It had a good-sized landscape with many fruit trees and room for Diego’s exotics collection; it even had a pool and large play lawns for the couple’s three children.

The home’s architecture and layout however left a lot to be desired: The 70’s style red tile roof of this Perceived-Spanish fantasy weighed heavily on it; chopped-up rooms and lack of windows and doors were not taking advantage of one of the most prized attributes to Southern California lifestyle: Our brilliant skies and mild temperatures inviting “inside-out living” spaces that blend seamlessly together. Ara and Diego dreamt of taking advantage of all as much as possible; with their love of contemporary and mid-century modern art and architecture they decided on a radical transformation of their new home. The changes would not stop at the home itself; picket fence, spindly palm trees and neatly hedged shrubs did not fit into their aesthetics either nor into their sense of sustainability.

One of the first things they decided on was to lift off the heavy roof, revealing the clean horizontal lines of a modernist bungalow, and refreshing the exterior with a white smooth “Santa Barbara” stucco. On the inside, rooms were enlarged, and in the center a large community space created that floats seamlessly from living to dining to living space. The old entry hall was removed and replaced by a courtyard that is open to the front yard; a room addition created a U-shaped patio in the back yard. Here a warm, barefoot-friendly Ipe deck is a continuation of the wood flooring indoors and invites as much living outdoors as possible, facilitated by sliding doors that connect every room with the outside.

Ara’s and Diego’s creative passions didn’t stop at the house : They were interested in landscape design help that would complement and soften the crisp edges of the home’s modernist design; it needed also to reflect the couple’s artwork and accommodate their active lifestyle. The new landscape design should work with the dry California climate as a low water landscape; it should only require a modicum of maintenance, and it also needed to incorporate Diego’s exotic collection of cacti and succulents.

As we were brainstorming possible landscape design ideas, we agreed that the lawns had an essential place in the landscape as much-used play areas for the couple’s children and their friends. Both the back yard landscape design as well as the front yard are designed around the children’s activities.

The entrance patio, right next to the garage and the driveway, was a bit too open to the public; we wanted it to be off-set without employing a heavy screen. The pavement here consisted of a beautiful travertine tile into which we cut out a row of tiles, just between it and the driveway. Here we placed a couple of naturally rusted steel troughs that “enclosed” the patio and created a visual although very low separation between the two. More a suggestion rather than an actual screen, a lacy curtain of horsetail reeds creates greater privacy for this courtyard that is open to the public yet can’t easily be scrutinized by passersby.

Decorating the wall across from the breakfast room we mounted a red metal sculpture fabricated after Ara’s and Diego’s design. It decorates a fountain trough made also of steel left to rust naturally. (The fountain is presently under repair, and the trough not filled.)

With the heavy roofs gone, the horizontal lines of the architecture dominated the landscape. I employed xeriscape plants whose dramatic shapes, intricate textures and sky-reaching forms contrast with the regularity of the architecture and lend an exotic touch to the landscape: Dracaenas Dracaena marginata, Ponytail Palm Beaucarnea recurvata, Caribbean Copper Plant Euphorbia cotinifolia and Purple Peppermint Willow Agonis flexuosa ‘After Dark’ lend the height and the dark color accent; Agaves and cacti the exotic notes; bold Aeoniums and Rock Purslane Calandrinia spectabilis the color and visual interest. A giant New Zealand Flax, Rushes and False Yucca Hesperaloe parviflora lend the airier character, and to all xeriphytic perennials contribute a softening effect.

The old access to the side yard was re-designed; a good-looking Ipe fence picks up the material used in the back yard for the deck extension and inside the home for the flooring.

Diego had already started a substantial collection of fantastic cacti such as Cleistocactus and Cereus monstrosus; also Foxtail Agaves, Aloes and a giant Euphorbia canariensis; some of them had been salvaged from his previous home. They all found their new home in this xeriscape San Diego and are a much better aesthetical fit for the home’s architectural style than the clipped shrubs and fence of the former landscape. Some of them act as their own dramatic pieces of art and have prominent places in the landscape (here across from the red metal courtyard sculpture).

A local gravel called ‘Palm Springs Gold’ serves as mulch and adds a textural element. It is also a clean foil against which the colors and textures of these plants stand out. It evokes a desert scape in which succulents are used in great numbers together with long-flowering and lasting perennials and other drought resistant plants.

More from common sense and the desire for sustainability than aesthetics, the existing pool and part of the previous deck (bordering the new Ipe deck) were integrated into the new landscape and allow a smooth access from house to pool, play lawn and garden.

When the weather is warm which is around 300 days a year, the family keeps the windows and sliding doors to this terrace open.

What an exciting project this was, and how satisfying. To me as landscape designer San Diego it reflects a new “California Mix”: A definite aesthetic sense influencing the design of home and garden without ever imposing a purist’s approach; a strong desire for a sustainable landscape design that honors the style of the owners while acknowledging the needs of the family and the environment.

Xeriscape Design: Hot and lush yet waterwise – Tropical look-alikes for an arid land (Part II)

August 19, 2012 By Christiane Homquist 2 Comments

With their striking structural forms, masses of large leaves or finely cut foliage, and hot flamboyant flowers tropical plants create a lush look evocative of paradises far away. To some it’s wasteful to create tropical gardens in our desert scape, and they might even feel that tropicals don’t “fit” here.

I’m not in favor of creating landscapes that evoke the tropics – it’s too difficult to ignore the ever-present Eucalyptus or the native Chaparral on our dry mesas or in our boulder-rich foothills. I love the California native landscape, and I love desert plant species and Mediterranean plants. However, in the hottest months many of the gardens that are landscaped with drought tolerant plants look drab and lifeless. Perhaps it’s due to a fine layer of dust… or the summer dormancy of our drought resistant plants. For those of us who want to add a bit more ‘spice’ to our bleached-out gardens here are more “wanna-be tropicals”. They’ll add hot, energizing color and lush foliage, yet as drought tolerant plants fit into a true xeriscape San Diego style. (See my previous blog post about this subject.)

Aloe rudikoppe ‘Little Gem’

This tough succulent produces beautiful orange, exotic waxy flowers year round, in contrast to many other Aloes. It’s superb also for its toughness as it can tolerate regular water to dry conditions and thrives even on the northside of buildings where it never gets any direct sun. 1 ft 6 inch height, spread 2 ft; hardy to 25F.

Bougainvillea Torch Glow

As a shrub that slowly grows 6 to 7 ft tall and 5 ft wide this Bougainvillea is more adaptable to smaller gardens than its rambling brethren. With hot pink flowers for most of the year it can be paired with succulents, tropical looking plants or desert gardens as it is very drought tolerant once established. Hardy to the mid 20s.

Daylily Black Suave adds a great color highlight to the gardem

This is a wonderful highlight of color in the garden with deep red, luxurious flowers. Height about 1½ ft by width 1½ ft. In massing it would have a great impact. Blooms in spring and again in fall. A good technique to coax it into re-bloom and remove spent leaf blades is to cut the whole plant about 6 inches above ground when the first flush of flowers is gone.

Sweetshade makes a tropical looking appearance in the xeriscape landscape.

Sweetshade Hymenosporum flavum produces sweet fragrance and adds tropical flair.

When in bloom in early summer, this evergreen tree is quite showy with yellow fragrant flowers against glossy green leaves. It has an open, graceful upright habit and can reach a height of 20 to 40 ft and a spread of 20 ft. It likes sun to partial shade, well-drained soil and is water-wise. Early pruning will result in a stronger, denser plant.

Rose Cherry Bomb adds an explosion of color to the low water landscape

This rose is perhaps a perfect stand-in for Hibiscus without its problems of mildew or whiteflies… It produces sweet rosy red, 2-3 inch single-petaled blossoms with ruffled edges, on beautiful bronze/dark green disease resistant foliage. Approximately 5 – 6′ tall and wide. Flowers most of the year with nice hips in winter; full to part sun, and hardy to -15 F.

Tupidanthus is surprisingly versatile and even moderate in its water needs

With glossy, evergreen foliage and a very tropical flare, this shrub can grow to 30+ feet in height and can be trained into a single trunk tree. Stems produce bright green, palmate lobed leaves that slope down. Loves the sun or partial shade, and medium water. Hardy to 28 degrees

It surprised me to learn that many of these plants that I had formerly considered ‘water huggers’ need indeed much less water, as the grower of these plants, Tom Jesch of Waterwise Botanicals in Bonsall explained: With the appropriate watering rhythm in their establishment phase they will push out their roots far and deep which makes them much more resistant to a low water regime than we are used to believe.

With our rising water cost and the prolonged high temperatures that have parched so much of our land water conservation and drought resistant landscaping is on all our minds. So it’s wise to look for plants that fit into our xeriscape designs, but we don’t need to deprive ourselves of a lush look and energizing colors.

Lush and Waterwise Landscape Design in Carlsbad, CA

November 23, 2011 By Christiane Holmquist 7 Comments


	This drought resistant landscaping – front and back – is lovingly planted with exuberant, dramatic greenery that is a pleasure to care for. Shady sitting areas, water play features for children and adults, and comfortable walkways made from beautiful materials invite year-round outdoor enjoyment. A stunning example of xeriscape design in San Diego.

	BEFORE: The front yard landscape design was a plant jumble that obscured the entrance to this modern home and darkened the front yard. WANTED: The homeowners desired a low water landscape with low maintenance plants; in addition, these gardens should provide year-round gardening pleasure with plants sculptural and bold enough to hold their own against the striking architecture of the home.

	From the existing planting scheme we kept the palm trees as accents and overhead canopy. To this we added terrestrial Bromeliads, Echeverias, Aeoniums and Agaves selected for their dramatic foliage, easy care and permanent allure. A large Aloe bainesii, Bronze Loquats, Leucadendrons “Safari Sunset” and an exotic Trevisia palmata add weight in the mid-plane of the composition.

	The flower bed designs show a plant combination that works well: The Leucadendrons, Aechmeas and Vrieseas will need watering every 10 days or thereabouts (this of course after the establishment period). They’ll make good companions to the Agaves, Echeverias, Sedums and Coral Bells.

	A sleek re-circulating fountain stands across from the window and can be viewed from inside. A flat-topped boulder and a chair nearby invite to sit and watch the grandchildren play with the water. This fountain was fabricated from naturally rusted cor-ten steel. Water is pumped up from a subterranean reservoir into the fountain trough and sheets over its sides.

	Although Peruvian Lilies and Iris provide a lot of color in the summer months, most of the visual interest is provided by the permanent textures and colors of foliage plants, as here by the Black Moon Aeonium, variegated Foxtail Agave, Dymondia Silver Carpet and Sedum kimnachii, all very fine drought xeriscape plants.

	A flagstone path bisects the front garden, connecting the driveway to the front door and continuing around the house to the back garden. It allows viewing and exploring from all angles and increases the enjoyment of so many fascinating plants.

	This xeriscape design in San Diego has become a garden with generous and exuberant greenery; there is just enough lawn for grandchildren and dog to play on. A beautiful flagstone path invites strolling past Mexican Marigolds, ornamental grasses, Rock Purslane, Sundrops and Brazilian Coppertree, to name a few.

	The sandbox was placed under the Jacaranda right next to the pergola, and a “splashing boulder” adds another attraction for children and adults. Now parents and children can enjoy their playtime in the comfort of these shady places.

	The raised beds are holding Roses, Lavender, ornamental grasses and Irises of “her” collection as well as vegetables planted at their feet. With careful placement and their own irrigation cycle no plant interferes with another, and all are doing well.

	Fantastic succulents and cacti evoke a world of other-worldly marine creatures that was inspired by the “sea-scape” created at San Diego Botanic Garden by Jeff Moore, Owner of Solana Succulents. Red Octopus Aloe, Myers Asparagus Fern, Star Fish Aloe and Medusa Plant were set into two earthen mounds decorated with scree, lava rock and boulders to evoke a coral world populated with sea weeds, anemones and star fishes.

	Partners in this project: Mark Sterk of Columbine Landscape, Escondido, CA, one of the finest landscaping companies in San Diego, executed this project with a never-tiring attention to detail, creative problem solving and absolute dedication to quality performance. Rancho Soledad Nursery, Rancho Santa Fe, CA provided the “exotics” (Vrieseas, Aechmeas, Agaves, Echeverias). Green Meadow Growers in Bonsall, CA provided perennials and succulents. Solana Succulents provided the plants for the “sea scapes”. This is truly a breath taking example of xeriscape in San Diego.

Award-Winning Case Study: Xeriscape San Diego

July 26, 2011 By Christiane Holmquist Leave a Comment

Traditional ice-plant expanse in the front yard

Traditional iceplant landscape

Achieving water savings and creating satisfying drought resistant landscaping are probably THE most important services I provide to homeowners.

Here’s a case study of how both goals were reached for Liz and Rick in Escondido:
Feeling the pinch of an ever-increasing water bill, Liz and Rick were ready “to do something” about their conventional ice-plant expanse, and they contracted with Nature Designs Landscaping in Vista, CA, one of the landscaping companies in San Diego that are experts in drought resistant landscaping.

I have worked with Steve Jacobs before on similar xeriscape designs. He felt that I would be a good fit for the naturalistic style and relaxed outdoor living that Liz and Rick prefer, as I share their interest in exceptional desert plant species that demand little maintenance.

drought-resistant landscaping with desert plant species

Colorful and drought resistant

We agreed to create several related themes for this garden: The ‘Contemporary California Mix’ at the entrance has the most color but also interesting contrast of texture and form: Narrow-pointy blades of Kangaroo Paws, Daylilies and Evergold Sedge contrast with the rounded form and fleshy texture of such succulents as Cotyledon, Echeverias and Dudleyas. Feathery Cassia, Myrtle and Texas Ranger give structure; Strawberry Tree, Willow Wattle and Chitalpa create an overhead canopy and “anchor” the home.

On the slopes farther away, we created a native California theme: Ceanothus and Mountain Mahoganies screen the pool garden; at the bottom of the slope grows a pretty mix of Bush Poppy, Sages, California Wild Rye, California Fuchsia and other perennials.

Desert plant species

For Liz’s impressive collection of succulents and cacti that included Aloes, Agaves, an Ocotillo, Hesperaloe and a Zamia, I designed a “desert garden”, mounded it up and top-dressed it with attractive rock and gravel. It is placed in a large area in the back garden that had previously been lawn.

Their south-west facing back garden also saw significant change: Here we placed four raised vegetable beds in a star-shaped arrangement, accessible on all sides on clean D(ecomposed) G(ranite). Many fruit trees also grow in this “production area” whose entrance is marked by an arbor.

A backyard landscape design

Collaborating with Liz and Rick and Nature Designs Landscaping was very satisfying because of our shared goals: Gain significant water savings; make this landscape fun to contemplate and a pleasure to live and garden in as Liz and Rick continue to add new plant finds.

There are also more measurable signs of success: Since installation a year ago, the drought resistant plants have grown significantly, thanks to drip irrigation and several inches of mulch. In that time Liz and Rick have saved close to 60% compared to their previous year’s water consumption while enjoying edible pay-back in their vegetable garden. Nature Designs was honored with an achievement award at the recent California Landscape Contractors Association Annual Beautification Awards for this project, and I am grateful to share this honor as the designer.

Christiane Holmquist

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