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Variety Garden on the Parking Strip
Munstead Dwarf Lavender
Yellow Moraea, Fortnight Lily
Carnival Lantana
Blue Star Creeper, Isotoma
Munstead Dwarf Lavender

Common name:Munstead Dwarf Lavender
Botanical name:Lavandula angustifolia 'Munstead'

While this hybrid is half the size of the standard angustifolia, it flowers early and has a more intense flower color than most of the species. Its foliage and flowers are good for sachets. This is a perfect choice for smaller scale situations. It is drought tolerant and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.

Yellow Moraea, Fortnight Lily

Common name:Yellow Moraea, Fortnight Lily
Botanical name:Dietes bicolor

This clumping perennial Iris relative stands 3'-4' high. It has light yellow, iris-like flowers with maroon blotches that are about 2" wide. It performs best in full sun and in soil with good drainage.

Carnival Lantana

Common name:Carnival Lantana
Botanical name:Lantana hybrids

Delightful accents of color in natural gardens are found with this informal shrub. It can be controlled with pruning and is a reliable bloomer intermittently throughout the year, benefitting from infrequent, deep waterings and a little pruning.

Blue Star Creeper, Isotoma

Common name:Blue Star Creeper, Isotoma
Botanical name:Pratia pedunculata

Pratia pedunculata has bright green, nearly stemless, 1/4" leaves. In late spring and summer, these form a backdrop for equally tiny, star-shaped pale blue flowers.

The Magic of Mulch

In the natural world the endless cycle of birth, growth, decay, death and rebirth flows throughout the seasons. Plants die, leaves fall and new growth springs up in its place. Nothing is lost and the fallen leaves and dead plants decay into the soil, enriching it for the next generation of growth.

Click in the green box for more information

Designer: Marilee Kuhlmann

Variety Garden on the Parking Strip

Photographer: GardenSoft

Soils and Compost:

Practice grass-cycling by leaving short grass clippings on lawns after mowing, so that nutrients and organic matter are returned to the soil.

Integrated Pest Management:

Drip and other smart irrigation delivers water directly to roots, allowing no excess water for weeds.