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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Designer: Marilee Kuhlmann | Variety Garden on the Parking Strip |
Photographer: GardenSoft |
Practice grass-cycling by leaving short grass clippings on lawns after mowing, so that nutrients and organic matter are returned to the soil.
Drip and other smart irrigation delivers water directly to roots, allowing no excess water for weeds.