by 505 Outside | Aug 2, 2018 | Flowering Plants
Full Sun
Medium Water
Mature Size: 48”X 48”
Blooming Season: June-September
Flower Color: White or Pink
A native to the Southwest, Gaura gives the garden a wonderful informality with its long, wispy stems of spider-like flowers. It responds with a profusion of flowers when watered regularly during the summer. Most varieties of Gaura feature white flowers, but a new variety called Siskiyou Pink features pink blooms. Other native perennials that enjoy similar garden conditions and combine well with Gaura include Echinacea (Purple Coneflower) and Agastache cana (Giant Hyssop).
by 505 Outside | Aug 2, 2018 | Flowering Plants
Full Sun
Medium Water
Mature Size: 24”X 24”
Blooming Season: Summer
Flower Color: Yellow/Orange/Red
Blanketflower is one of the most dependable perennial bloomers. It’s easy to grow and tough enough to handle hot micro-climates. The flowers sport red centers; the petals are orange with yellow tips. The flowers keep coming all summer, just remove the spent blooms and another crop of flowers will appear in a couple of weeks. Although fairly drought-tolerant, regular watering produces the most prolific blooms.
by 505 Outside | Aug 2, 2018 | Flowering Plants
Full Sun
Rainwater Only
Mature Size: 1’X 18”
Blooming Season: Spring into summer
Flower Color: White, pale pink or yellow
No matter where you live in the arid Southwest, there is probably a Wild Buckwheat native nearby. All have nectar-rich flowers that attract butterflies, and their nectar also supports the tiny parasitic insects that help rid our gardens of pests such as aphids and thrips. After blooming, they develop seed heads of rust brown or deep red that provide color well into autumn. Luckily several species are offered as garden plants at nurseries that specialize in native plants.
by 505 Outside | Aug 2, 2018 | Flowering Plants
Full Sun, Part Shade
Medium Water
Mature Size: 1’X 2’
Blooming Season: Late spring
Flower Color: Light pink to bright rose pink
Garden Pinks have single flowers on short slender stems with a light clove scent. They form dense cushions of pale blue-gray leaves that make attractive groundcovers even when the plants are not in bloom. The named varieties such as ‘Firewitch’ have darker flower colors and bloom longer than other species, and all are beautiful growing along paths, spilling around boulders and in large pots on the patio.
by 505 Outside | Aug 2, 2018 | Flowering Plants
Full Sun
Medium Water
Mature Size: 24”X 24”
Blooming Season: Summer
Flower Color: Yellow
Coreopsis is a carefree perennial with fine, thread-like foliage and pale, 2-inch wide yellow flowers that cover the plant all summer. Performs best in compost-enriched soil. Add soil sulphur to keep the foliage nicely green. It is relatively late to awaken from its winter dormancy, so be patient! The “Moonbeam” cultivar is one of the most drought-tolerant varieties and bears flowers that are pale yellow.
by 505 Outside | Aug 2, 2018 | Flowering Plants
Full Sun, Part Shade
Medium Water
Mature Size: 36”X 36”
Blooming Season: Late Spring-Summer
Flower Color: Red
Red Valerian is a versatile plant, being equally at home in both the xeric garden and traditional perennial border. Not fussy about its growing conditions, the showy rose-red flowers are continuous from late spring through summer. A willing reseeder under favorable conditions, Centranthus ruber prefers well-drained garden soil not clay.
