tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post7546933327069028594..comments2024-03-28T01:13:28.497-07:00Comments on Late to the Garden Party: My favorite drought tolerant plantsKris Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07097260283693156795noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-36094418148655529272015-05-04T13:17:32.973-07:002015-05-04T13:17:32.973-07:00I'm glad to be of help, Christina - if only by...I'm glad to be of help, Christina - if only by accident! The Dorycnium is a wonderful plant.Kris Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07097260283693156795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-34722696989521975532015-05-04T04:47:41.700-07:002015-05-04T04:47:41.700-07:00I love how you have changed your garden to help re...I love how you have changed your garden to help reduce water use; many of the plants are gorgeous but wouldn't stand my cold winters here. I think you have solved an identification issue for me. Ages ago I bought a plant from a plant fair, I asked the stand owner to write the names of the plants I had purchased but sadly he didn't do so, one was, I'm fiarly sure, Dorycnium hirsutum , so thank you. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-43792306672437366462015-05-03T13:09:20.417-07:002015-05-03T13:09:20.417-07:00I've had the same experience with Artemisia, D...I've had the same experience with Artemisia, Deb. Regular pruning is required to keep it looking good.Kris Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07097260283693156795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-71891652912700057702015-05-03T13:06:11.163-07:002015-05-03T13:06:11.163-07:00The Solanum has done well here. I picked mine up,...The Solanum has done well here. I picked mine up, on both occasions, at Roger's. The flowers of 'Mountain Pride' have deeper color than the S. xanti I've seen in other nurseries.<br /><br />I put some of the smaller Aloes in the street-side succulent bed but they're struggling - I think they probably need a bit more water than I've given them thus far to get established there and I suspect I need to do more to improve the soil. I'm eyeing some of the larger Aloes for fall purchases, I've got some Salvia leucantha and clevelandii but I've earmarked another offered by Las Pilitas, S. 'Celestial Blue', for acquisition this fall.Kris Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07097260283693156795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-79300497701254910642015-05-03T12:56:27.942-07:002015-05-03T12:56:27.942-07:00Even some of my natives are struggling. I've ...Even some of my natives are struggling. I've lost 3 Ceanothus this year and just discovered that a bladderpod (Isomeris arborea) I got from the local native plant conservancy 18 months ago suddenly failed. On the positive side, the Solanum is doing well!Kris Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07097260283693156795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-14820771228231620892015-05-03T09:55:54.418-07:002015-05-03T09:55:54.418-07:00You have a wealth of wonderful plants! I love Cous...You have a wealth of wonderful plants! I love Cousin It! It must be difficult to deal with your dry conditions, but you have responded creatively so that your garden is even more beautiful. Powis Castle is one of my favorites. It is flourishing in my front stone planter. I have to prune it regularly to keep it in size, but it does not seem to mind. I also have had it growing for years in the ground in a section of the front garden, and it does well there, as long as I keep it pruned. Otherwise, it gets lanky and bare in the middle.debsgardenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15656883577922890561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-20679032046193900122015-05-02T12:53:40.615-07:002015-05-02T12:53:40.615-07:00Great list; I must look for the Solanum. Your pl...Great list; I must look for the Solanum. Your plants in the front look so much better than a lawn. Aloes should not be overlooked as they provide food for bees and nectar loving birds. Lavenders of course. The dwarfs seem to last and look good many more years than the larger ones. Salvia leucantha and clevelandii, apiana...Hoover Boohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03083294821646284424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-84550440061123436662015-05-02T12:21:36.135-07:002015-05-02T12:21:36.135-07:00Kudos to you for being pro-active about the situat...Kudos to you for being pro-active about the situation. It must be frustrating to deal with drought of that magnitude. <br /><br />The only thing I can suggest is to look at drought tolerant California natives. It seems like the best bet is to cultivate what grows naturally. sweetbayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06248743114944736346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-20117965981643191292015-05-02T10:17:52.392-07:002015-05-02T10:17:52.392-07:00Lawns are certainly under fire here but there are ...Lawns are certainly under fire here but there are a lot of them, many already looking scruffy due to the combination of the early hear and water conservation. It'll be interesting to see how many of these come out in the next year. My husband and I are already working with a friend on plans for removal of his front and backyard lawns.Kris Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07097260283693156795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-5203691412442105292015-05-02T10:11:55.394-07:002015-05-02T10:11:55.394-07:00Thanks for the link, Susan. I'll check it out...Thanks for the link, Susan. I'll check it out. Kris Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07097260283693156795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-11219391385461017852015-05-02T08:46:01.998-07:002015-05-02T08:46:01.998-07:00I really admire the way you keep your garden looki...I really admire the way you keep your garden looking so good in the terrible drought conditions. I love all the plants you have chosen.<br />I have a Michael Pollan book: Second Nature which is a great book and explains the American fixation with lawns. I hope more people will listen to him and choose to garden like you do, with plants that look great and are suited to dry conditions.chlorishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02037607962980090244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-40425919528914179862015-05-02T07:37:05.448-07:002015-05-02T07:37:05.448-07:00California natives offer several benefits that are...California natives offer several benefits that are long-term: habitat creation - especially for butterflies that need a "larval host." For example - Thorne's Hairstreak lays its eggs on the beautiful, scented, evergreen Tecate Cypress. Additionally, this is what makes California "California" - a unique place. To see what grew where you live, type your address into this excellent resource: http://www.calscape.com and have fun learning about our heritage. While you are at it, grow a native edible!Susan Krzywickihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11734833252007456199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-47609020617509354782015-05-01T21:13:08.827-07:002015-05-01T21:13:08.827-07:00Oh, there are still people that are oblivious - or...Oh, there are still people that are oblivious - or perhaps in denial - about the water problem here, Jean. However, under the new regulations, I understand that people will be prohibited from irrigating within 48 hours of measurable rain, although I have no idea how that regulation will be enforced. Oddly, California too exports water! I understand that Crystal Geyser, Arrowhead, Aquafina, and Dasani all tap California water sources - how they're responding to the water crisis here, I haven't heard but it's further indication of the need for a comprehensive analysis and response to California's water problem.Kris Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07097260283693156795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-5241128512330581552015-05-01T18:34:06.312-07:002015-05-01T18:34:06.312-07:00You are to be commended for your responsible use o...You are to be commended for your responsible use of drought-tolerant plants and your conscientious efforts to reduce your water needs. It's unfortunate that not all Californians share your attitude. I imagine that people are generally more careful now than they were when I lived in southern California 45 years ago and was appalled by the sight of automatic irrigation systems pumping out water even as streets flooded from fall rains. <br />I am fortunate to live and garden in a water-rich region of the country (glacial landscape covered with lakes, ponds and rivers and many large underground aquifers), but even here, people are beginning to pay more attention to water issues -- especially because we export water (I am just a few miles from the home of the Poland Spring bottled water company) and realize that we will be under increasing pressure to export more of our water as fresh drinking water becomes scarce in other parts of the country and the world. -JeanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-43127244534001581902015-05-01T18:18:51.833-07:002015-05-01T18:18:51.833-07:00There's a lot of variety among the California ...There's a lot of variety among the California natives offered for sale and, while some of the native nurseries (like Las Pilitas) offer guidance on what should work in a given area, most here do not so buyers have to be careful. The microclimates in an urban environment like ours also complicate matters. Climate change here, especially the increasingly warm winters and unseasonably early heatwaves, makes it more difficult to apply the limited guidance available on appropriate native plant selections as well. I'd argue that what grew here in the early days of the last century may no longer be suitable to the conditions we face now - much of LA is one big heat sink. That said, I think natives have a place in the garden where they're viable but I also feel it's appropriate to utilize Mediterranean plants and succulents that have shown themselves to be adapted to the conditions we currently face. I have a number of California natives in my garden already, including Baccharis pilularis, Carpenteria californica, Ceanothus, Dudleya, Festuca californica, Galvezia speciosa, Heteromeles arbutifolia (the official native plant of LA!), Heuchera maxima, Ribes, Solanum xanti, and Trichostema lanatum.Kris Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07097260283693156795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-70134103601527097462015-05-01T17:50:34.181-07:002015-05-01T17:50:34.181-07:00I'm surprised that Caesalpinias are only sold ...I'm surprised that Caesalpinias are only sold large and expensive there... Mail order might be a good option for finding smaller plants as they seem to be handled by nurseries across the SW.Amy@SmallSunnyGardenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02490564566463354419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-21250811219305361742015-05-01T17:37:51.735-07:002015-05-01T17:37:51.735-07:00I thought I was pushing my luck when I planted the...I thought I was pushing my luck when I planted the first 'Cousin Itt' under that tree, Emily, but it and the 2 that followed have settled in and thrived, although they weren't particularly good-looking during their adolescence. I'm laying odds that the other 5 I've planted elsewhere will also outgrow their current scruffy states.Kris Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07097260283693156795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-5697254294185119542015-05-01T17:34:04.864-07:002015-05-01T17:34:04.864-07:00A yellow daisy that I haven't grown! I certai...A yellow daisy that I haven't grown! I certainly must remedy that oversight, Amy. Thanks for this and your other suggestions. I picked up an Eremophila (yellow-flowering variety, unspecified species) at my local botanic garden's spring sale a couple of week's ago. While the recent spate of spring heatwaves we've experienced don't make this the most opportune time to plant, the plant seems to be doing well thus far. Re the Caesalpinias: I've admired those I've seen in the nurseries but their price tags and size have always scared me off.Kris Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07097260283693156795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-57118392287964853812015-05-01T12:55:45.735-07:002015-05-01T12:55:45.735-07:00My outlook on the drought and the water restrictio...My outlook on the drought and the water restrictions has gone up and down a lot, Loree. My husband and I have even had several discussions about moving to the PNW. I know there's some drought up that way too but there's drought and then there's DROUGHT. The biggest issue for me has been the virulent negativity and nastiness of some people in responding to our drought. I'm very sensitive to our water concerns but I don't want to live here if someone's going to second guess me every time I turn on the hose to water my garden.Kris Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07097260283693156795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-20444993620692293772015-05-01T12:49:16.352-07:002015-05-01T12:49:16.352-07:00Thanks for your links too, Jane! I expect I'l...Thanks for your links too, Jane! I expect I'll be holding off on any more planting until the fall, although I may get the lawn taken out earlier as we want to lay more stone paths before we plant in the fall. <br /><br />McDonough also underscores a point I always make in discussing native plants: "native to California" doesn't mean a plant will make it in all locations within California. Las Pilitas Nursery is good about providing information on which natives are suitable to which conditions. Research helps but the ultimate test is experience in working with one's own garden.Kris Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07097260283693156795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-68966666320529250582015-05-01T12:17:38.886-07:002015-05-01T12:17:38.886-07:00Thanks for the Alice Springs list, Matt! I'll...Thanks for the Alice Springs list, Matt! I'll add that to my "All About Water" resource list. I love Lomandra and don't know why I neglected to include it in my post - at current count I have 17 of them! I also have 2 Westringia but I see 'Morning Light' in my future. I should have mentioned that I was lucky in that I inherited some some drought tolerant trees, like Arbutus 'Marina' and Agonis flexuosa, and shrubs like Nandina and rosemary, with the house. I've put prostrate rosemary and also Myoporum in my dry garden but more of both may be on order when the remaining grass comes out.Kris Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07097260283693156795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-66533553311783220282015-05-01T12:01:10.332-07:002015-05-01T12:01:10.332-07:00I haven't tried Artemisia versicolor but I'...I haven't tried Artemisia versicolor but I'm definitely going to add that to my list, Evan. High Country Gardens carries it. Cistus does pretty well here - I currently have 2 but I crowded one of these (C. x pulverulentus 'Sunset') too much with other plants and it isn't looking its best. I should probably swap some of my thirstier white daisies for white Cistus.Kris Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07097260283693156795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-29644557484402928392015-05-01T11:52:13.572-07:002015-05-01T11:52:13.572-07:00Believe it or not, the lawn debate got front page ...Believe it or not, the lawn debate got front page coverage in the Los Angeles Times this morning. A spokesman for Miracle-Gro argued that lawn still has a place in western gardens. In contrast, a lawn critic, Michael Pollan, says that lawn is "indefensible" in face of the drought and that "we will one day look back on lawns like we now do littering, smoking in bars and public urination." Quite a statement!Kris Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07097260283693156795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-39478610680077395662015-05-01T11:44:51.629-07:002015-05-01T11:44:51.629-07:00While we get more rain in Central Texas than you d...While we get more rain in Central Texas than you do in a typical year, we haven't had a typical year here for a very long time. The designation "drought tolerant" has become a real selling point for nursery selections. I respectfully suggest everyone look into using native plants for your region, as they all evolved to flourish with available rainfall over the years. Natives provide benefits to local birds and pollinators, all of whom are stressed right along with gardens and gardeners. I'm betting there is enough variety within the native plant community to give you a lovely garden, hopefully one that won't face significant constriction as supplemental watering becomes difficult to justify. Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing what gardening with Southern California natives will look like as it happens with your competent guidance!TexasDebhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11214888876514137890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8574540292918761182.post-60603460967416470352015-05-01T09:05:50.122-07:002015-05-01T09:05:50.122-07:00Lots of pretty plants, Kris, but your "Cousin...Lots of pretty plants, Kris, but your "Cousin Itt" is amazing--the best I've ever seen.Sammie070502https://www.blogger.com/profile/07840565341523291549noreply@blogger.com