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General Garden Shots 80
Pony Tail,  Bottle Palm
Hybrid Tea Rose (selections)
Deodar Cedar, Calif. Christmas Tree
Nandina, Heavenly Bamboo
Canary Island Date Palm
Atlas Fescue
Pincushion Flower
New Zealand Flax
Tree Aloe
Sea Lavender, Statice
New Zealand Flax, Purple
Pony Tail,  Bottle Palm

Common name:Pony Tail, Bottle Palm
Botanical name:Beaucarnea recurvata

This palm-like shrub from the Agave family has a single trunk and grows up to 30' tall. It has thin flat leaves that can grow up to 6' long and only 1" wide. The base is large and distinctive; it usually looks swollen. Mature plants may bloom on a 3'-4' tall stalk.

Hybrid Tea Rose (selections)

Common name:Hybrid Tea Rose (selections)
Botanical name:Rosa Hybrid Tea varieties

These shrubs and vines are the most loved in the Western USA and are very resilient. They come in a wide variety of sizes and colors and are easy to maintain with proper care. They can be used in a water-conserving garden with careful attention to irrigation practices.

Deodar Cedar, Calif. Christmas Tree

Common name:Deodar Cedar, Calif. Christmas Tree
Botanical name:Cedrus deodara

This fast-growing, coniferous evergreen is capable of reaching a size of 80' high by 40' wide. Its needles are a light, silvery green color.

Nandina, Heavenly Bamboo

Common name:Nandina, Heavenly Bamboo
Botanical name:Nandina domestica

Nandina domestica is a graceful upright shrub that grows from 3'-6' in height. It gets its name from its bamboo-like growth habit. When thinned from the center it bears a remarkable resemblance to bamboo. It is best used in groups. It can be used in a shaded patio or out in a shrub border with full sun. An interesting feature of Heavenly Bamboo is the bronze color in the new growth when planted in full sun. It also bears clusters of white flowers in the spring.

Canary Island Date Palm

Common name:Canary Island Date Palm
Botanical name:Phoenix canariensis

The Phoenix canariensis is a large, wide-spreading palm with a crown of many long arching fronds. It needs ample room for proper growth.

Atlas Fescue

Common name:Atlas Fescue
Botanical name:Festuca mairei

Festuca mairei is a mounding grass that grows to 2-3'H x 2-3'W. The foliage is yellowish green and often browns at the tips. Is considered drought tolerant but performs better (stays greener) with fairly regular summer irrigation. Rarely blooms in the landscape in Southern California. Basically carefree.

Pincushion Flower

Common name:Pincushion Flower
Botanical name:Scabiosa caucasica

A perennial, this plant is a cushion-form groundcover or bedding plant. It grows to 1' to 2' tall, 2'-3' wide. White, bluish and lavender colored pompom-like flowers rise above the foliage.

New Zealand Flax

Common name:New Zealand Flax
Botanical name:Phormium tenax

New Zealand Flax is a large, bold plant with stiffly vertical, sword-like, green leaves that arise from its base. It should be grown under full sun for best color. Varieties will offer different growth habits and leaf color.

Tree Aloe

Common name:Tree Aloe
Botanical name:Aloe arborescens

This succulent is large, full of branches and produces deep red orange blooms in fall and winter. The flowers produce a nectar that is attractive to many different birds; this plant is grown all over the world. This succulent can reach 8' tall and 5' wide. Leaves are narrow, recurved and tooth margined and can be green or yellowish or blue green, depending on how much sun it receives. It tolerates sun or shade.

Sea Lavender, Statice

Common name:Sea Lavender, Statice
Botanical name:Limonium perezii

This mounding shrub will reach about 3' high and has large, dark green leaves with small blue and purple flowers that bloom in spring and summer.

New Zealand Flax, Purple

Common name:New Zealand Flax, Purple
Botanical name:Phormium tenax 'Atropurpureum'

Phormium tenax 'Atropurpureum' is an evergreen perennial. Big, dramatic plant composed of many swordlike, stiffly vertical leaves can reach 5' tall. Leaves are purple red. Flowers stems reach high above leaves, bearing clusters of 1"-2" blossoms in dark red.

Designer: Unknown

General Garden Shots 80

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:

Develop healthy soil for plants that are vigorous and naturally pest-resistant.