Common name:Toyon
Botanical name:Heteromeles arbutifolia

Toyon is a California native evergreen shrub that grows 8'-15' high and spreading 2'-3'. It has leathery toothed leaves, white summer flowers and clusters of red winter berries. It tolerates full sun or partial shade, heat, smog, wind and heavy or light soils. It is drought tolerant, attracts beneficial insects and hummingbirds.

Common name:Canyon Prince Wild Rye
Botanical name:Leymus condensatus 'Canyon Prince'

One of the best known and utilized native grass selections in Southern California, this beautiful, blue gray foliage spreads out 3'-4' or more. It will reach a height of 2'-3'. It rarely flowers. It does spread by rhizomes although not as vigorously as some closely related species. It can be extremely drought tolerant and care must be taken not to over water this species as it can rot from the center. Otherwise, it is carefree and requires virtually no maintenance.

Common name:California Poppy, Golden Poppy
Botanical name:Eschscholzia californica

This small annual (sometimes acts as a perennial) plant will grow to less than 1' tall and has light, small blue green leaves with gold and orange flowers that bloom in spring and summer.

Common name:Purple Smoke Tree
Botanical name:Cotinus coggygria 'Purpureus'

A deciduous shrub or small tree that grows up to 10' tall, the 'Purpureus' is grown for its wispy, thread-like flower clusters and outstanding fall color. Its foliage has a reddish purple color that turns somewhat green in summer. The plant requires sun to part shade, with little or no summer water.

Common name:Slender Sedge
Botanical name:Carex praegracilis

California native, rhizomatous. Native on alkaline soil. Low and adapted to a lawn use. Sun or shade. Somewhat drought tolerant. Will take some traffic. It is commonly found in meadows, open areas, marshes and wetlands.

Common name:Blue Oat Grass
Botanical name:Helictotrichon sempervirens

The Blue Oat Grass is an evergreen, blue clumping grass that grows 12"-18" tall and wide. Its showy flowers are 1'-2' above the foliage. This plant looks good alone as well as in mass plantings. The blue oat grass likes dry hill sides and is drought tolerant.

Common name:Blue Moor Grass
Botanical name:Sesleria caerulea

This grass will grow to about 18"-24"tall and 18"-24" wide. It has bluish green or gray green leaves.

Common name:Blue Fescue
Botanical name:Festuca glauca

This ground cover/grass will grow less than 1' tall and has small, blue green leaves.

Common name:Jerusalem Sage
Botanical name:Phlomis fruticosa

This hardy perennial is a useful, old-time garden plant with coarse, woolly gray green, wrinkled leaves and yellow, 1" flowers in ball-shaped whorls. It handles drought and poor soils but needs full sun.

Permeable Surfaces

If you have impermeable paving that you would like to make permeable, there are two main methods for doing so:
1. Break up hard paved surfaces to create spaces for water to seep through.
2. Remove and replace the surfaces with permeable paving.

Click in the green box for more information