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:Desert Marigold
Botanical name:Baileya multiradiata

Desert Marigold is a fast growing annual or biennial, forming clumps of soft woolly gray leaves. It has bright, yellow daisy-like flowers that appear spring through fall. Flowers will rot with too much water, as this plant is heat and drought tolerant. Flowers top at 12". Deadheading will prolong bloom; this plant makes great cut flowers. This plant will reseed itself but needs good drainage. It needs full sun but is very cold hardy.

Common name:Little Bunny Fountain Grass
Botanical name:Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Little Bunny'

This perennial grass will grow 1.5' tall and 1.5' wide. It has bright green foliage with pinkish flowers that bloom in summer and fall.

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:Mueller's Fescue
Botanical name:Festuca muelleri

This Central European native fescue has shiny, dark green foliage that is slightly bluish green. It is a cool season grass that grows up to 8 inches tall and equally wide. If massed together it can become a lawn alternative.

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.

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