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.

Common name:Snow-In-Summer
Botanical name:Cerastium tomentosum

Masses of snow white flowers highlight this plant during the early summer season.

Common name:Sea Pink, Common Thrift
Botanical name:Armeria maritima

This clumping, grass-like perennial is native to many areas, including coastal CA. Its flowers range from deep rose pink through white.

Common name:Japanese Black Pine
Botanical name:Pinus thunbergii

This variety of Pine is both rigid and twisted, with needles of 3"-4". It has an irregular shape, and the short, contorted branches produce a canopy shaped tree. The buds are white, and the cones are egg -shaped and without prickles. Pines are highly combustible plants.

Common name:Green Lavender Cotton
Botanical name:Santolina rosmarinifolia

Santolina is an amazingly tough plant with small, yellow, button-sized flowers that cover the 3' tall and 3' wide shrub in the summer months. The green leaves are very thin and needle like. This plant requires absolutely no care in most environments once established. Too much water will lead to mortality. Best grown in well drained soils.

Common name:Rosemary
Botanical name:Rosmarinus officinalis

Rosemary is hardy in full sun areas where winter temperatures do not drop below 10 degrees F. They can be grown in a clay pot with well-drained, porous soil in bright indoor light, and will also flourish on the backporch in spring, summer and fall. Its beautiful, slowly trailing stems and shiny slender leaves are perfect for showing off the small, light blue flowers that blossom in the summer.

Common name:Lily of the Nile
Botanical name:Agapanthus hybrids

This evergreen ground cover/shrub will grow about 3' tall and has large green leaves with blue flowers (there is a white variety and dwarf varieties) that bloom in spring and summer. It will grow in all soils but prefers loam soil.

Common name:Snow-In-Summer
Botanical name:Cerastium tomentosum

Masses of snow white flowers highlight this plant during the early summer season.

Common name:Elfin Creeping Thyme
Botanical name:Thymus praecox arcticus 'Elfin'

This 2" perennial groundcover is a great addition among other sun-loving perennials. Its creeping stems bear small purple flowers all summer. The plant spreads quickly, and should be placed in average to moist garden soil. The thyme-scented foliage can be used to flavor food.

Solving Runoff Problems

Importance of Watershed

A watershed is a land area that drains rain and other water into a creek, river, lake, wetland, or groundwater aquifer. Water from your neighborhood also enters the watershed through the storm drain system and flows directly to local creeks without any treatment. It often is contaminated by pollutants that can be toxic to fish, wildlife, and people.

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