Growing a More Fire-Resistant Garden

Coreopsis
'Ice Wine' NEW!

There may be no more dramatic Coreopsis than this variety with its white as snow petals and vivid wine-colored inner ring. Grows quickly to 18-24” HxW and flowers May – fall, drawing constant visits from bees and butterflies. Use this perennial coreopsis wherever you want a splash of color. It performs well in pots. EASY to grow, just plant in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun. Once established it makes do with little water. Goes deciduous in zones 9b or colder but returns in spring. Deer resistant.

Perennial USDA Zones 4-11

Papaver atlanticum
'Flore Pleno'

Almost never out of bloom and incredibly tough, it grows anywhere as long as it gets at least 4 hours of sun. The 3” soft apricot-orange semi-double blooms appear continuously spring thru fall. The flowers retain their color the longest in part shade. A perennial Poppy, it self sows. Tough, drought tolerant and not fussy about soil (give it some drainage) but with average to rich soil and a bit of summer water it will bloom even more.

Perennial USDA Zones 5-10

Echinacea
'Cantaloupe'

Stunning pompom flowers in a mouth-watering cantaloupe color that are adored by bees and butterflies. This “Coneflower” forms a sturdy clump 2-3’ high and 2’ wide, and the 3” flowers bloom summer thru mid-fall and better with deadheading. Excellent cut flowers! Provide fertile well-drained soil. Clean up in late winter or leave spent flowers for the birds to collect seed. Deer resistant.


Perennial USDA Zones 4-10

Ratibida columnifera var. pulcherrima
"Mexican Hat"

This RARE, somewhat curious and yet striking perennial bears a great profusion of showy 2” reddish-brown “Mexican Hat” flowers from June thru September. Fast, carefree, and easy to grow in ordinary or even POOR SOIL, it looks good in both wild and composed gardens and makes a very fun cut flower. To 3’ high and 1.5’ wide.


Perennial USDA Zones 3-10

Coreopsis
'Cosmic Eye'

Exceptionally bloomiferous, this new naturally dwarfed perennial “Tickseed” is perfect for the front of a bed or container. Growing only 1.5’ high and wide, ‘Cosmic Eye’ is proof that size isn’t everything! Enjoy endless rounds of beautiful bicolor blooms summer thru fall. Great for cut flowers. Deer resistant and drought tolerant once established. Tolerates poor soil.

Perennial USDA Zones 5-10

Penstemon heterophyllus
'Blue springs'

Truly luminous, almost turquoise blooms, 6-12” tall, will make this one of your favorite California natives. Dense and compact, it grows to a maximum 14” x 14” with bluish-green evergreen foliage. Once established, it’ll live long and prosper in low fertil­ity soil with no summer water. A superb choice for dry gardens & containers. Much loved by hummers and butterflies. Deer resistant. Drought tolerant.


Perennial USDA Zones 6-10

Lupinus propinquus
"Blue Bush Lupine"

Very much like “Yellow Tree Lupine”, but with ever-so-desirable lavender and white blooms! Hard to find, this California native shrub thrives with little water once established and is deer resistant and salt and sand tolerant. Bursting into profuse bloom in May, and with some summer water, until July. The 6-8” upright fragrant spikes beckon all the butterflies and bees. Best in not-so-fertile, well-drained soil and a great choice for hillsides and barrel-sized containers. Cut back to 3’ x 3’ in fall.

CA Native Perennial Shrub USDA Zones 7-10

Yucca rostrata
'Sapphire Skies'

Extraordinary beauty and bold architectural form make this remarkably winter HARDY Yucca a fantastic choice for a well-drained garden or large container. Yes, it’s slow growing but wait – even while it’s young it fills out quite quickly into a 3’ x 3’ rounded dome of slender flexible (not spikey) jade-green leaves for a stunning structural accent. In year 4, it develops the thick elegant textured whitish trunk to 15” across topped by a -4’ spherical “Koosh-ball” of the loveliest powder-blue foliage. To 10-12’ at maturity when huge candelabras of creamy-white flowers are displayed above the foliage. Hardy to -10 degrees to -15 degrees. Fire and deer resistant!

Perennial Succulent USDA Zones 5-11

Sedum spurium
'Tricolor'

FAST GROWING and super EASY – this beautiful succulent groundcover with white and pink variegation will brighten up any dry garden. To 6” tall x 18” wide – it will spread steadily over time. Mainly green with white edging in summer, but color shifts as the weather cools to green with a bold HOT PINK outline. Cut off any green-leafed shoots that pop up to preserve the pure variegated awesomeness. Great for attracting butterflies, bees and hummers! Provide good drainage.

Perennial Succulent USDA Zones 3-10a

Delosperma nubigenum
"Hardy Yellow Iceplant"

One of t BEST drought tolerant and deer resistant groundcovers you can grow! Spreads to a dense flat bright emerald green mat at least 2’ across. Fantastic for carpeting a rock garden or draping over the edge of a raised bed or rock border. AND it's EVERGREEN and hardy too. Sparkly, 1” bright lemon yellow ice plant-like blooms appear in the spring. Feed once a year for super appearance.
Sun/Pt.Sun



Perennial Succulent USDA Zones 4-10