Common name: White Gaura
Botanical name: Gaura lindheimeri

White Gaura is a profusely flowering perennial for all zones; it grows 2'-4' high and 2' wide. It has pink buds that open to showy white flowers in spring through fall. It needs full sun and does best in sandy or loamy soil that is well draining. Established plants are drought tolerant. Leaves are narrow, tiny and lance-shaped. Breezes cause flowers to move on stems, resembling butterflies flickering. Prune in spring to control height, if desired. Does best in hot and dry areas.

Common name: Blue Fescue, Blue Fescue Grass
Botanical name: Festuca glauca

This ground cover/grass will grow less than 1' tall and has small, blue-green, evergreen leaves that are very thin and hair-like. Flowers appear in the summer but are insignificant. This dependable but short-lived ground cover prefers full sun in coastal areas and afternoon shade in warm inland areas. It needs well draining soil and is drought tolerant once it's established. Leaves may burn during the summer but trim in winter to keep it looking refreshed. Does not tolerate wet soil.

Common name: Sea Lavender
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. Very hardy and outstanding perennial for water wise gardens. Tall clusters of tiny, deep mauve flowers are produced throughout much of the year. Ornamental foliage is evergreen and forms an attractive, rounded mound.Can be mass planted for low maintenance areas or low, edging borders.

Common name: Jerusalem Sage
Botanical name: Phlomis fruticosa

This hardy shrub can reach 4' tall and wide. It is a useful, old-time garden plant with soft, woolly gray green, wrinkled leaves. During spring and summer, yellow, 1" flowers in ball-shaped whorls with a clove like fragrance cover the shrub. It does best in full sun or light shade. It is both cold tolerant and drought tolerant once it's established.

Common name: Laurel Sumac
Botanical name: Malosma laurina

Laurel Sumac Malosma laurina one of the predominant evergreen shrubs populating the hillsides of coastal Southern California. It grows quickly and strong, forming a rounded shape, but may die back from a cold frost. Leaves on this plant are up to 6 inches long, leathery, folded and curved back which starting out red then turning to a bright green. Frequently the red color remains in the mature leaf's edges. Stems also start out red, then turn reddish-brown then sometimes gray as the plant matures. Flowering occurs in early summer primarily, with the terminal clusters of small cream-colored flowers quickly giving way to red berries with white seeds. The flower clusters persist on the plant well after the flowers and berries are spent.

Common name: Sea Pink
Botanical name: Armeria maritima

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