Common name: Common Verbena
Botanical name: Verbena peruviana cv.

This perennial forms a flat mat that covers an area rapidly. It has dark green leaves with clusters of bright flowers in pink, purple, or mauve that bloom all year. Hybrids will have a little more height, different flower colors and spread more slowly. This groundcover is drought tolerant.

Common name: Jack Spratt New Zealand Flax
Botanical name: Phormium tenax 'Jack Spratt'

Phormium 'Jack Spratt' is an evergreen perennial. This variety is a dwarf, reaching 18" tall and wide. It is fan-shaped and clumping. The leaves are burgundy bronze in color and make a great border plant.

Common name: Provence Blue Lavandin
Botanical name: Lavandula x intermedia 'Provence'

With tall 24"-30" stems, 'Provence' has true, lavender colored flowers that are fragrant and excellent for cutting. It flowers in early June and has large, gray green leaves. A hybrid between L. angustifolia & L. latifolia, both of which are strong plants tolerant of warm summers,and are known for their very intense scent. 'Provence'™ grows fast to 3' tall ; wide & can be used as a short aromatic hedge. It takes well to pruning when young & blooms profusely in the mid-late Summer. Though not suitable for oil production, the light blue flowers make excellent dry flowers for sachets ; are also used in cooking and wine production. Pick before the flowers are fully open for best results or leave them to be enjoyed by bees and butterflies. Shear for best appearance when the blooms are spent. Lives about 5-6 years.

Common name: Iceberg Floribunda Rose
Botanical name: Rosa 'Iceberg'

This is a shrub rose (there are climbing varieties) with an abundance of fragrant, medium sized, white blooms. It is one of the most popular roses and very tough.

Common name: Olive
Botanical name: Olea europaea

This broad tree will slowly grow to 20'-30' tall and wide. It has small, grey-green, evergreen leaves. Small white fragrant flowers bloom in spring, followed by fleshy black fruit that appears in fall. Fruit is messy and can stain sidewalks. There are cultivars that do not produce fruit. Some folks are allergic to the blooms. This tree is very long lived, with a beautiful gnarled trunk. It prefers full sun and low watering in summer months (twice a month) and none during the winter, when established.

Common name: Sago palm
Botanical name: Cycas revoluta

Sago palm resembles small palms; it is evergreen. It can slowly grow to 10' tall so consider the space around it when planting it. It is used for a tropical effect and also looks great in planters. In the low desert, light shade and additional moisture are best. It does best with well draining soil. Side sprouts can form multi-trunked individuals. Apply fertilizer at leaf expansion. This plant has few pests. The leaves and seeds are poisonous to animals. Sago palm is also used for bonsai. Established plants need little water and care.

Common name: Improved Meyer Lemon
Botanical name: Citrus x 'Improved Meyer'

Improved Meyer Lemon is an evergreen tree that grows 10' tall and 10-12' wide; it has year-around leaves that are glossy green. This tree likes well drained, loam soil with full sun. Lemon trees do best with lots of mulch around it. Water with drip irrigation or moving a hose around the base. When it's established, water this way, 2 times a month. It has white flowers and yellow edible fruit. Needs protection from the winter cold. Consider using as a potted tree which can brought inside in the winter. Pick up fruit on ground immediately to prevent fungus disease infecting fruit. Fertilize 4 times a year.

Common name: Crape Myrtle
Botanical name: Lagerstroemia indica

The new leaves of this species are 2" long, bright green, and tinged with bronze. Some cultivars have spectacular fall color. When it has a bare outline, its rounded seed capsules add interest. Its delicate flowers bloom in 6"-12" long clusters. The flower colors could be shades of red, rose, pink, purple, and white, blooming in summer. It thrives on heat, and new cultivars have been created that resist mildew. This tree prefers full sun and has low watering needs once it's established.