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: 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: Chinese Wisteria
Botanical name: Wisteria sinensis

This deciduous vine can quickly and aggressively reach 30' and wide, depending on conditions. It bears rounded clusters of strongly fragrant flowers which open more or less all at once. Cultivars have blue, pink, white, purple or lavender colors, attracting hummingbirds in spring, followed by leafing out of foliage which are usually leaflets, followed by velvety, long, drooping pods. This vine can tolerate full sun to part shade, preferring well draining, rich, moist soil. But it is very reliable and can take drought conditions if established. It looks great in containers and even as a bonsai specimen.

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: Bearded Iris
Botanical name: Iris x germanica Hybrids

This perennial will grow 1'-3' tall and has medium sized, blue green leaves with flowers of very diverse colors that bloom in spring. It needs well draining soil and full sun. Many are fragrant and rebloom several times a year. Plant rhizomes in Sept or Oct. They need water once a week during the hot spells. Top dress with compost and gypsum in January and August.