Festival Burgundy Cordyline

 

Salvia leucantha 'Santa Barbara'




Rosmarinus "Chef's Choice'




Rhaphiolepis umbellata Southern Moon Yedda Hawthorn




Abelia x grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope'

As California's drought drags on, landscape architects need to direct clients to low-water, low-maintenance plant materials. This may conjure visions of rocks, gravel, cacti and other succulents, and lack of colorful flowers.

David House, Village Nurseries CEO, notes there are a wide array of colorful plant varieties including groundcovers, perennials and shrubs in the low-water category. As part of its Save Water - Stay Green campaign, the company is offering its perspective on excellent landscape plants that use less water and create dramatic environments.

Flowering Perennials and Grasses
Festival Burgundy Cordyline: Prized for its eye-catching bright burgundy-red foliage, this hybrid Cordyline creates a dramatic grass-like effect with long arching leaves and tiny white flowers on dark red stems. Plant in drifts along walkway borders or in foundation plantings.

Salvia leucantha 'Santa Barbara': This dwarf selection of the popular Mexican bush sage has the same rich purple flowers and long-blooming nature. Attracts hummingbirds, and is a great addition to a rock garden or mixed border.

Flowering Groundcovers
Flower Carpet Pink Supreme Ground Cover Rose Rosa x: Vibrant, hot pink blooms provide a nonstop show from spring to fall without deadheading. Winner of the world's top honor for disease resistant roses, its glossy green foliage resists black spots and mildew better than the original Flower Carpet, and tolerates heat, humidity and drought when established. This low growing, deciduous, easy-care shrub is perfect for massing in the landscape or on gentle slopes.

Lantana sellowiana "Lavender Swirl': Profusion of pure white and solid purple flowers covers this widely spreading groundcover year round. Makes a good bank cover for erosion control. Effective cascading over raised beds and hanging baskets, or trained into a clipped patio tree form.

Rosmarinus "Chef's Choice': Part of the Sunset Western Garden Collection, it's prized for its gracefully arching, yet compact and spreading habit. It features mid-green needle-like foliage with high oil count that's great for cooking. Dark flowers bloom from early summer to fall.

Flowering Shrubs
Rhaphiolepis umbellata Southern Moon Yedda Hawthorn: This improved selection by Dr. John Ruter at the University of Georgia exhibits exceptional disease resistance, combined with a compact self-mounding habit remaining just 5-6' tall. Dark green glossy foliage and wavy margins add interest. Abundant white flower display appears in spring prior to emerging new growth. Excellent for foundation plantings.

Abelia x grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope'
This low, compact evergreen has bright, golden yellow variegation on medium green leaves, with brilliant red stems. Good for patio containers or massing as a ground cover.

A listing of low-water use plants is available in Village Nurseries' extensive plant library https://tinyurl.com/pwf7gg2. Village Nurseries, founded in 1976, has wholesale sales offices in Orange and Sacramento, Calif., and more than 950 acres under cultivation. The nursery serves markets throughout the western U.S., and maintains four specialty locations https://tinyurl.com/p4aa32r to serve landscape professionals.