Saving Water Without Compromising Beauty

A California gardener creates a beautiful, water-wise garden

Today ’s photos do from John Lewallen .

I live on in Glendora , California , which is just east of Pasadena . This is a semi - arid foothill part in Zones 10–11 .

Over a period of 15 years , we took out all of the lawns and replaced them with crushed rock tract and mostly drouth - tolerant planting . We carted in flag for terrace arena . While humble water use and easier upkeep are a plus , living in a hot , dry summer region want some frequent lacrimation during the hot days . This also keeps the gardens looking their in force .

I chose a orotund variety of plant life because I wish an arboretum spirit . I also utilise many colored leaf plants like coleus and succulents . This proceed color in the garden even when most plant are not flower .

Aloe barbadensis(Zones 10–11 ) in a half - day sunlight location

A bougainvillea train to drape soften an east - face clinker - pulley rampart .

In the late sunup this back garden enjoys the Lord’s Day , but from midday on it will be covered in shade from a California Acer pseudoplatanus . Plants picture here include four o’clocks ( Mirabilis jalapa , zone 9–11 or as an annual ) ; Costa Rican potato vine ( Solanum wendlandii , zone 8–11 ) ; white - blossom Chilean jasmine ( Mandevilla laxa , Zones 7–10 ) ; ‘ Hot Lips ’ sage ( Salviamicrophylla‘Hot Lips ’ , Zones 8–10 ) under a sago palm tree ( Cycas revoluta , Zones 9–10 ) ; ‘ Mr Lincoln ’ lift ; and yellowed dahlia ‘ Impression Fortuna ’ .

A collage of plants from the spring garden . Clockwise from top leave : Lantana ‘ Bandana Cherry ’ ( Lantana camara‘Bandana Cherry ’ , Zones 8–10 or as an annual ) thriving in a hot , sunny locating all summer long ; orchid ‘ Green Apple ’ in a front garden container;Kalanchoe blossfeldiana(Zones 10–12 ) on a back garden shelve amid a compendium of white ceramic birds ; yellowKalanchoe blossfeldiana ; Primrose ( Primula vulgaris , zone 4–8 ) ; Serbian campanula ( Campanula poscharskyana , Zones 3–9 ) in a mess next to a wooden bear carving .

Lantana ‘ actinotherapy ’ in the front garden . This is a very hot location in the summertime , since it is right next to the street . Lantana takes the heat and efflorescence like this spring through summer .

Assorted coleus partake in a cool north - face wall in bright light under an Australian dark tree fern ( Cyanthea medullaris , Zone 10 ) . Sweet potato vine ‘ Margarita ’ ( Ipomoea batatas‘Margarita ’ , Zone 11 or as an annual ) is in the foreground . No lineal sun ever hits this surface area .

Senna ( Cassia nemophila , Zones 10–11 ) is glad in a hot , juiceless , drive garden .

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