Common name:Amazing Red Flax
Botanical name:Phormium 'Amazing Red'
Phormium 'Amazing Red' is an evergreen perennial. Big, dramatic plant composed of many swordlike, stiffly vertical leaves in a fan pattern. Flowers stems reach high above leaves, bearing clusters of 1-2 in. blossoms in red.
Common name:Berkeley Sedge
Botanical name:Carex divulsa
Berkeley Sedge is a fast growing, vibrant green clumping sedge to 2' tall and wide. Widely adaptable, it can be planted in wet soil or arid soil, tolerates sun to partial shade and can be drought tolerant. Tan to brown flowers show in spring.
Common name:Blue Glow Agave
Botanical name:Agave 'Blue Glow'
This beautiful succulent slowly reaches 2' tall and 3' wide. Leaves are thick, blue green, 18" long, 2.5" wide, with red and yellow margins. The tip of the leaf has a red spine. It tolerates full sun although it needs shade in low desert areas. It needs well draining soil. Sap from plant irritates some people's skin. It is drought tolerant once it's established.
Photographer: Vicki Anderson
Practice grass-cycling by leaving short grass clippings on lawns after mowing, so that nutrients and organic matter are returned to the soil.
Apply a layer of mulch around plants to reduce moisture loss.
Choose organic mulches, such as shredded bark, compost or aged sawdust.
Remove irrigation water and fertilizer from areas where you don't want weeds to grow.
