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Tour: Native Hillside Garden

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Crunchy Gravel Steps
Brittlebush, Desert Encelia
White Sage, Sacred White Sage
Sticky Monkey Flower
Toyon
Brittlebush, Desert Encelia

Common name:Brittlebush, Desert Encelia
Botanical name:Encelia farinosa

This deciduous mounding shrub typically has gray leaves that can reach 3' tall and wide. However, the leaves will turn white in drought conditions. Bright yellow 1" wide daisies appear in spring and summer. There is rapid growth following rain but this shrub is short-lived. Individual plants will reseed to repopulate. It does well in hot areas but cannot tolerate clay soils due to root rot. It will become overgrown and fragile if overwatered. It will suffer frost damage at 25 degrees F.

White Sage, Sacred White Sage

Common name:White Sage, Sacred White Sage
Botanical name:Salvia apiana

This woody shrub has long stems with silvery white leaves and fragrant white flowers that bloom in the spring. It provides a strong structural form as a garden focal point. It can reach 6' tall and 6' wide.

Sticky Monkey Flower

Common name:Sticky Monkey Flower
Botanical name:Mimulus aurantiacus

Sticky Monkey Flower is a drought tolerant evergreen shrub 4' tall with numerous, orangish yellow flowers in spring and summer. It is a California native that attracts hummingbirds. This shrub can be found on the dry hills and canyon slopes in the Sierra Nevada foothills and the central Coast Ranges. -Cornflower Farms

Toyon

Common name:Toyon
Botanical name:Heteromeles arbutifolia

Toyon is a California native evergreen shrub that grows 8'-15' high and spreading 2'-3'. It has leathery toothed leaves, white summer flowers and clusters of red winter berries. It tolerates full sun or partial shade, heat, smog, wind and heavy or light soils. It is drought tolerant, attracts beneficial insects and hummingbirds. - Cornflower Farms

Designer: Dave Buchanan

Crunchy Gravel Steps
Image: 5 of 12

Photographer: GardenSoft

Soils and Compost:

Maintain a two to four inch layer of mulch on the soil surface to reduce weeds, infiltrate rain water, and reduce compaction.

Integrated Pest Management:

Develop healthy soil for plants that are vigorous and naturally pest-resistant.