Water Transition zones 2013-notes

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© Project SOUND
Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
Gardening with California Native Plants in Western L.A. County
Project SOUND – 2013 (our 9th year)
© Project SOUND
Natives on the Edge:
Native plants that can
survive near the lawn
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
August 3 & 6, 2013
It’s August – the month for discussing water
© Project SOUND
Usually we focus on water-wise gardening
© Project SOUND

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But sometimes we’re faced with the
opposite problem - too much water
© Project SOUND
Common situations with a ‘little extra water’
 Areas that get overspray
from sprinklers
 Areas near a neighbor’s well-
watered garden
 Areas near pools, ponds,
birdbaths, fountains
 Low-lying areas of the
garden
 Slowly draining areas
© Project SOUND
Transition areas
between Water Zones
Let’s say you have a large backyard lawn
© Project SOUND
http://www.doityourself.com/forum/lawns-landscaping/464275-turning-lawn-into-natural-area-good-idea.html
Formal gardens appeal to you
© Project SOUND
…as does lots of green!

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The reality is, you need to cut back on water use
© Project SOUND
http://treepm.com/properties/listings/2511-borton-drive-santa-barbara-ca-93109/
…but you don’t want a
landscape that would be more
appropriate in Palm Springs
http://museum2.utep.edu/exhibits/exhibits.htm
Can we design a semi-formal, green,
water-wise garden for our backyard?
© Project SOUND
Challenges
 Plants/hardscape must have
semi-formal appearance
 Retain some green lawn (or
lawn-like) areas
 Decrease water use by ½
 Have area be evergreen (or at
least appear so)
 Some plants are going to get
a little extra water – those
near the ‘lawn’ areas
 Requires careful choice of
design and plants
© Project SOUND
Base map - backyard
© Project SOUND
house
32 ft
walkway
VegetablegardenVegetablegarden
See Mother Nature’s Backyard blog
for more on drawing a base map
N

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Current Design - backyard
© Project SOUND
house
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32 ft
We find some pictures that inspire us
© Project SOUND
http://www.ub.uit.no/baser/arkinord/details.php?image_id=222
http://whimsicalhomeandgarden.com/what-garden-style-do-you-
favor/httphouseandhome-comdesigncountry-garden-parterre/
http://www.cupolahouse.org/gardens.html
© Project SOUND
http://www.mooseyscountrygarden.com/garden-journal-07/spring-garden-journal-701101.html
http://mysuburbanchateau.blogspot.com/2010/05/le-jardin-magnifique-parterrepart-1.html
http://barrysbog.blogspot.com/2011_11_01_archive.html
http://barrysbog.blogspot.com/2011_11_01_archive.html
What do we like?
 Swaths of grass – part of design
 Semi-formal look; curved shapes
 Tree(s) provide shade
 Large shrubs as screen ; rest of
plants are smaller
 Plants form borders for beds
 Seating/dining area (8 ft)
© Project SOUND
http://jsiegeldesigns.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.html
http://www.cupolahouse.org/gardens.html
http://st.houzz.com/simgs/5d8158fc01058bbd_4-7952/traditional-patio.jpg

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Oh yes, we also like pink & purple flowers
© Project SOUND
How to fit these desires into our available area
© Project SOUND
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Let’s begin by decreasing the grass area
© Project SOUND
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Seating area
walkway
Add a shady seating nook – and more paths
© Project SOUND
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Seating area

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..and we end up with a workable plan
© Project SOUND
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 Formal look; curved shapes
 Large shrubs as screen ; rest of
plants are smaller
Final design – decreases grass by ~ 1/2
© Project SOUND
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7 ft
3 ft
10 ft
5 ft
We’ll water the grass with low-flow sprinklers
© Project SOUND
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There will be many areas with over-spray
© Project SOUND
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What could we do to make the garden
more water-wise (and our task easier)?
© Project SOUND
We could limit grass to the perimeter areas
© Project SOUND
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But this class is about transitional Water
Zones, so we’ll stick with the plan
© Project SOUND
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© Project SOUND
Planning ‘Water Use Zones’ should be an
early step in planning your garden
http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/pages/g00101.asp
Pretty dry
drought-
tolerant
plants
Regular water
‘Water-wise’ ; occasional summer water

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© Project SOUND
S. CA gardens have three Water Zones
(hydro-zones)
 Zone 1 – no supplemental water; soils are
dry in summer/fall
 Zone 2 – occasional summer water; soil is
allowed to dry out between waterings
 Zone 3 – regular water; soil is usually moist
to soggy, even in summer.
© Project SOUND
Zone 1 – no summer water
 Includes many S. CA native
plants (coastal & desert):
 Many native grasses
 Native wildflowers
 Native bulbs & corms
 Many locally native perennials
 Many locally native shrubs &
trees
 Includes non-native ‘Desert Plants’
from desert areas throughout the
world
This is the ‘natural condition’ for S. CA
lowlands, even along the coast
© Project SOUND
Zone 2 – occasional summer water (soil is
allowed to dry out between waterings)
 Many S. CA native plants:
both ‘opportunists’ and
plants from slightly wetter
CA climates
 Trees
 Large and small shrubs
 Most native groundcovers
 Some native grasses
 Plants that experience ‘summer
monsoons’
© Project SOUND
Zone 3 - regular water; soil moist even in
summer  S. CA native wetland plants:
 Ponds, lake-sides & wetlands
 Stream sides & canyon bottoms –
Riparian Community
 Mountain meadows & seeps
 Plants from more Northern
climates
 Some cultivars with natural ability
to take regular water
 Most non-native ‘Old CA Garden’
plants :
 Lawns
 Trees and shrubs from:
 Tropical areas
 Any place that gets plenty of
summer rain
 Vegetable gardens

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Today we are particularly interested in
Water Zone 2 to 3 transition conditions
© Project SOUND
Let’s determine our actual Water Zones
© Project SOUND
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Water Zones - backyard
© Project SOUND
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2-3 to 3 2-3 to 3
2 2
1-2to2
1-2to2
2 to 2-3
2to2-3
Choose a ‘water-wise’ lawn grass
 Fine textured and summer/
evergreen
 Perhaps a Fescue blend
 Needs to take sun (mostly) and
some shade
 Water 1-2 times per week – will
decrease water use slightly
 Mow high and occasionally – will
also decrease water use
© Project SOUND
http://redwoodbarn.blogspot.com/2012/08/rethinking-lawns.html

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Then choose a shade tree that provides
some ‘value added’ fruit
© Project SOUND
*Western Chokecherry –
Prunus virginiana var. demissa
http://www.bringingbackthenatives.net/dan-rademacher-and-tamara-
schwarzs-garden
Dwarf ‘Santa Rosa’ plum
8-10 ft tall & wide
Water/shade Zones - backyard
© Project SOUND
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Next we choose some background shrubs
© Project SOUND
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When choosing plants that can tolerate a
little extra water (Water Zone 2-3)
 Look to plants from:
 Central and Northern CA,
particularly coastal areas
 Higher elevations – particularly
local mountains
 Riparian /wetland areas
 Cultivars – particularly those
from ‘moister than usual’ areas
© Project SOUND
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/North_America/United_States_of_America/California/San_
Francisco-755471/Things_To_Do-San_Francisco-Point_Reyes_National_Seashore-BR-1.html

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In fact, there are a surprising number of possibilities
© Project SOUND
Peripheral shrub choices: Sun/
Water Zone 2 to 2-3
 ** Arctostaphylos densiflora
‘Harmony‘
 ** Ceanothus ‘Ray Hartman’
 Cornus glabrata
 * Amorpha fruticosa
 * Frangula/Rhamnus californica
 * Holodiscus discolor
 * Mahonia (Berberis) aquifolium
 * Philadelphus lewisii
 * Ribes malvaceum
 Symphoricarpos albus var.
laevigatus
© Project SOUND
Evergreen, proper size
and ‘added value’
© Project SOUND
Common Snowberry – Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus
© 2007 Neal Kramer © Project SOUND
Common Snowberry – Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus
 Western N. America from
Alaska to CA, east to CO
 In CA:
 Foothills and lower mountain
slopes
 Locally: Catalina, San
Fernando Valley
 Shady woods, canyons, stream
banks, N-facing slopes
 Favors well-drained, moist,
fertile soils but also grows on
dry or rocky soils
 Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle
family)
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?2874,2898,0,2899
© 2004, Ben Legler

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© Project SOUND
Characteristics of
 Size:
 3-8 ft tall (usually 3-6 ft)
 3-6 ft wide; spreading
 Growth form:
 Winter-deciduous shrub
 Many thin, arching branches
 Mounding, then trailing/climbing
 Foliage:
 Often blue-green; delicate
looking
 Important cover plant for birds,
small wildlife
 Deer eat it; larval food for
Vashti sphinx moth
© 2002 James B. Gratiot © Project SOUND
Plant Requirements
 Soils:
 Texture: any, including heavy
clays; best on well-drained
 pH: any local (6.0-8.0)
 Light:
 Full sun to full shade; part-
shade is probably ideal
 Would work well in/around other
plants in a hedgerow
 Water:
 Winter: takes seasonal flooding
 Summer: quite adaptable –
depends on light conditions;
best with occasional (Zone 2)
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other: fine with wind; maritime
exposures© 2004, Ben Legler
© Project SOUND
Flowers are small & sweet
 Blooms: summer; usually May-July in
western L.A. County
 Flowers:
 Little and sweet; somewhat
‘manzanita-like’
 Bell-like clusters
 Near white to quite bright pink
 Pollinated by bees, flies, other
insect pollinators; hummingbirds
visit
 Seeds: best sown fresh in fall; long
moist-cold treatment for stored seeds
 Vegetative reproduction: spreading
via rhizomes; not a ‘monster-invader’,
but need to take out suckers
© 2001 Lynn Overtree
© 2004, Ben Legler
© Project SOUND
The name says it all : ‘Snowberries’
 Ripen late summer/fall (often just
before leaf drop in cooler
climates)
 Showy white clusters; remain on
branches through winter
 Palatable to thrushes, robins and
other birds
 Native peoples used as a mild soap
or anti-perspirant – contain
saponins (like Yucca; Soap-plant)
 Many parts of plant were used
medicinally – often for skin
conditions, eyewash
© 2004, Ben Legler

8/6/2013
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© Project SOUND
Snowberry: often used as a traditional shrub
 Door-yard or foundation plant
 As an accent plant in moist areas of
the year
 In dry shade under trees
 In mixed shrub borders
 Even in large planters, particularly
mixed w/ other, contrasting shrubshttp://www.hort.uconn.edu/Plants/s/symalb/symalb1.html
© Project SOUND
Snowberry takes well
to hedging
 Shape makes a natural
medium-sized hedge
 Can be used as a tall
groundcover on slopes
 Easy to prune/shear into
more formal hedge in late
fall/winter
 Nice addition to hedgerow –
will climb up through other
plants
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/symphoricarpos-albus-laevigatus
http://www.botany.cz/cs/symphoricarpos-albus/
Could also use Creeping Snowberry
(Symphoricarpos mollis) near coast
© Project SOUND
Oregon Grape – Mahonia (Berberis) aquifolium
© 2006 Louis-M. Landry
© Project SOUND
Oregon Grape – Mahonia (Berberis) aquifolium
 Much of western N.
America: Mexico to
British Columbia
 In CA:
 Mostly N. CA
 Also mountains &
foothills throughout Ca –
locally in San Gabriels
 Slopes, canyons,
coniferous forest, oak
woodland, chaparral
 In the Barberry family
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Berberis+aquifolium
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233500223

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© Project SOUND
Oregon Grape: sized for the garden
 Size:
 3-8 ft tall
 3-6 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Evergreen shrub; medium-slow
growth
 Stiff, upright branches; overall
irregular or mounded form
 Foliage:
 Very attractive – leaves ‘holly-like’
 Shiny dark green above; may give
red color in fall/winter
 Overall – coarse texture
 Roots: spreads via rhizomes
© Project SOUND
 Soils:
 Texture: pretty much any
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Best in part-shade; can take
full sun to very shady
 Water:
 Winter: likes water; can take
some flooding
 Summer: best with some
supplemental water – Zone 2
to 2-3 (even 3)
 Fertilizer: likes a good organic
mulch; renew yearly
Oregon Grape: not
demanding at all
© Project SOUND
Flowers are a cheerful sight
during rainy season
 Blooms: winter/spring
 Usually Feb-Apr in S. Bay
 Blooms for 3-4 weeks
 Flowers:
 Bell-shaped & buttery
yellow
 In dense clusters – very
showy against the darker
leaves
 Honey-like fragrance
 Seeds:
 Relatively large
© Project SOUND
Berries are tart but delicious
 Can be eaten directly for
a tasty zing!
 Can be fermented with
sugar to wine
 Make nice, tart jellies –
good with meats
 Boil berries in soup to
add flavor
 Use to make sauces and
marinades for ham, pork,
chicken

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© Project SOUND
Oregon Grape is a
popular home shrub
 foundation plant
 mass plantings
 shrub border
 mixes well with other
broadleaf evergreens
 useful in shady spots
 desirable for spring bloom,
high quality summer
foliage and blue fruit in
fall
Water/shade Zones - backyard
© Project SOUND
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Many potential ‘shady fillers’ on the list
 Woody groundcovers
 * Berberis (Mahonia) aquifolium
var. repens
 * Ceanothus gloriosus (and
cultivars)
 Ribes viburnifolium
 * Spireae splendens
 Herbaceous groundcovers and
perennials
 Achillea millefolia
 Anemopsis californica
 * Aquilegia formosa
 Clinopodium (Satureja) douglasii
 * Mentha arvensis
© Project SOUND
http://www.wildgingerfarm.com/Spirea.htm
© Project SOUND
* Rose Meadowsweet – Spiraea splendens
©2011 Kelsey Byers

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© Project SOUND
* Rose Meadowsweet – Spiraea splendens
©2001 Carol Mattsson
©2010 Neal Kramer
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?45211
 Central CA north into Canada and
extending east into Central Montana.
 Along streams, lakes, in moist rocky
areas, or open subalpine forests;
elevations between 2000-11,000 ft
 In Rose Family (Rosaceae); AKA: Dense
Flowered Spiraea/ Mountain Spiraea
© Project SOUND
Rose Meadowsweet: sub-shrub or groundcover?
 Size: (depends on conditions)
 2-4+ ft tall
 3-4+ ft wide
 Growth form:
 Many-branched shrub or
sub-shrub
 Erect to spreading habit
 Winter deciduous; red-
brown bark is attractive
 Foliage:
 Medium green
 Simple leaves – rounded,
look like garden plant
© Project SOUND
Flowers: pink
 Blooms: in summer – usually
June-July, but may be later
 Flowers:
 Individual flowers small; but
densely packed into
mounded clusters at branch
ends
 Color: medium to dark
pink/magenta
 Very pretty – a garden
favorite
 Nectar attracts wide range
of butterflies
Flowers appear ‘fuzzy’ because of extended
stamens (like Phacelias) © Project SOUND
Plant Requirements
 Soils:
 Texture: no special needs
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Best flowering in full sun
(with adequate water)
 Part-shade also fine; give
some afternoon shade in
hot, dry gardens (it’s a
mountain plant!)
 Water:
 Winter: supplement if
needed
 Summer: best with moderate
watering (Zone 2-3); will
take more or less
 Other: organic mulches help
keep soil moisture constant
©2010 Neal Kramer

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© Project SOUND
Rose Meadowsweet:
a garden favorite
 In woodland garden with others
that like a little moisture
 As a groundcover under trees
 In large containers – accent
 In a butterfly garden
Gary A. Monroe @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
http://www.nwplants.com/business/catalog/spi_spl.html Photo credit: cascade hiker / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA © Project SOUND
Western (Red) Columbine – Aquilegia formosa
© Project SOUND
Western (Red) Columbine – Aquilegia formosa
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233500105
 Western N. America from Baja
CA to AK
 Locally – San Gabriel Mtns.
 Streambanks, seeps, moist
places, chaparral, oak woodland,
mixed-evergreen or coniferous
forest to 8000 ft elevation“var. hypolasia” “var. truncata”
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?6434,6448,6450
© Project SOUND
Characteristics of Western Columbine
 Size:
 2-3 ft tall
 2-3 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Clumping, mounded perennial
 Dies back in late summer/fall
 May be short-lived (3-5 yrs)
 Foliage:
 Open, rounded leaves are
deeply incised
 Delicate appearing
 Color: medium green to blue-
green
 Roots: used medicinally –
somewhat toxic

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© Project SOUND
Hummingbird flowers are distinctive
 Blooms: spring-summer; often
June-July in local gardens
 Flowers:
 Red petals & sepals; yellow
reproductive parts
 Shape distinctive to
Columbines
 Flowers nod on graceful
stems
 Attract hummingbirds!!
 Seeds:
 Sweetly fragrant; can be
used in sachet
Image © 2004, Ben Legler
© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements  Soils:
 Texture: most
 pH: any local – pH 4.5-8.0
 Light: best with some shade
 Dappled shade, under trees
 Afternoon shade
 Won’t flower well if too
shady
 Water:
 Winter: needs adequate
 Summer: best with near-
regular water – Water Zone
2-3 or even 3
 Other: likes leaf mulch
http://www.elnativogrowers.com/Photographs_page/aqufor.htm
© Project SOUND
Columbines work well
in many gardens
 In a shady woodland garden with
ferns
 Under trees (including oaks, if
summer-dry)
 Combined with other water-loving
garden plants
http://www.paulnoll.com/Oregon/Wildflower/plant-Columbine-Red.html
http://encinitasnatives.blogspot.com/2013/04/perennial-herbs.html
http://www.edelbrandbrennerei.at/page11.php
What do we want around our bench?
© Project SOUND
http://www.wildgingerfarm.com/Spirea.htm
http://sjgbloom2012.wordpress.com/2012/06/20/spirea-japonica-alpina-%E2%80%A2-alpine-
spirea-3/
http://www.doakcreeknursery.com/images/Aquilegia-formosa.jpg
http://www.growiser.net/aquilegia-formosa-western-columbine.html
http://www.edelbrandbrennerei.at/page11.php
http://www.houzz.com/photos/9
20328/Campania-International-
Autumn-Leaves-Cast-Stone-
Backless-Garden-Bench-
contemporary-outdoor-stools-
and-benches-

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© Project SOUND
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7 ft
3 ft
10 ft
5 ft
Now to the formal beds: size is an issue Let’s plan the shady moist south beds first
© Project SOUND
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We’d like to plant a living border the beds:
neat appearance – but not a lot of work
 Plant characteristics
 Evergreen (if possible)
 Small size - < 2 ft
 Compact, mounded form
 Interesting/contrasting
foliage
 Won’t require too much
maintenance to keep it
looking like a neat border
© Project SOUND
http://www.mooseyscountrygarden.com/chelsea-flower-
show/chelsea-flowers-on-show-2.html
Two groups of CA native plants stand out
as potential border plants
 Heuchera species – Coral bells
 Some Carex species - Sedges
© Project SOUND
http://www.dovetail-design.co.uk/Low_Maintenance
http://www.anno2000tuinen.nl/tuinontwerp-groenadvies-hovenier-
tuinonderhoud-tuinplanten/diensten/plantadvies/siergrassen.html

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Island Alumroot – Heuchera maxima
http://kristamaxwell.com/garden/photos.html
Heuchera maxima (tall), sanguinea (dark) & elegans
Island Alumroot – Heuchera maxima
 The genus Heuchera: 50
species: found only in North
America & Mexico; 13 in
California
 Name origin: honors J.H. von
Heucher, German professor of
medicine and botany, 1677–1747
 A very difficult genus, highly
variable at many levels and
needing much additional
research.
 Island Alumroot is found
naturally only in the northern
Channel Islands
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Heuchera+maxima
Island Alumroot in
nature
 Moist shady areas in
chaparral and coastal
sage scrub on N. Channel
Islands:
 moist, shady, north-facing
canyon bottoms,
 Canyon walls
 Moist cliffs
 Seacliffs
 Low elevations
http://www.centerforplantconservation.org/ASP/CPC_ProfileImage.asp?FN=2240a
Plant characteristics: Island Alumroot
 Growth form: clumping – low
mounds of leaves on long
petioles
 Foliage: leaves rounded or
heart-shaped, may be
variegated
 Roots: long taproot – more
drought tolerant than non-CA
species
Flowers: late winter-mid-spring
 White to light pink
 Bell-shaped
 On long stems well above the foliage

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Island Alumroot:
Easy to grow
 Sun: full sun on the coast, part shade
anywhere; can take quite shady
 Soils:
 Any well-drained – sandy is best
 Any pH except very acidic
 Nutrients: organic supplements, mulches
are useful
 Water:
 Regular water to establish
 2-4 times a month (especially in
summer and at inland locations) to
keep plants looking green and lengthen
bloom.
 Fairly drought tolerant in shady sites
– just look a little raggedy with
summer drought
 Maintenance:
 Mulch
 Remove dead foliage
 Divide every 3-5 years – when
flowering decreases
http://www.thegardengeek.com/content/heuchera-maxima-giant-heuchera
Heucheras in the garden
 Woodland and shade gardens or borders
 For cut flowers
 Habitat for bees and hummingbirds
 As a groundcover in shady parts of the
garden, including under trees (oaks &
pines)
 In pots
 To line walkways
 Attractive foliage as well as flowers –
plant where you can enjoy it
 And it even re-seeds itself!
http://www.elnativogrowers.com/Photographs_pag
e/heuchera_maxima.htm
Heuchera hybrids
 Bred for both foliage and flower
color characteristics
 Active area in horticulture
 Some of best known (and now
widely available) were developed
by Dr. Lee W. Lenz at Rancho
Santa Ana Botanic Gardens
 Heuchera maxima x
H. sanguinea hybrids:
 'Genevieve‘ – large marbled
leaves with pink & white flowers
 'Opal‘ – large green leaves with
pale pink-white flowers
 'Santa Ana Cardinal‘ – dark,
shiny leaves with rose-red
flowers
 'Susanna‘ – red flowers
 'Wendy' - compact with bright
pink flowers
Heucheras will border the shady moist south beds
© Project SOUND
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Now to fill the beds with something easy
© Project SOUND
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What to combine with Heuchera border
smaller plants (< 3 ft) – moist shade
 Ferns
 Adiantum
 Aquilegia
 Dryopteris arguta
 Low herbaceous groundcovers
 Fragaria – strawberries
 Yerba Buena; other mints
 Whipplea modesta
 Other perennials
 Oxalis oregana
 Apocynum cannabinum – Indian Hemp
 Many others
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
Modesty – Whipplea modesta
©2004 Steve Matson
 AKA: Yerba de selva (woodland plant)
 Northern CA coast to OR
 Whipplea : monotypic genus (contains
the single species) Whipplea modesta
 Family: ?? Philadelphus/Hydrangeaceae
© Project SOUND
Modesty – Whipplea modesta
©2012 Gary A. Monroe
Gary A. Monroe @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

8/6/2013
23
The Hydrangeas - Family Hydrangeaceae
 ~ 115 species; 10-12 genera
 Some taxonomist include closely
related Philadephus &
Carpenteria; others separate
out these into Philadelphaceae
(Mock Orange family)
 Widespread North temperate
and subtropical – Asia, N.
America & Europe; Andes from
Mexico to Chile
 Includes shrubs, perennials and
vines
 Common garden plants:
Hydrangea; Broussaisia (Hawaii)
© Project SOUND
http://msl-methods-09-
10.wikispaces.com/Hydrangea+macrophylla++(Tara+Hill)
Hydrangea macrophylla
common garden plant - Japan
http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/images/bro_arg_mid.jpg © Project SOUND
Modesty is, in many respects, modest
 Size:
 < 1 ft tall
 3-4+ ft wide
 Growth form:
 Varies with conditions:
perennial herb to shrub or vine;
usually groundcover-like
 Partly-herbaceous; evergreen
with water
 Many-branched; will root
 Foliage:
 Simple leaves; aromatic
 Attractive in it’s simplicity –
complements other plants
©2009 Terry Dye
©2004 Steve Matson
© Project SOUND
Sweet little flowers
 Blooms: in spring - usually
in May-June in our area
 Flowers:
 Small white flowers
 In clusters at ends of erect
stems
 Plants can be literally covered
in blooms – very unusual for
native groundcover
 Fruits: leathery capsule; eaten by
birds
 Vegetative reproduction:
©2004 Steve Matson © Project SOUND
Plant Requirements  Soils:
 Texture: likes well-drained,
but not really picky
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Part-shade to quite shady
 Dappled sunlight under trees
 Water:
 Winter: adequate
 Summer: needs some water
to look good – Water Zone 2-3
would be good
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils;
would accept light fertilizer
 Other: organic mulch
©2013 Larry Beckerman

8/6/2013
24
© Project SOUND
Modesty is charming
 On slopes; good stabilizer
 Under trees; other shady areas
 Pair with Heucheras, ferns,
Douglas Iris, Yerba Buena
 As an attractive pot plant
©2011 Dylan Neubauer
http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Whipplea-modesta/
On to the sunny northern beds
© Project SOUND
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© Project SOUND
* Brown/ Rusty Sedge – Carex subfusca
©2006 Steve Matson
 Western U.S., usually mountains in
California
 Locally – San Gabriels
 Seasonally moist mountain meadows,
along watercourses < 12,000 ft
 Pine forests, Southern Oak
Woodland, Foothill Woodland
© Project SOUND
* Brown Sedge – Carex subfusca
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx
?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242357566
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?7928,7931,8065
http://www.forestryimages.org/browse/subthumb.cfm?sub=26803

8/6/2013
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© Project SOUND
Brown Sedge is an attractive Carex
 Size:
 < 1 ft tall
 2-4+ ft wide, spreading
 Growth form:
 Spreading – ‘sod-forming’
sedge
 Fast-growing
 Becomes like a natural lawn
 Foliage:
 Fine textured; grass-like
 Roots:
 Spreads via rhizomes
©2006 Steve Matson
Sedges: two main types
 Bunching sedges
 Remain as a mounded clump – like a
bunch grass
 Have very short/no rhizomes
 Expand slowly
 Running/sod-like sedges
 Spread – like sod; often quickly
 Become like a sod lawn
© Project SOUNDhttp://search.linders.com/12070003/Plant/4425/Gray's_Sedge
http://rwa.watersavingplants.com/eplant.php?plantnum=174&return=l1
http://vinesandgroundcovers.blogspot.com/2012/02/carex-
pansa.html
Carex tumulticola
Carex pansa
© Project SOUND
Showy among sedges
 Blooms: spring – when weather is
warm
 Flowers:
 Typical, wind-pollinated flowers
of sedges
 At tips of stems
 Seeds:
 Large; turn red-brown and are
quite attractive
 Eaten by water birds
©2011 Dylan Neubauer
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Hurd, E.G., N.L. Shaw, J. Mastrogiuseppe, L.C. Smithman, and S. Goodrich. 1998.
Field guide to Intermountain sedges. General Technical Report RMS-GTR-10. USDA Forest Service, RMRS, Ogden. © Project SOUND
Brown sedge is easy
to grow
 Soils:
 Texture: any
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Full sun to part-shade;
adaptable
 Water:
 Winter: can take flooding
 Summer: adaptable; very
drought tolerant in shade.
Looks best with moderate
water in summer
 Other: spreads; may need to
contain
©2006 Steve Matson

8/6/2013
26
© Project SOUND
Versatile Brown Sedge
 In rain gardens, dry swales
 As an easy-care lawn substitute
 Around ponds, pools
 Under trees
http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=2329
http://www.bloomingadvantage.com/Ca
rex-subfusca.html
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/plants-
c/bio414/species%20pages/Carex%20sp.htm
http://www.sm.watersavingplants.com/eplant.php?plantnum=24602&r
eturn=l6_aK
Berkeley Sedge – Carex tumulticola
© Project SOUND
Consider size and growth characteristics before choosing a plant
Finally we can use some water-wise
Zone 2 plants as fillers
 Wide selection to choose from:
 Shrubs
 Sub-shrubs
 Perennials
 Ferns
 Grasses/grass-like plants
CA Fuschia – Epilobium canum
Ashy-leaf Buckwheat California Marshlavender
Limonium californicum
Lilac Verbena
© Project SOUND
Lilac (Cedros Island) Verbena – Verbena
lilacena

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© Project SOUND
Lilac (Cedros Island) Verbena – Verbena
lilacena
 Found only on Cedros Island, off
Baja CA (an ‘island endemic’)
 In the wild, grows in canyons and on
coastal bluffs in an ocean-influenced
desert scrubland
 This island has many interesting
plant & animal species
http://www.search.com/reference/Cedros_Island
© Project SOUND
Lilac Verbena is well suited to the home
garden
 Size:
 2-4 ft tall
 3-5 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Perennial sub-shrub (small; partly
woody/ partly herbaceous)
 Mounded and slightly spreading
 Yearly pruning can keep it very neat
looking
 Foliage:
 Attractive gray-green color
 Lacy leaves
 Evergreen with water; drought
deciduous
 Roots: net-like
Fortunately, Lilac Verbena does
well in many S. CA gardens
© Project SOUND
What will really attract you is the showy
flowers!!
 Blooms:
 usually April- Sept. in S. Bay
 Long bloom season; flowers open
sequentially along the stalk
Flowers:
 Lilac to pinkish
 Tiny; many on each flowering stalk
 Held above the foliage
 Spicy-fragrant
 Attract butterflies like a magnet
 Seeds:
 Small; in papery capsule
 Birds eat them
http://www.calflora.net/losangelesarboretum/whatsbloomingjan
07.html#verbena_lilacina
© Project SOUND
Lilac Verbena enjoys a wide range of
garden conditions
 Soils:
 Texture: any but clay
 pH: any local
 Light: full sun best in most gardens;
part shade is ok
 Water:
 Winter: normal for season; don’t let
it get water-logged
 Summer:
 Tolerates anything from very little
to regular water
 Probably does best with infrequent
(every 2-4 weeks) deep water – will
keep it green & blooming
 Fertilizer: none needed
 Other: does best in areas with good
air circulation
Light summer pruning will encourage
fullness; prune to shape and remove
spent blooms in fall – if un-pruned it
will become woody

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© Project SOUND
Uses in the garden  Makes a great container plant
 A must for butterfly gardens –
be sure to plant where you can
enjoy them
 In mixed beds; look nice even
when not in bloom
 Good for gardens with either
red or blue color schemes
 Excellent bank cover or massed
as a tall groundcover
 Perfect small-scale foundation
plant
 Even looks magnificent in
hanging baskets
Verbena lilacina 'De La Mina' is a
readily-available cultivar with darker
flowers & slightly larger size
Final Garden Plan - backyard
© Project SOUND
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We’ve taken a backyard that was mostly lawn
© Project SOUND
Base map - backyard
© Project SOUND
house
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Water Zone 3

8/6/2013
29
And added some water-wise Water Zones
© Project SOUND
house
Vegetablegarden
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We’ve learned how to choose plants that can
tolerate a little extra water (Water Zone 2-3)
 Look to plants from:
 Central and Northern CA,
particularly coastal areas
 Higher elevations – particularly
local mountains
 Riparian /wetland areas
 Cultivars – particularly those
from ‘moister than usual’ areas
 Plants that have a broad range
of water tolerance
© Project SOUND
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/North_America/United_States_of_America/California/San_
Francisco-755471/Things_To_Do-San_Francisco-Point_Reyes_National_Seashore-BR-1.html
Plants with a broad range of water tolerance
have a better chance of thriving…
© Project SOUND
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…in complex irrigation
situations like this
Fortunately, many CA native plants are
more adaptable than we first thought…
https://nwwildflowers.wordpress.com/tag/spiraea-splendens/
http://www.researchlearningcenter.org/bloom/species/Dryopteris_arguta.htm

8/6/2013
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…but Water Zone gardening makes gardens sustainable
© Project SOUND
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We’ve considered ways to make the garden
even more water efficient
© Project SOUND
house
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Vegetablegarden
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We’ve created a more water-wise solution
© Project SOUND
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That meets the goals we set for ourselves
© Project SOUND
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 Formal look; curved shapes
 Large shrubs as screen ; rest of plants
are smaller

Water Transition zones 2013-notes

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Water Transition zones 2013-notes