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Rain Water Gardens 7
California Poppy, Golden Poppy
Apple Blossom Penstemon
Sticky Monkey Flower
Cedros Island Verbena cv.

Compost for Healthy Soil and Plants

The natural world works in cycles. Everything is changing form and moving from place to place in an endless energy exchange system. The leaves and twigs that fall to the ground, not to mention other life forms that might die, decompose and combine with water, air and minerals of the soil to create a medium for future plants.

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California Poppy, Golden Poppy

Common name:California Poppy, Golden Poppy
Botanical name:Eschscholzia californica

This small annual (sometimes acts as a perennial) plant will grow to less than 1' tall and has light, small blue green leaves with gold and orange flowers that bloom in spring and summer.

Apple Blossom Penstemon

Common name:Apple Blossom Penstemon
Botanical name:Penstemon hybrids 'Apple Blossom'

This Penstemon is a showy perennial that remains 2'-4' high. It has light pink, tubular blossoms on long flower spikes with white throats. It blooms from spring through the fall and is hardy to 15 degrees F. It is also drought tolerant, and attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. -Cornflower Farms

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

Cedros Island Verbena cv.

Common name:Cedros Island Verbena cv.
Botanical name:Verbena lilacina 'De La Mina'

Verbena lilacina 'De La Mina' is a selection introduced by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden. It is a fast-growing shrub that reaches 3' tall and 3' wide. Flowers are purple and fragrant and bloom all year long in coastal areas. These star-shaped flowers are held high above the mound shaped foliage. It does well in sun and part sun and is considered drought tolerant. It is a beautiful shrub that attracts butterflies.

Parallel creek bed that doubles as catch basin.

Designer: Various

Rain Water Gardens 7

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:

Attract, or buy beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewings to control pest outbreaks in your garden.