Hot Tub Corner

Common name:Yellow Bird Of Paradise
Botanical name:Caesalpinia gilliesii

This Bird of Paradise is an upright, fast growing small tree or large shrub, 10' tall by 8' wide. Clusters of yellow flowers have long red stamens. Natural growth habit is irregular and open, but can be pruned to encourage dense growth. It is quite hardy and can be frost tolerant. As pods mature, they split spewing seeds. Ripe seeds are poisonous. It may be somewhat invasive but it is easy to control. This plant is drought tolerant.

Common name:Australian Willow, Wilga
Botanical name:Geijera parviflora

This evergreen tree reaches a height of 25', with 3"-6" long, medium length, green colored leaves that are narrow. Its main branches sweep up and out, while the smaller branches tend to hang down.

Common name:Jerusalem Sage
Botanical name:Phlomis fruticosa

This hardy perennial is a useful, old-time garden plant with coarse, woolly gray green, wrinkled leaves and yellow, 1" flowers in ball-shaped whorls. It handles drought and poor soils but needs full sun.

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.

Water Saving Tip:

Replace turf with groundcovers, trees, and shrubs. If you have areas where no one uses the grass, patches that do not grow well, or a turf area too small to water without runoff, consider replacing the turf with water-efficient landscaping.

Integrated Pest Management:

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