Foliage-driven Dry Garden for Full Sun

In this plant combination, the blooms primarily occur from winter to early summer. The real draw for this collection of plants is the fantastic year-round structure it provides and its ultra-low water needs. The star of the show is Arctostaphylos 'Austin Griffith' with its sinuously-smooth, chocolate-brown bark. It's also the first of the chosen plants to offer blooms—it's covered in pale pink to white blooms in late winter and is an early source of nectar for the pollinators. Strappy, bold foliage of Yucca 'Color Guard' is an architecturally strong partner and in summer it will produce spires of ivory blooms that will delight the hummingbirds. The sharp edges are softened by the gauzy, gray foliage of Dorycnium hirsutum which is covered in soft-pink flowers in late spring / early summer. A woven tapestry of succulents; our Pacific Northwest native Sedum s. 'Capo Blanco' mingles amiably with burgundy rosettes of Sempervivum 'Pacific Shadows' and together they carpet the ground to create an all-season ground cover around the others.


Growing Conditions

Zone: 8, 9
Exposure: Full Sun, Afternoon Sun, Reflected Heat
Water Needs: Low Water / No Water, Occasional, Low, Drought-tolerant

Design Considerations

Style: City and Courtyard, Mediterranean, Northwest Eclectic, Wildlife Friendly, Waterwise
Features: Attracts Pollinator, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Fabulous Foliage, Four Season Appeal, Low Maintenance, Varied Foliage, Texture, and Form, Wildlife Friendly
Focus: Hellstrip / Parking Strip, Native and Habitat, Saving Water, Small Space, Winter Wet / Summer Dry, Year-round Interest
Seasons of Interest: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, Year-round Interest, Three Seasons of Interest

Care and Maintenance


Maintenance Level: low



Plants In this Combo