Southern California Coastal & Inland Valleys
February, 2006
Regional Report
Favorite or New Plant
PERENNIALS: DROUGHT-RESISTANT, AND WATER-LOVERS
Perennials with great tolerance for drought include achillea, anaphalis, artemisia, asclepias, coreopsis, daylily, dianthus, echinopsis, eryngium, gaillardia, lavandula, potentilla, salvia, santolina, sedum sempervivum, stachys, thyme, and veronica.
Perennials that require plenty of water are astilbe, canna lily, fern, gentian, geum, globeflower, lily, lobelia, loosestrife, monarda, primrose, ranunculus, sweet woodruff, valerian, and violet. Plant these in partial shade, and they'll require less irrigation; they'll bloom less prolifically, however.
Clever Gardening Technique
SEPARATING SEEDLINGS
An old fork or spoon will separate and lift seedlings gently from flats, and the handle (or a pencil or ice cream stick) can be used to ease transplants from individual growing pockets in segmented flats--all with very little damage to the tender roots.
