© Project SOUND

Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden

Gardening with California Native Plants in Western L.A. CountyProject SOUND – 2016 (our 12th year)

© Project SOUND

Shrubs in a Changing World:CA native shrubs for a mid-century

modern house (with an emphasis on our changing climate)

C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake

CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve

Madrona Marsh PreserveApril 7 & 9, 2016

2016 Season - Rediscovering Eden: S. California Gardens for the 21st Century

© Project SOUND

In February, we discussed climate change and the need to rethink our plant palettes

© Project SOUNDhttp://www.zillow.com/homedetails/23192-Maple-Ave-Torrance-CA-90505/2106438376_zpid/

http://www.clker.com/clipart-tree-silhouette-4.html

© Project SOUND

This month we consider climate-wise shrubs and how to use them in a ‘Mid-century Modern’ front yard

First, let’s consider the context of ‘California Mid-century Modern’ homes

© Project SOUND

Lots of things changed after WW II

Social & economic change after the Great Depression, WWII

Population movements: Rural to towns/cities North & West (especially

California)

Population explosion – ‘Baby Boom’

Increasing influence of the automobile – ability to work at a distance from home

Need to build lots of new housing, FAST – housing tracts and planned communities

© Project SOUNDhttp://www.grayflannelsuit.net/blog/time-capsule-los-angeles-development-boom-of-the-1950s

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/362399101238144786/

Up to WWII, most people lived in homes built in the 1920’s or before

© Project SOUND

https://www.airbnb.com/s/Long-Beach--CA?s_tag=mF0IqGpA

People knew how to decorate such homes, inside & out

But mid-century modern homes were quite different from the houses of the past

© Project SOUNDhttp://marvistatract.org/

California mid-century modern homes represent a rebellion against the past…

© Project SOUND

… and a pragmatic approach to dealing with scarce resources (building materials, lot sizes, views, $$$)

The houses were different from those of the past

Flat planes, geometric lines. Flat roofs are common, though modern ranch-style houses had gable roofs.

Large windows, sliding-glass doorsand other expansive panes of glass allow light to enter rooms from multiple angles.

Changes in elevation. Partial walls, or cabinets of varying heights to create different depths in the space.

Integration with nature. Rooms have multiple outdoor views, or multiple access points

© Project SOUND

Some tract houses were quite innovative

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Trickle-down effect in design: the Eames Chair

© Project SOUND

http://abduzeedo.com/eames-lounge-chair-icon-modern-design-book

The original Eames Chair

https://mcmclassics.com/products/charles-leather-lounge-chair-and-ottoman-terracotta-or-black-in-walnut-veneer-eames-style?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=googlepla&variant=14253433479

https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/seating/lounge-chairs/eames-style-plycraft-chair-ottoman/id-f_790966/?utm_content=test&product=f790966&gclid=CjwKEAjwrOO3BRCX55-L9_WojHoSJAAPxcSP6IwCxVGg4w3h-PBHMdTp_05v226c2ObOrUdjFdgwiRoCU0Tw_wcB

https://www.chairish.com/product/203746/eames-mid-century-style-chair-and-ottoman?utm_campaign=Purchasing_Site_PLA_PLA_Shopping&utm_content=Chair+%26+Ottoman+Sets&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_term=Eames+Mid-Century+Style+Chair+And+Ottoman&gclid=CjwKEAjwrOO3BRCX55-L9_WojHoSJAAPxcSPiEk_S6fHXGbpiMc7d-Y7k0EM76bPiETgGRu_SFFwoRoCWXzw_wcB

The same is true with home architecture

© Project SOUND

https://www.millmanteam.com/torrance-real-estate/central-torrance/

But the best place to learn about gardens for mid-century modern homes is the visionaries and their designs.

© Project SOUND

How did the architects and landscape designers of the period view the landscapes around suburban homes?

Mid-century Ranch House tracts

While the majority of tract housing was built by developers without architects, several notable architecture firms (Palmer and Krisel, Smith and Williams, Jones and Emmons, and Edward H. Fickett) brought their respected Modernist ideas to the design and construction of tens of thousands of tract homes.

Many different varieties, including the prefabricated versions designed by Cliff May and architect Chris Choate, seen at Rancho Estates (1954) in Long Beach.

© Project SOUND

http://www.cbcoastalalliance.com/posts/cliff-may-ranchos-long-beach-a-pictorial

Cliff May Homes Considered by many to be the inventor of

the modern ranch house, Cliff May is a legendary figure in Southern California architecture.

Of the many tract housing developments he designed in the 1950s, the largest (and one of the highest-praised) was Lakewood Rancho Estates in Long Beach.

© Project SOUND

http://esotericsurvey.blogspot.com/2013_11_01_archive.html

Born in 1909, May spent summers as a youth on an original Mexican ranch owned by an aunt on his father’s side.

He never attended architecture school, but he began designing and building houses in San Diego in his early 20s . He moved to Los Angeles in 1935.

He fused elements of the Spanish Revival style with Modernism to produce low-slung, horizontally oriented, pitched-roof ranch houses. Their open, relaxed layout emphasized outdoor living, perfect for the casual lifestyle and temperate climate of Southern California.

© Project SOUND

Cliff May Rancho Estates – Long Beach

http://www.ranchostyle.com/

https://www.laconservancy.org/architects/cliff-may

Cliff May Ranch Estates

The homes were designed using a five-foot module and were very cheap and easy to build - the major elements were pre-cut and assembled, ‘four men could put the basic structure up in a day’.

May defined the ranch house through its function. A May house has an open plan, with rooms arrayed in 'V'- or 'L'-shape around a courtyard. In the apex of the 'V' or 'L,' you'll generally find the living room, with bedrooms to one side, and kitchen, dining, and service areas to the other.

May emphasized indoor-outdoor living, so the houses featured large windows and glass doors that opened onto patios and courtyards paved with grids of aggregate concrete.

© Project SOUNDhttp://retrorenovation.com/2013/01/23/8-cliff-may-inspired-ranch-house-plans-from-houseplans-com/

The ‘Mid-century Modern Homes’ – so commonplace to us – were truly ‘something new’ to the

1950’s home buyer

© Project SOUNDhttp://www.cbcoastalalliance.com/categories/Buyers/posts.mobile?page=1

http://www.calbungalow.com/?dsidx-force-full=true

Gardens also changed after WWII

Shortage of some materials

Lot size much smaller than garden designers were used to working with previously

The influence of modern trends in art and architecture.

The beginning of schools of landscape architecture – and of the profession as we know it today

In short, the time was ripe for something new in home & landscape architecture

© Project SOUND

The attitudes of architects & landscape architects changed as well

The fundamental factors in designing Modernist architecture also apply to designing the garden:

meeting the clients specific needs

making the garden design complimentary to buildings

relating to land forms

considering the microclimates and general weather conditions encountered at the site.

© Project SOUND

Unfortunately, most new homeowners were pretty much left to their own devices

…but not entirely on their own

© Project SOUND

The Post-war Modernist garden design style began in California

Developed by a small group of landscape designers with ties to UC Berkeley & Harvard Schools of Landscape Design

Thomas Church was the "first founder."

Subsequent founders and practitioners include Garrett Eckbo, Robert Royston, James C. Rose, and Dan Kiley

Designed large gardens – but also gardens for smaller home gardens

Some also were inspired to educate novice home gardeners about the basics of good design

© Project SOUND

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/30/f2/ed/30f2ed823112595e097297faa48df53c.jpg

Thomas Church

The influence of Thomas Church – still can be seen today

1902-1978 – raised in CA

Began his study of garden design at the UC Berkeley (BA)

Masters in landscape architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design

Created nearly 2,000 gardens, in addition to several major large- scale public commissions

Also wrote for all the major gardening magazines of the time

His voice was unique, distinct, and influential.

© Project SOUND

https://www.studyblue.com/notes/note/n/unit-3-contemporary-landscape-history/deck/2680311

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/354236326912984856/

For Church, house and garden were part of the same design

“All the gardens we now create in California are based on the concepts and philosophies of Thomas Church; we just don’t know it,” says Richard McPherson, a landscape architect who teaches a class on Church at UC-Berkeley Extension. “Before Church, gardens were mainly just a collection of plants. Church changed how the house related to the garden, combining what he learned in Europe with the possibilities of the almost perfect Californian climate.”

https://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/magazine/article/?article_id=37793

© Project SOUND

Church outlined four principles for his design process in Gardens Are For People.

Unity — the consideration of the design as a whole, integrating the house and its gardens with a free flow between them.

Function — the relation of the outdoor recreational and social areas to their interior counterparts, and of the outdoor service areas to the household's needs, to please and serve the people who live in them.

© Project SOUND

Church outlined four principles for his design process in Gardens Are For People.

Simplicity — upon which rests the aesthetic and economic success of the design.

Scale — relating the different design parts, features, and areas to one another, to create a whole an integrated landscape design

© Project SOUND

Learn more about Thomas Church

See more of his projects at The Cultural Landscape Foundation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8NRUUD5sSc Thomas D. Church Oral History Project –

https://archive.org/stream/landscapearchite01thomrich/landscapearchite01thomrich_djvu.txt

To learn more about Church, check out Gardens Are for People and Thomas Church, Landscape Architect: Designing a Modern California Landscape, by Marc Treib.

© Project SOUND

Front yard: mid-century ranch

Full sun to quite sunny

Soil: well-drained (either sandy or well-drained clay loam

Plants appropriate for climate change

Challenges: Limited area – size Small house/lot – scale must

be appropriate Horizontal lines of house House front relatively plain –

can use plants as accents

© Project SOUNDhttp://www.kriselconnection.com/2015_07_01_archive.html

"The psychology of arrival is more important than you think. If it is not obvious where to park, if there is no room to park when you get there, if you stumble into the back door looking for the front entrance, or if the entrance is badly lighted, you have subjected your guests to a series of annoyances which will linger long in their subconscious. No matter how warm your hearth or how beautiful your view, the overall effect will be dimmed by these first irritations.“

Thomas Church© Project SOUND

Choose your largest plant first

© Project SOUND

There are a few possibilities

Local native shrubs (pruned up) Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) Laurel sumac (Malosma laurina) Lemonadeberry (Rhus

integrifolia)

Some of the smaller desert wash species Desert ceanothus (Ceanothus

greggii) Bladderpod (Peritoma arborea)

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

Bladderpod – Peritoma arborea/Cleome isomeris/Isomeris arborea

© Project SOUND

Bladderpod – Peritoma arborea

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Isomeris+arborea

CA, AZ and Baja

Literally from the shore to the eastern deserts in S. California

Wide habit distribution Hills, bluffs, stabilized dunes - sea coast Hills and desert washes at the desert edges.

CA’s only member Caper family (Capparaceae)

http://nativeplants.csuci.edu/peritoma-arborea.htm

© Project SOUND

Size: 2-10 ft tall (usually 3-6 ft) 3-6+ ft wide

Growth form: Woody shrub; spreading shape Develops interesting gnarled

branches with age – very decorative (like bonsai tree)

Moderate growth rate; moderately long-lived (30+ years in Zone 1-2 or 2)

Foliage: Medium-textured Light gray-green; nice color Unusual odor when crushed Drought deciduous

Roots: long taproot – don’t move once established

Characteristics of Bladderpod

© Project SOUND

Bladderpod’s flowers and pods are fantastic Blooms:

A little bit year-round Feb-May is main bloom season in

coastal lowlands

Flowers: Unusual and showy – many

flowers at one time Bright yellow, bell-shaped;

exserted anthers (male parts) very attractive to bees (it’s

main pollinators) and hummingbirds

Seeds: Inflated, bladder-like pod Large seeds; may reseed if

happy

© Project SOUND

Bladderpod is well suited for the water-wise garden

Soils: Texture: must be well-drained;

likes a sandy or rocky soil pH: any local, including very

alkali

Light: full sun

Water: Winter: resents too much

water; may need to plant on berm if drainage is poor

Summer: Zone 1-2 to 2 (will retain leaves); very drought tolerant – don’t over-water!!

Fertilizer: none

tolerates seaside conditions (salt-spray; wind) but will be smaller, shorter

Rejuvenate an old plant by coppicing

© Project SOUND

Bladderpod in gardens As an accent plant in full sun to

part-shade

As a background shrub

As a small ‘tree’ – very interesting, architectural shape

http://canativegarden.blogspot.com/2015/02/wild-uci.html

Both flowers and pods/seeds are edible

Flowers: Cooked in hot water for hours to

leach bitterness; then fried with onions and used as topping

Eaten raw as a garnish.

Seed pods: Pods: used as capers – dried,

then pickled in vinegar, brine, wine or salt.

Pods can also be eat raw as garnish (spicy)

Seeds: can be boiled (15 minutes is recommended) and eaten as peas.

© Project SOUND

http://mykitcheninspain.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-great-culinary-caper.html

© Project SOUND

*Desert ceanothus – Ceanothus greggii

©2010 James M. Andre

From Trans-Pecos, TX, through s. NM, AZ and southern California, north to the Great Basin region of UT and NV and south to Oaxoaxa, Mexico

var. vestitus: desert margin of the s. Sierra Nevada & Transverse ranges, as well as parts of UT, NV, AZ, TX, NM and Mexico

Note: some taxonomic debate on CA species

© Project SOUND

*Desert ceanothus – Ceanothus greggii

©2012 Gary A. Monroe ©2010 James M. Andre

http://www.swsbm.com/Maps/Ceanothus_greggii.gif

© Project SOUND

Desert ceanothus: shrub to small tree

Size: 4-7+ ft tall 4-8 ft wide

Growth form: Woody shrub/small tree Mounded, ceanothus shape Red-gray bark

Foliage: Sclerophyllus leaves – small,

thick, waxy coat; unique Evergreen; growth in spring

Roots: Shallow to about 10 ft Nitrogen-fixing nodules

© Project SOUND

Sweet ceanothus flowers Blooms: in early spring – Jan-Mar.

in our area in usual year

Flowers: Typical flowers for Ceanothus:

small, 5 spade-shaped petals Usually white; may be light

blue Sweet scent – really nice

fragrance; attract pollinators Flowers make a nice, mild,

fragrant soap/shampoo

Fruits: rounded, sticky – birds eat seeds

Vegetative reproduction: none

© Project SOUND

Perfect for dry garden Soils:

Texture: well-drained best; berm if not sure

pH: any but very alkali

Light: Full sun is best; light shade

probably OK

Water: Winter: needs adequate Summer: once or twice a month

(Water Zone 1-2 or 2)

Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils

Other: mulch: none, gravel or thin

organic Can prune up for tree – has nice

shrub shape otherwise

http://www.delange.org/CeanothusGregg/CeanothusGregg.htm

© Project SOUND

A good ceanothus for local gardens

Foundation shrub; background Informal hedge or tree Good habitat plant Low maintenance; tough –

tolerates heat & wind

http://prairiebreak.blogspot.com/2014/07/midsummer-garden-random-shots-from-two.html

Now we need some background shrubs

© Project SOUND

Should be in scale with – and complement –the architecture

Climate-wise foundation (backdrop) shrubs

The boxthorns (Lycium species) Sagebrushes (Artemisia spp.) Goldenbushes (Ericameria; Hazardia

& others) The Fairydusters (Calliandra spp.) Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa) Larger native grasses

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

Wolfberry – Lycium andersonii

© 2005 James M. Andre

© Project SOUND

Wolfberry – Lycium andersonii

Plant of Southwestern deserts and desert foothills

Locally in Mojave Desert – tho’ a report from PV

Dry, stony hills, mesas in desert and creosote bush scrub – usually along washes

© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?7625,7636,7637

http://www.graniteseed.com/seeds/seed.php?id=Lycium_andersonii

© Project SOUND

Wolfberry is a typical Boxthorn – all quite similar looking Size:

usually 4-6 ft tall; to 10-12 ft to 10 ft wide; slow – probably long-

lived, even in water-wise gardens

Growth form: Mounded woody shrub Very densely branched – good cover;

thorns

Foliage: Small, fleshy leaves – larger with some

water Very different look from other foliage

– nice accent plant

Roots: deep; surface roots also – typical desert shrub; re-sprouts after fire or major damage/pruning

Gerald and Buff Corsi © California Academy of Sciences

© Project SOUND

Flowers make the desert bloom

Blooms: in spring (Mar-May); depends on timing of winter rains

Flowers: Purple to white Small – but very nice shape &

lots of them - showy Good hummingbird plant

© Project SOUND

Easy to grow with benign neglect

Soils: Texture: must be well-drained –

sandy or gravelly is best pH: any local is fine Fine with salty soils, water,

maritime exposures

Light: Full sun is best Will take light shade (or some

afternoon shade) in hot gardens

Water: Winter: rains usually suffice;

don’t over-water in clay soils Summer: quite drought

tolerant; looks best in Zone1-2 to 2 in garden setting

Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils –remember, it’s a desert plant

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Lycium_andersonii

© Project SOUND

Garden uses for Boxthorns

Water-wise hedges As an accent plant; flowers &

foliage, red fruits As a container plant As all-round good habitat

plants: food, cover, nest sites.

© 1998 Larry Blakely

Limit our palette: size, density, other

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

*Big sagebrush – Artemisia tridentata

©2013 Jean Pawek

© Project SOUND

*Big sagebrush – Artemisia tridentata

Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences

©2012 Jean Pawek

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?ARTR2

High Cascade, Inner South Coast, and Transverse Ranges, Sierra Nevada Foothills, Southern San Joaquin Valley, South Coast, Great Basin, Mojave Desert

Los Angeles Co.: San Gabriels; Antelope Valley; Lancaster/ Palmdale; Newhall

Dry soils, valleys, slopes below 9,000'https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemisia_tridentata

© Project SOUND

Big sagebrush: nice foliage shrub Size:

3-6+ (to 8 in garden) ft tall 4-6 ft wide

Growth form: Irregularly mounded shrub Thick, woody trunk: gray bark Moderate growth rate; lives 50+

years; good cover for creatures

Foliage: Evergreen; can be dense Color: nice gray-green Leaves small, lobed, aromatic (the

smell of the Wild West)

Roots: deep taproot + shallow laterals – very drought adapted

©2013 Lynn Watson

© Project SOUND

Flowers are understated

Blooms: in summer – July to Sept.

Flowers: Small, simple heads (like CA

Sagebrush) Insect pollinated – attracts

a range of insects

Seeds: Small and not particularly

showy – edible and good food for birds

©2013 Jean Pawek

© Project SOUND

Plant Requirements Soils: Texture: well-drained best pH: any local except alkali

Light: full sun

Water: Winter: adequate winter rain –

supplement if needed (needs 10-18 inches per year)

Summer: best with occasional (Water Zone 1-2 to 2)

Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils

Other: Looks best with a little winter

pruning (tips – not into old-wood) Prune out old branches

periodically, if desired, to rejuvenate

© Project SOUND

Big sagebrush

As a larger alternative to CA Sagebrush

As a foundation or background plant In silvery, scented or habitat gardens Hot, dry slopes

http://nativeplantwildlifegarden.com/sagebrush-in-a-garden/https://www.pinterest.com/pin/71776187783339879/

Limit our palette: but add seasonal interest

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

* Pink Fairy Duster – Calliandra eriophylla

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CAER

© Project SOUND

* Pink Fairy Duster – Calliandra eriophylla

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CAER

http://www.graniteseed.com/seeds/seed.php?id=Calliandra_eriophylla

http://www.saguaro-juniper.com/i_and_i/flowers/fairy_duster/fairy_duster.html

Sonoran Desert from CA & Baja to W. Texas

Dry, gravelly slopes & mesas ; often in beds of intermittent streams, bajadas, washes, etc. - rocky, sandy

In Spanish, Cabeza de angel refers to an angel's head or angel's hair

© Project SOUND

Pink Fairyduster is a nice sized accent shrub Size:

3-5+ ft tall (depends on water) 4-6+ ft wide

Growth form: Woody shrub Mounded/upright to sprawling;

can grow around existing shrubs

Light-colored bark

Foliage: Bright to medium green Binnately pinnate – small pinna

(like Acacia)

Roots: nitrogen-fixing bacteria; rhizomatous – will slowly spread

http://www.public.asu.edu/~camartin/plants/Plant%20html%20files/calliandraeriophylla.html

http://www.fourdir.com/p_fairy_duster.htm© 2005 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy

© Project SOUND

Flowers: ooh-la-la!! Blooms:

Just after the rains - usually Jan-Apr in Western L.A. Co.

Will bloom off and on depending on watering schedule

Flowers: Pink: bright to very pale The long, pink filaments of

the stamens that make the showy display

Plant has a fluffy pink appearance in full bloom

Big attraction for large butterflies & hummingbirds!

http://www.sagebud.com/fairyduster-calliandra-eriophylla/

http://www.calflora.net/losangelesarboretum/whatsbloomingmay07C.html

© Project SOUND

A plant of desert washes Soils: Texture: loves sandy/rocky soils

but fine in any well-drained pH: any local

Light: Full sun for best flowering Will take light shade

Water: Winter: needs adequate Summer:

Best looking with occasional water (Zone 1-2 or 2) but very drought tolerant

Some water in Aug.

Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils; inorganic mulch

Glenn and Martha Vargas © California Academy of Sciences

© Project SOUND

Showy accent plant As a foundation plant A water-wise accent shrub As an informal hedge – or for

erosion control on slopes Even in large containers Consider for Asian or Desert-

themed gardens

http://ag.arizona.edu/pima/gardening/aridplants/Calliandra_eriophylla.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36517976@N06/4307505066/

Shaping Fairydusters Have a good natural shape – can

leave as is

Tip-prune during growing season to produce fuller shrub

Lightly prune to shape in late spring

© Project SOUND

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36517976@N06/4307505066/

http://www.avondale.watersavingplants.com/eplant.php?plantnum=1346&return=b_aChttp://www.elnativogrowers.com/Photographs_page/caleri.htm

California buckwheat (Eriogonumfasciculatum) – very drought tolerant

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

* Apache Plume – Fallugia paradoxa

Desert uplands from 3,500 to 7,500 feet

Throughout all four south-western deserts -- Mojave, Chihuahuan, Great Basin, and Sonoran

In CA, Joshua Tree Woodland, Pinyon-Juniper Woodland

Fallugia is a monotypic genus of shrub containing the single species Fallugia paradoxa

Introduced into cultivation in California by Theodore Payne; Avail even through Monrovia Nursery

© Project SOUND

* Apache Plume – Fallugia paradoxa

© 2009 Lee Dittmann

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?6677,6721,6722

© Project SOUND

Apache Plume: medium-large desert shrub Size:

4-8+ ft tall 5-10+ ft wide

Growth form: Semi-evergreen to evergreen

– depends on water Mounded form; many shrubby

slender branches – good cover for birds, etc.

Shreddy gray-brown bark

Foliage: Small, deeply-lobed leaves ‘fine textured’ appearance –

looks good with other shrubs

Roots: spreads by root suckering with abundant water

© 2007 Jason E. Willand

G.A. Cooper @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

Patrick J. Alexander @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

© Project SOUND

Flowers and seeds are very showy

Blooms: in spring – April-June in our area

Flowers: Give a good clue that this plant

is in the Rose family 2 inch pure white flowers like a

wild rose – ooh la la Like a rose, attracts many

insects (butterflies, bees, etc.)

Seeds: Have fluffy tails – very showy

on the plant Fade from pink to gold as they

mature

© 2010 James M. Andre

© Project SOUND

Another desert wash plant Soils: Texture: likes a well-drained

soil, but pretty adaptable pH: any local

Light: full sun to part-shade –perfect for hedgerow

Water: Winter: supplement if needed Summer: likes occasional

summer water, but very drought tolerant when established – Water Zone 1-2 to 2 (about once a month)

Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils

Other: inorganic mulch or very thin organic

© 2009 Lee Dittmann

© 2006 Heath McAllister

© Project SOUND

Gardeners are discovering Apache Plume

© 2002 Gary A. Monroe

© 2003 Charles E. Joneshttp://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/fallugia-paradoxa

http://www.nazflora.org/Fallugia_paradoxa.htm

As an accent plant in desert-themed gardens for beauty & habitat value

As a foundation shrub

In informal hedges/hedgerows

In very hot, dry situations (parking lots; roadways)

Many desert shrubs are routinely ‘pruned’

© Project SOUNDhttp://slatermuseum.blogspot.com/2013/01/pacific-northwest-deer.html

Managing Apache Plume

Prune in late fall/winter

Prune to shape & promote blooms (blooms on new growth) Selective deep pruning of old

branches (3 years or older) Shortening of younger ones

(up to ½ of length)

Hedge pruning/tip pruning in summer – makes it neater, too

Prune to rejuvenate Cut oldest woody stems to the

ground to rejuvenate

© Project SOUND

http://desertedge.blogspot.com/2011/06/plant-trinity-abq-to-el-paso.html

Limit our palette: perhaps a little fall gold?

© Project SOUND

Limit our palette: summer/fall color

© Project SOUND

“Don’t fret if your garden is never quite perfect. Absolute perfection, like complete consistency, can be dull.”

© Project SOUND

* Rubber Rabbitbush – Ericameria nauseosa ssp. nauseosa(Chrysothamnus nauseosus)

© 2003 Michael Charters

© Project SOUND

Two Coastal Goldenbushes

Similar growth habit and flowers; fall blooming (Aug-Oct) Coast Goldenbush: foliage lighter; leaves rounder, softer, Sawtooth Goldenbush: foliage stiffer, prickly

Coastal Goldenbush – Isocoma menziesii Sawtooth Goldenbush – Hazardia squarrosa

© Project SOUND

Mock Heather – Ericameria ericoides

Large grasses can also be used as background plants

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

*Giant sacaton – Sporobolus wrightii

Southwestern California, Sonoran Desert to TX, n. and central Mexico

Dry prairies and rocky slopes to 7,000 feet Also found in wetland communities such as

desert marshes, playa lakes and on floodplains Occurs mainly in semi-desert grassland and

shrubland communities.

© Project SOUND

*Giant sacaton – Sporobolus wrightii

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?SPWR2

http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/taxa/index.php?taxon=436

© Project SOUND

Giant sacaton: large but graceful

Size: 3-6+ (to 7-8 ft flowering) ft tall 4-6 ft wide

Growth form: Mounded bunchgrass Dies back in cool season (warm

season grass) Big, dramatic – but fine-textured

Foliage: Gray-green to medium green Dense – good cover for little

critters & birds Really attractive, esp. if cut back

yearly

http://www.plantdelights.com/Sporobolus-wrightii-for-sale/Buy-Big-Sacaton-Dropseed/

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Dramatic flowering stalks

Blooms: in summer (seeds remain on plant through fall) - usually July-Aug.

Flowers: Typical small grass flowers,

but on great plume-like stalks Color starts green (with pink-

purple hint); ends yellow-gold in fall

Good looking for a long time

Seeds: Edible (but so small that birds

are most likely to benefit)

http://www.answers.com/topic/dudleya

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Very adaptable grass Soils: Texture: very adaptable pH: any local – very adaptable

Light: full sun to some shade

Water: Winter: needs adequate Summer: occasional to near-

regular water (Zones 1-2 to 2-3)

Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils

Other: For best appearance, prune

back to 6-8” each year in winter; use as straw mulch

No real pests or problems

© Project SOUND

Use instead of Pampas Grass As an attractive (large) pot plant For foundation or backdrop

plantings On slopes & other hard-to-water

places As a really big accent plant

http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4DMG/Lawns/orna2.htm

http://navigate.botanicgardens.org/weboi/oecgi2.exe/INET_ECM_DispPl?NAMENUM=23686

http://kentonjseth.blogspot.com/2013_04_01_archive.html

Grasses and grass-like plants can also be used as dramatic accents

Yucca species Agave species Nolina species Larger grasses

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© Project SOUND

*Mojave yucca – Yucca schidigera

s Mojave Desert & nw Sonoran Deserts of AZ, CA, NV; Mexico (Baja California)

Common on dry rocky slopes, mesas and flats to about 5000‘

Primarily in Desert Chaparral and Creosote Bush Scrub plant communities

© Project SOUND

*Mojave yucca – Yucca schidigera

Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences © Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242102075

© Project SOUND

Mojave yucca: fairly typical native yucca

Size: 2-6 ft tall (sometimes even taller in

gardens; tree-like) 2-3 ft wide, spreads by offsets (pups)

Growth form: Typical of yucca; semi-woody,

evergreen perennial ‘shrub’ (base/root become woody); 1-several stems

Slow; long-lived (100’s of years in wild

Foliage: Bayonet-shaped leaves with sharp tips

and stringy fibers Foliage at tips of stems

Roots: fairly shallow

© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College

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Fantastic flowers Blooms: early spring – usually

March/April; May in colder areas

Flowers: Typical bell-shaped pendant

yucca flowers – but very large (to 1 ½ inches)

Pollinated by yucca moth (Tegeticula yuccasella)

Flowers edible

Seed pods: Large and fleshy (2-4 inches) Seeds large, flat, dark – easy to

grow from seed

Vegetative reproduction: yes

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=YUSC2

http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/imagelib/imgdetails.php?imgid=245774

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yucca_schidigera_27.jpg

Like the Banana yucca, flowers & fruits are edible

Flowers: Eaten raw or cooked Dried flowers can be ground and

used as a flavoring agent for baked products, beverages, jelly

Fruits Eaten either fresh, roasted/

baked or prepared and dried for later use

Fruits can also be cooked to make tasty jelly or syrup

Young flowering stems Chopped and cooked like

asparagus or baked like a sweet potato

© Project SOUND

http://www.desertusa.com/cactus/mohave-yucca.html

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Typical Mojave/Sonoran Desert conditions

Soils: Texture: most local soils ok –

sandy or rocky best pH: any local; fine with alkali

Light: full sun (best); can tolerate some afternoon shade

Water: Winter: needs at least 6-8

inches per winter Summer: very drought tolerant

once established; none to occasional (Water Zone 1 or 1-2)

Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils

Other: best with no mulch or inorganic (gravel/rock)

Sherry Ballard © California Academy of Sciences

© Project SOUND

Yucca: dramatic accent As an attractive container plant in

modern landscapes With other CA desert species –

even as tall groundcover In a medicinal or edible garden Important habitat plant in its

native range

http://www.alternativeeden.com/2014/02/botanical-garden-of-barcelona.html

Limit our palette: but add seasonal interest

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

* Banana Yucca – Yucca baccata

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Dramatic accent Desert-themed or rock gardens As a spiny deterrent plant Large containers Habitat or edibles garden Where ever you would plant a

Yucca or Agave

http://unkowndestination.blogspot.com/2012/08/yucca-review-yucca-baccata-banana-yucca.html

http://coldhardycactus.com/Pages/YU003.htm http://www.sm.watersavingplants.com/eplant.php?plantnum=24551&return=l1

© Project SOUND

* Bigelow’s Beargrass/Nolina – Nolina bigelovii

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Nolina_bigelovii

Hillsides and canyons of Southeastern California, western Arizona, S. NV, Baja California and Sonora, Mexico.

Desert hillsides, Creosote Bush scrub –often in very dry areas of Mojave & Sonoran Deserts

Especially prevalent along the Lower Colorado River Valley

© Project SOUND

* Bigelow’s Beargrass/Nolina – Nolina bigelovii

©2006 Aaron Schusteff

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nolina_bigelovii

http://www.desertmuseumdigitallibrary.org/public/detail.php?id=ASDM01221&sp=Nolina bigelovi

© Project SOUND

Nolina: nice accent Nice accent plant in any dry

garden Right at home in desert gardens,

rock gardens, hot places Leaves used green or bleached in

basketry; young flowers stalks can be baked and eaten

http://www.delange.org/BeargrassBig/BeargrassBig.htm

http://gallery.cvetq.info/displayimage.php?album=267&pos=4

Limit palette: but add foreground interest

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“A garden should have no beginning and no end, and should be pleasing when seen from any angle, not only from the house.”

Smaller desert flowering shrubs also make great accent plants

© Project SOUND

Desert mallow - SphaeralceaMirabilis multiflora

© Project SOUND

* Indian Mallow – Abutilon palmeri

© Project SOUND

* Indian Mallow – Abutilon palmeri

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Abutilon+palmeri

Native to the low desert of S. California, on the eastern slopes of the peninsular range

Riverside, Orange & San Diego Co. Sonoran Desert Colorado Desert San Jacinto Mtns

Dry east-facing mountain slopes, creosote bush scrub, elevation: 1800-2400'

© Project SOUND

Indian Mallow is grown for it’s foliage Size:

4-8 ft tall 3-5 ft wide

Growth form: sub-shrub Woody base; portion of

branches are herbaceous Rounded shrub

Foliage: Light green/silvery white Velvety-soft to the touch Leaves have attractive,

rounded shape Will die back with very low

temperatures, but will recover

© Project SOUND

Flowers are a lovely contrast to the foliage

Blooms: Mainly spring/summer – may also

bloom in fall usually Apr-June in S. Bay Long flowering period (at least 8

weeks)

Flowers: Bright golden yellow; almost

iridescent Shape: typical for family, but

a bit more ‘poppy-like’

Attract many visitors: Butterflies, hummingbirds, others Rabbits like the foliage

© Project SOUND

The seed pods are unusual & showy

Unusual wheel shape Remain on the plant a long

time – very unique & showy Birds love the seeds Note: will hybridize with

other native mallows Will self-sow abundantly;

repot and give to friends

http://www.hazmac.biz/040216/040216AbulilonPalmeri.html

© Project SOUND

is well suited to the water-wise garden Soils:

Texture: any well-drained, but partial to coarser textures

pH: any local Light:

Full sun best: keeps nice, rounded shape

Tolerates some shade/ afternoon shape

Tolerates reflected heat Water:

Winter: needs winter rains; plant next to a rock to hold moisture

Summer: Zone 2 (best); tolerates 1-2 to 2-3

Fertilizer: none

© Project SOUND

Indian Mallow adds interest to many gardens

As a specimen shrub – be sure to plant where kids can appreciate the texture

In a habitat garden

Along a hot wall

Anywhere you need a nice shrub – very shapeable

Great with other water-wise native like Salvias, Penstemons, Eriorgonums, Ceanothus

http://www.delange.org/MallowSuperstition/MallowSuperstition.htm

Photo © Copyright Mountain States Wholesale Nursery

Like many desert shrubs, the look can range from informal to formal

The key to the look is pruning

© Project SOUND

In summary: we’ve had a quick introduction to Mid-century Modern gardens

© Project SOUND

We’ve seen how contemporary garden design is influence by 1950’s designers

Unity

Function

Simplicity

Scale

© Project SOUND

http://www.midcenturymodernremodel.com/2012/06/landscaping-disaster-post-mid-century.html

And we’ve seen that climate-appropriate plants can be easily incorporated into

Mid-century Modern gardens

© Project SOUNDhttps://www.pinterest.com/pin/193303008982523204/

Next month: Katherine Brandegee

© Project SOUND

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/archon/?p=digitallibrary/digitalcontent&id=1