Menu

Hotlinks:

Tour: Garden Retreat

Add
Hillside with Chairs
Pride Of Madeira
Mexican Bush Sage
Black Acacia
Pride Of Madeira

Common name:Pride Of Madeira
Botanical name:Echium candicans

Mature specimens of this evergreen shrub can grow to a size of 6'-8' tall and 8'-10' wide. In the spring, spikes of blue-purple flowers appear above the gray green foliage. It should receive full sun in coastal areas. In warmer inland areas, it should get some afternoon shade and more water during summer. However, once it's established, it needs little or no summer watering. This plant can be severely damaged by frost below 25 degrees F. Prune during fall to encourage lower branches to bloom. Great shrub for hillsides where it can spread. Honey bees love this plant. Does great in poor, dry soil. All parts of plant are poisonous. It appears to spread slowly into established native plant communities. Consider not planting echium if you live next to native plants.

Mexican Bush Sage

Common name:Mexican Bush Sage
Botanical name:Salvia leucantha

The Mexican sage is a bushy shrub that grows 3-4 ft. tall and wide. It has hairy white stems, gray-green leaves and velvet like purple flower spikes that bloom summer through fall. This shrub tolerates sun, light shade, little water, and is hardy to 15 d

Black Acacia

Common name:Black Acacia
Botanical name:Acacia melanoxylon

Blackwood Acacia is a fast growing tree reaching 30'-50' with 20'-30' spread. It has white flowers that are noticeable from March through May. It can work as a windbreak and has wonderful biomass value. Its leaves are dark green and narrow, with flowers that can be creamy to straw-colored, growing in short clusters and appearing in March or April. It is considered invasive in some areas due to root suckering and dispersal of seeds. If your property is adjacent to a channel, please consider NOT planting this tree as it can end up clogging the channel.

Designer: Michelle Dervis

Hillside with Chairs
Image: 6 of 15

Photographer: Michelle Dervis

Soils and Compost:

Incorporate compost 6" into your soil to retain water, reduce compaction, feed earthworms, and provide valuable nutrients to your plants.

Integrated Pest Management:

Develop healthy soil for plants that are vigorous and naturally pest-resistant.