Common name:European or Mediterranean Fan Palm
Botanical name:Chamaerops humilis
Slow growing multitrunked palm good for small areas and containers. Full sun or partial shade. Leaves have sharp spines. Native to Mediterranean and Africa.
Common name:Century Plant, Maguey
Botanical name:Agave americana
Succulent that grows quickly to10' x 13'. Wide, grey leaves have stiff terminal spines and recurved teeth on margins. Prefers full sun and well-drained situations. Prone to agave snout weevil which will eat the roots and heart of the plant. Like all agaves, after blooming, it will die but will send up new pups from around the base. Some people are allergic to the sap. This is a large agave, be sure to have space.
Common name:Blue Nolina
Botanical name:Nolina nelsoni
Blue nolina can form a trunk from 3-12' tall, and plants will spread to 6' wide. Blue-green foliage provides a great contrast to other desert plants. Leaves are 1 1/2" wide and can reach 4' long. Can reach 20' or more developing multiple heads with age .
Common name:Common Blue Fescue, Blue Fescuegras
Botanical name:Festuca glauca
This groundcover/grass will grow less than 1' tall and has small, blue-green leaves.
Common name:Mexican Palo Verde, Jerusalem Thorn
Botanical name:Parkinsonia aculeata
Light, airy tree with prickly stems and green bark. Very fast growing with sparse foliage & very long narrow leaves. Yellow flowers with orange red throats spring for at least a month. This is a messy and shortlived palo verdy. Usually found on limestone soils in areas with moisture but is strongly drought tolerant. Withstands saline conditions. Can be cold or drought deciduous.
Designer:
Photographer: GardenSoft
Maintain a two to four inch layer of mulch on the soil surface to reduce weeds, infiltrate rain water, and reduce compaction.
Group plants according to their water needs.
Creating separate zones for drought-tolerant plants, medium water-use plants, and water-thirsty grass will help prevent overwatering.
Attract, or buy beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewings to control pest outbreaks in your garden.