Easy Care Flowering Plant Combo for Dry Garden

A delightful succession of blooms, which belie the sturdy constitution of this drought-tolerant trio of native plants, begins in late spring with the selected variety of the Pacific Coast Iris. As their blooms fade, a profusion of single white flowers cover the evergreen shrub, Carpenteria californica 'Elizabeth'. Finally, as those blooms wane by midsummer, vivid orange trumpets of California fuchsia make their entree, continuing to add hot summer color around the skirt of the shrub until frost. Generally, each player is taking turns, doing their bit one after the other, though there may be some crossover between the iris and white-flowering bush anemone, so keep that in mind when selecting the bloom color for your iris.

Growing Conditions

Zone: 8, 9, 10
Exposure: Afternoon Sun, Full Sun
Water Needs: Drought-tolerant, Low, Occasional

Design Considerations

Style: Mediterranean, Native
Features: Drought Tolerant, Flower Fest, Fragrance
Focus: Hellstrip / Parking Strip, Mixed Border, Native and Habitat, Saving Water, Pleasing Seasonal Flow, Small Space
Seasons of Interest: Spring, Summer, Fall, Three Seasons of Interest

Care and Maintenance


Maintenance Level: low



Plants In this Combo