Common name:Montebretia
Botanical name:Crocosmia X crocosmiiflora

Montebretia is a bulb, closely resembling gladiolus. Vertical, strap like leaves grow to 3' tall. Brilliant red, coral/apricot, red, red-orange, or bright yellow flowers sit on top of arching stalks during the summer. Plants may wither in winter but come back in spring. It requires sun to part shade. Once this plant is established, it requires little or no summer watering. This plant performs well in containers as it is considered invasive in some areas.

Common name:Sedum
Botanical name:Sedum spathulifolium

This perennial will grow less than 1' tall and has silver gray, rosette leaves. It desires very little water.

Common name:Manzanita Emerald Carpet
Botanical name:Arctostaphylos 'Emerald Carpet'

The 'Emerald Carpet' is an evergreen groundcover that grows to 1' tall by 6'-8' wide. It is favored by many landscapers as the manzanita of choice for inland situations. It has dark green leaves and exhibits compact growth. This variety is relatively tolerant of adverse soil conditions. -Monterey Bay Nursery

Common name:Meadow Cranesbill
Botanical name:Geranium pratense

These versatile plants have delightful blue, purple and lavender flowers. Deeply cut leaves form thick rounded clumps that are beautiful until frost. They can be planted with ferns or other shade-loving plants, or given a sunny exposure as long as the spot is a moist one. The lush growth height is 1-2', and the plant can be invigorated by dividing every 3 years.