california native|nora harlow|perennials

Penstemon x gloxiniodes 'Maurice Gibbs' It’s easy to see why penstemons are so popular with gardeners everywhere.  Their tubular or trumpet-shaped flowers, usually on tall spikes, put on a brilliant show from late spring until fall.  Flower color ranges from shades of purple to red, blue, white, yellow, or pink, often with contrasting markings at the base.  Hummingbirds and butterflies are drawn to them. Some penstemons are tall and upright, excellent in the mixed border; others are low mats perfect for the rock garden; and still others are sprawling mid-size mounds.  All need good to excellent drainage, but

Pacific Coast iris 'Copper' flowering in garden with Euphorbia dulcis 'Chameleon' Plants that are dormant or not actively growing during the hottest months are well adapted to summer-dry climates, including many California natives.  Irises, both native and not, are a beautiful choice. Iris douglasiana hybrid Douglas iris (Iris douglasiana) forms an upright clump of sword-shaped or grasslike green leaves, mounding and spreading with age by underground rhizomes.  Flowers are blue-violet, deep purple, or occasionally white, often two or three on each upright stem in late winter to mid-spring.  Native to coastal California and Oregon, this Pacific

Achillea 'Moonshine' Achillea millefolium is a variable perennial, with one kind or another found throughout temperate regions of North America, Europe, Asia. California has several native kinds of A. millefolium, but the most widely available and commonly planted achilleas, such as the canary yellow ‘Moonshine’ or golden yellow ‘Coronation Gold’, are named hybrids or selections of other species or of plants originating elsewhere.  You may have to seek out the lovely long-lived white- to pink-flowered native achilleas at native plant sales or nurseries that specialize in California natives. Achillea millefolium 'Island Pink', a selected form from the Channel Islands