Foundation Plantings

[ck]

Hi! I found this website a few minutes ago and joined. I live in Anaheim, CA and have inherited a 1962 Ranch home. I have removed many of the foundation plantings - two in front of tall windows that completely blocked them and several shrubs that were dying.

I am looking for ideas on what to plant. My concerns are water conservation but I do not want to go with a "desert" landscape. I tried to attach two pictures of the front but was unable to do so. Any ideas?

~ck

[Mattemma]

If lead isn't a concern I would go with an edible landscape. If you have rain gutters you can direct the water to the beds, or into a rain barrel.

[Emily Sullivan]

Hi CK, I'm new to this website too! I love @Mattemma's idea of an edible landscape, as my preference would be the same. A garden that conserves water doesn't have to look like a cactus-filled desert. I've bought xeric plants from High Country Gardens (.com) and there are some beautiful and fragrant plants that don't require a lot of water. Two of my favorites are Berlandiera lyrata (Chocolate Flower) and Penstemon palmeri. They are both fragrant. They don't make it through the winter in my Idaho garden, but I'll bet they'd love California!

[YardShare]

CK - Have you run across the compilation of water-wise yards that Flutterby Gardens has shared? Link below...

http://www.yardshare.com/myyard.php?yard_id=45