Southwest

Gray creeping germander (Teucrium aroanium)

USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 10

Size: 3 inches tall and 8 inches wide

Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil

This textural gem of a ground cover from the Mediterranean basin is a welcome addition to our region. Gray creeping germander’s needlelike foliage spreads into a low mound spangled with clusters of honey-scented, lavender-pink flowers in May and June. I have seen this plant blooming into October.

With That:

‘Siskiyou Blue’ fescue (Festuca idahoensis ‘Siskiyou Blue’)

Zones: 4 to 8

Size: 1 foot tall and 15 to 18 inches wide

Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil

‘Siskiyou Blue’ fescue is a long-lived, well-proportioned evergreen offering gentle naturalness. This grass grows into a tufted form with fine-textured, powder blue blades. The flowers radiate a light green that mellows to warm amber by late summer. Its evergreen powder blue is an eye-catching accent to germander.

Kannah Creek^® buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum var. aureum ‘Psdowns’)

Zones: 3 to 8

Size: 12 to 18 inches tall and 1 to 2 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun; lean, well-drained soil

Kannah Creek^® buckwheat displays rich green foliage with a white underside that spreads to form matting rosettes. Clusters of small, sulphur yellow flowers age to a warm orange. When viewed at close range, germander and buckwheat leaves appear related by the subtle tonal and textural variations of their foliage.

Wasatch beardtongue (Penstemon cyananthus)

Zones: 3 to 8

Size: 2 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun; lean, well-drained soil

The lesser-known Wasatch beardtongue has cobalt blue flowers on tall stems with foliage that turns orange-red as the weather cools. It is also a butterfly and hummingbird magnet. The incredible color of Wasatch beardtongue complements germander’s flowers and foliage and adds vertical contrast.

Photos: Reggie Millette/www.millettephotomedia.com; courtesy of Maggie Lee; Jerry Pavia. Illustration: Elara Tanguy