We visited Tracy’s beautiful East Bay, California, garden last week, where we focused on her dry garden plantings of cacti, succulents, and other plants that thrive without supplemental water. Today we’re back to check out her beds with perennials, roses, and other plants that want a little more moisture.
A wide view of this part of the garden shows lush plantings and a riot of flower color. And a few succulents are growing in a small raised container. Succulents are a great choice for containers that can dry out quickly.
Alstromeria (hardiness varies by cultivar) bloom in the front of this bed. Their colorful, long-lasting flowers make them equally wonderful cut flowers and garden plants.
A snapdragon (Antirrhinum hybrid, Zones 7–10) grows bright orange. Though short-lived perennials, snapdragons are generally grown—and give their best flowering—as annuals.
Roses loaded down with flowers grow along the fence. Rose foliage is famously susceptible to fungal diseases, which makes them a great choice for dry climates, where the low humidity helps keep them healthier.
Can’t you almost smell this beautiful rose through the screen?
A tall bearded iris (Iris hybrid, Zones 3–8) blooms in the foreground. Bearded irises thrive in a wide range of climates, but they are also great drought-tolerant choices for dry climates.
The typical form of corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas, annual) is bright red in the wild, but many marvelous varieties in a range of colors are available.
Blue honeywort (Cerinthe major ‘Purpurascens’, annual) is a marvelous-looking plant native around the Mediterranean. California’s climate is quite similar, so this plant is a natural choice for a garden there.
I love the way the color of the snapdragon and alstromeria in the foreground echo the color of the rose bushes in the background perfectly. What a lovely garden!
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Comments
Beautiful garden! Love all the colors!
Thank you ! tz_garden
So much to see. How on earth do you take care of all of it. Lovely!
Thank you! It's my favorite thing to do, putter around out there. tz_garden
Absolutely gorgeous! I envy your fungus-free roses! Do you have a soaker hose system to water?
Thank you :) The roses are on drip irrigation. tz_garden
Your garden is spectacular- and then to learn that you are the same gardener that had the amazing succulent and cactus garden! You might be amused to know you inspired me to plant some hardy succulents (I'm zone 6b) in a my garden after seeing yours!
I'd love to walk around on your garden paths- something cool to look at everywhere!
Wow, thank you so much! That really makes my day! tz_garden
Wow.... I didn't think anything could be better than your "dry" garden and then we see this part. You have such an artistic eye and obviously great skill. Lovely!
Thank you so much B! tz_garden
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