May in the Water Efficient Landscape Gardens

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Now is the time to visit the water efficient landscape (WEL) demonstration garden at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center, which is open to the public seven days a week.

May is the time to stop by and smell our roses, enjoy our spring blooming perennials, flowering cool season grasses and more. Lavenders and salvias with names like Hot Lips, Lipstick, Bees Bliss and Whirly Blue are top May choices for pollinating bees and hoverflies. Lady beetles are popping up everywhere. Our three water efficient rose shrubs, ‘Mutabilis’, ‘Perle d’Or’ and ‘White Pearl in the Red Dragons Mouth’ are in peak bloom along with the Santa Barbara daisy, lambs ears and more.

This month in the garden we are weeding out spring blooming weeds such as bedstraw, cut leaf geranium, and burclover before they set seed. We are also deadheading the euphorbias and Jupiter’s beard, even though they are still beautiful, as they also reseed readily. A good guide to identifying and controlling weeds can be found at UC IPM Weed Gallery.

The demonstration gardens feature natives, commonly available perennials, trees and shrubs along with plants from other Mediterranean climates that all do well with less water in Sacramento County. Most plants are labeled and many are UC Davis Arboretum All-Stars—click to see more information about ‘Mutabilis’, ‘Perle d’Or’ and all the other All-Stars.

Master Gardeners will be in the garden from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 18, to present a workshop on perennial and shrub care, and to share water efficient landscape growing tips and ideas, and to answer questions (see the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center workshop schedule). Master Gardeners will also be available to answer questions on Saturday, June 15 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. during our June Open Garden Day.

	*Erigeron karvinskianus* Santa Barbara Daisy These low growing, quickly spreading, adaptable perennials (native to Mexico) are covered with cheerful, long lasting, pink tinged small daisy shaped flowers which start blooming in spring. If sheared back, they rapidly rebloom. They may aggressively spread, but are easily removed. They do best in well drained, sunny locations but will accept some shade and require little water. (In the photo they are paired with Salvia nemorosa, another long blooming, drought tolerant perennial with spiking 2 foot lavender flower stalks.)
	Iris douglasiana Iris Pacific Coast Hybrid Pacific Coast hybrid irises are the descendants of years of hybridizing (by plant breeders since the 1920s) using the wild iris, Iris douglasiana, found primarily along the coast from southwestern Oregon south to Santa Barbara. Many of these hybrids grow well with little maintenance in well drained soil, with low summer water and shade from the hot afternoon summer sun. The white "Canyon Snow' is a UC Davis Arboretum All-Star.
	Lavandula stoechas 'Otto Quast' Spanish lavender This showy, shrubby lavender, thrives in our sunny, dry climate. A favorite of bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects, it starts blooming in early spring. It is another UC Davis Arboretum All-Star.
	**Eriogonum umbellatum var. polyanthum Sulfur Buckwheat** This native of Northern California mountain areas adapts well to our climate and soil. It grows as a mounding small semi-evergreen subshrub 1 1/2 feet tall to 3 feet wide. The bright yellow pom-pom like spring blossoms dry to a long lasting sulfur colored seed head. It can tolerate some shade and prefers good drainage.
	Rosa 'Perle d'Or' Golden pearl polyantha rose
	Rosa x odorata 'Mutabilis' The Butterfly rose, Rosa x odorata 'Mutabilis', is a large shrub rose that's a UC Davis Arboretum All-Star for good reason. First noted by European botanists in 1896, it likely originated in China. It blooms nearly year round and attracts bees and other beneficial insects. It does well with less water, and tolerates our soils. Although this rose can tolerate some shade, it does not do well in windy sites. Attractive blooms begin as scarlet buds and mutate progressively into light yellow, then pink, then crimson blossoms (that some have likened to butterflies). Newly sprouted canes are deep red, complementing the flowers and the lush foliage. Nearly maintenance free, Mutabilis can be pruned in winter to keep the plant more compact.
	Carpenteria Californica California anemone, bush anemone