This is the main plant page for shrubs and perennials
You can click on any of the links below to see more specific categories and/or articles. You can comment at the bottom of the page to discuss any plants in this list or others that you have had success with to help spread the word.
This page is categorized by > Large Shrubs/Perennials Medium Shrubs/Perennials Small Shrubs/Perennials Groundcover
These plants are to give you some ideas of varieties available, those that do well in our climate, and can handle the occasional deer grazing. Since availability of some specialty varieties may change at the time of planting, further plant discussion may take place at the time of ordering. For us, your landscape contractor, just let us know your likes or dislikes and we will do the rest. Some considerations when selecting Shrubs and Perennials are as follows:
The main criteria for making plant selections comes down to plants you like and plants you dislike, “to each his/her own” as they say
Size and flower/leaf color might be the first things to consider when choosing your favorite plants
Other criteria for consideration is sun exposure and water requirements
Don’t forget about the trees to get some height and/or screening started. The sooner you plant them, the faster the benefits since trees can take years to really enhance your yard.
Larger shrubs (see the first category below) get your bed area started and build the foundation of your planting areas. Just like trees, you want to get them stared sooner than later. “Filler” plants (and some small trees) will get your planter bed and any screening started, leaving room for additional ornamental/accent plants later.
Keep in mind, plants typically follow this growth cycle: Year 1 > sleep, not much growth Year 2 > creep, noticeable growth Year 3 > leap, substantial growth Year 5 > most shrubs, excluding trees, have reached mature size
It’s an exhaustive list and this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to actual availability.
If you would like to take it a step further, spend some time perusing the following brochures from UC Davis. They are full of unique, drought tolerant, and native CA plants.
Here are some plant prices for reference. Some plant prices are listed below (none of the prices listed include labor) > Standard, common 1gal plant – $8-10each Premium 1 and 2gal plants (e.g., Azalea, Camellia) – $10-45each Standard, common 5gal plant – $25-45each Premium 5gal plants – $50-75each Tree, 15gal – $75-150each Tree, 24inch box tree – $300-450each
Large Shrubs (“core” filler plants and screening) *mature size greater than 3ft wide x 3ft tall
Medium Shrubs (filler and accent plants) *mature size up to 3ft wide x 3ft tall
Sweetbox RuscifoliaDaphne — $40Columbine — $8Heavenly Bamboo HedgeSpirea ‘Double Play’Euonymus ‘Green Spire’Black Eyed SusanRed Hot Poker ‘Popsicle’Karl Foerster GrassBush GermanderBarberry ‘Orange Rocket’Coleonema ‘Sunset Gold’Salvia ‘Hot Lips’Rosemary, trailingPurple Fountain GrassLily of the Valley ‘Flaming Silver’ — $12.50Spurge ‘Ascot Rainbow’Barberry ‘Rose Glow’Barberry ‘Orange Rocket’ — $13.50Boxwood, dwarfBarberry ‘Concorde’Acacia ‘Cousin Itt’Abelia ‘Kaleidoscope’ — $15Mexican Bush Sage — $9Salvia ‘Hot Lips’Rosemary ‘Coast’Lavender, SpanishLavender ‘Meerlo’Lavender, English ‘Hidcote’Rosemary, trailingBarberry ‘Crimson Pygmy’Lavender ‘Hidcote’ — $9Maiden GrassSilver Grass ‘Morning Light’Pink Muhly GrassLavender ‘Meerlo’Lily of the Valley ‘Flaming Silver’ — $12.50Salvia ‘Mesa Azure’14Bush GermanderLoropetalum — $30Heavenly Bamboo ‘Lemon Lime’ — $24.50Barberry ‘Golden Rocket’ — $13.50Acacia ‘Cousin Itt’Cordyline ‘Torbay Dazzler’Phormium ‘Maori Chief’Japanese Sweet Flag, Loropetalum, and Blue FescueRed Hot PokerLantanaCandytuftHeather ‘Mediterranean PinkHeather, BellGaura Siskiyou PinkBush GermanderLavender – $10.50Escallonia ‘Newport Dwarf’Santa Barbara Daisy and Cape MallowBarberry ‘Orange Rocket’ Heavenly Bamboo ‘Firepower’Princess FlowerPenstemon ‘Margarita BOP’Germander, trailingHeather ‘Kramer’s Rote’Cotoneaster horizontalisCreeping MahoniaSpurge ‘Blackbird’Cherry LaurelSweet VioletRueAmsonia ‘Blue Ice’Spurge ‘Ruby Glow’ and Barberry ‘Crimson Pygmy’Rock CressSweet BoxBlue False IndigoCalifornia FuchsiaCatmintSpireaRose SageSalvia, various colorsYarrow, various colors — $9
Small Shrubs and Groundcover (ornamental and accent plants, as well as groundcover and erosion control plants) *mature size approx. 2ft wide x 2ft tall
Some considerations when selecting Groundcover:
Will the area get heavy foot traffic?
Do you want flowering or non-flowering?
Do you need infill around stepping stones or erosion control for a hillside?
Mature size will typically be multiple feet wide by no more than 12 inches tall
