Page 9 - 2018 Sonoma County Gardener's Resource Guide
P. 9

HELP cont’d from page 8
   habitat when not much else is blooming yet. It’s also a nitrogen fixer, and its flowers make a great exfoliating facewash when rubbed in your hands with water. Like many California natives, be careful not to over water and provide good drainage. Place where is can express itself as it does not favor too much pruning. If you have deer, go for a small leaved variety.
Plant Size: huge variation in size depending on variety
Exposure: Small leafed varieties like full sun, larger leaved varieties can take
part shade
Soils: Lean and well draining
 Water Use: very low to low
Catmint: Nepeta spp. Catmint is one of those rare herbaceous perennials that looks pretty good year round. They are neatly mounding and covered in lilac flowers most of the summer, and always abuzz with bees. Gophers and deer mostly leave them alone, and of course cats love it. Also useful as a mint substitute for culinary use and medicinally.
     Plant Size: 2’ wide x 1’ tall. Exposure: Sun
Soils: tolerant of many soils Water Use: low to moderate
  Artichoke: Cynara scolymus People don’t always think of artichokes as a landscape plant, but they are gorgeous! They provide a great textural statement with their
large, sagey leaves, and if you
don’t harvest the artichoke
heads they will turn into psychedelically bright purple
flowers cherished by bees.
Artichokes also have medicinal properties. Artichoke plants
are gopher candy though, so
make sure they’re in a basket.
 Plant Size: 4’ tall & wide Exposure: full sun Soils: tolerant of many
 soils
Water Use: low to moderate
 You can contact us at www.dailyacts.org/sustainabilityservices or by calling (707) 789-9664. We hope to visit you in your garden soon!
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