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Colorful Poolside Planting
Torch Lily Improved
Japanese Blood Grass
Pomegranate
Dark Leaf Aeonium
Hopseed Bush, 'a'li'i
Mexican Bush Sage, Velvet Sage
Italian Cypress
Garden or Common Geranium
Torch Lily Improved

Common name:Torch Lily Improved
Botanical name:Kniphofia hybrids

This perennial will grow to about 6' tall and has large green, grass-like leaves with red, orange, and yellow tubular flowers that bloom in summer. Flowers resemble tiki torches. Hummingbirds love the flowers.

Japanese Blood Grass

Common name:Japanese Blood Grass
Botanical name:Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra'

This groundcover/grass can reach up to 3' tall and has green leaves that are reddish maroon at the tips.

Pomegranate

Common name:Pomegranate
Botanical name:Punica granatum

This small tree or large shrub is very attractive (edible) and ornamental. It is naturally rounding; it can reach 15'-20' tall and wide. It is often pruned into a single trunk tree and kept as a shrub, being used as a hedge row. The baseball sized fruits are usually red. The nutritious edible aggregate-berries (arils) are variably sweet, succulent and tangy. 'Wonderful' is a common cultivar. 'Sweet' has yellow flowers and 'White' has very light pink flowers.

Dark Leaf Aeonium

Common name:Dark Leaf Aeonium
Botanical name:Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop'

Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop' is a succulent perennial that is used for accenting effect. Aeonium arboreum grows 3' tall and wide. Each branch has a 6"-8 " wide rosette of dark green, fleshy leaves.The flowers are yellow in clusters.

Hopseed Bush, 'a'li'i

Common name:Hopseed Bush, 'a'li'i
Botanical name:Dodonaea viscosa

This small evergreen tree or shrub can grow up to 12'-15' high and 12' wide. Leaf color can vary from green to purple. It is a relatively short-lived tree, compared to most other trees. It is drought tolerant. It prefers full sun although it will tolerate part shade. It is susceptible to Texas root rot.

Mexican Bush Sage, Velvet Sage

Common name:Mexican Bush Sage, Velvet Sage
Botanical name:Salvia leucantha

The Mexican Sage is a bushy shrub that grows 3'-4' tall and wide. It has hairy white stems, gray green leaves and velvet-like purple flower spikes that bloom summer through fall. This shrub tolerates sun, light shade, little water, and is hardy to 15 degrees F. The Mexican Sage is drought tolerant and attracts hummingbirds. -Cornflower Farms

Italian Cypress

Common name:Italian Cypress
Botanical name:Cupressus sempervirens 'Stricta'

Italian Cypress is often associated with Italian and Spanish architecture, providing columns in the landscape. They often reach 60' tall. 'Stricta' is compact, columnar and produces long, straight branches with deep green foliage.

Garden or Common Geranium

Common name:Garden or Common Geranium
Botanical name:Pelargonium X hortorum

Pelargonium X hortorum is a shrubby, succulent perennial stemmed to 3' or more. Round or kidney-shaped leaves are velvety and hairy, soft to the touch, aromatic, with edges distinctly lobed and scalloped toothed. Single and double flowers are flatter and smaller than those of Pelargonium domesticum variety, but clusters bear more blossoms.

Managing Your Soil

Healthy soil is the cornerstone of a vibrant landscape. It provides oxygen and nutrients vital to plant growth and sustenance. It provides protection from the sun and stability for root systems.

Click in the green box for more information

Designer:

Colorful Poolside Planting

Photographer: GardenSoft

Soils and Compost:

Practice grass-cycling by leaving short grass clippings on lawns after mowing, so that nutrients and organic matter are returned to the soil.

Integrated Pest Management:

Drip and other smart irrigation delivers water directly to roots, allowing no excess water for weeds.