Peonies are perennials that bloom in April and May and generally have large flowers. They like full sun and in hot climates, part shade. Paeonia ‘Cora Louise’ Paeonia ‘Bartzella’ Paeonia tenuifolia is an expensive plant that I am trying to get to bloom. It is 4 years old; I paid $50 for it 4 years…

Perennials are plants that live from season to season in contrast to annuals that live one year or season and then die. Technically trees and shrubs are perennials but usually the term usually refers to herbaceous plants. EVERGREEN PERENNIALS Evergreen perennials usually bloom during one season and keep their green leaves all year. Primrose (Primula…

Photos of evergreen and deciduous perennials at Dawn Gardens

These deciduous shrubs or small trees bloom in March and April and have fragrant flowers. Primrose Lilac (Syringa vulgaris ‘Primrose’) Blue Skies Lilac (Syringa vulgaris ‘Blue Skies’) Angel White Lilac (Syringa vulgaris ‘Angel White’) Lavender Lady Lilac (Syringa vulgaris ‘Lavender Lady’) Miss Kim Lilac (Syringa pubescens ‘Miss Kim’ Lilac Ludwick Spaeth (Syringa vulgaris ‘Ludwick Spaeth’)…

Garden plants should be planted where they need a minimum amount of pruning. Plant a plant in a space where it has enough room to grow. Minimal pruning would be dead and crossing branches, diseased branches and deadheading. A large branch of an overhead Oak tree fell on this ornamental crabapple tree breaking all of…

Miscanthus is the most common of the large ornamental grasses grown in California gardens. They can reach 8′ or more tall. They have beautiful feathery flower spikes that last into the winter. They are drought tolerant and deer resistant. The top photo was taken in March before they are cut back. The video was shot…

Steps allow you to get around in a garden. You can add interest by varying the material, the color, the edges and the thickness. Here are a few photos of the steps in Dawn Gardens: Slate steppingstones Cut 12″x24″ flagstone steppingstones One large thick piece of flagstone These are 4×12 beams elevated by 2x4s nailed…

Dawn Gardens has many different ornamental grasses that are used for their drought and poor soil tolerance: Alkali Sacaton (Sporobolus airiodes) Shenadoah Switch Grass (Panicum ‘Shenadoah’) Giant Feather Grass (Stipa gigantea) Japanese Silver Grass (Miscanthus sinensis) Evergreen Miscanthus (Miscanthus transmorrisonensis) Pennisetum orientale ‘Karley Rose’ Pennisetum orientale ‘Tall Tails’ Pennisetum ‘White Lancer’ Love Grass (Eragrostis sp….

Most plants with large leaves like the shade or part shade. They give a coarse texture to the garden and make the area seem smaller. They are a good contrast to the finer texture plants. Chinese Mayapple and fruit (Podophyllum pleianthum) Hosta Lily (Hosta cv. ) There are hundreds of cultivars of Hosta Lilies, most…

Violas are perennials that are usually treated as cool season annuals in the garden. These include Pansies (Viola wittrockiana). They are usually planted in the late fall when the weather is cool. They will bloom throughout the winter and spring giving the garden much needed color. As the weather gets warmer in the spring they…