Re: planting for street "island"

I am a member of the landscape committee of the PUD where I live in Santa
Rosa, CA. (Sunset Western Garden zone 14) There is an island in the street
that runs through the development. Most of the plantings need replacing and
we are looking for ideas to make an attractive, low maintenance space. Can
you help? The island is from about 3 to 18 feet wide and about 150 feet
long. There is water available that can be turned on as needed. There are
three mature olive trees that we want to keep and some large rocks (up to 6
feet long and 3 feet tall). What plants would you suggest for this space? Thanks in advance.
Christine Caliandro
Excellent opportunity Christine! We did this in my neighborhood a few years back, starting with olives which are heritage as our community was founded back in the 1800s as an olive growing colony. We acquired a large number of rocks which you have as well so your situation starts much like ours.

We focused largely on native plants for both their low maintenance, low water use and appropriateness overall. We used Englemann oaks which are native to our region, native grasses, ceanothus, mimulus (monkey flower), encelia, mexican bush sage (salvia leucantha), toyon, fremontia, heuchera, tagetes lucida (or lemonni, I never remember which is which), some daylilies for color, white verbena as a unifying groundcover. The color scheme is blue/purple, yellow/gold and white.

We have year round color from this combination which is very low water and requires a minimum of maintenance. Nearby neighborhoods have taken up our effort and begun to landscape their streets and gardens similarly.

We also have a center island planting nearby that uses more tropical and exotic plantings but I suspect they are too cold tender than would be appropriate for your community. Our city planted a very long, center divider down one of our main boulevards with a mass planting of liquid amber and society garlic. It is an awful combination - the liquid amber drops everywhere and the society garlic stinks to high heaven! Imagine driving down the blvd in lovely warm spring weather and having to roll the windows up to keep the stench out!

The key is to create a plant palette and then stick with it, no matter what. Don't let the palette be dictated by what you can get for cheap as what is cheap is probably not what is easy to take care of or especially attractive which is what you want for . Don't overplant as overplanting means lots of maintenance later. Better to use appropriate spacing and lots of mulch both for aesthetics and for practical purposes. Think of your planting as a demonstration for beautiful, low water landscaping for your community.

Nan
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