What to plant in Sacramento, California

12 × 6 ft · Zone 9b · 6+ hours of sun · Low-water

• Dwarf bottlebrush 'Little John'

  × 2

  Callistemon viminalis 'Little John'

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 3.5 ft apart · grows 3–5 ft tall · Mar–May

  Listed as invasive in Florida in our table. Don't plant it there.

  Can't find it? Use Upright rosemary 'Tuscan Blue' or Indian hawthorn.

• Pink muhly grass

  × 3

  Muhlenbergia capillaris

  Grass · Back of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2.5 ft apart · grows 2.5–3.5 ft tall · Sep–Nov

  Can't find it? Use Adam's needle yucca 'Color Guard' or Little bluestem 'Standing Ovation'.

• Lavandin 'Phenomenal'

  × 3

  Lavandula × intermedia 'Phenomenal'

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2.5 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Jun–Aug

  Can't find it? Use Lily of the Nile or Bearded iris.

• African iris

  × 3

  Dietes iridioides

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Mar–Oct

  Can't find it? Use Lily of the Nile or Bearded iris.

• Two-row stonecrop 'Dragon's Blood'

  × 7

  Sedum spurium 'Dragon's Blood'

  Edge · Edge of bed · quart pot · 1 ft apart · grows 3–6 in tall · Jul–Aug

  Can't find it? Use Angelina stonecrop 'Angelina' or Creeping thyme.

Gravel or decomposed granite: 0.44 cu yd at 2 in deep (6 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 88% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.

12 × 6 ft · Zone 9b · 2–4 hours of sun · Classic

• Dwarf yaupon holly 'Nana'

  × 1

  Ilex vomitoria 'Nana'

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 3.5 ft apart · grows 3–5 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Reblooming azalea 'Encore Autumn Amethyst' or Glossy abelia 'Kaleidoscope'.

• Japanese forest grass 'Aureola'

  × 3

  Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'

  Grass · Front of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Autumn fern or Holly fern (invasive in Hawaii, New Jersey, South Carolina and Texas: don't plant it there).

• Hosta 'Sum and Substance'

  × 3

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 4 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Aug

  Can't find it? Use Lenten rose or African iris.

• Bleeding heart

  × 3

  Lamprocapnos spectabilis

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Apr–Jun

  Can't find it? Use Lenten rose or African iris.

• Dwarf mondo grass 'Nana'

  × 3

  Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana'

  Edge · Edge of bed · 4-inch pot · 0.5 ft apart · grows 2–4 in tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Blue star creeper.

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 87% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.

12 × 6 ft · Zone 9b · Under 2 hours of sun · Classic

• Smooth hydrangea 'Annabelle'

  × 2

  Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 3.5 ft apart · grows 3–5 ft tall · Jun–Aug

• Autumn fern

  × 3

  Dryopteris erythrosora

  Grass · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 1.5–2 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Holly fern (invasive in Hawaii, New Jersey, South Carolina and Texas: don't plant it there) or Japanese forest grass 'Aureola'.

• Hairy alumroot 'Caramel'

  × 3

  Heuchera villosa 'Caramel'

  Filler · Front of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Aug–Sep

  Can't find it? Use Lenten rose or Coral bells 'Palace Purple'.

• Hosta 'Sum and Substance'

  × 3

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 4 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Aug

  Can't find it? Use Lenten rose or Bleeding heart.

• Dwarf mondo grass 'Nana'

  × 3

  Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana'

  Edge · Edge of bed · 4-inch pot · 0.5 ft apart · grows 2–4 in tall · Foliage plant

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 95% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.