California Native Anchor Plants for Small Spaces
by Laura Hansen
Principle Vegetation Ecologist, Production and Retail Manager
at Watershed Nursery, an APLD CA Bronze Sponsor
If your project is limited on space, the key is to go for quality, not quantity. Choose anchor plants that offer habitat benefit and attractive foliage. Choose a simple color scheme and a few species that complement each other. Then group and repeat plants for a calm, unchaotic design. Planting in layers – putting taller plants in the back and lower plants in the front - creates depth and makes the most use of a small space. Containers can also work in your favor. Shrubs and trees grown in a deep container will be compact compared to the same species in the ground.
Here are some species that can form the backbone of a small yard. Plants are listed from smallest to largest:
Lippia (Phylla nodiflora): A dainty flower but hardy plant, this spreading ground hugging is useful for filling in sunny borders or between pavers. It spills beautifully over and around small rocks, or plant in front of small shrubs. Bees and butterflies love the white flowers that are tinged purple or pink.
Woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca): Very useful groundcover for part or full shade. Spreads by surface vines, and makes delicious small berries. Use this in front of larger plants or on its own along a narrow side walkway. You can also plant this at the edge of a retaining wall, or a tall container - the vines will spill down with beautiful effect.
Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis): Drought-tolerant clumping grass with deep blue-ish green, super fine blades. Creates a dense mound about 1x1’, perfect for an alternative “lumpy lawn” or as an edge along narrow borders.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium): A pollinator powerhouse that spreads by rhizomes, yarrow has tidy, fern-like foliage. The flower stalks rise 2-3’ and attract many beneficial insects. Flowers can be dead-headed to encourage new blooms. Drought tolerant but looks better with occasional summer water.
California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum): This drought-tolerant, compact shrub grows 2-3’ and is ideal for small spaces. It will reliably attract many buzzing bees and butterflies during its long bloom time – spring to fall. Flowers are creamy white and turn rustier as they age. Put it in the sunniest spot and enjoy the pollinator show.
California sagebrush (Artemisia californica): Wonderful scent and silvery needle leaves with excellent texture – put it in front of a fence or a wall, it will soften the hard edges. Super drought tolerant, this is a stunning background plant for bright blooming perennials. Very low maintenance, it will gradually grow to 3-4’ high and wide. Easily grown in containers.
Penstemons (Penstemon heterophyllus or Penstemon centranthifolius): These group of perennials are compact in footprint and foliage, but have high-impact flowers. Most penstemons are drought-tolerant and want sun or part-shade. Flowers range in hues from pale pink to bright red. Plant them against a wall or fence or in front of a dark green foliage plant – the flowers will become a beautiful focal point when in bloom.
Smooth scouring rush (Equisetum laevigatum): This is one of our most dramatically vertical native plants growing 3-5’ tall – with striking contrasting bands of black and deep green. Vertical lines in a yard design create a feeling of spaciousness by drawing the eye up. Unlike the other species on this list, it is water loving, and ideal in a container to limit it’s spread in a small yard. Try it in a tall, narrow container for a very modern look.
Ninebark (Physocarpus capitatus): This Northern California native offers something different every season, and grows to 5-8.’ A wonderful shrub for a shady corner, it has dense clusters of lacy red to white flowers in spring, leaves that turn color in the fall, and in winter its peeling bark branches are revealed. It likes some water and can be grown in containers.
Photos courtesy of Watershed Nursery.
Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia): This shrub is adaptable to a variety of sun or part-shade spots, and does wonders for wildlife. A top pick for those lacking room for a larger tree. Reaching 10-15’ it is drought tolerant, evergreen, and has lovely red berries in winter when not much else is happening in the garden. Useful as a screen to hide things you don’t want to see, it can also be limbed up to create a more traditional tree shape. Also can be grown in a large container.
Find more Small Space Plant lists here.