Tehachapi being the tough growing area that it is, there are a few plants that I have come to rely on in my landscape design business.

Germander is one of the perennial plants I return to again and again for filling in the gaps, literally!

It is easy to grow and propagate. It likes full sun and low water to thrive. It can still look good with regular garden water and partial shade, but full shade (more than four hours a day) and wet feet will make it sulk. It may live, but will become sparse looking. Too much water will be its demise.

The Creeping variety (Teucrium chamaedrys prostratum) is great for hugging boulders and slowly creeping to create a lush dark green carpet that is drought tolerant and has pink spiky flowers in summer.

Germander (Teucrium chamaedrys) is also a great plant for a small hedge. It fares our dry weather and the long months of cold much better than boxwood, in my opinion.

This photograph was taken at a clients home in Stallion Springs, and shows how well Germander does at bordering a bed.

In summer Germander blooms, going from a supporting role in the garden to being the star of the show.

In this photo, taken in West Golden Hills, the Germander is edging the garden and filling the important role as the first ‘layer’ in a multi faceted landscape. It can spread up to three feet wide and one foot tall if not pruned. Used like this it will still benefit from being sheared in the early spring to encourage fresh new growth, or when the blooms have faded to keep it tidy.

What plants have become your favorites for filling the the slot of a drought tolerant, evergreen in full sun or partial shade, here in Tehachapi?