Scientific name: Allium christophii

Common name: star of Persia

Family name: Amaryllidaceae

USDA Hardiness Zone: zone 4 – 8

Mature height and spread: 1 – 2 feet height, 0.5 – 1.5 feet spread

Sun: full sun

Water Use: dry to medium

Soil Requirement: dry to medium moisture, well drained soil

Flower/cone/fruit description(s): bloom time is may, pale lavender

Suitable uses: easily grown in rich, sandy to gritty, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun

Quick ID description: great architecture plant

Scientific name: Trachelospermum jasminoides

Common name: Confederate jasmine

Family name: Apocynaceae

USDA Hardiness Zone: zone 8 plant

Mature height and spread: 3 – 6 feet height, 3 – 6 feet spread

Sun: full sun to part shade

Water Use: medium

Soil Requirement: medium wet, well-drained soil

Leaf arrangement: opposite leaves

Flower/cone/fruit description(s): white flower, sweet smell

Suitable uses: Best in medium-wet, well-drained soil in part shade

Quick ID description: zone 8 plant, evergreen climber, sweet smell, white flower

Scientific name: Euphorbia characias

Common name: Mediterranean spurge

Family name: Euphorbiaceae

USDA Hardiness Zone: zone 6 – 8

Mature height and spread: 2 – 3 feet height, 1.5 – 2 feet spread

Sun: full sun to part shade

Water Use: dry to medium

Soil Requirement: dry to medium, well-drained soils

Flower/cone/fruit description(s): 2~3 years produce flowers

Suitable uses: Grow in dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade

Quick ID description: evergreen, need good drainage, drought tolerant, good looking against concrete wall

sScientific name: Iris x robusta ‘Gerald Darby’

Common name: Gerald Darby iris

Family name: Iridaceae

USDA Hardiness Zone: zone 4 – 9

Mature height and spread: 2 – 3 feet height, 1.5 – 2.5 feet spread

Sun: full sun to part shade

Water Use: medium to wet

Soil Requirement: medium to wet soils

Flower/cone/fruit description(s): blue flowers, good looking even no flowers

Suitable uses: strong specie, best grounded in sunny areas of ponds or water gardens

Scientific name: Astilbe x arendsii

Common name: florist’s spirea

Family name: Saxifragaceae

USDA Hardiness Zone: zone 3 – 8

Mature height and spread: 1-1.5 feet height, 0.75-1 feet spread

Sun: part shade to full shade

Water Use: medium

Soil Requirement: moisture

Leaf arrangement: compound leaves

Flower/cone/fruit description(s): pink flowers

Suitable uses: do not need summer irrigation when in wetland

Scientific name: Centaurea cyanus

Common name: bachelor’s buttons, corn flower

Family name: Asteraceae

USDA Hardiness Zone: zone 2 -11

Mature height and spread: 1 – 3 feet height, 1 – 2 feet spread

Sun: full sun

Water Use: prefer dry condition, not wet site

Soil Requirement: Drier

Flower/cone/fruit description(s): blue flowers

Suitable uses: Cool weather annual that is easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to light shade

Scientific name: Calamagrostis x acutiflorus ‘Karl Forster’

Common name: Karl Forster feather reed grass

Family name: Poaceae

USDA Hardiness Zone: zone 5 – 9

Mature height and spread: 1.5m tall

Sun: full sun

Water Use: medium to wet

Soil Requirement: medium to wet soil

Flower/cone/fruit description(s): purple flowers

Suitable uses: vertical layer, good looking against concrete wall, pay attention weedy grass establish in the crown

Scientific name: Helictotrichon sempervirens

Common name: blue oat grass

Family name: Poaceae

USDA Hardiness Zone: zone 4 – 8

Mature height and spread: 1m ~ 1.5m high

Sun: full sun

Water Use: dry to medium

Soil Requirement: dry to medium, well-drained soil

Flower/cone/fruit description(s): grey blue leaves, dead leaves don’t drop off, need to pull out

Suitable uses: Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soil in full sun

Scientific name: Helichrysum italicum

Common name: curry plant

Family name: Asteraceae

USDA Hardiness Zone:

Mature height and spread: 3-6 feet height, 1-3 feet spread

Sun: full sun

Water Use: well drainage, dry to medium

Soil Requirement: moisture, heat needed, near the ocean, anywhere in Vancouver downtown

Flower/cone/fruit description(s): yellow flowers

Suitable uses: beds, boarders

Scientific name: Iris latifolia

Common name: English iris

Family name: Iridaceae

Mature height and spread: 60cm tall

Sun: full sun

Water Use: moisture, well-drained

Soil Requirement: moisture, well-drained soil

Flower/cone/fruit description(s): good colour, 3-4 weeks flower, very tolerant

Suitable uses:  perennial, to 60cm tall, with erect, narrowly lance-shaped leaves and violet, violet-blue or white flowers 8-10cm wide, each fall whitish at the base