Common name:Western Sword Fern, Alaska Fern
Botanical name:Polystichum munitum

This Fern produces upright fronds, reaching 4'-5' tall in moist, cool forests in Northern California. This size is usually lower, especially without summer watering. It is great in containers or dry shade landscapes. This species is especially useful to give the illusion of lush, moist gardens where little water is actually being used. It should receive part shade to dense shade. -Monterey Bay Nursery

Common name:Sticky Geranium
Botanical name:Geranium viscosissimum

This geranium species, native to Utah, is a lovely geranium with showy pink flowers from May to August. Soft green leaves are deeply segmented and turn an attractive red in the fall. Sticky geranium grows best at our elevation with dappled light, so it is ideal as an understory plant with taller shrubs or woody perennials. Grows about 15 to 20 inches tall and wide.

Common name:Dead Nettle
Botanical name:Lamium maculatum

Spotted dead nettle is a moderate to fast growing, herbaceous perennial that forms a low, dense ground cover, usually under 6 inches, with a spread of 18 inches or more. Foliage color is silver-white with green margins, though many cultivars exist, with a seemingly infinite variety in leave color. Flower color is white, pink, rose, or lilac, depending on cultivar. Blooms typically appear late spring to early summer. Use as a ground cover in shrub or foundation borders, under trees, in containers or hanging baskets (though in this later use plants may not over winter).

Common name:Redtwig or Red osier Dogwood
Botanical name:Cornus sericea

Red osier dogwood is a deciduous shrub that adds needed color to the winter landscape. Upright to rounded form, growing 6 to 9 feet tall and wide, its new wood is bright red, creating a fabulous accent any time of year. Leaves are a medium green, turning a reddish purple in fall. Creamy white flowers occur in spring and contrast attractively with burgundy colored young twigs. Flowers are followed by white fruit. Attracts birds and butterflies. A good choice in a landscape that borders one of our riparian corridors...there are some planted at the 900 South Wetland.

Common name:Wintercreeper
Botanical name:Euonymus fortunei

This group of euonymus are evergreen to semi-evergreen, and have a spreading and climbing habit. As a groundcover, it has a humpy, mounding habit; as a climber, it needs a little assistance to get started but will eventually cling to and climb up any available surface. Purpleleaf Wintercreeper has particularly attractive fall color; variegated forms are nice in dry shade areas to lighten things up.

Common name:Western Sword Fern, Alaska Fern
Botanical name:Polystichum munitum

This Fern produces upright fronds, reaching 4'-5' tall in moist, cool forests in Northern California. This size is usually lower, especially without summer watering. It is great in containers or dry shade landscapes. This species is especially useful to give the illusion of lush, moist gardens where little water is actually being used. It should receive part shade to dense shade. -Monterey Bay Nursery