Drought Tolerant

Family:  Ericaceae
Zone:  7 - 9
Natural Range:  PNW
Soil:  Average, humus rich well drained
Light:  Sun, part sun
Height:  5' - 25'
Bloom Time:  May to June
Attracts:  Bees
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes:  Evergreen.  Dark pink to pale pink flowers. 
Notes:  Rhododendron macrophyllum is wonderful to see in the wild when in bloom.  Can be found growing in full sun or in the shade of tall conifers.
 
Pot size:  2" Deep Round Pot

Family: Grossulariaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: PNW
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Part shade, sun
Height: 3' - 6'
Attracts:  Hummingbirds
Attributes:  Deciduous, thorn less shrub with three lobed leaves.  Leaves have orange new growth and turn to green.  Flowers are in racemes with up to 15 tubular pink flowers in early spring.
Notes:  Flower color can vary from dark pink to light pink.  A great adaptable species for the garden

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot, 1 Gallon Pot

Family: Grossulariaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: PNW
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Part shade, sun
Height: 6'
Attracts:  Hummingbirds
Attributes:  Deciduous.  White flowers in late winter-early spring before the foliage emerges.
Notes:  Versatile and adaptable shrub.

Great Plant Picks

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Family: Grossulariaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: PNW
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Part shade, sun
Height: 3' - 6'
Attracts:  Hummingbirds
Attributes:  Deciduous, thorn less shrub with three lobed leaves.  Leaves have orange new growth and turn to green.  Flowers are in racemes with up to 15 tubular dark magenta pink flowers in early spring.
Notes:  This form has been selected for its fine dark flowers.  A great adaptable species for the garden

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family: Grossulariaceae
Zone: 7 - 10
Natural Range: Santa Catalina Island, Baja California
Soil:  Average, drought tolerant
Light: Part shade, sun
Height: 1' - 3'
Attracts:  Birds
Attributes:  Evergreen, ground-cover-like shrub.  Red stems with reddish flowers, reddish fruit.  Thick, waxy leaves. 
Notes:  Fragrant, spicy foliage.

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Family:  Rosaceae
Zone: 2 - 9
Natural Range: Europe
Soil:  Moist, humus rich, well drained
Light: sun, part sun
Height: 8'
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Gray foliage with small, bright pink flowers.  Red hips in fall.
Notes:  A great Rose for foliage.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Roseaceae
Zone: 7 - 10
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Sun, part sun
Height:  2'
Bloom Time: June to July
Attracts: Bees
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes: Semi-evergreen.  Large solitary pink flowers with yellow center.  Low growing foliage that spreads with time.
Notes: Native to mountain forests, thickets, slopes and stream sides.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family: Rosaceae
Zone:6 - 9
Natural Range:   China
Soil:  Moist, humus rich, well drained
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 8'
Bloom Time:  June to July
Attributes: Deciduous shrub.  Stunning, large bright red thorns to 2" across, fern like foliage, and small four petaled white flowers followed by small orange hips. 
Notes:  This Rose is grown mostly for its showy red thorns but the flowers are quite attractive too.  Prune in late winter- early spring to force more new growth.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:Lamiaceae
Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: Himalayas
Soil:Average, humus rich
Light: Sun, part shade
Height: 4'
Attracts:  Hummingbirds, Bees
Pest Resistance: Deer, Rabbit
Bloom Time: July to September
Attributes:Deciduous, scented foliage.  Tall stems with many yellow flowers.
Notes:Even in our mostly shady and wet garden Salvia campanulata has proven very adaptable and versatile. 

Pot Size:  Small Band Pot

Family: Buxaceae
Zone:  7 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light:  Part shade, shade
Height:  2'
Bloom Time:  January to March
Attracts:  Humans
Pest Resistance:  Deer, Rabbit
Attributes:  Evergreen, Glossy green leaves.  Fragrant, white flowers.
Notes:  All Sacococca have an intoxicating sweet scent in winter.  Works well when planted near a pathway or front door.

Pot Size: Quart Pot

Family: Buxaceae
Zone:  7 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light:  Part shade, shade
Height:  2'
Bloom Time:  January to March
Attracts:  Humans
Pest Resistance:  Deer, Rabbit
Attributes:  Evergreen, Glossy green leaves.  Fragrant, white flowers.
Notes:  All Sacococca have an intoxicating sweet scent in winter.  Works well when planted near a pathway or front door.

Pot Size: 1 Gallon Pot

Great Plant Picks

Family: Buxaceae
Zone:  7 - 10
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light:  Part shade, shade
Height:  2' - 4'
Bloom Time:  January to March
Attracts:  Humans
Pest Resistance:  Deer, Rabbit
Attributes:  Evergreen, 3" long, rounded, glossy green leaves.  Fragrant, greenish white flowers.
Notes:  All Sacococca have an intoxicating sweet scent in winter.  Works well when planted near a pathway or front door.

Pot Size: Medium Band Pot

Family: Buxaceae
Zone:  7 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light:  Part shade, shade
Height:  2' - 4'
Bloom Time:  January to March
Attracts:  Humans
Pest Resistance:  Deer, Rabbit
Attributes:  Evergreen, Glossy green leaves.  Fragrant, white flowers.  Scarlet fruit.
Notes:  All Sacococca have an intoxicating sweet scent in winter.  Works well when planted near a pathway or front door.

Pot Size: 1 Gallon Pot, 4" Band Pot

Great Plant Picks

Family:  Elaeagnaceae
Zone:  2 - 9
Natural Range:  PNW
Soil:  Average to dry
Light:  Sun, part sun
Height:  4' - 8'
Bloom Time:  May to July
Attracts:  Birds
Pest Resistance:  Deer
Attributes:  Deciduous. Gray green leaves brown scales on the undersides of the leaves.  Small yellow flowers with red berries in fall.
Notes:  Like other Elaeagnus the silvery foliage is the main attraction.
 
Pot size:  Medium Band Pot

Family:  Malvaceae
Zone:  6 - 9
Natural Range:  PNW
Soil:  Average, humus rich, drought tolerant
Light:  Sun, part shade
Height:  36"
Bloom Time:  May to July
Attracts:  Butterflies, Bees
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Rosettes of small glossy palmate leaves.  Vibrant pink flowers on tall spikes.
Notes:  Great for pollinators.
 
Pot size:  4" Pot

Family:  Taxaceae
Zone:  5 - 9
Natural Range:  Pacific Northwest
Soil:  Average, humus rich, drought tolerant
Light:  Sun, part sun
Height:  25' - 50’
Bloom Time:  NA
Attracts:  NA
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes:  Evergreen.  Shrub or small tree.  Flattened needles with red fruit in fall.  Peeling red and brown bark. 
Notes:  Slow growing with drooping, horizontal branching.  West of the Cascades Taxus brevifolia is often found as an understory tree.

Pot size: Small round deep Pots 3"

Family:  Melanthiaceae
Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: PNW; Oregon, California
Soil:  Moist, humus rich, well drained
Light: Part shade
Height: 14"
Bloom Time:  March to May
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Large mottled foliage.  Early spring blooming.  Sessile blooms that are white in color, or some times pink at the base.
Notes: Great foliage.  One or two more years to bloom.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Ericaceae
Zone:  7 - 9
Natural Range:  PNW
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light:  Sun, part sun, Shade
Height:  4'
Bloom Time:  March to April
Attracts:  Bees
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes:  Evergreen.  Orange-red new growth turning dark green.  Pale pink flowers.  Purple-black berries in summer.
Notes:  Good small and relatively slow-growing evergreen shrub.
 
Pot size:  Quart Size Pot

Family:  Ericaceae
Zone:  7 - 9
Natural Range:  PNW
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light:  Sun, part sun, Shade
Height:  4'
Bloom Time:  March to April
Attracts:  Bees
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes:  Evergreen.  Coral pink new growth turning creamy white and green.  Red and green winter foliage.  Pale pink flowers.  Purple-black berries in summer.
Notes:  Great new foliage selection.
 
Pot size:  Quart Size Pot

Family:  Berberidaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range:  PNW
Soil:  Average to must humus rich, drought tolerant
Light:  Shade, part shade
Height:  12" - 18"
Attributes:  Deciduous, three lobed leaves with up to thirty white flowers with petals that stick back.
Notes:  This is an Epimedium relative that looks very similar.  In a moist garden they will form large colonies over time.  Best given room from smaller perennials or divided regularly.

Pot Size:  4" Pot

Family: Berberidaceae

Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range:  Hybrid
Soil:  Average
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 4'
Bloom Time:  April to May
Attracts:  Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Pest Resistance:  Deer
Attributes:  Evergreen.  Serrated foliage with yellow flowers.
Notes: Found as a rogue seedling in a batch of Mahonia aquifolium seedlings at Miethke Nursery in the 50's.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Melanthiaceae
Zone: 3 - 9
Natural Range: PNW
Soil:  Average to dry, humus rich, well drained
Light: Sun, shade
Height: Foliage is 12" - 18", flower spikes 5'
Attributes:  Evergreen, narrow silvery leaves in arching tufts.  White flowers in conical raceme.  Late spring, summer.
Notes:  Will grow in full shade but flowers better in full sun.  This is a great foliage plant but is supper slow to propagate from seed!

Pot Size: Deep round 2" Pot