I've only recently gotten interested in ornamental oregano, which can be quite lovely, if not entirely edible. 'Kent Beauty' is the leader of the pack, so when I saw one-gallon pots on sale at Thomsen's Garden Center, I immediately grabbed one.
I'm going to plant it in a container, though apparently it does well in the ground here, because I think it will look more dramatic that way.
The King's Mountain Manzanita is native to the Bay Area hills (King's Mountain is on the lower Peninsula). This specimen is in the native plants garden in Tilden Park, and I fell in love with it.
Like most manzanitas, it thrives on neglect, prefers not to be fussed with, and is entirely adapted to our dry summers.
I bought my plant at Yerba Buena Nursery in Woodside in May 2006. It was a stunning six inches tall. When it gets over two feet I will plant it in the back of the yard, where it won't get irrigated.
Here it is in the back of the orchard, minding its own business, May 2006:
