The Doorway Gardens at La Casita are anchored by a small, elegant garden bed edged in Arroyo stone. Stark and drought tolerant agaves surround a spectacular Palo Verde tree with its luminous green bark and stunning late spring blooms. The front door of La Casita is protected by a beautiful trellis that supports a large, vigorous “Belle of Portugal” rose. This climber has shell pink blossoms that appear in late spring. Another spring bloomer of note is the white wisteria that has been trained along the wall at the southern edge of the Doorway garden. California native Toyon trees thrive at the edge of each of the larger garden beds and a large blue oak provides shade for the perennials in the south bed that include heucera (coral bells), oakleaf hydrangeas and native woodwardia ferns. The perennials in both garden beds are an eclectic mixture of sun and shade loving plants with interesting foliage, texture and seasonal blooms that make the gardens attractive all year long. Heliotrope, bergenia, California lilac and daffodils are some of the spring bloomers while scabiosa, mallow, penstemon, salvia, belladonna lilies, and ground cover roses provide summer blooms that last through the autumn.
