It's such a beautiful day! Come to the gardens to explore...take in all the beauty!  We have 20 acres of nursery and gardens, 3 ponds stocked with tropical fish, turtles, and frogs, a beautiful shade house full of beautiful plants, and rows and rows of succulents and roses. Come get inspired and let nature heal your soul!

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Graceful Perennials with a Side of Butterflies!

Jackie - Waterwise Botanicals • March 31, 2017

 

Perennials that "dance in the wind" have a wild quality that is so appealing. They express grace and softness in the landscape, becoming the “music of the garden” as they sway. I love to see a variety of color playing host to one another, creating a whimsical, inviting   appearance. Let’s take a look at a few favorites that attract Butterflies and some that attract Hummingbirds, as well… adding an extra dose of joy!  If you'd love to invite Birds, Bees & Butterflies to your gardens and landscapes, just check on-line for info on the plants you are choosing...or lists of plants that attract them in your area.  

 

Salvia Amistad is in the mint family with deep green foliage on long graceful stems. Its blossoms of purple line the top of the stems in the summer and fall. I like to keep mine at about 3’ tall by simply snapping the stems down to maintain the overall grace and width of this gorgeous perennial. Its water needs fall into the medium range, and likes cool sun to light shade. * Attracts Butterflies and Hummingbirds

 

Gaura lindheimeri has long stems lined with little flowers that resemble Butterflies and blooms spring through fall, taking a break in the winter. It comes in both white and pink & will need pruning to the ground a couple of times a year to refresh the foliage and flowers. It grows to about 3 ½ feet tall and wide. My personal preference is the white…it seems wispier and a bit taller than the pink. Gaura is deer and rabbit resistant and attracts Hummingbirds and Butterflies.

Lavendula heterophylla , or Sweet Lavender produces soft, wispy, blue-purple flowers that rise up above the foliage almost year-round. It exudes a sweet lavender scent that adds a nice touch of aroma therapy to your garden, and doesn’t like a lot of water. To keep them thriving, don't over water and plant them in the sunshine. They grow to a nice size of about 3’ x 3’ tall & wide, love cool climates, attract Butterflies, but do struggle in the hot summer.

Centranthus ruber is another eye-catcher with its pink, reddish or white flowers on 2-3 foot slender stems. It spreads by re-seeding aggressively, but can be controlled by weeding out new growth & pruning. I often just chop and pull randomly to keep a nice, wild impression. Centranthus makes an absolute beautiful haze of color spring through fall. It is deer and rabbit resistant, attracts Butterflies and is easy to grow!


Heuchera sanguinea blooms winter through spring on slender stems about 18” tall lined with bell shaped coral flowers deriving from a cluster of low green rounded leaves at the base. These “Coral Bells” add graces and color as they dance in the breeze. They like filtered sun or partial shade to full sun along the coast, regular garden watering, and attract Butterflies and Hummingbirds!

*As an added note, I’d like to suggest scattering California Poppy seeds in with your graceful perennials. They add a wonderful “wild” grace like a spring bloom in the desert, as well as attracting Butterflies with a punch of orange color.

Tips & Hints

A mini green succulent with pink flowers, planted in a white coffee/tea cup/mug.
By Jackie Jesch June 12, 2020
A fun list of 12 compiled truths observed by Jackie Jesch of Waterwise Botanicals located in Bonsall, CA. We can all be a little more like succulents.
Honey Bee on Pink Flower
By Jackie Jesch May 26, 2020
Gardening tips for attracting Honey Bees to your garden.
Hummingbird getting nectar from a flower
By Jackie Jesch May 26, 2020
23 Plants to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Garden. #WaterWiseBotanicals
Monarch Butterfly on Pink Flowers
By Jackie Jesch May 22, 2020
Waterewise Botanicals shares their downloadable list of 37 plants to include in your garden if you want to attract butterflies.

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From the time I was a little girl, helping my mom plant sweet peas, to being in the nursery business for almost twenty years…I’ve loved gardening. Some of my best days were spent whiling away my time in the garden, visiting nurseries, browsing through endless garden books and magazines, and garden design ideas at Waterwise Botanicals plant nursery.

Working in this industry has taught me well, but what I love most is the creativity that goes along with it. Designing a beautiful landscape, or meeting such wonderful people who share their enthusiasm & ideas for gardening. I never tire of discovering new plants, or changing up the mood of my garden.

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From the time I was a little girl, helping my mom plant sweet peas, to being in the nursery business for almost twenty years…I’ve loved gardening. Some of my best days were spent whiling away my time in the garden, visiting nurseries, browsing through endless garden books and magazines, and garden design ideas at Waterwise Botanicals plant nursery.

Working in this industry has taught me well, but what I love most is the creativity that goes along with it. Designing a beautiful landscape, or meeting such wonderful people who share their enthusiasm & ideas for gardening. I never tire of discovering new plants, or changing up the mood of my garden.

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Join the Discussion - Leave a Comment
April 2, 2025
SUNFLOWERS MAKE ME HAPPY I am a bit of an impulse buyer when I see flowers, or chocolate. I don’t really like to go grocery shopping. I do make a list as things are needed. It’s kept on the kitchen counter. I take it to the store with me. I pull it out of my purse as I enter the store. I get the cart and follow the list…until I see Flowers. I tell myself to stick to the list and get what we need. Then, I come to a display…it can be fruit or veggies, flowers or chocolate. I lose it! It looks like so much more fun than Dishwasher Soap or Toilet Paper. My cart gets filled with goodies and necessities alike, but the GOODIES make me smile. Then, I will inevitably see flowers in someone else’s cart and I’m a goner. I love Sunflowers. There are so many varieties to enjoy. I just cannot help but pick up a bunch of cut ones at the flower mart or grocery store. Their “happy faces” bring joy, and the golden sun color makes me smile. I guess you could call them a mood enhancer for the kitchen counter, dining table, or even for your desk. I have a little garden spot in our yard where I sow seeds, as well as plant flowers. I just love colorful gardens. I can’t resist a packet of seeds on the counter or from a display stand at the hardware store. I must admit I am not good at gardening by seed, but I keep trying…AND I also get pots of Sunflowers to pop into sunny places in our garden. Sometimes I’m lucky and they thrive, putting on a grand show, but other times, I get them for a short stay. Maybe because they are unpredictable, I SO ENJOY them while they are present. I invite you to take home a SUNFLOWER to enjoy the next time you see one. Maybe, they will have chocolate kisses at the check-out counter too. Jackie Jesch Waterwise Botanicals
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