Bob and philofan, those are nice pictures, and that fuzzy Puya laxa hybrid is especially intriguing. The blue forget-me-nots make a very pleasing contrast. I've seen photos of spiny terrestrial bromeliads in the wild and, in the spring, they are sometimes surrounded by ephemeral annual wildflowers just like the ones in Bob's photos.

Some salvias, cistus (rockrose), and teucrium all do well in my transition areas. I also grow thyme, lavender, penstemon (some varieties are thirstier than others), buddleia, rhapheolis, westringia, and bearded irises (flowers will be smaller than you're used to) in my transition areas that get some irrigation; careful planning is important, because some of these are thirstier than others. I have not yet planted one, but I'm planning a cercus as a small accent tree. The drought tolerance of new zealand tea tree is highly debateable. I'm somewhere between zones 18 and 21 with a big south facing sunny slope. Ceanothus looked like such a natural for me (blue flowers! beautiful! no water!) but I've never had any luck, and the ones I see in the wild are all on north facing slopes. What does work on the hillside (absolutely no summer water) for me: Matilija Poppies! oh I love those big fried egg flowers! Echium, aka the butterfly resort; sugarberry rhus; creeping acacia, although far from the house because of the fire potential; toyon (aka the "Holly" in Hollywood), oleanders (yuck), various trees. Some years the California poppies work and some years they don't. I have a severe rabbit problem so my plant palette is more limited than most others'. For your mediterranean look, a fruitless olive might be nice. If you're new to Cal. natives, it is critical to wait until October to plant them. Go to Theodore Payne (or its website) now to look and plan, but don't buy until October. Good luck. Our natives (and the plants that harmonize with them) can be beautiful.

You are problaby right about Arizona Cypress and Z6... I have said it in other posts that here in Central New Mexico one can find White Fir alongside yuccas and high-elevation cacti on sunny, xeric sites in our central mountains. Somewhat uncommon, but it does happen. This is the only fir that I have ever seen in dry sites, at least what someone in MD would consider dry or xeric. These are very tough trees in our climate.

It has been so dark here, I feel like it is wintertime in Berlin, Alaska, or some place like Coastal Washington.. The heavy stuff is going to our east. We have only had 3.5" since monday night when it started but the air is totally saturated heavy, still and fecund to the max. I am getting cabin fever.. Every mile to the east is wetter. It rained another 5 inches at my friends house last night and this morning east of austin and it is raining there cats and dogs now. I got my rain boots but can't find my umbrella. Our huge SXSW music festival is getting started last night and will end on Sunday. 1600 Bands, producers audiences file in from all over the world. Obama is here . Can you imagine the madhouse in town!!! What a dumb idea to have the president here for a big shindig now during a bigger shin dig.. I am not going anywhere today. Good for our rain tanks. they are at 20,000 gallons and shooting the stuff out of it. I think it clears up tomorrow here.I am being visited by a concrete electronic musician from London , later this weekend.Sister's friend's friend's son. One always gets drop ins during this festival.Even the homeless camps are overflowing with hipsters. I could rent out my shed for a thousand dollars but I just give it away.