I have the Mayten tree here, I think the cultivar is "Green Showers". It is a weeping form growing to about 12 feet. I cut back growth which tends to grow vertical to maintain the weeping form. I am sure it would get up to 15 to 20 feet if not cut. I also grow the Rhus integrifolia or "Lemonade Berry". It is a native growing to about 20 feet. It is said the Indians made lemonade from the berries. Both these trees are evergreen and do well with no summer water. Al

I think it depends on how you define "coastal". I'm in the South Bay and I'm pretty sure we've had more than the normal number of heat waves this year--I believe there have been 5 periods that included a day of 95+. Actually the first heat wave was in April. HOWEVER, the days in between have been below average, I think. Of course the heat waves often affect areas that are just a few miles from the Bay, such as San Jose, and spare cities in the inner Bay. However I seem to remember that even San Francisco was hit pretty hard by the April heat. A quick count for San Jose: June-Aug.24th (ignores 90+ days in April and May) 60s and 70s: 60% 80s: 25% 90s: 15% Last year was bad for heat waves as well. Places like Oakland and San Francisco--and for that matter the Central Valley and Southern California--may not experience our heatwaves. But sometimes they do. California weather is complicated.

Hello! I used to live in California. I love the ceanothus (aka California lilac) bushes, which have bright blue flowers. Ceanothus is low maintenance and draught tolerant. It grows all over California. I haven't yet managed to find it in New Mexico; would love to have some. Russian sage has long stalks of purple flowers. I love plumbago, which is low growing. It is a good border plant, which spreads nicely. Plumbago has dark blue flowers. Speedwell, a type of Veronica, is a creeping ground cover with light blue flowers. I like my scabiosa plants (aka pincushion flowers) very much, they are evergreen. Catmint is a low growing, spreading bush with medium color blue flowers. All of the above mentioned are perennial and do well in sunny conditions. There are types of scabiosa and Russian sage which have the word blue in their names, but the flowers are actually lavender or purple in color. The Russian sage flowers resemble lavender. They are not fragrant, but somehow they attract a lot of bees. I have seen hedges of Russian sage, which are quite attractive. They can grow to be about five feet high. Mexican sage has beautiful, fuzzy, deep purple flowers with white accents. It lasts for years in California, but I haven't managed to get one to overwinter in New Mexico. Blue flowers are my favorites. Can you tell? Good luck with your blue/purple garden. Lorna

I'm in Los Altos. I have one "basic" japanese maple (not a specific cultivar / green leaves, green bark) planted by the deck. I would say it gets sun from morning til late afternoon when the sun drops behind our house. It is 10 feet tall, maybe 6 feet around. The leaves will burn and crinkle in an extended heat wave, such as the one we had a few years back. I think it was a week or 10 days of 100 degree temps, but that kind of heat is fairly unusual for this area. Thank goodness. I also have a red dissectum "garnet" planted in some pretty good sun. Again, in a normal summer, it does fine. I have a new area where I am planting some of my maples. It is more shady, protected by an oak tree canopy. Bottom line: what do you have to lose? I would go for it. If the tree becomes established and grows well, it will likely survive any heat waves. And look around your neighborhood. You will see some large japanese maples planted in full sun in this area. They seem to do well.