Stan, you and me seem to think alike in some ways. I've got two of those in a bed that i recently re-designed. I underplanted them with ice plant, and placed Agave Americana in focal points, with some aloes to fill in as well. Can't wait to see the whole mix start filling in this summer. Here's one of those spots. The triple trunked tree (still young) in the background is erythrina Crista-galli. It's already leafing out, just saw that today. Plus, who could resist these blooms all summer long?

Very nice, ESH.

Blue grama will green up a little earlier in the spring and turn brown a little later in the fall than buffalo grass, but it's still a warm season grass, so it won't be green as long as a cool season grass will. The blue grama is just a small part of my lawn, little patches (not even a foot square) here and there in the hellstrip. I may have more to show next summer if the dormant seeding works, or next fall if I have to reseed and hand water. I water three times a summer, but I do have areas that go dormant. I also overseeded into a KBG/Fescue lawn so a lot of the issues with dormancy are due to those grasses. I'm hoping the natives will spread and take over as time goes on. Actually, I've got some non natives mixed in with natives. Here are the grasses I've planted and some comments on each: Western wheatgrass: difficult to get started. Seems to do best with freeze/thaw cycles. It is a bluish green in color. It stays green longer without water than the other grasses, but I've read that it's more likely to die in dormancy. If you water a few times a year, I don't think it'll be a problem. IT develops very deep roots, so make sure you water as deeply as possible. Large seeds (really almost like wheat kernels). Spreads via rhizomes. Streambank wheatgrass: establishes easier than western wheatgrass. pale green in color, so it's lighter than KBG, but not a bad color for a lawn (IMO, anyway). Very soft and fine bladed. Seeds are about the same size as western wheatgrass. Spreads via rhizomes. Sheep fescue: fine bladed, closer in color to traditional lawn grasses than the other options. Develops an extensive root system and has many defenses against drought. It will stay alive with no additional water, but will need water to stay green. Even with water, it may go dormant in high heat. Much smaller seeds than streambank and western wheatgrass. A bunch grass, but it spreads a little via tillering (new plants right next to the old ones). Blue grama: I've only got a little of this, but if I remember correctly, it germinates fairly quickly in the right conditions. It's light green (a lot like streambank wheatgrass) and has very soft blades. It does an amazing job of staying green with very little water. It sticks out from the others in the heat of the summer, because that's when it takes off. I saw a green patch of native wild grama along the roadside near the end of summer (no rain to speak of and no irrigation in that area, so it had been dry for two months). It's a warm season grass, so it's dormant in the winter, but it greens up faster than buffalo grass. seeds are like dust. A bunch grass, but tillers a bit if mowed. Those are the natives. Now for the non natives. Crested wheatgrass: easy to establish. It's sort of yellow green the first year, but greens up later. seeds are smaller than sheep fescue seeds but not as small as grama. Fine bladed. Most varieties are bunch grasses, but some varieties (roadcrest and Ephraim are two that I remember) will spread slowly via rhizomes. Palestine strawberry clover: Very similar to Dutch white clover in looks, but the flower has a little bit of pink or red tint. It isn't quite as drought tolerant as Dutch white, but does better in alkaline soils. There are other varieties of strawberry clover, but my understanding is that the Palestine is the most drought tolerant. Spreads via stolons and flowers. Seeds are round and about the size of radish seeds. Fairly easy to establish. The flowers can attract bees and if you use weed be gone or other broadleaf weed killers, you'll kill the clover. Low growing. Spreads via seeds and stolons. I thought I had posted pictures, but I can't find them. I'll try to get some posted.

I'm a zone up from you (or is it down?) I'm in zone 4. The full shade plants that look good for me all summer are celadine poppies, lamiastrum Herman's Pride, christmas and Japanese painted ferns. Lamium can get ratty, but if I cut it down, it fills right in. Same with sweet woodruff. Blue lobelia, turtlehead, and toad lily bloom late summer and can hide some of the shaggy foliage of others. I'd guess that the shade isn't the problem with the hosta size, but lack of moisture (or they may just be hostas that don't get very big).