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Tours

1. Water-Wise Landscape Tour

   Follow along on Chapman's Water-Wise Landscape Tour! Take a stroll through campus and enjoy the drought-tolerant landscapes we've added.

   Stops

   1. Stop 1 - Memorial, Bertea, & Moulton

      Memorial

      Ground Morning Glory (Convolvulus mauritanicus) 

      Covering the ground in this landscape, you’ll find Ground Morning Glory -  light blue, funnel-shaped flowers that tolerate coastal conditions and little water. The funnel shape of this plant’s flowers are a perfect match for the long beak of the hummingbird. 
      
      

      Ruby Glow Tea Tree (Leptospermum scoparium) 

      Also notable in this landscape is the ruby glow tea tree. While native to New Zealand and Australia, these plants prosper in Southern California because of their tolerance for low moisture and full sun environments. The deep, ruby red flowers bloom in late spring and attract butterflies. 
      
      

      Carpet Manzanita (Arctostaphylos manzanita ‘Emerald Green’)

      Common Manzanita is a native California species commonly found in the Sierra Nevada foothills that grows to about 15 feet tall and wide.  The ‘Emerald Green’ variety planted in this garden is a smaller variety that grows to only 1 foot tall and, as the name suggests, serves as a ground cover or “carpet” for the landscape.
      
      

      Other plants at this landscape: Blue Elf Aloe (Aloe ‘Blue Elf’), Variegated False Agave (Furcraea foetida ‘Variegata’), Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora), Variegated Mat Rush (Lomandra longifolia ‘Roma 13’), Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris)
      
      

      At the center of this landscape, a rock garden is installed to collect rainwater in its permeable soil and distribute it to surrounding soils, maximizing the absorption of rainwater into the landscape. By capturing storm runoff, the rock garden also helps reduce the load on storm drains that get overloaded due to impervious paving associated with increased urbanization. Follow the meandering path through the Memorial Hall landscape, then head to Bertea and Moulton to discover more drought-tolerant plants. 
      
      

      Bertea and Moulton

      Winnifred Gilman Cleveland Sage (Salvia clevelandii ‘Winnifred GIlman’)

      Don’t be fooled by the name - this sage is native to California, not Ohio. Named after botanist Daniel Cleveland, this sage variety is a key nectar source for native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Find this fragrant plant at the Bertea Hall landscape. 

      Blue Elf Aloe (Aloe ‘Blue Elf’)  

      Often referred to as California Aloe, this plant is a common landscape addition in Southern California, popular for its hardiness and tolerance to a variety of conditions - full sun, lots of shade, little moisture, or intermittent watering. The bright orange flowers usually bloom from blue elf aloe from winter through spring, but if you’re lucky you may spot a stray bloom spike any time of year. Find this plant at both the Bertea and Moulton Hall landscapes.

      Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora)

      Sometimes referred to as “Hummingbird Yucca”, this plant blossoms with pink flowers that are attractive to pollinators. They can grow up to four feet tall even with very little water. Find red yucca at the Moulton Hall landscape.
      
      

      Other plants at this landscape: Deergrass (Muhlenbergia Rigens)
      
      

      The landscapes at Bertea and Moulton are a major draw for pollinators such as hummingbirds. Stick around for a while and see if you can spot one before heading to your next stop on the Water-Wise Landscape Tour.  

   2. Stop 2 - Reeves, Smith, & Demille

      Reeves

      Lion's Tail (Leonotis leonurus)
      
      This plant is commonly referred to as Lion's Tail because of its fuzzy, orange, tubular flowers that can be found at spaced intervals near the top of the upright stems - do you see the resemblance?
      
      Variegated False Agave (Furcraea foetida "Mediopicta")
      
      This tall, hardy succulent is a close relative to Agave. "Variegated" means that the leaves are edged in a second color - you'll notice the white leaf centers are bordered by a darker green color.
      
      Other plants at this landscape: Green Santolina (Santolina rosmarinifolia), Blue Elf Aloe (Aloe 'Blue Elf'), Firecracker Plant (Russelia equisetiformis)

      Smith

      Lavender Cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus)

      You may notice a smell similar to rosemary in the air near this landscape - that's coming from the Lavender Cotton. This fragrant plant blooms with yellow, button-shaped flowers in mid to late spring that loosely resemble cotton bolls.
      
      

      Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora)

      If you're following along with the Water-Wise Landscape Tour in order, you probably just saw this plant at the Moulton Hall landscape. Sometimes referred to as "Hummingbird Yucca", this plant blossoms with pink flowers that are attractive to pollinators. They can grow up to four feet tall even with very little water.
      
      

      Other plants at this landscape: Green Santolina (Santolina rosmarinifolia), Aloe Vera (Medicinal Aloe), Variegated False Agave (Furcraea foetida 'Mediopicta'), Blue Elf Aloe (Aloe 'Blue Elf'), Firecracker Plant (Russelia equisetiformis), Lion's Tail (Leonotis leonurus)

      Demille

      Tasmanian Flax Lily (Daniella tasmanica "variegata")

      Originating from the island of Tasmania, this strap-leafed perennial tolerates coastal and full-sun conditions well.
      
      

      Coast Rosemary (Westringia fruticosa 'smokey')

      Named for its ability to tolerate sea spray and winds, the 'smokey' variety of coast rosemary typically blooms in the spring with small, white flowers sometimes tinged with violet. This variety of rosemary has a more overall gray appearance than other varieties, earning it the name 'smokey'.
      
      

      Small Cape Rush (Chondropetalum tectorum)

      Small cape rush is notable for its dark green, unbranched stems that grow up to 3 feet tall. It can be successfully planted in seaside gardens, relatively dry landscapes, or the shallows of a water garden, and it is also commonly used in traditional thatched rooftops. Its hardiness and tolerance to a variety of climate conditions make it a great fit for our landscapes.
      
      

      Other plants at this landscape: Blue Elf Aloe (Aloe 'Blue Elf'), Ground Morning Glory (Convolvulus sabatius), Bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae), Lion's Tail (Leonotis leonurus)
      
      

      The rock garden at the center of the Demille landscape serves to collect rainwater and allows it to slowly percolate into surrounding soils, supplying water to the flax lily, rosemary, and various other plants found here.

   3. Stop 3 - Musco

      Musco

      California Poppy

      One of the stars of this landscape is the official state flower, the California poppy. Notable for its bright orange color, the poppy can thrive in most soil conditions and requires very little water, making it a suitable choice for our drought-tolerant landscapes. We wouldn’t recommend adding these wildflowers to a bouquet - you’ll find that the petals quickly fall off after the poppy is plucked from the ground. 
      
      

      Firecracker Plant (Russelia equiesetiformis)

      The Mexico-native firecracker plant, or coral plant, is named for the vibrant, coral color of the tubular flowers. Its name means “like Equisetum” due to its resemblance to the horsetail rush plant - both plants have an asparagus-like shrub structure.  
      
      

      Douglas Iris (Iris douglasiana ‘Pacific Coast Hybrids’)

      Often nicknamed “PCN’s”, for Pacific Coast Natives, this iris grows with ease on the California coastline and in rock gardens, as you find them here in this landscape. The flowers can grow in a wide range of colors, from golden yellow to violet, and you’ll find the violet variety here at Musco. Sometimes referred to as “grass iris”, their leaves often closely resemble blades of grass. Do you spot the similarity?
      
      

      Western Blue Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium bellum)

      Find this native Californian herb blooming with purple-blue flowers from January to July. While it reaches a foot in height during its growing season, it dies back to the ground and remains dormant over the summer. You can expect this plant to tolerate the summer dryness and bloom with purple flowers again the next winter or spring.  
      
      

      Other plants at this landscape: Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Aloe Vera (Medicinal Aloe), Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'), Cape Rush (Chondropetalum tectorum), Ground Morning Glory (Convolvulus sabatius), Variegated False Agave (Furcraea Foetida Variegata), Lion’s Tail (Leonotis leonurus), Deergrass (Muhlenbergia Rigens)
      
      

      The Western coast native plants at this landscape benefit from the addition of a bioswale, a channel added to the area to collect runoff and remove pollutants and debris. The gently sloping sides that lead down to the channel are planted with grasses that help slow the rate of runoff and collect nutrients. Bioswales help to recharge the groundwater - an especially important task in the dry, Southern California climate. 

   4. Stop 4 - Walnut & Grand

      Walnut & Grand

      Carpet Manzanita (Arctostaphylos manzanita ‘Emerald Green’)

      Common Manzanita is a native California species commonly found in the Sierra Nevada foothills that grows to about 15 feet tall and wide.  The ‘Emerald Green’ variety planted in this garden is a smaller variety that grows to only 1 foot tall and, as the name suggests, serves as a ground cover or “carpet” for the landscape.
      
      

      Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlengergia capillaris)

      This low-maintenance plant blooms with soft, fuzzy, flowers in the fall. The visual appeal of the pink-red flowers can be enjoyed through the winter even when the flowers of most other plants have since died off. Pink Muhly grass attracts ladybugs, which are welcomed into any landscape for their key role as a predator of insects that feed on plants, such as aphids. If you notice this grass in poor conditions, it’s probably just gearing up for a season of bloom - around late winter to early spring each year, this plant is cut back to prepare for new growth in the spring.
      
      

      Blue Elf Aloe (Aloe ‘Blue Elf’)

      If you’re following along with the Water-Wise Landscape Tour, you may have first spotted this aloe at Stop 1 of the tour. Often referred to as California Aloe, this plant is a common landscape addition in Southern California, popular for its hardiness and tolerance to a variety of conditions - full sun, lots of shade, little moisture, or intermittent watering. The bright orange flowers usually bloom from blue elf aloe from winter through spring, but if you’re lucky you may spot a stray bloom spike any time of year.
      
      

      Other plants at this landscape: Cousin Itt Little River Wattle (Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt'), Cape Rush (Chondropetalum tectorum), Variegated False Agave (Furcraea foetida ‘Variegata’), Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora), Deergrass (Muhlenbergia rigens), Silver Sheen Tawhiwhi (Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Silver Sheen'), Tuscan Blue Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Tuscan Blue'), Firecracker Plant (Russelia equisetiformis)
      
      

      The rock garden in this landscape provides storage for rainwater, which eventually percolates into the soil and mulch and provides water to the surrounding plants.  

   5. Stop 5 - Walnut & Center

      Walnut & Center

      Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’)

      This cool season grass sees the fastest growth in the spring, but the feathery plumes notable for their golden color stick around all year. Named after the nurseryman who introduced it, this tall grass serves as an aesthetic backdrop for the other plants growing in front of it. Don’t be alarmed if you see this grass looking a little worse for wear in early spring - it has to be cut back each year around this time to allow for new growth. 
      
      

      Medicinal Aloe (aloe vera)

      This hardy plant is common in the Southwest United States due to its adaptability - it is tolerant of full sun and drought conditions. When the orange-red flowers bloom in the spring, you can often find hummingbirds enjoying the nectar they offer. 
      
      

      Slender Veldt Grass (Pennisetum spathiolatum)

      The genus name of this plant comes from the Latin words ‘penna’ which means feather and ‘seta’ which means hair, alluding to the feathery, tan-colored flowers with a bristly, hair-like texture that bloom from the stalks of this grass in late spring to late summer. The “slender” stalks grow up to four feet tall, but in the later winter to early spring you’ll find them cut short to prepare for new growth. 
      
      

      Other plants at this landscape: Blue Glow Agave (Agave x ‘Blue Glow’), Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlengergia capillaris), Variegated False Agave (Furcraea Foetida Variegata), Blue Elf Aloe (Aloe ‘Blue Elf’)

   6. Stop 6 - Davis & Sandhu

      Davis

      The highlight of the Davis landscape is the Habitat Garden, which showcases fragrant plants such as Tuscan blue rosemary and Winnifred Gilman Cleveland sage, offering sights and aromas that Chapman students and community members can enjoy.
      
      

      Blue Gem Coast Rosemary (Westringia blue gem)

      The bright blue-purple flowers of the Blue Gem Coast Rosemary flourish with growth in the spring, but here in Southern California you’ll probably notice them growing almost all year long. This variety of rosemary has no fragrance, unlike the rosemary you’re probably familiar with from cooking.
      
      

      Tuscan Blue Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Tuscan Blue')

      During the summer months, blue flowers bloom from the Tuscan blue rosemary, providing visual appeal to accompany the familiar, herby scent of rosemary.
      
      

      Winnifred Gilman Cleveland Sage (Salvia clevelandii ‘Winnifred Gilman’) 

      If you’ve been following along the Water-Wise Landscape Tour, you may remember the sights and smells of Cleveland Sage from Stop 1 at Bertea Hall. Don’t be fooled by the name - this sage is native to California, not Ohio. Named after botanist Daniel Cleveland, this sage variety is a key nectar source for native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
      
      

      Lion’s Tail (Leonotis leonurus)

      Another highlight of the habitat garden is Lion’s Tail. This plant is commonly referred to as Lion’s Tail because of its fuzzy, orange, tubular flowers that can be found at spaced intervals near the top of the upright stems - do you see the resemblance? This flora named for fauna addition to the landscape may seem familiar - if you’ve been following along with the Water-Wise Landscape Tour, you probably saw this plant at Stop 2 in front of Reeves Hall.
      
      

      Other plants at this landscape: Slender Veldt Grass (Pennisetum spathiolatum), Lantana (Lantana Camara), San Bruno Coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica 'Mound San Bruno'), Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Wooly Blue Curls (Trichostema lanatum), Desert globe mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua), Miss Violet Butterfly Bush (Buddleja x ‘Miss Violet’), Purple Hopseed Bush (Dodonaea viscosa 'Purpurea'), Variegated False Agave (Furcraea foetida ‘Variegata’), Desert Museum Palo Verde (Cercidium 'Desert Museum’), Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora), Cousin Itt Little River Wattle (Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt'), Trailing Lantana (Lantana montevidensis)
      
      

      The bright colors and floral scents of the low water use plants in the habitat garden draw in not only the Chapman community, but also pollinators such as birds, Monarch butterflies, and hummingbirds.

      Sandhu

      Small Cape Rush (Chondropetalum tectorum)

      Small cape rush is notable for its dark green, unbranched stems that grow up to 3 feet tall. It can be successfully planted in seaside gardens, relatively dry landscapes, or the shallows of a water garden, and it is also commonly used in traditional thatched rooftops. Its hardiness and tolerance to a variety of climate conditions make it a great fit for our landscapes.  
      
      

      Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

      The genus name, Achillea, refers to the hero of the Trojan Wars in Greek mythology, Achilles. He was known to use the plant to stop the bleeding wounds of soldiers. The common yarrow also earned the nickname “nosebleed plant” for this reason. If you visit this landscape during the summer when this plant is in bloom, you may find butterflies flocking to the white flowers. 
      
      

      Other plants at this landscape:  Slender Veldt Grass (Pennisetum spathiolatum), Blue Gem Coast Rosemary (Westringia fruticosa ‘Blue Gem’), European Grey Sedge (Carex divulsa), Trailing Lantana (Lantana montevidensis), Lantana (Lantana Camara), Lucerne Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium 'Lucerne')
      
      

      The swale at this landscape serves to collect storm water flow. The gently sloped sides of the swale and plants and grasses planted in the swale help to slow the flow of water and replenish groundwater.