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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JULY 2026 29 Landscape Committee Whether you are a Green Leaf property owner (see NOTE below) or not, the hot and dry Southern California summer climate can make maintaining a thriving and beautiful ower garden a challenge. In our USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 9b, summer plant care is less about growth and more about survival, as our temperatures climb. e goals shi to preventing heat stress and conserving moisture through selective watering schedules. It's best to water early in the morning so moisture can soak into the roots before the sun causes evaporation. It is recommended to follow the three-hour rule, and avoid watering between 11 am and 2 pm when plants are the most stressed and UV rays are the strongest. Don't forget to regularly deadhead spent blooms on annuals to direct the plant's energy back into maintaining its health. Avoid heavy pruning during heatwaves, as scorched outer leaves provide shade for the inner foliage. While many Four Seasons residents stop planting in peak heat, there are several heat-loving and drought-tolerant plants that can be started in the summer months. Lantana, Zinnias, Cosmos, and African Daisies are some examples. Additionally, these plants are also re resistant in Zone 9. If you need additional information on identifying and selecting re- resistant plants, check out Calscape. org. It's a free and comprehensive website that assists users to identify, select, and grow plants native to their specic location using zip code searches. e Landscape Committee meets the third Tuesday of each month at 1 pm in the RCN Conference Room. Each homeowner is allowed three to ve minutes to address the committee regarding their specic issues or concerns. NOTE: If you live in the Front Yard Cost Center, you have the opportunity to become a Green Leaf property owner. Green Leaf property owners have more creative freedom to update and/or modify their front yard planter areas per their specic preferences in plants and owers. If not a Green Leaf designated property, you are still permitted to plant seasonal annual owers in your front yard planter areas. If you're interested in conversion to a Green Leaf property, questions should be directed to Kat in the Management Oce at (951) 769–6358. ~ K. Morris