Click on the photos for a full size view. The English cottage garden style works equally well out west,  but it needs to be modified for our climate.  Tough but beautiful perennials like daylilies,  coneflower, yarrow, lavender,  verbena,  catmint,  and penstemon are drought and heat tolerant,  and can be combined to achieve the quintessential “cottage” look of jumbled profusion.