Double yellow hibiscus grown by Rosalie Stafford, National City, Spring of 2009.  Hibiscus planted Summer, 2008. 

Ground-cover: honeysuckle and nasturtiums.  Soil is extremely poor, a mixture of clay and sand. Amendments used consist of home-made compost, steer manure, and generously applied colonies of earthworms (from wormbeds in backyard).   Rosalie Stafford uses no synthetic pesticides nor fertilizers in her gardens.   Ladybugs feast on aphids; snails are freely permitted to inhabit this green paradise.