By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

Calandrina grandiflora, Chilean rock purslane, has becoming an increasingly popular landscaping plant in Southern California, and no wonder.  It is drought-tolerant, easy to grow, and its magenta flowers bloom a long time.  I'm used to seeing it used en masse, especially in parkways and medians.  And it always looks good that way.

But the garden staff at Casa Romantica (see yesterday's post) decided to plant it in a pair of shoulder-high planter boxes, which brought the blooms up to eye level and literally made you see the plant in a new way.  The effect was charming.  Wish I had someplace to duplicate the idea in my own garden.