Last week, we looked at a few small, perennial plant choices that require little water and maintenance — a boon to any gardener.

Using the University of California, Davis, Arboretum’s All-Star database to search for medium-sized, perennial plants that require less water has led me to many good options.

Plants of this size are good in many applications, such as flower beds and walkways, and some can work as foundation plants.

• Mexican tulip poppy, Hunnemannia fumariifolia: Bright yellow poppy flowers bloom spring-through-fall on this bushy perennial with lacy, gray-green foliage. It is also heat- and drought-tolerant, with seeds that grow to replace the mother plant. Cut back old flower stalks for a tidier appearance and prolonged bloom. Grow it in full sun to partial shade.

• Canyon Snow Pacific iris, Iris Canyon Snow: A native plant to California, it is a tough hybrid iris of the Pacific Coast that grows with little maintenance. Its narrow leaves form an attractive, evergreen, grass-like mound. The Canyon Snow prefers a partly-shady habitat, and it can be dug up and divided in the fall. Lovely white flowers bloom in the spring, attracting beneficial insects.

• Serpentine columbine, Aquilegia eximia: A California native, it is larger and showier than most columbines with attractive delicate foliage in a basal mound. The orange flowers, which bloom in spring and summer, attract hummingbirds. This plant prefers partial to full shade. It needs a little maintenance, as spent flowers and foliage should be removed in the fall.

• Blue grama grass, Bouteloua gracilis: Another state native, its green flowers age to tan by the end of the summer, while the plant retains its tidy, upright shape even when dormant. It should be mowed one time in early winter and grows in full sun to partial shade.

• Cape balsam, Bulbine frutescens: This small, evergreen perennial is a wonderful addition to dry perennial borders, with its long-blooming spikes of delicate, star-shaped yellow flowers. Its fleshy, bright-green foliage adds a sculptural element to the garden, and it tolerates drought and poor soil. The cape balsam is a three-season bloomer that can grow in full sun to partial shade, but be sure to remove spent foliage at the end of the bloom.

• UC-certified Master Gardeners are available to answer your gardening questions from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 953-6112 or mgsanjoaquin@ucdavis.edu. Questions for Heather Hamilton can be submitted to ucmastergardener@gmail.com.