Thank you. As you might be able to see there is one Aloe there in front of that log. I've tried basil, raspberry, strawberries, columbine, lamb's ear, parsley, alfalfa...all died.

All of those except for lambs ear are annual so they will die in a year or a few seasons and not perfect for so cal weather which gets really hot in the summer and they would need lots of water. If you can get a gardener to put in an irrigation system it might help if you want to keep trying herbs and such. (Usually we put herbs and veggies in raised beds to give them better more nutrient soil. ) Succulents are perennial so will live multiple years.

The planter box would be a good place for epiphytes like the orchids you already have. IDK which orchid species they are, probably Phalaenopsis. It might get a little cold for them outside if that's the case. You could put Billbergia or Neoregelia in them if you like Bromeliads. Forest cactus like Slumbergera or Rhipsalis could work. Catleyas and Cymbidiums would probably bloom well if it gets a little sun.

For the ground, I would think about Sanseveria, Haworthia, Gasteria, Gasteraloes, and Ledebouria for succulents. If you want something a little more herbaceous Lomandra and Dianella if it gets a bit of sun.

Really .. @ Nil13 usda:9a sunset:21 LA,CA (Mount Wash.)

When plants are grown in their correct zones and right conditions they are perennials. But not for these plants..not in so cal and not in the shown growing conditions. When a plant is not grown in it's right zone it can be called an annual.

Alfalfa is at the most a zone 6. And there is not enough sun, fertilizer, or water for any of the others. Strawberry can be a zone 9 but you have to replant every few years. Raspberry and Columbine are rated to zone 9 but they don't grow well here ..and the soil is too compact for parsley.. so... if the right plants are picked and put in the right conditions they will live...like succulents which I suggested.

- not meant for original poster just for dude who likes to contradict.

Alfalfa is at most a zone 6? Lol tell that to all the farmers in CA even SoCal that are nowhere near zone 6 that have been growing it successfully for over a century.

The soil is too compact for parsley? First you have no idea how compact that soil is. Secondly, I've seen parsley self sow and thrive in a crack in some exposed bedrock. Parsley is insanely tough and can handle hard dry soil.

Fruit strawberries replant themselves just fine but other Fragaria species take care of themselves much better.

I don't like to contradict but when I see blatantly incorrect information from a so-called "pro", I feel obligated to correct it.

I would use agapanthus.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've always attributed the failure of the plants- basil, parsley, raspberry to low light (1-3 hours of direct sun). The alfalfa grew well there. I just plowed it into the soil after it went to seed as was suggested but it never grew back. It does grow and interestingly sprouted up in a couple of other spots in the garden. I wanted to do all edibles but have not been successful. I will under the suggestions and plant in the spring...

I should also point out that we are in coastal LA, less than a mile from the ocean and it very rarely gets really hot or really cold.

There aren't very many vegetables that will do well with that little sun. Ajuga, Liriope, western sword fern, spider plant?

Hi llilibell. It is hard to grow edibles under citrus trees, so don’t feel too bad about the ones you have tried so far not working out. I have had luck with creeping rosemary under/around citrus, It does well here in inland NorCal in sun or shade and helps bring more bees for pollination. It won’t flower as much in shade, but the shade would also help keep the growth of it more manageable so you don’t have to do as much pruning.

The orchids are going to look great there. I would be tempted to get more and do all of the planter boxes with orchids.

The rocks look nice bordering the planting area... if plants don’t work out there what about getting some more rocks and making it into more of a rock garden? You could get different colors and even make it into a bit of design. :-)

That close to the ocean means you can do things like this easily. From an orchid society member...