Roses

• RosesImage by Flickr.com, courtesy of Marialuisa Wittlin
  
  Roses can bloom almost year-round in Zone 9. They will bloom continuously unless there is a significant frost. Roses should be pruned annually. It will take approximately six weeks after pruning to see new blooms.
  
  

Salvia

• A bee rests on a salvia flower.Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Louise Docker
  
  Salvia are perennial bushes that display colorful blooms year-round in Zone 9. To encourage flowering, salvia should be pruned back once a season.
  
  

Bougainvillea

• BougainvilleaImage by Flickr.com, courtesy of Thai Jasmine
  
  Bougainvillea are perennial vines that can be trained on trellises or shaped into bushes. They prefer soil with good drainage. Most of Zone 9 has well-drained soil.
  
  

Pansies

• A Pot of PansiesImage by Flickr.com, courtesy of Kevin Walsh
  
  Pansies thrive as annual winter bedding plants in Zone 9. Pansies like the cold and can bloom through January and February in the mild winters of Zone 9. However, pansies will not survive the harsh temperatures of summer in Zone 9.
  
  

Candy Apple

• Candy apple, named for it's bright red flowers, is an extremely hardy, drought-tolerant ground cover. Candy apple is used throughout Zone 9 to prevent soil erosion.