Local Xeriscape Gardens Demonstrate What You Can Do Grab some snacks and get inspired! If you’re planning on revamping your landscape this winter, one of the best design resources is your local xeriscape demonstration garden. They provide practical, first-hand examples of plants and plant combinations. Many of the gardens also have shady places to enjoy a picnic lunch, so …
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SIX QUESTIONS OFTEN ASKED ABOUT SAGUAROS Nothing says you’re in Arizona better than those silhouettes of saguaros set against a red sky at sunset. After all, the National Park Service says, saguaros mostly grow in the Sonoran Desert. That means that almost all the wild ones grow in Arizona and some smaller areas of Mexico and California. Often on “Rosie …
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Spring wildflower season is one of the desert’s most colorful periods. But planning for those multicolored displays in the spring requires planning in the Fall. It’s prime time for fall planting! From late September through early December is the perfect time to sow spring seeds in the Arizona desert. Most spring-blooming wildflowers benefit from the cold temperatures of winter and …
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Calliandra, commonly known as Fairy Duster, refers to the beautiful stamens which make the tufted or ball-like flowers on these loosely branched shrubs. Their beautiful and vibrant colors range from pale pink to deep red. These small to medium-sized shrubs produce their flowers against a backdrop of finely divided, lacy-looking foliage. Fairy Dusters can be used in a wide variety …
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Texas Ebony is native to the lowland regions of the Gulf of Mexico from southern Texas to northeastern Mexico. The highly ornamental, glossy, dark green foliage is its most striking feature. This popular small to medium tree has flexible, zigzagged branches, and fragrant catkin-like spring flowers. The dense canopy is evergreen in lower desert regions. Texas Ebony, Ebenopsis ebano (formerly …
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Common irrigation problems can waste a lot of water and money! Did you know that over half of household water – in some cases, up to 70% is used outdoors? That means saving water in your landscape is one of the best and easiest ways to reduce your outdoor water use. July is Smart Irrigation Month, a time we like …
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Summer is here. Residents of the Southwest are no strangers to the heat, which not only affects our comfort but can be difficult for the plants in your garden. Thankfully, there are several things you can do to help your garden weather the heat of a Southwest summer. Southwest Gardening’s Noelle Johnson lives in the Phoenix area where summertime temperatures …
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Chihuahuan-Sage, Leucophyllum laevigatum is a low-maintenance evergreen shrub with a spiky, but loose form. The periodic masses of lavender flowers are not only fragrant but will attract hummingbirds, too. Description Medium green leaves are somewhat sparsely arranged, yet they cling tightly along the erect to spreading branches of Chihuahuan-sage. Individual leaves measure ½ inch long and ¼ inch wide at …
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This spring, learn how beautiful water conservation can be. Spring is in the air; in the sweetness of the citrus buds, in the warmth against your skin, in the vibrant colors of blooming shrubs. Time to put your garden gloves and shovel to work and get your landscaping on par with the rest of Mother Nature. Water – Plant It …
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Feeling like your yard is too small to plant for birds? Before you throw in the towel, give these petite garden favorites a try. Like goldfish, these plants will fill the space they are given and can be trimmed back easily if needed. Endorsed by gardeners and hummingbirds alike, these easy additions will add more life and interest to your …
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If you’re looking for delicate winter color in small spaces, consider shrubby bulbine. FIELD NOTES Once upon a time in the Groot Swartberg Mountains in South Africa, while photographing an intriguing bulb called Boophone disticha on a dry, rocky slope, we happened upon a lonely, flowering Bulbine frutescens. The species is native to dry areas throughout South Africa from near …
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Living in the desert southwest has many advantages, including being able to have a landscape filled with winter blooms all winter long when gardens throughout much of the country are brown or covered in a layer of snow. Over the weekend, I stepped out into my garden to see how my plants were doing and took photos of those that …
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