News & Events

News & Events

Perfect for Gift Giving: Our Top Desert Gardening Books

December 13, 2024

Why we need books by local experts! One thing is certain when it comes to gardening books and magazines . . . gardening in the deserts of the Southwest is far different than in all other regions of the country. For that reason, most books, national magazines, and even those AP stories (that the local newspaper will occasionally publish) just …

Read More
Gardening Books

The 12 Days of Wayne Tips: Save Water This Holiday Season

December 10, 2024

Hi there, friends!   It’s me, Wayne Drop, your favorite water-saving droplet! The holiday season is here, and while we’re busy decking the halls, cooking up feasts, and celebrating with loved ones, it’s also a great time to think about how we can save water. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or just enjoy the winter festivities, these 12 water-saving …

Read More

Plant of the Month: Chuparosa

December 2, 2024

The Hummingbird’s Choice Award goes to … Chuparosa! If Arizona’s hummingbirds could vote on a state flower, it would be Chuparosa (Justicia californica). A mainstay of most wildlife gardens, this long-suffering desert beauty asks little and gives much.  It can be grown long and lanky, spindly branches vining into trees — or pruned to take on a more civilized appearance. …

Read More

Calling All Photographers! Enter the WRRC 2024 Photo Contest

November 20, 2024

Enter the 2024 Photo Contest! The Water Resources Research Center (WRRC) is excited to announce its 2024 annual photo contest! This year’s theme, Water in Arizona, offers lots of opportunities for creativity, inviting you to capture the essence of how water impacts life in our state. Whether you’re passionate about landscapes, wildlife, urban scenes, or how people interact with water, …

Read More

Explore Arizona’s Xeriscape Demonstration Gardens

November 12, 2024

Holiday Wanderlust: Take Festive Nature Walks and Get Sustainable Inspiration As the temperatures cool down and the holidays approach, it’s time to gather with family and friends, including out-of-town guests. Going for a nature walk is a wonderful way to work off those scrumptious home-cooked holiday meals or gourmet dishes from your favorite neighborhood restaurants! You can find local botanical …

Read More

PLANT OF THE MONTH: PINK TRUMPET VINE OR PODRANEA

November 1, 2024

The Pink Trumpet Vine, Podranea ricasoliana, exuberantly blooms in fall with flared, trumpet-shaped flowers. If looking for seasonal color, be sure to add this one to your plant palette. Note – be sure to properly identify at the nursery as it can commonly be mistaken for Bower Vine or Pandorea jasminoides. DESCRIPTION The lush green leaves and trumpet-shaped flowers of …

Read More

Fund Your Water-Saving Ideas with Friends of the Verde River and SRP!

October 17, 2024

Small grants are available to support homeowners, businesses, and organizations in both the Verde Valley and Phoenix Metro areas! A new partnership between Friends of the Verde River and Salt River Project (SRP) has expanded the River Friendly Living Grant Program for fall 2024 to fund your water-saving ideas. This year, the program will offer up to $52,000 in small …

Read More
Verde River Arizona

Discover Passive Rainwater Harvesting to Enhance the Sustainability of Your Landscape

October 14, 2024

New Video Series Available Phoenix Water teamed up with Watershed Management Group to bring you a video series about passive rainwater harvesting and sustainable desert landscapes. And trust us—now’s the time to take action! You can make landscape changes that will help you grow vibrant, native plants, reduce your water use, and help your plants thrive in our desert environment. …

Read More

PLANT OF THE MONTH: QUEEN’S WREATH

October 7, 2024

Provides a stunning display of the bright pink clusters What a perfect name for this beautiful late summer blooming vine. The elegant Antigonon leptopus or Queen’s Wreath (also called Coral Vine) is one of those show-stopping plants that has likely caused near automobile accidents with their stunning display of the bright pink clusters. The rich, green, heart-shaped leaves seem to …

Read More

Our New Interactive Water Conservation Map

September 24, 2024

Find Your Water Provider and Conservation Programs Offered Curious about how you can do more in terms of your own at-home water conservation? Not sure where to get started or what the options or incentives are? The new Water – Use It Wisely interactive water conservation map can help. Water – Use It Wisely, Central Arizona Project, and Arizona’s Water …

Read More

Fall Planting with Water – Plant It Wisely

September 12, 2024

The fall planting season is here! Temperatures are cooling down, making it a perfect time to replace your plants you may have lost during the record-hot summer, or replace your high-water-usage plants with water-thrifty ones. Find our favorite Water – Use It Wisely resources below: Water – Plant It Wisely: Our Ultimate Fall Planting Resource Put your gardening gloves and …

Read More

Rediscover the New “Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert” for Fall Planting Preparations

September 3, 2024

“Now is an ideal time to start planning for the fall planting season and looking at options for transforming your yard.” Our most popular publication, Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert, has been relaunched. A refreshed and updated version is now available to help residents add some extra flower power by incorporating desert-appropriate, drought-tolerant plants into their yards to create …

Read More