Archive for “Gardening” Category

XERISCAPE INSTALLATION: DO-IT-YOURSELF … OR NOT?

May 9, 2016

Are you willing to take a risk with your landscape investment? Whether you’re the type of person who loves a do-it-yourself project or you’d rather hire a pro, making the switch to a beautifully designed and installed Xeriscape landscape is a visible investment that can be very rewarding and lead to a substantial return. Finding the right resources to help …

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PLANT OF THE MONTH: EVENING PRIMROSE

April 27, 2016

Oenotheras, also known as Evening Primrose, are spreading or clumping groundcovers, native to the plains, grasslands and deserts of North America. They have large, showy four-petaled flowers in pink, white, or yellow, and create carpets of bright color in desert landscapes. Oenotheras are generally night-blooming plants, but most will stay open until midday. These widely adapted plants can be used …

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PLANT OF THE MONTH: CASSIAS

March 29, 2016

Cassias are native to the warm regions of Australia and Africa. Many of the Australian and North American species previously called Cassia have been reclassified to the genus Senna. However, these plants are still widely sold in our local plant nurseries under the scientific name of Cassia. Most cassias have fine textures foliage and bloom from late winter through spring. Most …

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PLANT OF THE MONTH: MUHLENBERGIA

November 13, 2015

These spectacular, non-invasive, ornamental clumping grasses are versatile and require very little maintenance. Muhlenbergias are native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico at elevations of 2500 to 7000 feet. With over 125 species, this large and diverse group can be used as a vertical specimen or accent, a softening feature around boulders and contrasting dessert plants, or a …

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PLANT OF THE MONTH: FAIRY DUSTER

September 17, 2015

The name calliandra refers to the beautiful stamens which make the tufted or ball-like flowers on these loosely branched shrubs. Their colors, ranging from pale pink through deep red, are indeed beautiful. These small to medium sized shrubs produce their flowers against a backdrop of finely divided, lacy-looking foliage. Calliandras can be used in a wide variety of landscape situations. Fairy dusters …

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4 EASY WAYS TO ATTRACT WILDLIFE TO YOUR YARD

September 11, 2015

The award-winning Xeriscape Demonstration Garden at the Glendale Main Library, 5959 W. Brown Street, began in June of 1990. Since that time, the garden has grown to nearly four acres in size with more than 400 species of plants. But, did you know that the garden is also certified as a Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation for providing …

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PLANT OF THE MONTH: AGAVE

August 11, 2015

Agaves are impressive leaf succulents with a wide range of color, texture and size to their rosettes. There are approximately 200 species found throughout the southwest, Mexico, and Central America. The bold rosettes are dramatic accents for the garden that contrast well with the fine texture of desert trees and shrubs. Agaves are some of the most useful desert plants, …

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PLANT OF THE MONTH: DESERT WILLOW – CHILOPSIS LINEARIS

July 20, 2015

Desert willow is a fast-growing tree reaching up to 30 feet with spectacular trumpet-shaped flowers and bright green, willow-like foliage. Chilopsis linearis is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, and is commonly seen in dry washes from 1,500 to 5,000 feet. The fragrant orchid-like flowers, in varying colors, attract hummingbirds. Desert willow blooms in clusters from May …

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5 Reasons to Put Your Landscape on a Diet

May 15, 2015

Swimsuit season is all but here, but there’s still time to put your plants on a diet. Plants use sunlight, CO2, and water* to make food, a process called photosynthesis. As plants make food for themselves, they also make our homes more pleasant for us by releasing oxygen and water into the air through pores in the leaves called stomata. *Plants …

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PLANT OF THE MONTH: PALO VERDE

April 20, 2015

Palo Verdes are native to the arroyos and foothills of the southwestern deserts and Mexico. Their unique green to blue-green bark and branches carry on photosynthesis, even when their small leaves are not present. This is a great strategy by the plant to conserve water during dry seasons. In the spring, these trees are covered with masses of bright yellow …

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Hybrid Palo Verde

THE PROBLEM BECOMES THE SOLUTION IN SAN ANTONIO’S COMMUNITY GARDENS

April 9, 2015

It’s no secret that Texas is still enduring a significant drought as we head into 2015. “Drought restrictions” and “watering days” are common lingo among San Antonio residents as many of us attempt to conserve our precious water. In 2011, drought monitor maps glowed bright red with the bulk of the state in either exceptional or extreme drought. For San …

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SIX REASONS TO VISIT THE GLENDALE XERISCAPE DEMONSTRATION GARDEN THIS SPRING!

March 20, 2015

Spring is here, and the wildflowers are already blooming! What better way to usher in a new season than to wander through nature and take a look at some of the best ways to enjoy it, especially with a visit to the Glendale Xeriscape (Low-Water-Use) Demonstration Garden! 1) Bountiful Blooms – See a spectrum of color among the flowers and …

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