Archive for “Gardening” Category

News & Events

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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IS IT TIME TO TURN YOUR YARD INTO A WILDLIFE HABITAT?

March 18, 2015

Tired of winter guests? How about inviting some colorful visitors to your backyard who can entertain you instead. It could be time to turn that bit of grass and gravel, with its smattering of sheared shrubs, into a Sonoran Desert wildlife habitat. Sure, the birds and butterflies you attract will need a little food and shelter, but they’re pretty low …

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plant that attracts butterflies

Tree Care – Understanding the Language of Tree Service Contracts

December 11, 2014

When people ask for help pruning their trees, many aren’t sure what to ask for. They know their trees need work but they don’t how to describe it. Tree service ads don’t help. They use terms such as trimming, cutting, topping, rounding, crowning, heading, shearing, lacing, sculpting, wind-sailing and the list goes on. The words attempt to describe pruning operations …

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The Best Landscaper of All

November 19, 2014

We frequently receive requests asking for names of good landscapers. Because we must remain impartial, we aren’t able to make any recommendations. Except for one….Mother Nature. Use her as a guide and you’ll hardly go wrong. For instance, in nature, rain flows over the canopy of a tree and cascades to the ground from the edges of the branches. We call it the drip line. This is where 90 percent …

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Problems Caused By Over-Pruning and How to Avoid Them

February 26, 2014

Have you ever driven by a landscape with shrubs that have been pruned into rounded shapes?  You may be surprised to find out that maintaining shrubs this way is often not only unnecessary but uses more water than shrubs pruned infrequently. What are some of the other ill effects of excessive pruning? Plants grow faster in their attempt to re-grow …

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