I love springtime in the desert when it comes alive in shades of yellow, orange and pink. Last week, while I was driving through a residential area nestled in the desert mountains, I could hardly keep my eyes on the road. Everywhere I turned, there were brightly colored cactus blooming. It’s a small miracle that I didn’t crash into the …
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FIRST, A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF SCIENTIFIC NAMES Before we start talking about these beautiful groundcovers, we want to briefly discuss plant names with you. The botanical name given to plants is often referred to as the “scientific name” or “Latin name.” Each plant has a name made up of two parts, a generic (or genus) name and a specific epithet …
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Join the city of Scottsdale’s Mustang Library for the Fourth Annual Garden Week from March 27 to April 1, featuring daily programs and how-to clinics. The library is excited to bring local vendors and speakers together to share with our community the latest tips in gardening and landscape sustainability. What better place to gather experts in their fields to talk …
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Plants provide many functions for the landscape February is a great time to plant in the low desert as temperatures are still cool and roots can get established before the heat sets in. Perhaps you are looking to add or replace a few plants to your landscape, create a new focal point with sculptural cacti or accent plants, or you …
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Occasionally in the plant world, a new introduction comes along that gets everyone excited. In this case, not one, but three different, drought-tolerant shrubs have recently become quite popular with homeowners and landscape professionals. All of these shrubs belong to the Eremophila family and the reasons for their popularity range from the fact that they each have attractive, evergreen foliage, …
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The Sonoran Desert is an incomparable place to hike, bike, run, horseback ride and bird watch. When it comes to foraging for food, it’s not so grand. Even those knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the topic admit that sifting and straining food from desert flora is labor intensive. It is, however, a labor of love for people who crave the tastes …
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This past November, after months of planning and hard work, the Drab to Fab Backyard Rehab Xeriscape landscape install was finally completed! By the second weekend in December, our winner, Lisa O., was celebrating with friends and family with a backyard barbecue at her Avondale home! And that, my friends, is what having a beautiful and functional backyard landscape is …
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The transformation from Drab to Fab may have only taken weeks, but with proper care of the new landscape plants, the fab can be everlasting. Join winner Lisa O. as she learns how to care for her brand new plants as they grow and evolve in her landscape. In episode 9 of our 10-part series, Jody Latimer, Environmental Resource Supervisor …
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Description As the common name suggests, Ironwood has hard, heavy wood. One cubic foot of the wood, valued for carving and firewood, weighs 66 pounds. Ironwood’s bark is light gray when young, turning darker with maturity. The gray-green foliage is evergreen except in extreme cold. The 2-inch-long, 1-inch-wide leaves are divided into oval leaflets to ½ inch long. Pairs of …
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The Drab to Fab Backyard Rehab landscape has finally been installed for our winner, Lisa O. at her Avondale home! While our past videos featured irrigation systems, planter boxes, and patio pavers, we all know it’s THE PLANTS that are the most important component of a fabulous Xeriscape landscape. In episode 8 of our 10-part series, Cathy Rymer from City …
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We’re celebrating the long-awaited-for GROUNDBREAKING of the Drab to Fab Backyard Rehab landscape. Our winner, Lisa O., and her family have been patiently awaiting this day! The BIG lesson here? The steps leading up to the landscape install does take time and some good planning, especially if you want successful results. As you will notice on the video, having a …
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Here’s one of the easiest ways you can save money and water: learn how to manage your irrigation controller. AMWUA cities’ conservation professionals continue to report that many homeowners, businesses, and HOAs irrigate their landscapes throughout the winter as if it were still 110 degrees outside. It’s such a waste because most desert-adapted plants can make it through the winter …
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