This month’s Plant of the Month blog spotlights another standout selection from the newly revised Cool Plants for Hot Gardens by Greg Starr — a must-have guide for any desert gardener! With 150 water-wise picks perfect for the Southwest, it’s no surprise we’re big fans here at Water – Use It Wisely. One of our favorite features? Greg’s playful deep dives into the etymology (the origin of …
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Brittlebrush, Encelia farinosa AT-A-GLANCE Attracts bees, butterflies. Size (HxW) 3-4 feet x 3-6 feet Flower Color Yellow Flower Season Late fall to early summer Exposure Full sun, reflected heat Water Drought tolerant to low Growth Rate Fast Pruning Minimal, only to remove frozen growth Hardiness Mid-20’s F, Zones 9b-11 Etymology Asa Gray chose the Latin farin- to describe the white …
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Did you know that the average household loses more than 10,000 gallons of water each year through leaks? Water leaks not only increase your monthly bills but also contribute to unnecessary water waste. As responsible homeowners in Arizona, it’s crucial to be proactive in conserving water and reducing our environmental impact. We teamed up with our partners in Chandler to …
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Stop wasting time/money by over-pruning your shrubs! Have you ever driven by a landscape with shrubs that have been pruned or sheared 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 ill effects of excessive …
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Seeds of Spring are Sown in the Fall We’ve never given away a Plant of the Month before—but this time we’re kicking things up a notch with a free wildflower seed packet! Sign up for our monthly newsletter and we’ll mail you seeds to start your own spring bloom. But here’s the catch: you need to plant them NOW. Why …
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To Overseed or NOT to Overseed… Most Americans love lush, green lawns, and many are willing to do whatever it takes to keep one. Nowhere is this act of defiance against nature more obvious than in the Arizona desert, especially in fall when the annual ritual of planting winter grass begins. You’ll hear lawnmowers whirring, see clouds of dust as …
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The Fall Planting Season is Here! The fall planting season has arrived (really!), and cooler temps make it the perfect time to get your landscape back in shape. Maybe you lost a few plants during the record-hot summer, or maybe you’re ready to swap out high-water-use plants for water-thrifty ones. Either way, fall is the season to dig in! Water …
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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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Living in the Sonoran Desert means learning how to do more with less – especially when it comes to water. Among the most impactful of these solutions are green stormwater infrastructure and passive rainwater harvesting. From school campuses in the heart of the city to suburban homes in desert foothills, Arizonans can make every drop count. What is Green Stormwater …
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Are you looking for ways to help your trees and plants thrive under the intense heat of the desert summer sun? Desert-adapted plants are naturally suited for this climate, but they do require some additional care during the summer months to truly flourish. Many enthusiasts unknowingly make changes that can be detrimental to their trees and plants. Here are five …
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Water you doing to conserve this summer? Secure your spot and join us online for the virtual 2025 SRP Water Conservation Expo from noon to 1 p.m., Tuesday, July 15! This one-hour virtual webinar is available to anyone with a smart phone or computer who wants to learn how to reduce water use and purchase a smart irrigation controller …
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More Water Conservation Help is Here for Commercial & Multifamily Customers! Tucson Water has had a robust conservation program for residential customers since the late 1990s, offering free water conservation kits; high-efficiency toilet, clothes washer, gray water, and rainwater harvesting rebates and, in some cases, free toilet replacements and emergency repairs for qualifying customers! Commercial and multifamily customers have also …
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