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
Your journey to creating or maintaining a water-wise landscape is now even easier thanks to the resources provided by the city of Phoenix Water Services Department. Phoenix Water recently collaborated with design experts from Arizona State University to produce free, easy-to-use desert landscape, or xeriscape, design guides that anyone can download. The Desert Landscapes in Your Front Yard guides were …
Read More
Local Xeriscape Gardens. Great holiday getaways for landscaping ideas. You’ve heard about the benefits of forest bathing? Well, in the desert we have xeriscape bathing. Arizona’s many xeriscape demonstration gardens are perfect outdoor getaways during the holiday season. They provide calming places to relax, to enjoy light exercise, and to pick up pointers on how to incorporate xeriscaping ideas into your …
Read More
As communities across Arizona face increasing heat and water challenges, many homeowners are rethinking traditional lawns, artificial turf, and rock-only landscapes. Landscaping experts at SummerWinds Nursery explain in their guide on why low-water-use plants are a better choice for desert landscapes that water-wise plants provide a smarter, cooler, and more environmentally friendly alternative. Desert-adapted and native plants: Require significantly less …
Read More
Learn more about Vitex agnus-castus, Chaste Tree or Monk’s Pepper This small tree provides spring and summer color, and is great for pollinators! At-A-Glance Bloom Period: Summer Mature Height x Spread: 25 x 25 ft (8 x 8 m) Exposure: Full sun Cold Tolerance: -10°F (-23°C) Origin: Southern Europe Description This is a large, deciduous shrub commonly grown as …
Read More
With many Arizona cities focusing on tree planting initiatives to help mitigate the impacts of climate change, the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Smartscape program recently developed an advanced course focusing on urban forest management. Industry professionals and Cooperative Extension staff worked on a comprehensive curriculum. The first course took place with Pima County Cooperative Extension (Tucson area) in February, …
Read More
Trees Offer Climate Change Solutions On February 7, 2023, Mayor John Giles of Mesa, Arizona, announced the ‘Trees Are Cool’ initiative to increase shade across the city, lower the urban heat island effect in neighborhoods, and help cool our communities during the hot summer months. “Trees Are Cool” challenges residents and businesses to help increase the City’s tree canopy coverage …
Read More
This month, our plant of the month blog features a plant description from a newly revised book, Cool Plants for Hot Gardens by Greg Starr! In his book, Greg features 150 water-smart choices for the Southwest – it’s no wonder why we like the book so much here at Water – Use It Wisely! He includes a fun category of the “Etymology” …
Read More
Prologue to our story Since April is Arizona Water Awareness Month (WAM), we felt like it was a great time to focus on watering properly. WAM is an annual outreach effort that aims to spread the word about the value of conserving the Southwest’s most precious natural resource, water. A WAM website, first launched in 2011 by the Arizona Department …
Read More
Did you know that what you plant today has short-term and long-term benefits? It’s true. As water resources become even more precious, planting wisely is more important than ever. You will enjoy the immediate effects of lowering your outdoor water use while enjoying the knowledge that you are creating a sustainable outdoor space for the future. Another benefit is that …
Read More
Get amazing landscape ideas, meet experts, get discounts, and more at these two events coming up in early March! 16th Annual SRP Water Conservation Expo Salt River Project (SRP) invites Valley customers to learn about water conservation and water supplies at the 16th Annual SRP Water Conservation Expo on March 4, 2023, from 8 a.m.–12 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity …
Read More
There are many ways to enhance any landscape, but one of the most beneficial ways is with trees, especially desert-adapted ones that can thrive in our arid climate. While planting the correct type of tree will make an immediate visual impact because of its beauty, color, and texture, trees also bring many benefits when planted and cared for properly. Low-water-use …
Read More
Signup today for monthly updates.
Complete the form to receive your free landscape watering guide.