News & Events

News & Events

Earth Day with Wayne Drop

April 20, 2021

Hey everybody! Wayne Drop here…Earth Day is on April 22nd!   Earth Day is one of my favorite days of the year! After all, our amazing planet has 71% of its surface area covered in water. Earth Day was founded in 1970 to raise awareness about environmental issues such as pollution, deforestation and clean water. Since then, Earth Day has …

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Plant of the Month: Calling All Chocolate Lovers!!

April 16, 2021

How would you like to be greeted in the morning by the delicious, rich smell of chocolate from your garden? If that sounds AMAZING, Berlandiera lyrata, or “Chocolate Flower” is the plant for you! When the plant is in full flower, it gives off a distinctive chocolate scent. Yum! This low-growing perennial has coarse, evergreen foliage, with yellow daisy-like flowers …

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Wayne Drop Asks “Are You Ready to Chase Down Leaks?”

March 15, 2021

Hey everybody! Wayne Drop here – the official spokes-drop for Water – Use It Wisely. I am overflowing with excitement to invite you to participate in the BEST WEEK OF THE YEAR… well at least it’s my favorite… Fix a Leak Week! First, Why Do We Need a Week for Leaks? Did you know that, in a year, water leaks …

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Meet Wayne Drop – Our Official Spokes-Drop

February 22, 2021

Hello everybody – Wayne Drop here! So, when kids see me for the first time, they often ask, “what are you?!” No, I am not a team mascot for one of our pro sports teams. I tried out for a team once and splatted like a water drop on the backflip test. Which makes total sense because that’s exactly what …

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6 Habits to Fall in Love with this Valentine’s Day

February 10, 2021

LOVE is in the air! We love our earth and the special gifts it gives us, especially water. The water in Arizona is unique and should be appreciated. It got us thinking… what are some easy water-saving habits to fall in love with this Valentine’s Day? 1. Fall in love with sweeping your driveway or patio. Break-up with hosing it …

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Plant of the Month: Justicia

February 8, 2021

A different kind of flower this Valentine’s season. With long, colorful, tubular flowers, justicias are a hummingbird’s delight. Flower colors range from yellow to deep red. Justicias’ green foliage contrasts well with gray desert plants. Native to tropical and subtropical regions, they can be used in many types of landscapes. These semi-evergreen shrubs bloom throughout the year, inviting hummingbirds into …

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Irrigation Maintenance Checklist Perfect for Spring Weather

January 28, 2021

Ahhhh, spring in the Desert Southwest… beautiful, sunny, seventy-five degree days. It’s perfect weather for gardening, but it’s also an especially good time for some irrigation system maintenance. Irrigation problems are not always apparent because of the cool nighttime temperatures, the periodic cloudy days, and even the occasional sprinkle of rain. So, don’t wait until the heat sets in. It …

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Broken spray head

Plant of the Month: Pencil Milkbush

January 21, 2021

Add a little drama to your winter landscape with a Pencil Milkbush, Euphorbia mauritanica! This succulent is drought tolerant, perfect for your desert landscape and adds a pop of color when it blooms. We love Euphorbias in the winter! The Pencil Milkbush (sometimes called Pencil Cactus) is known for its pencil-sized stems and little yellow flowers that bloom during our …

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Pencil Milkbush

How to Dress Greener: 5 Reasons to Shop at Thrift Stores

January 13, 2021

Thrift Store Shopping Has become a Way of Life for Many People The average American throws away 70 pounds of clothing every year. Many consider “shop ‘til you drop” a philosophy of life but that lifestyle comes at a high cost. By the end of the 1990s – the golden years of shopping – shoppers were scooping up about 65 garments …

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Plant of the Month: Santa’s Naughty and Wise Plant List

December 15, 2020

He’s making a list, checking it twice, gonna find out who’s naughty or water-wise! We have composed a list of naughty and water-wise flowers, shrubs, vines, and trees to help you plan out your Xeriscape garden. It’s not too late to get on the nice list this year by replacing your high water-use plants with low water-use plants. These selections …

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Why the CAP canal shape matters — a tale of the trapezoid

December 4, 2020

Remove the water from a section of the CAP canal and you’d see what looks like a foundation for an amphitheater. If you were to stand on the canal bottom, gaze from the narrow base to the gradually widening sides, and imagine a water line on the surface, you’d probably notice the four-sided shape of a trapezoid. This canal shape, …

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Local Xeriscape Gardens

November 23, 2020

Local Xeriscape Gardens Demonstrate What You Can Do   Grab some snacks and get inspired! If you’re planning on revamping your landscape this winter, one of the best design resources is your local xeriscape demonstration garden. They provide practical, first-hand examples of plants and plant combinations. Many of the gardens also have shady places to enjoy a picnic lunch, so …

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