Archive for “birds” Tag

Plant of the Month: Ironwood — The Desert’s Oldest Nurse

May 12, 2022

Feeling melancholy as you sweep up the spent yellow petals of your Palo Verdes? I understand why: when the “month of monochrome yellow” is behind us, the baking summer is upon us, and most plants (and people!) sober up to prepare. Don’t despair yet, though—late spring wildflowers still surround Saguaros wreathed like brides with white blooms. And, now is the …

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TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE AND GARDEN FOR WILDLIFE

October 2, 2021

Everyone needs a home and desert wildlife such as quail, hummingbirds, sparrows, and butterflies are no different. An emerging trend in urban gardening is a return back to our desert roots through the use of native plants and sustainable landscape practices that are done in a way that would encourage these pollinators to visit our gardens. Here are some easy …

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Mesa’s Plants to Provide Shade, Color, and Wildlife

June 29, 2021

Would you like to attract birds or butterflies to your yard or perhaps you are looking for year-round color, or a cool, shady retreat? By selecting plants that are well-adapted to our desert climate you’ll have less maintenance and more time and money to enjoy your beautiful landscape. Horticulturist and Conservation Coordinator, Donna DiFrancesco, from the City of Mesa Environmental …

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plant that attracts butterflies

Mesa’s Xeriscape: Landscaping with Style in the Arizona Desert

What is xeriscape and how do you pronounce it? In this presentation, you’ll learn how to use seven common-sense design principles to help you create or maintain a beautiful desert landscape. Discover how to create a sense of place while attracting birds and butterflies all while saving water, too. Horticulturist and Conservation Coordinator, Donna DiFrancesco, from the City of Mesa …

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backyard landscape

Plant of the Month: Pollinator-Friendly Plants are All the Buzz

May 10, 2021

Bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies are just a few of the helpful pollinators flying through our landscapes. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, pollinators are responsible for assisting over 80% of the world’s flowering plants to reproduce. We depend on pollinators for the gardens we enjoy, plant materials we utilize, and the food we eat. Bees are by far the …

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Scottsdale’s free landscape workshop: Plant something and attract birds (and people)!

July 31, 2019

No one likes going hungry—especially not the birds visiting your yard! Learn how and why native plants are critical to wildlife… and how to select the right plant for the right place. Discover Audubon’s new search-able database of nearly 3,000 native plants and trees and unlock the potential of your yard to be beautiful, low maintenance and bird friendly!

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Celebrate AZ Water: Outdoor Recreation Along Arizona’s Waterways is a $13.5 Billion Industry

June 25, 2019

According to a new study, outdoor recreation along Arizona’s waterways is a $13.5 billion industry, ranking higher than golf and mining. Arizona’s waterways, enjoyed by more than 1.5 million residents each year, contribute $13.5 billion to the state’s economy and support 114,000 jobs, according to a new report released by Audubon Arizona. The study was completed with guidance from business, …

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Plant of the Month: Ironwood — The Desert’s Oldest Nurse | Plants for Birds – Part 3

June 11, 2019

Feeling melancholy as you sweep up the spent yellow petals of your Palo Verdes? I understand why: when the “month of monochrome yellow” is behind us, the baking summer is upon us, and most plants (and people!) sober up to prepare. Don’t despair yet, though—late spring wildflowers still surround Saguaros wreathed like brides with white blooms. And, now is the …

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Plant of the Month: Chuparosa | Plants for Birds – Part 2

April 16, 2019

The Hummingbird’s Choice Award goes to … Chuparosa! If Arizona’s hummingbirds could vote on a state flower, it would be Chuparosa (Justicia californica). A mainstay of most wildlife gardens, this long-suffering desert beauty asks little and gives much.  It can be grown long and lanky, spindly branches vining into trees — or pruned to take on a more civilized appearance. …

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Plant of the Month: Desert Hackberry | Plants for Birds – Part 1

February 22, 2019

Desert Hackberry – The Winter Underdog. This is the first in a three-part series on plants for birds, presented by Arizona Audubon. Short winter days can mean lackluster landscapes: sober yards comprised of cheerless greys and browns. Occasional bird visitors to such spaces can be observed listlessly searching for springs’ first green gifts or insect morsels. Sound familiar? To shake …

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Plant of the Month – The Mighty Saguaro

May 15, 2018

The Saguaro cactus, Carnegiea gigantea, is the most famous and characteristic plant of the Sonoran desert. This gigantic, tree-like cactus is an Arizona icon! Description The main trunk of a mature Saguaro may be 40 feet high and 2 feet in diameter. A woody inner skeleton provides the strength to support ten arms or more. Although the age of a Saguaro …

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Saguaro in desert