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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Plant once, enjoy for years! This desert-hardy bulb thrives in Xeriscapes! It may seem rather strange to think of landscapes decorated with lilies in fall, but summer and fall rain bring on the lovely blooms of rain lilies (Zephyranthes species). Rain or ‘zephyr’ lilies add beauty to gardens throughout the Southern half of the U.S., including the Southwest. While their …
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Part of Xeriscape Done Right: A Water-Wise Landscaping Series. Join us for the final installment of the free workshop series on Mesa’s Grass-to-Xeriscape Program! Meet our expert, Noelle Johnson (“AZ Plant Lady”), and discover how to turn your desert garden into a butterfly haven! In this class, Noelle will teach you how to attract butterflies using the four key elements of a …
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Part of Mesa’s Xeriscape Done Right: A Water-Wise Landscaping Series. Join us for Part I of the free workshop series on Mesa’s Grass-to-Xeriscape Landscape Program. Meet our expert, AZ Plant Lady Noelle Johnson, as she discusses how to create a heat-proof landscape. Topics will include identifying the signs of heat stress in plants, practical solutions for reducing reflected heat around your …
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Why we need books by local experts! One thing is certain when it comes to gardening books and magazines . . . gardening in the deserts of the Southwest is far different than in all other regions of the country. For that reason, most books, national magazines, and even those AP stories (that the local newspaper will occasionally publish) just …
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The Pink Trumpet Vine, Podranea ricasoliana, exuberantly blooms in fall with flared, trumpet-shaped flowers. If looking for seasonal color, be sure to add this one to your plant palette. Note – be sure to properly identify at the nursery as it can commonly be mistaken for Bower Vine or Pandorea jasminoides. DESCRIPTION The lush green leaves and trumpet-shaped flowers of …
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When you ask most people what they want in their garden, their most common answer is, “color”. One of the best plants that I like to recommend for warm-season color is the coral fountain. Also known as the firecracker plant (Russelia equisetiformis). It has beautiful, cascading foliage that resembles the movement of water. Deep orange flowers begin to appear in …
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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 …
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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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Stop wasting time and 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 of the other ill effects …
Read More
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