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
Bear Grass Plant Description Bear Grass, Nolina microcarpa, looks like a clump of coarse grass, at maturity 4 feet high and 6 feet wide. The leaves are 3-4 feet long and about 1/4-inch wide at the base, narrowing to a frayed tip. The leaf margins are finely toothed. A loose cluster of greenish white flowers appears on a 3-foot stalk …
Read More
HOW PLANTS COPE WITH THE DESERT CLIMATE Desert plants tend to look very different from plants native to other regions. They are often swollen, spiny, and have tiny leaves that are rarely bright green. Their strange appearance is a result of their remarkable adaptations to the challenges of the desert climate. Aridity is the sole factor that defines a desert …
Read More
Plant Description Slipper Flower (Euphorbia lomelii or sometimes sold under the old name of Pedilanthus macrocarpus) has succulent light green stems that grow upright from a woody root crown. The jointed stems are mostly unbranched, ¾ inch thick and up to 3 feet tall. The plant can eventually spread to 2 feet wide. Small leaves along the stems drop soon …
Read More
Learn and apply the seven Principles of Xeriscape and walk through a five-step process for landscape design.
Read MoreLovely, white blossoms of not one, but two different types of cordia, add welcome beauty to the arid landscape throughout the warm season, including summer. Cordias are large shrubs that are underused in the garden and deserve more attention due to their ability to thrive in full sun and shrug off the summer heat. Their evergreen foliage looks great all …
Read More
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 …
Read More
Something Blue Azure Bush Germander (Teucrium fruticans ‘Azureum’) is a unique blue flowering perennial that thrives in full sun & drought tolerant Arizona gardens. With striking silvery sage foliage and cooling blue purple blooms that cover the bush in Winter extending into Spring, it’s sure to bring pollinators and brighten up your garden at a time of year when most …
Read More
Aloes are striking succulents from southern and eastern Africa that offer some of the best color for Arizona gardens with their impressive and long-lasting show of flowers during the winter and early spring. Aloes have numerous forms ranging from low groundcovers to treelike species. Small clustering forms work well in containers and the tree forms work well as accents or …
Read More
2022 has arrived! Let’s take a “drip” down memory lane. Here are our top 5 blogs from 2021. #1 Plant of the Month: 5 Plants That Can Take the Southwest Heat It’s no surprise that the biggest challenge to growing plants in our region is the intense heat and dryness of summer, which is a stressful environment for plants. Thankfully, there …
Read More
Succulents can steal the show in a drought-tolerant landscape. Their structural and exotic shapes add whimsy and originality to a desert yard. With a little knowledge, succulents are as easy to maintain as any other drought-tolerant plant. Here’s the secret: Succulents encompass a wide variety of plants. While there are general succulent-care guidelines, it is important to understand how each …
Read More
We have experienced above-average temperatures throughout the fall season, but now with the arrival of December and with the start of meteorological winter, temperatures should begin to cool. Meaning it’s a perfect time to get your yard ready for you and your winter guests to enjoy. Plus, correctly maintaining your desert-adapted yard during these chillier months will also help make …
Read More
Signup today for monthly updates.
Complete the form to receive your free landscape watering guide.