Archive for “ZEROSCAPE” Tag

News & Events

April = Celebrations of Nature & Water

March 17, 2025

Spring is in the air, and so is the spirit of water conservation! This April, Water – Use It Wisely is gearing up for several exciting events that highlight the importance of water-saving efforts. A variety of activities – from Water Awareness Month to Earth Day to Arbor Day – means that there are plenty of opportunities to have fun …

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Plant of the Month – Eremophila ‘Valentine Emu’ and ‘Outback Cupid’

February 3, 2025

Our February Plant of the Month blog features a plant description from a recently 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 …

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You are Invited to SRP’s Water Conservation Expo!

January 27, 2025

Join us in person on Saturday, March 1, 2025, from 8 a.m. – noon at PERA Training and Conference Center in Tempe for the water-saving event of the year! The annual SRP Water Conservation Expo brings together our community to raise awareness of water in the Valley and discover ways to conserve at home. Purchase a smart irrigation controller (limit …

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Plant of the Month: Winter Color Means Winter Wonderful!

January 20, 2025

As we all know, our desert cities are magnets for winter visitors, who are seduced by our balmy weather, manicured fairways, and bountiful recreational opportunities. Not surprisingly, they also expect their winter paradise to be landscaped with loads of COLOR! This is always a challenge for landscape professionals because although our cold temperatures are mild compared to those across most of the country, they are low …

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Perfect for Gift Giving: Our Top Desert Gardening Books

December 13, 2024

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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Gardening Books

PLANT OF THE MONTH: PINK TRUMPET VINE OR PODRANEA

November 1, 2024

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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Discover Passive Rainwater Harvesting to Enhance the Sustainability of Your Landscape

October 14, 2024

New Video Series Available Phoenix Water teamed up with Watershed Management Group to bring you a video series about passive rainwater harvesting and sustainable desert landscapes. And trust us—now’s the time to take action! You can make landscape changes that will help you grow vibrant, native plants, reduce your water use, and help your plants thrive in our desert environment. …

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PLANT OF THE MONTH: QUEEN’S WREATH

October 7, 2024

Provides a stunning display of the bright pink clusters What a perfect name for this beautiful late summer blooming vine. The elegant Antigonon leptopus or Queen’s Wreath (also called Coral Vine) is one of those show-stopping plants that has likely caused near automobile accidents with their stunning display of the bright pink clusters. The rich, green, heart-shaped leaves seem to …

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Mesa Plant Nursery Pop-Up Event – Summer Winds

September 23, 2024

Get tree and planting questions answered in person and meet the City of Mesa’s Urban Forest Program Manager and water conservation staff at Summer Winds Nursery. Learn about Mesa’s Trees Are Cool initiative and about the Grass-to-Xeriscape incentive where residential customers can qualify for up to $1,100. Mesa will also be distributing the newly updated Landscape Plants for the Arizona …

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Fall Planting with Water – Plant It Wisely

September 12, 2024

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 …

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Rediscover the New “Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert” for Fall Planting Preparations

September 3, 2024

“Now is an ideal time to start planning for the fall planting season and looking at options for transforming your yard.” Our most popular publication, Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert, has been relaunched. A refreshed and updated version is now available to help residents add some extra flower power by incorporating desert-appropriate, drought-tolerant plants into their yards to create …

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Fall is the New Spring for Planting

August 30, 2024

Why Fall Planting Rules! Spring is a wonderful time in Arizona, but in the low desert the season is very short and ends quickly with the intense heat of early summer. The garden centers and general theme for spring nationwide is, “now is the time to get those gardens and plants in”, when in many cases in the low desert …

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