Desert Gardening 101
  • Home
  • About
  • Classes
  • Consultations
  • Speaking
  • Book
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Menu Menu
  • Link to Facebook
  • Link to Pinterest
  • Link to Instagram
  • Link to Youtube

A Spring Time Walk, Continued….

AZ Plant Lady
Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis)
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn

I love taking walks in the spring outdoors.  All too soon, summer will be here and walks will have to happen in the early morning hours before the heat of the day arrives.  I suppose that I could always take a walk inside of our local air-conditioned mall, but I think that would get expensive after a while, don’t you?

Besides, I would miss the natural beauty outdoors….

So, let us continue our walk with my husband and my two twin nephews – Danny and Dean….

My Favorite trees starting to bloom

My Favorite trees starting to bloom

My favorite trees are starting to bloom right now.  Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) is a deciduous tree and from spring through fall, they are covered with beautiful pink flowers.

I have 4 of them in my garden.  They are thornless and are a small to medium sized tree.

starting to bloom

We passed by another kind of my favorite plants, Angelita Daisies (Tetraneuris acaulis).  But, these definitely need a ‘haircut’.  Just grab a bunch of flowers in your hand and clip them back using hand pruners.  Soon, they will be covered with bright yellow flowers.

starting to bloom

Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora) is a wonderful succulent for the garden.  The bottom, looks grass but the leaves are actually succulent.  In spring, gorgeous coral-colored flowers are produced.

Maintenance is super easy.  Just clip back the flowers once they have died.

Here is a closer view of their gorgeous flowers….

gorgeous flowers

Aren’t they beautiful?

My Favorite trees

My Favorite trees

Okay, here is another not so pretty photo.

You can see that this Evergreen Elm tree provides great shade, but the grass does not grow underneath it.  This is a very common problem for grassy areas underneath trees that provide heavy shade such as Pine trees, Carob, etc.

The most common warm-season grass grown in the desert Southwest is bermuda grass, which does not tolerate shade very well.  It need full sun to look its best.

So what can you do?

Unfortunately, there is not a warm-season grass that will grow in heavy shade.  But, you can plant shade-tolerant groundcovers, perennials or even succulents in the area instead such as Agave desmettiana, Autumn Sage, Yellow Bulbine, Santa Barbara Daisy, Justicia spicigera or Bat-faced Cuphea.

Okay, this looks like a whole post in and of itself that I will address sometime in the future in more detail 🙂

So, we were almost at the end of our walk and walking by my front garden and I saw one of my favorite perennial plants…  

Desert Marigold starting to bloom

This Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata) partially hides our water meter, but does not obstruct the meter reader’s ability to look inside.

You want to know something else?  I didn’t plant this Desert Marigold.  It is a volunteer.  Over 11 years ago, I planted two Desert Marigolds in my garden and then let their seed spread naturally.  I have about 7 of them scattered throughout my garden right now.

So, I hope you enjoyed our ‘walk’.

I think Dean enjoyed it more then Danny….who fell asleep 😉

Signs of Spring All Around…..

Noelle Johnson, aka, 'AZ Plant Lady' is a author, horticulturist, and landscape consultant who helps people learn how to create, grow, and maintain beautiful desert gardens that thrive in a hot, dry climate. She does this through her consulting services, her online class Desert Gardening 101, and her monthly membership club, Through the Garden Gate. As she likes to tell desert-dwellers, "Gardening in the desert isn't hard, but it is different."
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Pink-Desert-Willow-flowers-2.jpg 640 480 arizonaplantlady@gmail.com https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/AZ-Plant-Lady-Logo-small.jpg arizonaplantlady@gmail.com2011-05-13 19:33:002021-02-14 09:03:10A Spring Time Walk, Continued….
You might also like
newly-planted landscape Old, Overgrown Plants: Time to Start Over?
desert_willow_flowers_Chilopsis_linearis 10 Beautiful, Native Trees for the Southwest
Blue_Bells_shrub_Eremophila_hygrophana_feathery_cassia_Senna_artemisoides. Revisiting a Newly-Designed Landscape Two Years Later
Flicker_House_yucca_grasses 10 Cold Hardy Succulents That Add Beauty to the Winter Landscape
MonthlyGardenBouquetlantanaleucophyllumTecoma Need a Bouquet? Look No Further Than Your Garden
Drought-Tolerant-Landscape-003 Perennials for a Drought Tolerant Garden & Radio Interview
7 replies
  1. Darla
    Darla says:
    May 12, 2011 at 2:33 pm

    Thanks for the rest of the morning stroll.

  2. Shady Gardener
    Shady Gardener says:
    May 12, 2011 at 4:32 pm

    What a nice morning stroll. You always provide such a nice contrast to what we're experiencing here. 🙂

  3. María José
    María José says:
    May 12, 2011 at 5:42 pm

    Nice pictures!!
    Best regards

  4. Rebecca @ In The Garden
    Rebecca @ In The Garden says:
    May 14, 2011 at 2:27 am

    Gorgeous pics Noelle, I am quite envious of the desert willow! 🙂

  5. debsgarden
    debsgarden says:
    May 14, 2011 at 4:29 am

    The red yucca is amazing! Thanks for the tour; much better than a boring old mall!

  6. María José
    María José says:
    May 14, 2011 at 8:07 pm

    Thanks for your interesting comments that help me to learn something new everyday!
    Best regards!

  7. Unknown
    Unknown says:
    March 14, 2014 at 9:51 pm

    I am so glad to find your delightful blog when searching for RED Yucca. I recently removed my lawn in the fron yard and I am looking for ideas for low maintenance and low water landscapes

Comments are closed.

Get My Free Guide to Gardening in the Desert

You’ll receive helpful tips from me in your inbox. I write these with you in mind to help you succeed in the desert garden. I will never share your information with anyone else, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Privacy Policy

Connect With Me!

  • Amazon
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

noelle-johnson-az-plant-ladyNoelle Johnson: AZ PLANT LADY®

Author, Horticulturist, Landscape Consultant & Lover of Blue Pots

Check out my popular online classes!

Have a Question? Search Past Posts

Want More Tips? Connect with me in my Facebook Group!

 

Shrub Pruning Booklet: Say “No” to ball, square & cupcake-shaped shrubs!

Spiral-bound pruning guide booklet for shrubs

Product of the Month: Leather Gardening Gloves

 

Spring is the busiest time of year for pruning plants. Are your hands ready? A good pair of leather gloves is really important. My Bamllum gloves have a good grip and offer great protection.

 

Amazon Disclosure

AZ Plant Lady, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees.

Privacy & Policy, Disclaimer & Disclosure

 

“…and the desert shall rejoice and blossom.” Isaiah 35:1

© 2008-2025
Noelle Johnson
All Rights Reserved.

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn

Popular Classes and Membership Club

desert gardening 101 class logo

Shop for My Recommended Garden Products:

Sign-Up For My Free Guide to Gardening in the Desert!

I promise not to sell or share your email with anyone ever!

*Please note that I cannot answer individual gardening questions.

Privacy Policy

Order My Newest Book!

The Water-Smart Garden Book

My Award-Winning Book!

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Noelle Johnson, aka, 'AZ Plant Lady' is a author, horticulturist, and landscape consultant who helps people learn how to create, grow, and maintain beautiful desert gardens that thrive in a hot, dry climate. She does this through her consulting services, her online class Desert Gardening 101, and her monthly membership club, Through the Garden Gate. As she likes to tell desert-dwellers, "Gardening in the desert isn't hard, but it is different."

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
© Copyright 2025 - azplantlady.com       Privacy Policy · Disclaimer · Sitemap
  • Link to Facebook
  • Link to Pinterest
  • Link to Instagram
  • Link to Youtube
Link to: A Morning Walk With 2 Special Guests…. Link to: A Morning Walk With 2 Special Guests…. A Morning Walk With 2 Special Guests….my twin nephews Link to: May To-Do List….Are You Ready For Summer? Link to: May To-Do List….Are You Ready For Summer? Low Desert Gardens, Beavertail Prickly Pear and Globe MallowMay To-Do List….Are You Ready For Summer? Scroll to top Scroll to top Scroll to top
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT