… you rejoice when it rains! It sounds crazy, I know, but it is absolutely true. Our weather is usually sunny and beautiful the majority of the year. Now don’t get me wrong, we do love our sunny days, but sometimes we yearn for something different. This week we are in for wet and rainy […]
This may come as a shock to some of you….but, it does get cold in the desert. Tonight’s temperatures are dropping to the low 30’s, which for us desert dwellers is cold. Below, is a sampling of how winter looks in the desert. I was surprised when I moved here from Southern California, that is […]
Chinese dragons Who would expect to find dragons in the garden? Well these two Chinese dragons look quite at home in the park gardens. When I first visited China, I fell in love with the beautiful landscaping that I found everywhere. However, I also found some interesting anomalies as well which I will share along […]
Want beautiful foliage, spectacular flowers all packaged up in a tree that blooms in fall and winter? Well, let me introduce you to a medium -sized tree with a funny name: Cascalote (Caesalpinia cacalaco). I love this medium-sized tree with it’s circular leaves, textured bark and winter flowers. Native to Mexico, Cascalote produces beautiful yellow […]
Artichoke Agave (Agave parryi ‘truncata’) Our society usually doesn’t equate beauty with age. Instead, we celebrate youthful beauty and spend our money on trying to stay looking younger than our years. Thankfully, in the world of plants, maturity is something to be celebrated. In the case of the agave, age equals beauty. A leaf of […]
Unveiling the Mysteries of Cactus Skeletons in the Desert When you think of a desert, you likely picture vast stretches of sand, scorching sun, and towering cacti. These iconic desert plants, such as the saguaro cactus, play a crucial role in the ecosystem and are known for their remarkable resilience in arid environments. However, have […]
Okay, you were probably thinking that I meant the ‘other’ type of grass. But the type of grass I am referring to cannot be smoked, (at least I don’t think it can). ‘Regal Mist’ (Muhlenbergia capillaris ‘Regal Mist’), is a beautiful ornamental grass to include in your landscape. It is low-maintenance, thrives almost anywhere and […]
Sometimes when I am driving around, I see a poorly pruned tree or shrub, and I just cringe. It never ceases to amaze me the crazy ways that people take care of their plants. Whenever I see plants like this, I whip out my camera and quickly take a photo and then drive away before […]
As most would expect, water is considered a precious resource in the desert. But, did you know that there are more plant problems caused due to over-watering then under-watering? Believe it or not, it is true. Most people are surprised to hear that up to 70% of residential water usage goes to watering trees and […]
I want to share with you three amazing plants that I encountered on Saturday, each with pink flowers, yet each one so different from the other. I spent the afternoon at the Arboretum at Arizona State University (my alma mater). Many people are surprised to find out that they have a wonderful arboretum that encompasses […]
