Embracing the Desert Garden in Fall Fall is my favorite time of year in the desert garden for two main reasons. First, fall signals the beginning of the holiday season. And yes, I am one of those people who decorate for Christmas early. Thanksgiving dinner at my house is celebrated with a fully decorated tree […]
Understanding the Mystery of Dead Plants I’m pretty sure I know the answer to the dead plant mystery. We have all likely experienced the death of a plant in our garden, and even though I am a horticulturist, I’m not immune. Sometimes, plants die in my garden too. The Perplexing Case of ‘Blue Bells’ Emu […]
The Common Name Conundrum Isn’t this a pretty shrub? I saw this flowering beauty at a client’s home. Now, when you see a plant that you like in a friend or neighbor’s yard, you probably ask them what it’s called. My client was very proud of her shrub and called it Firecracker Bush. The problem […]
Mishaps in the Garden: Dealing with Unexpected Plant Problems The Unpredictable Nature of Gardening In a perfect world, everything runs smoothly with no unexpected problems, and while you may not know what the future holds, it’s always positive. But, you know that isn’t how life works and this is certainly true in the desert garden. […]
Do you enjoy the summer heat? I’m going record to state that I’m not a huge fan. I prefer to endure the intense heat indoors in the comfort of air-conditioning. However, the plants in my garden don’t have that option. They are stuck outside no matter how hot it gets. I always feel sad when […]
The dog days of summer… By the time midpoint of summer heat arrives, I am firmly in ‘summer hibernation’ mode. I have past all the garden needs in hot early summer and moved on to trying to find a cool spot with a nice glass of lemonade. Why Summer Hibernation Mode in the Desert While […]
Embracing the Desert Heat: Landscaping with Desert-Adapted Plants Surviving the Summer Scorch with Desert Adapted Plants Let’s face it…summer can be brutal. I tend to spend as little time outdoors as possible when temperatures soar above normal ranges. It’s times like this that I praise the inventor of air-conditioning. While we can escape record-breaking temperatures, […]
Transforming Your Bare Block Wall: Exploring Decorative Options Enhancing Your Outdoor Space Do you need decorative block wall options for a bare block wall surrounding your backyard? If your residence is located in California or the Southwest, the chances are high that you have encountered this common architectural feature. Although these walls are known for […]
Have you ever had a big secret that you were dying to tell? The Big Reveal: My New Dry Climate Gardening Book Well, I have been keeping a lid on a big project that has consumed most of my time over the past year and now I can finally spill the beans to you… I […]
Navigating the Hot Early Summer in Your Desert Garden The Scorching Reality of Early Summer I don’t need to tell you that early summer desert garden is hot. In mid-June, we typically experience several days of extreme heat. I have many people who ask me what garden tasks CAN they do in their garden right […]
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