The Pitfalls of Improper Pruning: A Tale of Flowering Shrubs Flowering Shrubs need pruning, but how they are pruned makes such a difference. Aren’t these shrubs beautiful? Texas Sage ‘Green Cloud’ (Leucophyllum frutescens ‘Green Cloud’) Texas Sage ‘Green Cloud’ (Leucophyllum frutescens ‘Green Cloud’) Thunder Cloud Sage (Leucophyllum candidum ‘Thunder Cloud’) Thunder Cloud Sage (Leucophyllum candidum […]
Household Cleaners Do you like the idea of using household cleaners that are natural? I do. Especially after I noticed a build-up of ‘blue’ cleaning product in the small crevices of my bathroom counters. So, I decided to focus on using natural cleaners using something straight from my garden – citrus! Did you know that citrus […]
Photo: Landscape No-No Addressing Issues in Landscaping: A Guide to Pruned Shrubs Have you ever driven past a landscape that had some problems with it? As a horticulturist and landscape consultant, my attention diverts whenever I see ‘Landscape No-No’s’ like this one. In this article, we’ll examine a landscape example and highlight the problems it […]
Introduction to a Passion I have had a love affair with roses for over 26 years. It all began when we bought our first house. I was a young mother with two girls who was giddy with the possibilities of having her very own spot of garden to grow roses in. We would take our […]
Revamping Your Backyard Landscape Assessing the Need for Change Do you have parts of your backyard landscape that you would like to change? Perhaps you have areas you like in your garden. There are also plants you are tired of or are struggling to manage. I want to show you what I did in my […]
Elevate Your Culinary Creations with Herb Salt Do you like to use herbs to flavor your favorite dishes? If so, then you’ll want to try herb salt. Unveiling Herb Salts – Nature’s Flavorful Blend So what are herb salts, you may wonder? They are a mix of the herb of your choice combined with kosher […]
Do you love the beauty of bougainvillea? Many of us will agree that bougainvillea is beautiful, but many homeowners hesitate to grow them for a variety of reasons. The most common that I hear is that they get too big and as a result, too messy. Embracing Bougainvillea: Maximizing Beauty while Minimizing Hassle in Containers While both statements […]
Let’s face it. Hot summers are not surprising to desert dwellers. In fact, a typical desert garden with native and desert-adapted plants will weather intense heat with little fuss. However, this summer has been one for the books and I’ve seen signs of heat-stress that I’ve never seen before. And yes, within my own garden. […]
I have a shocking confession to make… Believe it or not, I’m relatively new to growing houseplants. Yep, it’s true. As a horticulturist, I’ve focused my career almost solely on outdoor plants with only the occasional foray into growing a houseplant or two. To be honest, I was almost embarrassed to admit that I didn’t […]
Photo: Roses Feeling The Heat , My Abraham Darby shrub rose and my little dog, Tobey. Challenges of Hot Arid Climates for Roses If you live in a hot arid climate, chances are that your roses are feeling the heat and aren’t looking their best right now. While gardeners in cooler climates celebrate summer with […]
