Vacation At Home: A Contemporary, Low-Maintenance Garden

Agave, Cactus/Succulents, Containers, Garden Travels, Landscape Design, Southwest garden, Southwest Texas garden

Embrace Modern Elegance with a Low Maintenance Garden

Discover the Beauty of B. Jane’s Contemporary Landscape

Is your landscape style more free-form and natural. Or do you embrace a more modern, contemporary kind of garden with straight lines and right angles? On a recent visit to Austin, I had the opportunity to visit the home of landscape designer, B. Jane, which looks as if it came straight from the pages of a magazine with its resort-style design. If you had a garden like this, why leave home? You can vacation at home in a contemporary, low maintenance garden?

A Front Yard Oasis

The front of B.’s garden has a large crepe myrtle. It is located between her two front windows. This helps to frame her view from the house. The flat pads of a prickly pear cactus add rich texture contrast among the softer shapes of perennials.

Stylish Groundcover Choices

An agave nestles between asparagus fern and silver ponyfoot (Dichondra argentea). Both plant are ground covers. I often saw at the gardens in Austin. This plant is a type of Dichondra. I liked it so much. Happily, I brought some home and now have it growing in one of my large containers by the front entry. Silver ponyfoot creeps along the ground. It can be used to trail over the sides of pots as well.

live oak tree (Quercus virginiana) with shady plantings

A Modern Twist with Natural Elements

A live oak tree (Quercus virginiana) is planted in a circular section. Decomposed granite works around the tree. Asparagus fern adds softness around the outer edges, again, creating nice texture contrast.

Striking Pathways and Stone Accents

As I walked toward the backyard, the square step stones caught my eye. The dark grey beach pebbles contrast nicely. This is a great design look.

Simplicity and Beauty in Low Maintenance

As you can see from the potted plants on the patio table, simplicity reigns in this garden. This garden is filled with native or adapted plants. They flourish with little fuss. Low maintenance doesn’t mean that a garden is dull. Often the truth is just the opposite as you will see as we continue on our tour.

Resort-Style Backyard Retreat

A rectangular pool runs along the center of the backyard. Colorful balls reflect the colors used throughout the landscape. This is a brilliant way to draw attention to the colors. A ‘Sticks on Fire’ succulent (Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’) basks in the sun. This is a plant that does beautifully in hot, arid climates.

A Garden Office with a View

Now, we are at the point in the tour where I became seriously envious. This is B.’s office. It is separate from her house. She simply walks by her beautiful pool on her way to work in the morning and enjoys a glorious view of her garden while she works. Have I ever mentioned that I work in my dining room. That is, until my kids leave home and I get my own office (room).

Creative Container Displays

A group of containers filled with a variety of plants including hibiscus, rosemary, and basil. This adds interest to this corner by the pool.

low-maintenance garden with bold plants in Austin, tx

Privacy and Color in the Low Maintenance Garden

Bamboo is used to help provide privacy from neighbors. The shrub roses add a welcome pop of color. It is an unlikely combination that really works.

Low-Maintenance Garden fire hydrant for a dog

A Garden for Every Family Member

Even the dog has its own space in B.’s garden with a patch of grass and his own fire hydrant!

Relax in Style in this Low Maintenance Garden

Isn’t this a lovely low maintenance seating area? I love the splash of red and the bamboo backdrop.

A Contemporary Low Maintenance Garden Oasis

Just the perfect spot to sit with my friend, Teresa Odle. I must admit that I am drawn more toward more naturalistic gardens. I enjoy curves and staggered plantings. My heart does love the contemporary lines of B. Jane’s garden and its resort-like vibe. You can find out more about B. Jane and her creations here.

A Shady, Colorful Garden Personifies The Uniqueness of Austin

Agave, Cactus/Succulents, Containers, Garden Travels, Landscape Design, Southwest garden, Southwest Texas garden

Texas capital Austin sign in front of a blue wall

Exploring Pam Penick’s Shady Colorful Garden in Austin, Texas

I like quirky things that are unexpected and outside the daily ‘normalness’ in our lives. That is why I have fallen in love with the city of Austin, Texas, which prides itself on being “weird.” Another reason this Texas capital city appeals to me is their beautiful gardens and rich gardening culture, and my friend, Pam Penick’s shady, colorful garden personifies the uniqueness that is found throughout Austin.

Meeting Pam Penick and Her Unique Garden for Garden Bloggers Fling

Pam Penick (facing front wearing a hat) greeting garden visitors.

On a recent visit to Austin, I took part in the Garden Bloggers Fling, where garden bloggers from the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain, gather and tour gardens within a particular city. This year’s Fling was held in Austin, and one of the gardens I was most excited to see was Pam’s.

As two long-time bloggers in the Southwest, Pam and I have been friends for several years and I was fortunate to have hosted her in Arizona four years ago, while she was researching for her latest book, “The Water-Saving Garden.” For years, I’ve wanted to visit her garden and now was my chance.

Creative Solutions for Shady Conditions

Pam’s garden flourishes underneath the filtered shade of beautiful oak trees. However, the shade does present some challenges in that there aren’t a lot of colorful plants that will flower in shady conditions. But, Pam expertly works around that obstacle, using her unique design style that she describes as mostly contemporary.

Bringing Color to the Shady Landscape

autumn sage (Salvia greggii) in front of a Whale's Tongue agave

Concentrating flowering plants in the few areas that receive bright sun is one way to add needed color to a shady landscape. Here, the bright colors of this autumn sage (Salvia greggii) contrast beautifully with the blue-gray leaves of a whale’s tongue agave (Agave ovatifolia). While both of these plants flourish in full sun in this Texas garden, they do best with filtered or afternoon shade in the low desert region.

A Splash of Blue in the Garden

Blue balls and agave decorate the front lawn garden bed in this shady colorful garden

When flowering plants are absent, we introduce texture by utilizing spiky agave and yucca plants. We incorporate elements of color into the garden through the inclusion of garden art, exemplified by these blue balls.

Blue containers filled with lovely plants in this Austin, TX shady colorful garden

I love blue pots, and I’ve found a kindred spirit in Pam, who has them scattered throughout her landscape.

A Shady, Colorful Garden Personifies The Uniqueness of Austin

As you walk through the garden, you need to pay attention as Pam adds lovely detail in unexpected places, like this rusted garden art.

Unique Garden Trends: Pocket Planters

There are garden trends that are unique to specific areas of the country, and I found several of what I call, ‘pocket planters’ hanging on walls. Right at eye-level, it is easy to explore the tiny detail of these small containers.

Bamboo Muhly and Dyckia: A Colorful Composition

bamboo muhly (Muhlenbergia dumosa) with a blue metal heart art

Walking along the driveway, toward the backyard, the soft shape of bamboo muhly (Muhlenbergia dumosa) adds a beautiful blue backdrop, and in front, a container filled with Dyckia and a blue heart adds interest.

A sage green garden gate led the way into the backyard.

A potting bench sits along the wall in the side garden where four “Moby Jr.” whale’s tongue agave are planted. They come from Pam’s original “Moby” agave – I have one of the babies growing in my front garden.

Succulent Beauty in Masonry Blocks

Masonry blocks are artfully arranged into a low wall. Each block is rich with a variety of succulents.

Austin TX shady colorful garden swimming pool

The garden sits on a slope. This provides a lovely view from the upper elevation. I love the blue wall that adds a welcome splash of color. It also adds a touch of whimsy with the “Austin” sign.

Shadows and Planters: Adding Colorful Elements

The shadows from an oak tree make delightful patterns along the wall while planters add a nice color element.

Blue Bottle Trees and Unique Ornaments

Gardening in Austin isn’t for wimps. They have to deal with thin soils that lie atop rock. This is quite evident along the back of the garden.

Blue bottle trees in the shady colorful garden

Blue bottle trees are a popular garden ornament throughout the South as well as other areas of the U.S. Here; they serve the same purpose as a flowering vine would.

A Whimsical Touch: Octopus Pots

As I got ready to leave, I walked along the deck that overlooked the pool. Here there are more examples of Pam’s unique garden style. Honestly, I can say that I’ve never seen octopus pots anywhere in my garden travels, until now.

I had a wonderful time exploring this shady oasis and the innovative ways that Pam has introduced colorful elements. Check out her blog, Digging, which is one of my favorites.

Garden Inspiration: Southwest Style

Three Generations of Flowering Agave

Agave, Arizona garden, Cactus/Succulents, Containers, desert gardening, Southwest garden, Succulent Gardening

The Fascinating Process of Flowering Agave

Plants can do some spectacular things, and the dramatic process when agave send up their flowering agave stalk, definitely qualifies. Yesterday, I noticed that my octopus agave (Agave vilmoriniana) had begun to send up its fleshy shoot.

I must confess that I had mixed feelings about it. My first reaction was excitement in getting to view the impressive growth of the fleshy stem and the flowers that will follow. But then, I felt sad that this signaled the beginning of the end for my octopus agave.

A Generational Agave Journey in My Garden

You see, this agave is the ‘grandbaby’ of the first agave that I ever planted, back in the late 1990’s, making three generations of flowering agave in my Arizona garden.

Agave Sibling Growth and Transplanting

Eventually, that agave flowered, and I harvested one of the babies and planted it in a pot. Several years later, that octopus agave went through the same process, and I collected two babies.

Baby octopus agave in a pot Flowering Agave

The two siblings started out growing in a pot, and when they got large enough, I transplanted them out into the garden.

This octopus agave will be Flowering Agave soon

One was planted in a corner but had a short-lived stint in the garden as construction near the wall meant that it had to go.

Preparing for the Next Generation of Flowering Agave

Its sibling did great in its new spot in the front garden when it was planted in 2010, and now it is getting ready for babies.

The tiny baby agave are barely visible, and the stalk will grow several inches a day.

Life Expectancy of an Agave

Octopus agave don’t have a long lifespan and mine average eight years in the ground before they flower. They will grow much more quickly if you irrigate them excessively, so keep watering in check.

In a few months, miniature octopus agave will cover the flowering stalk, which can be easily detached and replanted in the garden. It’s hard to believe that I will be planting the fourth generation of agave in my garden.

*I will keep you updated as it continues to grow and the arrival of baby agave.

Beautiful Agave: A Fourth Generation Begins

December Happenings: Ballet, Sideways Agave, Pumpkins, and Snickerdoodles

Agave, AZ Plant Lady, az plant lady family, Cactus/Succulents, Shrubs

Celebrating the Holiday Season and Family Traditions

A Journey through Downtown and a Special Ballet Performance

The holiday season is a cherished time, characterized by a delicate balance between the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparations and the moments of quiet reflection that are unique to this special time of year. In this regard, I’m delighted to share that this year has brought an unusual sense of accomplishment – I’ve already completed my gift shopping, with every carefully chosen present now meticulously wrapped and arranged under the Christmas tree. Additionally, gifts bound for distant loved ones are on their way, ensuring they will arrive in time to spread the holiday cheer.

Seasonal Joys and Garden Delights

This early completion of the gift list is a first for me, and while it’s a welcome relief, it also carries a touch of disconcertment. It’s as though I’ve checked off everything on my to-do list so swiftly that I’m left with a nagging feeling that I may have overlooked something vital in the midst of this newfound efficiency.

A Magical Outing to The Nutcracker

Last weekend, my mother treated us to an outing to The Nutcracker, by Ballet Arizona and the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra.

We arrived a bit early, which gave us the perfect excuse to walk through the downtown area. Years ago, I worked in a tall office building as a landscape designer, but it had been a long time since I had spent any time there.

Exploring Downtown Phoenix

I was delighted to discover a tall Christmas tree in the center of an ice-skating rink – yes, there is ice-skating in downtown Phoenix.

Walking further on, we saw a unique use of umbrellas as art.

My younger daughters couldn’t figure out why the umbrellas were hanging upside down, but I quite liked the artistic effect.

A row of yellow bell shrubs (Tecoma stans stans) added a welcome splash of lush green and yellow color. While you’ll see them grown as a shrub, here they are pruned into small trees. Underneath is the groundcover yellow dot (Wedelia trilobata).

A Theatrical Delight in Phoenix

inside the Phoenix Symphony Hall at Christmas

Once inside the Phoenix Symphony Hall, we admired the colorful Christmas trees. It was all quite festive, and my daughters were excited to watch their first ballet performance.

My mother and daughter, Gracie.

Although Gracie has autism, and many things cause her acute anxiety, she was doing very well as she had always wanted to see The Nutcracker.

My sister-in-law, daughters, and me!

Family and Ballet Holiday Season Fun

There is one thing about the performance that I haven’t mentioned yet. My cousin’s daughter is one of the dancers in this ballet. She is a ‘snowflake’ in Act 1, and a ‘wildflower’ in Act 2.

This is all I can show you of the stage as photos of the performance aren’t allowed.

It was marvelous, and everyone enjoyed themselves. After the performance, we met my cousin’s daughter at the stage door, (Gracie hoped that she would still have her costume on). She was so happy that we had come to see her performance and I was struck by the fact that all the dancing genes in the family went to her (as well as her mother) – I certainly didn’t get any 😉

Wall Garden Discoveries

chuparosa (Justicia californica), octopus agave (Agave vilmoriniana), and yucca

On our way back to the car, we passed by a striking vertical garden, filled with chuparosa (Justicia californica), octopus agave (Agave vilmoriniana), and yucca. Even though the chuparosa was a bit too overgrown, the overall effect was lovely.

Garden Visitors and Holiday Season Baking

Back home, things are rather quiet in the garden, with one exception:

Garden bird friends eating from a pumpkin

My Halloween pumpkins that I filled with birdseed are still creating quite a buzz with the neighborhood birds. We have had Alber’s towhees, curved bill thrashers, finches, Inca doves, and sparrows come for a visit. It’s been a real treat watching them out the kitchen window. The pumpkins will probably have to be thrown out in another week, but it’s been nice to find a way to reuse them.

The Best Snickerdoodle Recipe Ever

Lastly, we’ve been busy baking cookies for upcoming holiday events as well as to give to friends and neighbors. Snickerdoodles are by far our favorite, and they are so easy to make with ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.

The recipe I use is an old one. I received it at my wedding shower, back in 1986, from a college friend. It has never failed me and cookies are delicious. I’ve had many requests to share it, so here it is:

*Please feel free to print it out and start your own annual Snickerdoodle cookie tradition.

December In The Garden….Sit Back And Relax

Four Days of Garden Gifts: Day 1 – Plants

Agave, Containers, desert gardening, Gift Ideas, indoor gardening, Product Review, Southwest garden

Wrapped gift with pine needles on the gift package

My Favorite List of MUST HAVE Garden Gifts for the Holidays

The holidays are here and if you are like me, you a long list of people to find the perfect gift for. I love plants and gardening. This means I like to look for gifts with a garden theme to give. It’s also a subtle way to drop some hints to help my husband pick out the perfect gift for me.

I’ve created lists of some of my favorite garden gifts. They are split up into different categories, which I will share with you over the next week. Be sure to check back daily. All items can be purchased online. Grab a cup of coffee, let’s get started.

*This blog post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thanks for your support in this way.*

What is gardening without plants? Thankfully, it is easy to order a variety of plants for the gardener in your life. Here are some of my favorites:

1. Beautiful Waxed Amaryllis is a Perfect Garden Gift

I’m starting out with my favorite this year. Imagine a plant that needs no water, fertilizer or any special care? All you need to do is set it by light. Covered in wax, they have all the water and fertilizer needed for them to bloom, which makes them an excellent choice for people with a self-professed ‘black thumb’. Click here to order.

Want to learn more about this pretty, low-maintenance flower? I talk about it in my newest Facebook Live video:

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I’ve heard from several of you that you have seen these for sale at their local grocery and big box stores. They shouldn’t be hard to find if you don’t want to order them online.

David Austin English Rose (Garden Gifts)

2. Garden Gifts from David Austin English Roses

Christmas is the best time to buy a new rose for the garden, ready for being planted in January. David Austin has created a class of roses the couples the beautiful shape and fragrance of the old-fashioned roses with the repeat blooming of more modern roses. Why else should you want to add one of these beauties to your garden? They are disease resistant. These roses are much lower-maintenance. My favorite is ‘Olivia Rose’, which grows in my side garden where I view their pretty pink blossoms from my kitchen window. David Austin roses can be ordered here.

3. Potted Succulents as Houseplants

Dive into the latest gardening craze, which is all about succulents. You don’t need a lot of space to grow your own – just a pot, potting mix, and a pretty little succulent. Imagine how nice this would look on your windowsill. There are a number of potted succulents available. This one with a gold-toned planter is a delight. Click here to order.

4. Grow Air Plants Easily

Create your own little garden world with this kit, that has all you need, including an air plant, moss, rocks and a lovely hanging glass container. Air plants have such unique shapes and are easy to care for. Click here to order.

5. All the Assorted Agave for Indoors or Outdoors

Did you know that there are over 200 species of agave? The different shapes, colors, and sizes mean that there is one (or more) that are right for your garden. You can get a good start on an agave collection. Order this assortment for yourself or divide it up into four separate gifts. Click here to order.

Do you have a favorite plant that you received as a gift? I’d love to hear about it.

Come back tomorrow. I’ll share my picks for garden tools and gear.

10 Fuss-Free Plants for the Summer Garden

Agave, Arizona garden, Cactus/Succulents, California desert garden, desert gardening, Drought Tolerant, Fuss Free Plant, Las Vegas gardening, Nevada garden, New Mexico garden, Shrubs, Southwest garden, Southwest Texas garden, Succulent Gardening

Artichoke agave (Agave parryi ‘truncata’), golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii), and lady’s slipper (Pedilanthus macrocarpus),

Does the idea of having to venture outside, when temperatures are above 100 degrees, to care for your garden have you thinking twice? I must admit that there have been times when I have let the plants in my landscape fend for themselves in summer after setting the irrigation controller. But, there is often a price to pay afterward when you have to play catch up with extra pruning and other maintenance.

There are however many different plants that thrive in summer with little fuss allowing you to enjoy the comforts of your air-conditioned home while viewing your beautiful garden through the windows. Here are some of my favorite fuss free plants for the summer garden.

Mexican Honeysuckle (Justicia spicigera)

Mexican honeysuckle has lush green foliage and produces tubular orange flowers throughout the entire year. They do best in filtered shade and attract hummingbirds. I like to plant them underneath trees such as mesquite or palo verde.

Learn more about Mexican honeysuckle.

Artichoke Agave (Agave parryi ‘truncata’)

Artichoke agave is highly prized for its rosette shape, and it’s easy to see where it got its name. The blue-gray color and maroon edges add great color contrast to the garden when it is placed alongside plants with dark and light-green foliage.

Of course, these are but one species of agave that would make a delightful, fuss-free addition to the summer garden. I also recommend cow’s horn agave (Agave bovicornuta), smooth-edge agave (Agave desmettiana), and Victoria agave (Agave victoria–reginae) to name a few.

‘Summertime Blue’ (Eremophila ‘Summertime Blue’)

‘Summertime Blue’ is a delightful shrub that needs next to no maintenance throughout the year and decorates the garden with its bright green foliage and violet-blue flowers that appear spring through fall. It grows slowly but will reach approximately 6 feet tall and wide. If given enough room, it can go a year (or two) before needing pruning. While you may have to look around for a nursery that carries it, it’s well worth the effort. It is also usually found at the Desert Botanical Garden’s spring and fall plant sales.

Lady’s Slipper (Pedilanthus macrocarpus)

Lady’s Slipper is a uniquely shaped succulent with thornless stems that have a ‘Medusa-like’ growth habit that is more pronounced in light shade. The upright stems add a welcome vertical element to the landscape, and small orange flowers are produced off and on through spring and fall. They can be grown in containers or planted in the ground and do well in full sun or light shade.

Bush Lantana (Lantana camara ‘Radiation’)

Bush lantana is a familiar sight to many who live in arid climates like ours. This species of lantana is slightly different than the trailing gold and purple lantana. It has larger leaves, grows taller, and has multi-colored flowers that vary according to the variety. Bush lantana is a great choice for a colorful summer garden as they are seemingly heat-proof.

Totem Pole ‘Monstrosus’ (Lophocereus schottii ‘Monstrosus’)

Totem pole ‘Monstrosus’ has become quite a popular addition to the desert garden and it’s easy to see why with its knobby shape. Another bonus is that they are almost always thornless, which makes them suitable for areas near entries or patios where a prickly cactus aren’t welcome. Plant in full sun in a row for a contemporary look or place next to a boulder for a more natural appearance.

Learn more about totem pole cactus.

‘Heavenly Cloud’ Texas Sage (Leucophyllum langmaniae ‘Heavenly Cloud’)

‘Heavenly Cloud’ Texas sage is well worth adding to your landscape for its lovely purple blossoms that appear off and on throughout the warm season, often in response to increased humidity. All species of Texas sage do well in summer and can be nearly maintenance-free if allowed enough room to reach their 8 foot tall and wide size as well as left to grow into their natural shape. This particular species blooms more than the more common ‘Green Cloud’ Texas sage.

Golden Barrel Cactus (Echinocactus grusonii)

Golden barrel cactus are wildly popular, and it is easy to see why with the globular shapes and yellow coloring. This cactus is quite versatile, able to grow in both sun and light shade. I like to use it in groups of three next to boulders or in a row. They also do well in containers planted singly or along with other succulents.

Red Bird-of-Paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)

Red bird-of-paradise is one of the most iconic flowering shrubs in the low desert regions of Arizona. Also known as mexican bird-of-paradise and royal poinciana, visitors marvel at their beautiful flowers in shades of orange, yellow, and red. The striking blossoms appear in late spring and last into early fall much to the delight of hummingbirds. There is nothing to do to care for them in summer other than to marvel at their beauty.

Learn more about

red bird-of-paradise

Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora)

Red yucca has the appearance of an ornamental grass, but its leaves are succulent. Coral-colored flowers are borne aloft on tall stalks off and on spring through fall – there is also a yellow variety as well. They look great all year, even when not in flower and are well worth adding to your outdoor space.

Learn more about red yucca.

So if you are tired of having to prune and fertilize plants through summer, I invite you to try one of these 10 fuss-free summer plants.**Do you have a favorite fuss free plants for summer?

A Prickly Mama and Her Babies

Agave, Arizona, Cactus/Succulents, desert gardening, Southwest garden

artichoke agave (Agave parryi ‘truncata’)

Today as I was downloading photos from my phone, this one caught my eye. It is a picture of an artichoke agave (Agave parryi ‘truncata’) along with her babies. For some reason, it spoke to me about family relationships. Some of her tiniest children are venturing a bit too far like our kids do as toddlers when they walk into the street without any fear.

Some of her tiniest children are venturing a bit too far like our kids do as toddlers when they walk into the street without any fear. Then there are those slightly older babies who I like to describe as ‘tweens’ who still enjoy their mother’s protection while looking outward into the world.

Then there are those slightly older babies, nestled under their mother’s protective leaves, who I like to describe as ‘tweens’ who still enjoy their mother’s protection while looking out toward the wonders of the world.

The medium-sized agave baby is the teenager who enjoys the illusion of independence while still being attached to their mother by an underground root – kind of like relying on their parents for allowance, paying for their phone, and driving them where they need to go.

I especially love the largest of the babies and the relationship to its mother as it speaks of my relationship with my two oldest daughters. They are individuals, yet they enjoy being close to their mom and go to her for advice and even enjoy hanging out together.

Black Spine Agave (Agave macroacantha)

Many species of agave propagate themselves by producing ‘pups’, which are attached to the parent plant by an underground stem. These new agave can be removed and replanted elsewhere in the landscape. It’s not hard to do and I wrote about how to do this, which you can read here.

Have you ever replanted an agave baby?

Colorful Container, Before and After, and Valentines

Agave, azplantlady, Cactus/Succulents, Containers, Landscape Problems, Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting, Southwest garden

February is what I like to call a ‘bridge’ month. In regards to work, it is a transition month for me. It is the month between January, when work slows down as it’s cold with not much is growing and March, when the weather is delightfully warm and everybody seemingly wants to redo their landscape. If I could choose the perfect month in terms of work load, it would be February.

Landscape Dilemma ,Colorful Container Before and After Landscape

Last week, I was visiting one of my favorite clients whose landscape has been a work in progress. The backyard was finished last year and now, it was time to pay attention to the front. Of course, I took a few minutes to see how things were doing in the back and my attention was immediately drawn to this colorful container filled with colorful succulents. The orange stems of ‘Sticks on Fire’ Euphorbia adds welcome color to the garden throughout the year while elephant’s food (Portulacaria afra) trails down the side of the pot.

I am a strong proponent of using colorful pots filled with low-maintenance succulents in the garden. Why mess with flowering annuals if you can enjoy vibrant color without the high maintenance?

Full disclosure: I do have a couple of pots filled with petunias, but the vast majority are filled with succulents 😉

Landscape Dilemma

One of the most rewarding parts of my job is assisting my clients with their landscape dilemma. Often, the solution is much simpler than the client imagined. Last fall, I visited this home which had a large, shallow depression that was filled with dying agave. The interesting thing was that there was no obvious reason for its presence as no water drained into it. It definitely wasn’t what the client wanted in this high-profile area.

So what would be a good solution for this area? The client wanted to plant a large saguaro cactus in this area, but didn’t want to add a lot of plants. My recommendation was to get rid of the dying agave and turn the depression into an attractive feature of the garden.

This is what it looks like now. Filling the area with rip-rap rock, adds both a texture and color contrasting element to the landscape. Well-placed boulders with a century plant (Agave americana), Mexican fence post (Stenocereus marginatus), and golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) help to break up the large expanse of the shallow depression with their spiky and globular shapes. Finally, a saguaro cactus was added, which stands sentinel over this renovated area.

One would never imagine that this part of landcape hadn’t been planned this way when it was first planted years ago.

Lastly, February is all about Valentine’s Day. I sent my granddaughter a care package filled with goodies for Valentine’s Day. Dinosaur cards for her classmates, a little craft, a hanging mobile, stickers, and of course chocolates – all with a Valentine theme.

For me, Valentine’s day comes with mostly great memories. As a child, I looked forward to handing out Valentines to my classmates and getting them in return. During teenage years, there was one particularly memorable one when I was 17 years old. My boyfriend didn’t get me anything, however, another boy gave me a card and a flower, which was some consulation. And to finish off that infamous Valentine’s Day, I came down the chicken pox that very day. Guess who also got the chicken pox? The boyfriend who forgot Valentine’s Day. Now, I look forward spending the 14th with the main man in my life, who after 31 years, still makes me feel special.

*What do you do to celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Cactus Flowers Color the Desert Landscape

A Welcome Gift From an Agave and a Friend

Agave, Cactus/Succulents, desert gardening, Southwest garden

The appearance of a package in my mailbox always brightens my day. Sometimes, it is the latest garden product that a company wants me to try out, or new plants to try out in my garden. But, this small box contained three small items that I had long been waiting for.

Whale’s Tongue Agave (Agave ovatifolia)

For those of you who have followed my blog for awhile, you know that agave are my favorite type of succulent. I love the beauty of their fleshy leaves arranged in rosette patterns with their pointy tips and finely toothed edges.

Two Whale’s Tongue Agave (Agave ovatifolia)

My friend and fellow blogger, Pam Penick, also knows how much I love agave. So, when her whale’s tongue agave (named ‘Moby’, after the book Moby Dick) flowered earlier this year in her Austin, Texas garden, she kindly gifted me with three of Moby’s offspring.

The three baby agave, which arrived a week ago, came from an agave that is well known throughout the garden blogger community. Pam’s agave was the focal point of her backyard and appeared in many of her blog posts.

I must admit that I fell in love with whale’s tongue agave after seeing ‘Moby’. The leaves of this agave has a unique shape with a concave dip that makes the leaves resemble the tongue of a whale. I would often stop and take pictures whenever I saw one while working and began to incorporate into my landscape designs.

Three ‘Moby’ Juniors

Pam began to chronicle the beginning of the end of Moby’s life as it began to flower and at the end, she harvested the tiny bulbils (agave babies) from the flowering stalk.

I was so honored when she emailed me to tell me that she had reserved three little ‘Moby Juniors’ for me. I’ve been anxiously awaiting their arrival and now they are finally here!

Right now, they are re-hydrating for a day or two until I get organized and get them planted. I have a few spots in mind for them in the garden. While they can grow in full sun in Texas, whale’s tongue agave does best in filtered shade or morning sun in Arizona gardens. I’ll probably plant them underneath the shade of my palo verde trees.

I am so grateful for this special gift of agave and look forward to seeing the beauty of three Moby Juniors grace my Arizona garden.

Beautiful Agave: How to Grow and Use It In Your Landscape

Made in the Shade: Gray-Foliage and Spiky Plants

Agave, desert gardening, Uncategorized

Do you visit your local botanical garden?

I try to make it to my local garden at least 2 – 3 times a year, which just happens to be the world-renown, Desert Botanical Garden.

Last week, I visited twice – once for their spring plant sale and again with my kids. Spring break is a great time to visit when the garden is in full bloom. The kids were excited to go, so we made the 30 minute trip.

Made in the Shade: Gray-Foliage and Spiky Plants

I must admit that they were getting a little cabin fever over their spring break. The problem is that spring is my busiest time of year for landscape consultations (spring for a horticulturist is like tax season for an accountant), so we can’t go out of town. So, we try to carve out outings throughout the week.

The kids enjoy visiting the garden and one thing that we like about visiting the garden several times a year, is that it never looks the same. Each season brings a different look as different plants take center stage as they flower or show off their foliage.

Gray-Foliage and Spiky Plants

One part of the garden that really caught my eye was a bed filled with plants with gray foliage interspersed with spiky plants.

As you can see, there are layers of plants in this area, most of which have fine-textured, gray foliage. They are interspersed with greener spiky succulents for a great color and texture contrast.

In this area, the garden enjoyed filtered shade from a Texas honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), including the aloe vera in the background.

The feathery foliage of artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ filled the back spaces of the garden. This is a great choice for gray-blue color in the garden. It appreciates filtered shade in the Arizona desert.

The spiky plants in the center are two young yucca – I’m not sure of the species (I must confess that I’m not a fan of yucca, but I’m in the minority). Young yucca are often mistaken for agave.

At the base of the yucca was moss verbena (Glandularia tenuisecta formerly Verbena tenuisecta). I love the carefree nature of this trailing ground cover with its purple flowers and bright green foliage.

Caribbean agave (Agave angustifolia 'Marginata'), lavender cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus) and the small black-spined agave (Agave macroacantha)

The next section of the garden was filled with Caribbean agave (Agave angustifolia ‘Marginata’), lavender cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus) and the small black-spined agave (Agave macroacantha) in the front.

Along the side of this garden bed were Agave ocahui, which is a nice small agave that looks great in this staggered arrangement.

These were just a few of the beautiful plants that have gray-toned foliage that we saw that day. Introducing the plants with shades of gray that range from green to blue tones of gray, create a cooling effect and contrast nicely with the darker greens in the landscape.

Next time we will look at some of my favorite plants with shades of gray.

******************************

For now, I need to get my 3 youngest kids ready for school, which starts tomorrow. Just 2 more months until summer!

On another note, my second-oldest daughter, Rachele, returns to work after 2 months off for maternity leave. I remember how hard it was to go back to work after she was born – especially those first 2 weeks.

Rachele and baby Eric are back on her Navy base and I can’t wait to go and visit them in a few weeks!

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