A few weeks ago, I was asked by one of my editors to come up with a list of the top 10 plants that every resident of the Southwest should consider adding to their Southwestern landscape.
I must admit that the task was a bit daunting at first – not because I couldn’t think of enough plants. The problem was that my list was much larger.
How Easy is it to Find Native Southwestern Landscape Plants at a Local Nursery?
I had to pare my list down and decided to focus on plants that would grow in zones 7 – 10, which cover much of the desert Southwest. In addition, they had to be low-maintenance, native, beautiful and easy to grow.
After considering all of the criteria, I still had about 20 plants. So, I added one other criteria of my own – how easy is it to find at your local nursery?
At the end, I had 10 plants that I was very happy with – but I could have easily added a lot more 😉
I hope you enjoy reading through this list of 10 essential plants for the desert Southwest.
Flourishing Amidst Adversity: 10 Resilient Plants in the Southwestern Landscape
The desert Southwest is a region of extremes, with scorching summer heat and chilling winter temperatures that challenge even the most robust flora. Yet, in the face of such harsh conditions, these native plants not only survive but thrive. Equipped with remarkable adaptations, these tenacious species call the arid landscapes of the U.S. Southwest their home.
Enduring the relentless dry heat and enduring the freezing winter cold, they serve as a testament to nature’s resilience. Beyond their endurance, these plants play a vital role in the ecosystem, providing nectar for birds and bees, and shelter for native bird species. Every one of these drought-resistant plants contributes to the desert’s beauty.
Embracing the Sun: Essential Care Tips for Desert Native Plants
To cultivate a thriving desert garden, sunlight is key. Native desert plants require full sun, although some tolerate partial shade for a portion of the day. Optimal growth is achieved through deep, infrequent watering and well-drained soil.
Allow water to penetrate down to 1½ to 2 feet deep, ensuring the soil dries out before rewatering. For irrigation efficiency, drip systems are recommended. While new plants need more water until established, these desert natives rarely require additional fertilization.
1. Damianita (Chrysactinia mexicana): Thriving Delicacy of the Chihuahuan Desert
Delicate Flowers: The Charming Resilience of Damianita
Enduring the fiery extremes of the Chihuahuan desert, Damianita (Chrysactinia mexicana) emerges as a hardy and enchanting yellow ground cover (see above). Flourishing under full, reflected sun, this seemingly delicate plant showcases dark green, aromatic foliage, which undergoes a stunning transformation with the arrival of spring and fall.
Golden yellow flowers blanket the plant, adding a vibrant contrast to the arid landscape. Flourishing in well-drained soil, Damianita harmoniously complements the red flowers of firecracker penstemon and Valentine bush, as well as the purple blooms of desert ruellia.
2. Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatonii): Painting Winter with Vibrant Hues
A Symphony of Color: Firecracker Penstemon’s Winter Splendor
In the midst of winter’s muted tones, the firecracker penstemon (Penstemon eatonii) ignites low-desert gardens with bursts of orange-red brilliance. Serving as a beacon of color during the colder months, this drought-tolerant perennial offers vital nectar for hummingbirds in winter scarcity.
Adaptable to cold winters and scorching summers, firecracker penstemon’s vibrant presence is enhanced when paired with complementary yellow-flowering perennials. Angelita daisy, damianita, and desert marigold join forces in a chromatic display, thriving under full sun or partial shade in well-drained soil.
3. Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens): A Dance of Life in Arid Lands
Nature’s Hummingbird Feeder: Ocotillo is a Migrating Hummingbird’s Favorite
Stretching towards the desert sky, ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) graces the Southwestern landscape with its elegant canes. Unique among shrubs, ocotillo’s canes burst forth with lush green leaves in response to rain showers and humidity, contrasting the arid surroundings (see photo right).
Vermilion-colored flowers crown the canes in spring, offering a lifeline to migrating hummingbirds. These vibrant blooms stand as a testament to ocotillo’s resilience and unwavering commitment to the desert ecosystem. A sun-soaked habitat is essential for this desert shrub’s growth.
4. Parry’s Agave (Agave parryi): Desert Elegance in Every Form
Sculpted Beauty: Parry’s Agave’s Role in Desert Aesthetics
Adorning the arid landscapes of central Arizona and New Mexico, Parry’s agave (Agave parryi) stands as a quintessential element of Southwestern scenery. Ranging from majestic giants to diminutive varieties, agaves exhibit a wide array of forms.
Parry’s agave, with its medium stature and captivating leaf shapes and colors, thrives in a spectrum of environments. Its resilience to colder temperatures and ability to thrive in sun-soaked spaces make it a preferred choice for desert landscaping.
5. Texas Ranger (Leucophyllum frutescens): The Majesty of Purple Blossoms
Nature’s Artist: Texas Ranger’s Purple Symphony
Residing in the heart of the Southwestern desert, the Texas Ranger (Leucophyllum frutescens) commands attention with its awe-inspiring purple blooms. Aptly known as the barometer bush, it responds to humidity and rainfall, painting the landscape with its vibrant hues in response.
Even without its dramatic blossoms, the evergreen gray-green foliage of the Texas Ranger exudes an intrinsic charm. This resilient shrub’s ability to thrive under the unrelenting sun and reflected heat underscores its stature as a true desert gem.
6. Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis): Nature’s Respite in Summer
Shade of Summer: Desert Willow’s Cooling Elegance
Amidst the scorching summer of the southwestern landscape, the desert willow (Chilopsis linearis) emerges as a refreshing oasis. This medium-sized deciduous tree enchants with its large, colorful blossoms that beckon hummingbirds from far and wide. (See the flowers in the image right)
Its vibrant pink and magenta flowers offer dappled shade to the plants below, providing relief from the desert’s intensity. Versatile and thornless, the desert willow thrives in smaller spaces, making it a charming addition to courtyards and patios.
7. Pink Muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris): A Fall Color Explosion
Autumn’s Blush: Pink Muhly’s Dance of Color
The transition to fall heralds a breathtaking transformation as pink muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris) takes the stage. Ornamental grasses provide texture and contrast in the landscape, and pink muhly stands out for its vibrant fall display.
As summer yields to autumn, the green foliage is adorned with plumes of pinkish-burgundy, casting a rosy enchantment over the surroundings. This ornamental grass thrives in the desert’s abundant sunlight and can be artfully clustered for a striking visual impact.
8. Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora): Sun-Kissed Elegance
A Desert Gem: Red Yucca’s Sunlit Splendor
Thriving under the full, reflected sun of the desert, the red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora) stands as a beacon of effortless beauty. Its succulent leaves bear a resemblance to ornamental grass, while spikes of coral-colored flowers grace the landscape in spring and early summer.
Adding a touch of elegance, the red yucca effortlessly weaves color and texture into the Southwestern tapestry, undeterred by the region’s demanding climate.
9. Santa Rita Prickly Pear (Opuntia violaceae santa-rita): A Desert Icon
Nature’s Palette: Santa Rita Prickly Pear is a Must-Have for Shape and Design
The Southwestern landscape would be incomplete without the iconic presence of prickly pears. Among them, the Santa Rita prickly pear (Opuntia violaceae santa-rita) stands out with its captivating purple-tinged gray-blue pads.
Adapting its hue in response to drought and cold, it is a testament to nature’s artistry. Against this unique backdrop, yellow flowers burst forth in spring, amplifying the species’ beauty. Its distinctive appearance makes it a valuable choice for creating visual contrast in the garden.
10. Yellow Bells (Tecoma stans): A Long-Lasting Serenade
Golden Harmonies: Yellow Bells’ Melodic Bloom
Elevating the desert landscape with a touch of the exotic, yellow bells (Tecoma stans) exude a tropical charm. Their large, trumpet-shaped flowers bring shades of yellow to the arid backdrop, evoking a sense of warmth.
In a captivating display, these flowers bloom from the end of winter until just before the first frost, a resounding chorus of color for an extended period. Serving as a vital nectar source, yellow bells enrich the desert ecosystem, inviting hummingbirds and bees to partake in its golden bounty.
Plant These Native Plants in the Southwestern Landscape
The desert Southwestern landscape may present challenges, but these ten top native plants have evolved to not only endure but flourish amidst adversity. With adaptations that defy the elements, these species contribute to the intricate web of life in the desert, adding splashes of color and life to the arid landscape.
By embracing these resilient beauties, gardeners can cultivate oases of natural wonder in even the most unforgiving of terrains.
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Do you live in an area that has been affected by drought?
You may be surprised at the answer. Periods of drought aren’t uncommon for those of us who live in the Western United States, but more recently drought has expanded to some other areas that may surprise you.
Drought tolerant gardening is rapidly becoming a very popular way to garden. Contrary to what some people may think, drought tolerant gardens are low-maintenance, easy to care for, use far less resources and can be beautiful.
Photo: Agave, mesquite and salvias.
Drought tolerant gardens are a great choice for any landscape because they are much more self-sufficient and sustainable than other landscapes. Even if drought has not affected your area, that doesn’t mean that it won’t in the future.
*This week, I will be doing a series of radio interviews about drought tolerant gardening for radio stations in Oregon, Texas and Alabama.
I must admit to being a little nervous since I have not done a radio interview before and I have four to do this week. I think that it should be easier than being on TV since I don’t have to worry about what I’m wearing or if my hair is messed up 😉
Photo: Agave, saguaro, wildflowers and yucca.
No matter if you live in California where many areas are experiencing exceptional drought, the Southwest or wherever you live, the principles of drought tolerant gardening are the same.
Photo: Landscape filled with drought tolerant plants and limited amount of grass.
I recently shared 10 tips for drought tolerant gardens in an article for Birds & Blooms where I serve as the garden blogger, which you can read here.
Whether you implement 1 or all of the 10 tips, you will be increasing the sustainability of your landscape.
I encourage you to take a little time to read the 10 tips and then come back later this week, when I will share with some of my favorite drought tolerant plants.
Wish me luck on my first radio interview tomorrow. I’ll let you know how it goes…
**********************
For more information on drought tolerant gardening, click here.
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Have you ever seen shrubs that have been planted too closely together?
At first glance, it looks like the new plants in the landscape above fit just fine into this area.
But, what if I told you that those small shrubs grow 6 feet high and wide at maturity?
As they grow, out come the hedge trimmers, and over-pruned, ugly shrubs are the result.
Unfortunately, this is a problem that has reached almost epidemic proportions in areas throughout the Southwest.
Why else would people prune beautiful flowering shrubs into something that resembles anonymous, green blobs?
The good news is that you can avoid this from happening in your landscape. Even if you currently have overcrowded shrubs, you can solve the problem by choosing the right size of flowering shrubs for the space available.
I recently wrote an article for Houzz.com on how to avoid overcrowded and the resulting over-pruning…
I hope that you find this article helpful – I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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The dog days of summer have arrived, which means that I spend most of my time indoors. So, I spend time on my garden writing, knitting, trying new recipes and catching up on reading some great books. I also decided to tackle my photo library. It is very large and filled with gardening photos, covering everything from close-ups of favorite blossoms, unique containers, DIY projects, vegetable gardening and pictures taken of the beautiful Southwest.
Over the next few weeks, I won’t be doing a lot of gardening outdoors, (if I can help it), so I thought that I would share with you some of my favorite pictures, grouped by subject.
This week, I would like to share with you some of my favorite close-up photos of flowers.
So, to start it off, here is a photograph from one of my most popular blog posts…
I took this picture on the Arizona State University campus some years ago.
You can learn more about this vine and why it does so well in low-desert gardens, here.
I hope you come back tomorrow for my next close-up flower photo AND I will be announcing the winner of the giveaway for one of my favorite gardening books, “Hellstrip Gardening”.
Life has been quite busy, which has kept me out of the garden much of the time.
Of course, the with the hot temperatures of summer, I probably wouldn’t be spending a lot of time outdoors, regardless of how busy I have been.
I did spend some time weeding my vegetable garden last week and checking on how large my white pumpkin is growing. However, that will probably be that last time that I do any work there for at least a week.
When I look back at the past 5 weeks, I realize how little I have been in my garden, which makes me grateful that I have a landscape filled with beautiful, fuss-free plants.
My second-oldest daughter, Rachele, surprised her brother by coming home for his birthday in late May.
Rachele is in the Navy and is stationed in California. She enjoys what she does there, but I don’t get to see her near enough.
Enjoying Mackinac Island
The beginning of June, I embarked upon a road trip through the upper midwest with my mother (our fourth road trip).
A week after returning from our road trip, I hit the road again with my family on our annual sojourn to the cool pines of Williams, Arizona. A bonus was that my daughter Rachele was able to come back out and come with us!
My sister, me and my granddaughter, Lily.
Along with my sisters, brother and their families, we all have a great time staying in several small cabins nestled into the woods.
I had a great time with my kids, sisters and my granddaughter, Lily.
My son, Kai
My daughter, Gracie
We spent time strolling along Route 66 and enjoying ice-cream at our favorite restaurant, Twisters in Williams. Nights were filled with board games including a particularly competitive game of Scrabble between me and my son-in-law – he won 🙁
Today, I confess to feeling a bit glum. Rachele left today after spending 2 wonderful weeks at home.
Monsoon Season – Kai with his niece, Lily.
Tomorrow, my son Kai goes in for another surgery. This will be his 8th or 9th (I’ve lost count) surgery overall.
However, unlike most of his previous surgeries, this one won’t be for his hip – it will be done on his left hand. The doctor will be fusing his thumb joint and performing a tendon replacement.
We are hoping that the recovery from this surgery won’t be as difficult as those experienced after hip surgeries that leave him wheel-chair bound for weeks.
Kai will have to wear a cast for several weeks though. But, he is a tough kid and it is likely that this surgery will be a piece of cake compared to most of his previous surgeries.
You can read more about Kai and his remarkable story, here, if you like.
My garden should do just fine without me for a while. It has been enjoying the arrival of our monsoon season and the increased humidity.
I hope you are enjoying your summer. I’d love to hear about what you have been doing!
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As we left our hotel, we were faced by roads under construction.
Summer is the time for all road construction throughout the midwest because cold, wintery conditions are not conducive to construction.
Once we arrived at the gardens, we were greeted by the sight of containers filled with a combination of edible and ornamental plants.
I love how the blue of the lobelia contrasts with the bright green of the parsley and ‘Red Sail’ lettuce.
Cabbage is one of my favorite edible plants to add to containers.
All of these edible plants can be grown in pots in my southwestern garden, but are planted in fall, not spring like in Wisconsin.
During this trip, we have visited three botanical gardens and have not spent one dime on admission fees.
Why?
Most major botanical gardens have a reciprocal admissions if you belong as long as you are a member of your local botanical garden and they are part of the reciprocal program.
At first glance, the gardens were beautiful and I couldn’t wait to start exploring.
The gardens have bee hives located in out of the way areas, which are filled with Italian bees that are said to be rather docile.
The bees play an important part in pollinating the flowering plants throughout the gardens. The honey that is sometimes sold in the garden gift store.
The individual gardens are spaced around ‘The Great Lawn’ which is a large circular grass area where concerts are held.
The first garden I explored was the ‘Meadow Garden’. This garden is sustainable and very low-maintenance.
It is filled with drought-tolerant grasses along with wildflowers and flowering bulbs. What I really liked about the garden is that it does not need supplemental water or fertilizer.
Maintenance is limited to mowing twice a year.
What I didn’t like about the garden, was the mosquitos. But, I came prepared and they mostly left me alone.
Walking on, I wanted to explore the herb garden because they play a huge part in my own garden.
The entry to the herb garden is quite formal. Boxwood hedges border the center garden area.
Edible plants combine with ornamentals for beautiful container plantings.
I love flowering chives and how they used them as a border.
Varieties of mint and thyme were nicely displayed and the herb garden also had herbs used for dyes.
*The brown plants in the background are recovering from the severe winter with new green growth slowly coming back.
This bed of flowering annuals was completed edged in flowering chives.
A Thai pavilion dominated the center of the Thai garden, which brought back memories for my mother who spent a few months in Thailand as a young woman.
While tropical plants cannot survive a midwest winter – the plants used in this area had a tropical appearance with large leaves while also being cold-hardy.
The bridge that connects the Thai Garden to the rest of the garden, crosses over Starkweather Creek, which bisects the garden.
People can canoe or kayak up 5 miles from this side of the bridge.
Boats can dock on the other side of the bridge and the creek leads out to Lake Monona.
This area is called the Sunken Garden, which is gently sloped so that rainwater flows toward the lake.
The formal water feature was flanked by two container plantings, which were quite contemporary in style.
The pond had beautiful yellow and purple flowering Japanese iris.
Vines were used in different ways throughout the garden.
A tree provided needed support for a clematis vine with its maroon flowers.
Years ago, I tried growing clematis in our first home. It did grow, but never flowered. I learned later that it gets too hot in the desert for clematis.
Another clematis was flowering next to a beautiful host underneath a tree.
I love pink flowers, don’t you?
Wisteria was growing up on arbors and I never tire of viewing their lovely flowers and inhaling their heavenly fragrance.
The vision of a rose climbing upward always makes me want to go home and grow one up the side of my house.
Have you ever heard of ‘Paper Birch’ trees?
Their bark peels off in perfect sheets that is sometimes used to wrap around decorative candles.
I have always had a special place in my heart for birch trees. Growing up in a Los Angeles suburb, we had three growing in our front yard. I have always loved their white bark and bright-green leaves.
Underneath these birch trees was an interesting ornamental grass called dormitor quaking sedge (Carex brizoides). I like how it lays down making it look like green waves underneath the trees.
Walking near the Perennial Garden, I spotted a blue-flowering plant that looked rather familiar.
It turned out to be a blue-flowering variety of autumn sage (Salvia greggii), ‘Blue Note’.
Can you imagine how patriotic a planting of red, white and blue autumn sage plants would look?
Here is another lovely edible, ornamental container that caught my eye, using kale.
Don’t you just want to sit down and relax in this area?
Pale-pink bee balm (Monarda species)was the only flower in this area of the garden, but it was more then enough alongside the ornamental grasses.
Sometimes less is more.
Walking on a paved area, I saw a planting of perennials right in the middle.
Interestingly, there was no border or any clearly delineated space. Just an opening without pavers where plants seemingly come up in the middle of a sea of pavers.
I kind of like this idea. How about you?
If you have been reading my road trip posts, then you have probably noticed my obsession with peonies, which don’t grow in the desert.
Wherever we go, I see shrubs covered with gorgeous blooms.
Well, Olbrich Gardens were no exception.
I must have taken over 100 photos of all the different blooming peony varieties that they had.
From a distance, peonies resemble bushes filled with roses.
However, once you get closer, you notice the the leaves have a different shape and so do the unopened blossoms, which are shaped into balls.
Their petals tend to be more ruffled then roses.
And, their blossoms are huge!
We spent a lovely morning in the gardens, but it was time to hit the road for our next destination.
On my way out, I noticed an outdoor eating area with centerpieces made from plants that I was quite familiar with…
(Agave americana var. medio picta) was the center point of numerous succulent containers.
It wasn’t unusual to see succulent plants in many of the gardens we visited. While they do fine in the summer months, they need to be brought indoors and protected during the cold months of the year.
After taking 334 pictures of the gardens (seriously), it was time to hit the road.
Whenever possible, we try to stay off of main highways and focus on using smaller highways that run through small towns and countryside.
The Wisconsin countryside is green. I mean really green!
Dairy farms dotted the landscape along with beautiful scenery. We thoroughly enjoyed our journey.
Tomorrow, we spend time along the towns by the Mississippi River before heading toward Minnesota Amish country.
**I wanted to thank those of you who have left such wonderful comments. I appreciate them so much!
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Yesterday, I mentioned the different ways that the residents of Green Bay honor their football team. Today, as we got ready to leave, we saw a couple more signs of fervent fans.
The breakfast room at the hotel was filled with people wearing Packer football shirts. There was a young boy, about 10 years old, who had prosthetic legs decorated with Green Bay Packer stickers.
Driving through Green Bay, we also noticed that the trash cans in front of people’s homes were green and yellow. Green Bay, Wisconsin is the smallest city that has an NFL team and the residents are very proud of their football team.
We left Green Bay and made our way north to Door County, which is a narrow peninsula that rises above Green Bay. It is dotted with small towns, orchards, dairies and fishing villages.
We spent the morning in Sturgeon Bay visiting the local farmers/craft market and the local museum’s rummage sale.
Have you ever heard of cheese curds? Friends of mine who have visited Wisconsin before, have told me to try cheese curds, which are chunks of solid cheese, which forms from the whey during the cheese-making process. Once the curds form, they are pressed into molds to form cheese.
In the midwest, cheese curds are a popular snack. It is said that they ‘squeak’ when you eat them. To be honest, I wasn’t sure I wanted to eat something that squeaks. But, this has been a road trip of ‘firsts’ so I bought some curds at the farmers market.
We spent the afternoon driving south toward Madison, Wisconsin just in time to watch the horse race on television. Sadly, our favorite, California Chrome, did not win, but we did enjoy a simple dinner of food bought at the farmers market earlier today.
A fresh baguette, cheese curds and carrots make a great dinner while watching the Belmont Stakes horse race.
And yes, the cheese curds do ‘squeak’, but they are delicious!
Tomorrow, we are off to explore and I promise to take lots of pictures!
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When friends heard that I was going to Michigan, every single one of them told me that I must go to Mackinac Island.
To be honest, I was somewhat skeptical of whether or not I would like Mackinac Island. I tend to not enjoy what some people would call ‘tourist traps’.
I was hopeful that Mackinac Island would be someplace that I would enjoy. So far, our trip has been filled with fun adventures including a wine tasting and climbing a lighthouse yesterday.
So, we got up this morning, drove to the ferry and took it out to the island – about 20 minutes.
Along the way, our ferry passed underneath the Mackinac Bridge, which is the 3rd largest suspension bridge in the world and spans 5 miles. It is designed to move up to 35 feet in windy conditions – kind of scary sounding to me.
Later in the day, we would cross this bridge by bar, as it connects lower Michigan with the Upper Peninsula and our next destination.
On our way to the Mackinac Island, we passed a smaller island where the Round Island Lighthouse stood sentinel.
I am rapidly becoming a fan of lighthouses!
We started nearing the island and could see the buildings, including a picturesque church and its steeple.
*Pardon the photo quality – I had to take them through the window of the boat.
Our boat landed and we disembarked, anxious to explore the island.
The main street is flanked by Victorian-style buildings filled with shops, restaurants AND stores offering all types of fudge.
Fudge is a really big deal in Mackinac Island. In fact, the people who live on this island refer to the tourists as “fudgies”.
There are over 17 different stores that sell fudge on the island.
*We stopped at one and I picked up 1 1/2 pounds of fudge. I know that is an obscene amount of fudge, but it is easy to get carried away when you read all of the different varieties while the fragrance of fudge is wafting through the air. To justify my large purchase, I bought a 1/2 pound of peanut butter fudge for my husband and a 1/2 pound of regular chocolate for my kids. I’m reserving the toffee fudge for myself.
For those of you not familiar with Mackinac Island, there are no motorized vehicles allowed on the island. So, everything is brought in by horse or bicycle, whether it is wine or…
Plants!
Just 3 weeks, there was still snow in parts of the island, so the planting season is just getting underway.
It was so interesting seeing plants being hauled in by horse and by…
Bicycle!
Other items we saw being brought in by horses included boxed groceries from the mainland, furniture, merchandise for the stores – basically anything that motorized vehicles deliver to us regular folks.
Even the police rely on getting around on bikes, but they do have a police car they can use in case of emergency.
Firetrucks and ambulances are also allowed to drive the streets of the island.
Having so many horses around, delivering goods and moving people about makes a certain dirty job a necessity…
The next time my son complains about having to scoop up the dog poop in our backyard, I will point that he has it easy compared to this guy.
We enjoyed browsing through the shops along the main street and I found some gifts for my kids.
I didn’t see any store or restaurant chains except for Starbucks, much to my mother’s delight.
Summer has definitely arrived and I loved seeing all of the colorful plantings, including this one using a bicycle. Geraniums (Pelargoniums) and ivy were planted in the front and back baskets.
I am a huge fan of hanging baskets lining a porch or street, but I don’t have any at home, because it can be a struggle because our dry climate makes it hard to keep the roots moist without constant watering more then once a day.
I did love this particular hanging basket, which was made up of pink ‘Wave’ petunias, white bacopa and purple verbena.
Have you ever seen a prettier post office?
I sat down on a little bench in front and wrote post cards to my kids and sent them off.
Even the courthouse and police station put on a floral show with bright-red tulips.
There are many old buildings on Mackinac Island and plaques in front of each describe their historical importance.
I love this old fence – it has so much character, don’t you think?
Fort Mackinac was founded in 1780 and still stands today. It is up on the hill that overlooks the main street of the island.
Here is the back view of the fort.
This beautiful building is the Michigan’s governor’s summer residence.
Like the fort, it too sits up on the hillside. The governor spends a few weeks during the summer there – not a bad deal, I must say.
Probably the most famous place on the island is The Grand Hotel, a 5-star hotel, built in 1887.
It is very fancy, beautiful and expensive.
We didn’t tour the hotel, because of time constraints. But if you want to learn more about this iconic hotel, click here.
To get a real feel for the island, its people and its history – we decided to take a carriage tour. The tour begins downtown, but soon goes up into the more uninhabited areas of the island.
Horses pull carriages full of tourists. The horses resemble Clydesdale horses and are raised by the Amish.
Approximately 80% of Mackinac Island is a state park.
The carriage took us through the beautiful woods of the island and our tour guide was full of interesting information.
Dead trees aren’t removed, despite the fire danger they pose because the island does not have a lot of topsoil. So the fallen trees are allowed to decay, adding organic matter to the soil.
Arch Rock was an interesting limestone formation that we saw along the tour.
I highly recommend going on a carriage tour after spending time on the main street or else you miss a large part of the island’s identity and beauty.
My mother and I had a fabulous time on the island and spent longer there then we had planned.
After returning on the ferry back to the mainland, we picked up our car, headed over the Mackinac Bridge toward the Upper Peninsula, which is not known for the large amount of people who live here. In fact, in the 2 hours we drove from the bridge, we saw few buildings, homes and people.
This is where we are – in a small town in the middle of the Upper Peninsula.
Tomorrow, we will drive through the remainder of the Upper Peninsula to Green Bay, Wisconsin and more adventures!
https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Michigan_462-2.jpg6791024arizonaplantlady@gmail.comhttps://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/AZ-Plant-Lady-Logo-small.jpgarizonaplantlady@gmail.com2014-06-06 03:18:002022-11-09 23:20:53Road Trip Day 3: Mackinac Island, Fudge, Horses and Bikes
Day 2 of our road trip was filled with quite a few firsts for me.
My mother and I are on our fourth annual road trip and this time we are exploring the upper midwest. You can read about day 1 hereif you like.
Today, we woke up in beautiful Traverse City, with is located along the western side of Michigan. It is a very popular location for visitors and it was easy to see why.
Our first stop was to visit the local farmers market in the historic downtown area.
Whenever I travel, I like to to take time to talk to the local farmers about their produce and talk about the similarities and differences of growing the same types of vegetables.
Asparagus is really big in this part of Michigan. There are signs for it everywhere along the roadways. In the farmers market, just about everyone had some for sale.
Too bad, I don’t like asparagus 😉
A variety of herbs and vegetable transplants were available for sale. I just love the color of purple basil – I have some growing in my herb container at home.
I love baked goods a lot!
Cherries are grown in the area and you can find cherries in just about everything including salsa.
There were quite a few planted containers filled with flowers ready for eager homeowners.
I really like herb planters like this one.
After the farmers market, we headed up toward the Old Mission Peninsula, which is a small finger of land that extends up from Traverse City. Our destination was to see the Mission Point Lighthouse at the tip of the peninsula.
What we hadn’t prepared for was the beautiful scenery along the drive. Orchards were filled with cherry trees, one type of fruit tree that does not grow in my desert climate.
Along the way, we spotted numerous vineyards.
The lilacs are in bloom everywhere and this vineyard was flanked by a huge lilac bush.
It’s hard to believe that this barren vine will soon be covered with leaves and sweet grapes.
Then we saw this sign, which led to one of my ‘firsts’.
The sign led us to Peninsula Cellars Winery, whose store is housed in an old, historic schoolhouse.
The inside of the old school was very charming.
I have never been much of a wine drinker. The few times I have tried it, I didn’t really enjoy the taste.
But, I figured if I could do a bourbon taste test on our last trip, I would participate in a wine tasting for the first time.
I tasted four different wines and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I liked two of them very much.
Many of their wines had a school-themed name due to the old school building. Their ‘Detention’ wine was a popular choice.
*Note: I have never gotten a detention at school.
I came away from my first wine tasting with a new appreciation for wine and a bottle of my favorite to share with my husband when I get home 🙂
As we got back on the road toward the Mission Point Lighthouse, we were told to stop by the old general store.
The Old Mission General Store is one of those places found out in the middle of the country. You can see the lake behind it.
The store had a collection of the old and the new – but mostly old.
Barrels filled with salted peanuts and a variety of old-fashioned candies would make excite any child.
Old-fashioned sodas were offered alongside more current soda choices.
A unique collection of foods were offered in the deli case. I’m not sure what the reddish item was on the left and I’m still not sure what ‘blind robin’ is. But, fishing is big here, so I’m assuming it is a type of fish?
The back was filled with an assortment of things including rabbit skins, wooden hand toys and coon hats.
After we left the general store, we continue our journey to the lighthouse.
The Mission Point Lighthouse is located at the very tip of the Old Mission Peninsula.
The area has many trees and it is so green and beautiful. We parked and started to walk toward the lighthouse and the shore, which we could barely see through the trees.
This lighthouse guided ships from 1870 to 1933. We entered the lighthouse to see the exhibits and to embark on another ‘first’ for me.
I decided to climb up to the top of the lighthouse – something I have never done before.
There weren’t too many steps to the top, only 35 of them, but they were steep and the last part were ladder steps.
The 360 view was just beautiful!
Climbing back down, I decided to checkout the outside.
A cherry tree was in full bloom in the backyard with the lake in the background.
To be honest, there are a lot of lighthouses along the Michigan coast. We don’t have time to see all of those along our route, so we had to choose a few to see. It was the picture of the side of the Mission Point Lighthouse, which made me want to visit this one. I am so glad we did.
We headed back down the peninsula and on the way, drove by this small painted shack where Michigan maple syrup was for sale.
Payment was done through the honor system where you inserted your money into a modified PVC pipe. My mother bought a bottle.
Along this small peninsula, we passed an interesting marker…
I thought that we were pretty far north, but it turns out that we were only halfway between the equator and the North Pole.
See, you never know what you will learn on a road trip.
After our journey to Old Mission Peninsula, the rest of our day was spent touring the historic downtown area of Traverse City and later we drove up to the quaint town of Petoskey where we did some shopping.
All of the planters in the downtown areas were newly planted with colorful flowers.
While I saw some very creative containers filled with a variety of flowering plants, I was struck by the simplicity of this window box planted with a single row of orange marigolds. The vibrant orange of this flower stands on its own.
One of my favorite shops we visited was called the “American Spoon”, which sells all types of preserves.
I love to make peach, plum and strawberry jam as well as applesauce from the fruit from both my garden and my mother’s – so I was anxious to go inside and taste the different types of jams and jellies they had.
While I did taste some delicious fruit preserves, there was also a large selection of salsas, including pumpkin seed salsa and cherry salsa.
I must admit that I didn’t try any – I am somewhat of a purist when it comes to my salsa. But, I realize that I am probably missing out some new flavors that I may love.
Don’t these tomato preserves look delicious?
I came away from the store with cherry preserves, which I will use on my daily English muffin. I also bought some tart dried cherries which I will sprinkle on my salads.
Did I mention that cherries are very popular here? They are growing everywhere you see.
In addition to cherries and asparagus, fudge is also offered everywhere.
I haven’t had any yet, because I am waiting until tomorrow when we travel to Mackinac Island.
I can’t wait!
https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Farmers-Market-Produce-1.jpg1024961arizonaplantlady@gmail.comhttps://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/AZ-Plant-Lady-Logo-small.jpgarizonaplantlady@gmail.com2014-06-05 02:17:002022-11-09 23:50:26Road Trip Day 2: Farmers Market, Wineries, and a Lighthouse
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