Got Brown, Crispy Plants?

Got brown and crispy plants? Put down your pruners if winter has not ended yet! 

Are you having a hard time ignoring them the ugliness of the frost-damaged leaves? Or perhaps you have no problem with some brown spots in your garden.  

There has been some discussion on my social media pages from people asking if they can safely prune back their plants now and I know that some of you are just itching to get outside with either your hedge-trimmers, loppers or hand pruners. 

Well, before you pick up your pruning tool of choice – I have some important advice for you.

DON’T!!!

Okay, was that obvious enough? You may be asking why you can’t go outside and prune away that brown ugly stuff in your garden.

Well, the answer is that you can eventually prune it away, just not now.

There are three very good reasons not to prune back your frost-damaged plants during the winter.

1. Oftentimes, the brown, dead looking branches are not dead on the inside. The warm temperatures of spring will stimulate new growth in much of the dead-looking branches. If you prune your plants too early, you may be removing live branches.

New growth in March

 New growth in March.

 2.  In general, pruning stimulates plants to produce new growth. Many gardeners make the mistake of pruning too early before the threat of cold temperatures has passed and then a period of freezing temperatures occurs, which not only kills the new growth but can even result in the death of your plant.

3.  The brown and crispy stuff actually protects the interior and sometimes the lower foliage of your plant from further cold damage.

Got Brown, Crispy Plants

So, I hope these reasons help to convince you to turn a blind eye to your brown and crispy plants for a little while.

Once the threat of frost is over, you can go ahead and prune away to your heart’s content 🙂

But, beware of giving in to the temptation to start pruning a little early.  You never know when a late frost will hit. Sometimes just when you think that there is nothing but warm weather ahead, a late frost can sneak up on you.  If you aren’t sure you can keep yourself from pruning your plants too early, ask someone you trust to lock up your pruners until the threat of frost is over 😉

Salmon-colored geraniums

Salmon-colored geraniums

I learned this lesson the hard way. Years ago, I was in charge of decorating with plants for a large event. I purchased 100 potted geraniums and arranged them expertly with my crew in late February. The night before the event, we had a late frost that damaged every single geranium and we have to rapidly replace them. I should have used a plant that was more cold hardy.

So, maybe you can’t stand having frost-damaged plants in your garden anymore. If that is the case, I have an assignment for you…..

Take a drive through your neighborhood and those close by as well.  Look at your neighbor’s front landscapes and see what plants are still green and did not suffer any frost-damage.

The yucca, desert spoon, and pygmy date palm all did well while the trailing lantana did not.

The yucca, desert spoon, and pygmy date palm all did well while the trailing lantana did not.

ficus tree

The ficus tree fared poorly while the tipu tree did well.

When looking around, you will find exceptions. Some plants that normally would suffer frost damage look healthy and green.

large blue palo verde tree

As you can see, there is a large blue palo verde tree with a ‘Torch Glow’ bougainvillea underneath to the right.  You may note that this bougainvillea did not suffer frost damage.

Why?

The overhanging branches of the palo verde tree provided some protection from the cold temperatures.  

This knowledge can be quite helpful to you if you like having frost-tender plants in your garden but don’t like the brown and crispy winter look. By placing plants such as lantana and bougainvillea underneath a tree with filtered shade, you can oftentimes skip the ugly, winter stage.

Got Brown, Crispy Plants

Before you know it, winter will have passed and you can grab your pruners and get busy in the garden!

The 5 Most Common Mistakes People Make in the Desert Garden

I am always looking for ways to help people on their desert garden journey and so I’m offering a FREE class on 5 reasons you are struggling with your desert garden.

As a horticulturist and landscape consultant, I have seen people making the same mistakes, which prevent them from having a beautiful outdoor space.

Because of this, they unintentionally ‘hurt’ the plants by over-maintaining them and spending money on unneeded products and landscape services.

If this sounds like you, I AM HERE TO HELP!

I’ve been helping people like you for over 20 years and I can help you too!

Free Webinar AZ Plant Lady

5 Reasons You Are Struggling With Your Desert Garden

This LIVE class is on January 17th, at 1:00 MST. *If you want to register for this free class, but can’t attend it live, it will be recorded so you can watch it at our convenience for a limited time.

Knowledge is power and once you know what you are doing wrong in the landscape – you have taken one GIANT step toward having a desert garden that you are proud of.

CLICK the following link to learn more and register – http://bit.ly/2RpFFb5

I hope to see you there!

Busyness, a New Look, and Opportunities

David Austin roses Olivia Rose

Olive Rose, one of David Austin’s recent introductions

Remembering David Austin: The ‘Godfather of English Roses’

Yesterday, the world lost a man who made a huge contribution to rose lovers all over the world. Called the ‘Godfather of English roses’ David Austin’s mission was to create a better rose that was more robust, had fewer disease and pest problems, but most of all, beautiful and incredibly fragrant.

Graham Thomas English rose growing in Phoenix

‘Graham Thomas’ is one of his most popular creations

The Impact of David Austin Roses

For a man that I’ve never met, David Austin has a big impact on my love for gardening. Roses were the first plant that I fell in love with and inspired me to become a horticulturist. At one point, I had forty hybrid tea roses growing in my Phoenix garden. While they were beautiful, they took a lot of work to keep them that way. Pests and fungal disease were things that I had to deal with and though my roses were very pretty, not all were fragrant.

The Beauty of David Austin Roses

I planted my first David Austin roses in 1993 and soon became convinced that this was truly a better breed of roses. I never had to worry about aphids, blackspot or powdery mildew, all of which, are common problems with growing roses. The unique beauty of the roses comes from David Austin using old-fashioned roses for their sturdiness and disease resistance with more fragrant roses that bloom often. The result are roses that are low-maintenance while also exceptionally beautiful and fragrant.

Red rose Darcy Bussell grows in an Arizona garden david austin roses

‘Darcey Bussell’ is one of the newer David Austin varieties in my garden

A Royal Connection

Today, my rose garden is made up almost exclusively of David Austin roses. While I never met him in person, I have met several of the individuals who work for his family-run company. I heard a fun story about David from a member of his company who told the story of David Austin and Queen Elizabeth. At the Chelsea Flower Show, David Austin’s roses were on full display and he was present as well. The Queen came to visit and he flirted openly with her and she seemed to enjoy the attention of this charming old gentleman. I must say, it takes courage to flirt with the Queen of England.

Arizona Rose Garden with david austin roses

My rose garden

Growing David Austin Roses in the Desert

In my Arizona garden, I test several of their newest roses for the David Austin Rose company in my rose garden. Each year, they send me new ones to try out and then I give them my feedback. The company wants to know how they will perform in the low-desert heat and I must say that almost all of the ones that I’ve grown do very well.

Here is a list of those that I have grown and recommend for the desert garden:

  • Abraham Darby
  • Darcey Bussell
  • Graham Thomas
  • Olivia Rose
  • Juliet

*I also have ‘Ancient Mariner’ and ‘Lady of Sharlot’ growing. I’m still waiting to see how they do as they have only been in the garden for a year and I find that it takes a little longer than that to see how well they will do. 

If I had to pick two favorites, they would be ‘Darcey Bussell’ and ‘Olivia Rose’. Both bloom well into summer, which is rare for roses grown in the desert. 

Adding David Austin Roses to Your Garden

For people who want to add one of David Austin’s wonderful rose varieties to their garden, not all nurseries carry David Austin roses, although I know that Berridge Nursery in the Phoenix area does. However, they are easy to order online and they will be mailed to you at the proper planting time for your area, which for the low-desert garden is mid-December through February for bare root roses.

A Blooming Legacy

The family-run company will continue with his mission of creating beautiful, fragrant roses for the garden and I look forward to seeing what is coming next.

Have you ever grown a David Austin rose? Which one?

New Roses for the Desert Garden

present for the gardener

Let’s face it, the holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year, BUT it can also be the most stressful. Particularly when trying to find the right gift for friends and family.

Well, I’m here to help you find the perfect present for the gardener in your life, OR you can add them to your own personal wish list!

*This blog post contains affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you purchase an item at no additional cost to you.

Laptop Computer Floral Case  gardener gift

Laptop Computer Floral Case

I spend a lot of time on my laptop and like it to reflect my love for plants. You can choose the cactus option, but they also offer a variety of other floral designs for all types of laptops.

Garden Kneeler and Seat gardener gift

Garden Kneeler and Seat

This versatile tool will help save both your back and knees when working in the garden. You can sit on it or flip it over and use to kneel on. I also like the pouches on the sides where I can place my favorite pair of hand pruners.

Birthstone Flower Necklace gardener gift

Birthstone Flower Necklace

I wouldn’t mind getting one of these lovely necklaces for Christmas. Handmade in Tennessee, these are a great personal gift. My birth flower is paperwhite, what’s yours?

GrowOya Terracotta Vessel gardener gift

GrowOya Terracotta Vessel

“Ollas” are specially shaped clay pots that are used to help irrigate plants. They are buried in the ground next to plants with just the top peeking out. Fill them up periodically and they gradually release water out the sides as the soil dries out. These can be used in pots, vegetable gardens, and other spots in the garden.

Insect House gardener gift

Insect House

Want to attract beneficial insects to your garden such as ladybugs, lacewings, and native bees? Invite them to your garden with this insect hotel. My husband made me one himself and we had native bees take up residence fairly quickly. It’s also fun for kids!

Amaryllis gardener gift

Amaryllis

I must confess that I never grew an amaryllis until last year and now I’m hooked! They are very easy to grow and the flowers are so gorgeous! Once the stop blooming, you can plant them in a pot or in your vegetable garden and they will bloom again in spring as well as the next year and so on.

Clear Flower Phone Case gardener gift

Clear Flower Phone Case

Like my computer, I also have a clear floral case for my phone and I get lots of compliments on it. The color of your phone doesn’t matter as the case is clear and the flowers look great with any background color.

Hanging Test Tube Planter gardener gift

Hanging Test Tube Planter

I love these small hanging containers. They are perfect for a single sprig of a flowering citrus tree, or sage or yellow bell flower. I definitely want one!

'Crazy Plant Lady' Tote gardener gift

‘Crazy Plant Lady’ Tote

I have a tote bag very much like this one and I get lots of comments whenever I bring it to a class I am teaching. Perfect for carrying books, folders, an iPad, or most small to medium-sized items.

Dramm Blue Rain Wand gardener gift

Dramm Blue Rain Wand

If you enjoy container gardening, you’ll love watering them with a rain wand, which gives them a nice sprinkle without causing the soil to wash out. Dramm is one of my favorite garden brands because they create them in all kinds of bright colors. Blue is just one of the many different colors available.

Flower Reading Glasses gardener gift

Flower Reading Glasses

I am so reliant on my readers for being able to see small print that I have several pairs located throughout the house so they are just a hand’s reach away. The glasses I wear are always colorful and it’s a bonus if I find some with flowers like these!

Flower Reading Glasses gardener gift

Professional Rose Pruning Gloves

If you have ever picked a rose, you know how easy it is to be stabbed by their thorns. A regular pair of gloves doesn’t always protect you from the injury, but these professional gloves do and are a wonderful gift for anyone who has a rose bush in their garden.

I hope that these garden gift ideas help you with your own wishlist or to find the perfect present for the special gardener in your life!

*Still looking for more garden gift ideas? Check out my recommendations from last Christmas here

Desert Landscape Renovation

Revitalizing a Desert Landscape An Outdoor Renovation Story

Desert landscape beauty? Yes please! Have you ever renovated the interior of your house? Seeing the old, outdated elements peeled away and replaced with new paint, flooring, etc. can leave you feeling refreshed and even excited. Well, I get to do that with outdoor spaces, assisting clients with already established desert landscapes, create an updated look. The key to this is NOT to tear everything out and begin from scratch. Deciding what should stay and what we should remove and replace is a delightful puzzle.

There is immense satisfaction from assisting people in crafting an appealing desert landscape, especially when I have the opportunity to revisit the site several months later to witness the plants’ growth. I recently had the chance to return to a desert landscape I designed, precisely one year after its completion, and I was thoroughly pleased with the outcomes.

The Desert Landscape ‘Before Picture’

I’d love to show you photos of the finished product. Here is what it first looked like.

Desert Landscape Renovation before photo

Crafting a New Desert Landscape

The interior of the house is also undergoing renovation when I first visited. The front yard consists of two palm tree stumps, a few agave, overgrown gold lantana, and boulders.

The landscape rock was thinning and mixed in with the river rock. Unfortunately the asphalt from the street was crumbling away.

I identified the parts of the landscape that I could reuse, including the boulders and the gold lantana. Clearly, there is potential for re-purposing the river rock. We removed everything else.

Desert Landscape Renovation

Combining Old and New

To establish the framework for the new desert landscape elements, we added extra boulders. We improved the existing contouring by raising the height of the mound and creating a swale in the front center. The circular collection of rip-rap rock serves to mask the opening of the end of a French drain which helps to channel water from the patio.

Simple Yet Impactful

We placed a saguaro cactus and a totem pole ‘Monstrose’ (Lophocereus schottii ‘Monstrose’). This placement creates vertical interest. Next we pruned the existing gold lantana severely to rejuvenate them and added others to establish visual continuity. We incorporate other succulents like artichoke agave (Agave parrying var. truncata) and gopher plant (Euphorbia biglandulosa) to introduce texture through their unique shapes.

Removing the existing river rock, we then washed it off, and replaced it, along with fixing the crumbling edge of the street. This helped the landscape blend seamlessly with the natural curves of the desert.

Anchoring Corners for Desert Landscape Curb Appeal

Curb appeal in the desert

Anchoring the corners with a grouping of plants is a very simple way to enhance the curb appeal of a home. This collection of volunteer agave and old palm tree stumps weren’t doing this area any favors.

agave beauty in the garden

We elevate this corner slightly, forming a gentle rise in elevation. We added a large boulder to the existing one, and we transplanted a beautiful, specimen artichoke agave from the owner’s previous residence to this spot. Angelita daisies (Tetraneuris acaulis) will provide year-round color as they fill in, and we planted ‘Blue Elf’ aloes to introduce a delightful splash of color.

Desert Landscape Renovation

A Welcoming Front Entry

Entering the front courtyard, you’ll notice the corner occupied by an overgrown rosemary shrub. We removed the dwarf oleander shrubs because they were too large for the smaller scale of this area..

front patio landscaping

Mexican fence post cactus (Pachycereus marginatus) helps to anchor the corner and will grow at a moderate rate, adding more height as it grows.

We can guarantee year-round color with angelita daisies and ‘Blue Elf’ aloe. These plants won’t outgrow this area.

Transforming a Lackluster Space

front patio renovation

Moving toward the front entry, this area is somewhat underwhelming. The natal plum (Carissa macrocarpa) adds a pleasant green backdrop. It is thriving in the shade. The Dasylirion succulent should never have been planted here. It needs full sun to look its best.

beautiful flowers in the desert landscape

The solution in this area is quite simple. Pruning back the natal plum to a more attractive shape makes them an asset. A lady’s slipper (Pedilanthus macrocarpus) adds height and texture contrast and will grow in the bright shade. We kept the trailing purple lantana (Lantana montevidensis), for the color that it provides. Rip rap rock is placed to add some interest at the ground level.

Tying Together Separate Spaces

Desert Landscape Renovation

In the backyard another old rosemary shrub was removed from the corner. It is replaced with ‘Blue Elf’ aloe and angelita daisy, repeating the same planting from the corner area in the courtyard, helping to tie these separate areas together.

Creating Cohesion

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) are along the shady side of the house where their spiky shape creates interesting shapes. The key to keeping them attractive is to remove new growth around the base as it occurs.

A Backyard Transformation

agave and golf views

The corner of the backyard is a very high-profile spot and faces the golf course. The homeowner’s wanted to get rid of the dwarf oleander hedge to improve their view. Clumps of agave look slightly unkempt. Volunteer agave remain and grow. The gold lantana adds ornamental value. Same for the small ‘Firesticks’ (Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’).

Desert Landscape Renovation

One of the clumps of agave was removed. This opened up this area and allowed us to add two aloe vera, which will decorate this corner with yellow blooms in winter and spring. The existing gold lantana provides beautiful color spring through fall. The centerpiece of this group of plants is the water feature.

Enhancing Views and Aesthetics

Desert Landscape Renovation
Desert Landscape Renovation

It’s been over 20 years that I’ve been working on landscapes. Watching the transformation is a joy. I love being a part of it and combining the old with the new for a seamless design.

Thank you for allowing me to share this particular project with you!

Looking for Inspiration: Low-Maintenance Desert Landscapes

UPDATE: This blog post originally was published six-years-ago, and I still like to grow vegetables in pots. It’s hard to believe that my garden helper is now 16 years old and driving a car!

I hope you enjoy it!

I started growing vegetables in pots earlier this year, and it was so easy and the vegetables so delicious AND attractive that I had to do it again.

Last week, my mother took my youngest kids to the nursery and picked up some plants for me.

Grow Vegetables in Pots!

You know what?  This is one of the happiest sights in my world 😉

My son, Kai was anxious to pull out the existing plants from our pots.

Grow Vegetables in Pots!

All my summer vegetables had been pulled a while ago, and all that was left was the Vinca that I had planted.  I realize the vinca looks a bit yellow and I admit that I didn’t fertilize them enough (I kind of hibernated inside this summer.

Kai got to work at pulling out the flowers.

Grow Vegetables in Pots!

He used the hand shovel to loosen the roots so he could pull out the vinca.

Grow Vegetables in Pots!

Then he used the shovel to ‘bang’ the root ball to loosen the soil back into the pot.  You don’t want to ‘throw away’ good soil by leaving it around the roots of plants you are pulling out.

Grow Vegetables in Pots!

I think Kai did a good job getting all the soil out of the roots, don’t you?

**Vinca will over-winter in my zone 9 garden, but will not flower much.  I prefer to treat them as an annual.

Now for the fun part – planting!

I added some more potting mix (not potting soil, which can get soggy), mixed with some compost to each container.

Then each pot was planted with a combination of green leaf lettuce, purple leaf lettuce, garlic, spinach, dill, parsley, nasturtium seeds, and petunias.

Grow Vegetables in Pots!

In just a few weeks, the lettuce and spinach will be ready to start clipping the leaves for salads.  The garlic cloves that I planted will form whole heads of garlic, which will be ready in late spring.   

I will start snipping off dill and parsley soon as well.

creating edible container garden

Garlic, leaf lettuce, spinach, parsley, and petunias

Flowers look great when planted with vegetables, and I always include some.  Nasturtiums are easy to grow from seed, and their leaves and flowers are edible.  Petunias (and nasturtiums) are great companion plants for vegetables because they help to control damaging insects from eating your vegetables.

Do you want to grow vegetables in containers?

Here is more information on how to do it…

“Vegetable and Flower Containers”

I hope you try growing vegetables in containers as much as I do!

Transforming Side Yards into Side Gardens

Sometimes, one area that many homeowners struggle with is what to plant in their side yards. It can be an awkward place with little sun and not much room for plants to grow. Most of these narrow spaces along the side of our home are little more than “yards,” but there is potential to turn them into “gardens.” On a visit to a client’s house, I saw a great example of this, where the homeowner had created side gardens.

Symmetry and Blooms: A Closer Look at the First Side Garden

Bougainvillea with Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) in side garden

First, her first side garden was planted with upright Bougainvillea shrubs against the wall with Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) planted in between. I liked the symmetry of the alternating plants. They covered the wall so well – I’m not a fan of a view of a bare wall outside my window.

Lush Green Backdrops: The Other Side of the Side Garden

Most of the time the star jasmine produces small white fragrant flowers in spring. The bougainvillea produces vibrant blooms spring through fall. What is interesting about this plant combination. is that the base of the wall in a narrow side garden rarely gets much sun. The star jasmine does well in the shade. After all, bougainvillea does best in sunny spots. The top part of them gets just enough sun to promote blooms.

Yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana) and 'Orange Jubilee' (Tecoma x 'Orange Jubilee') in side garden

In the other side of the garden, Yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana) trees grew along the wall toward the back. ‘Orange Jubilee’ (Tecoma x ‘Orange Jubilee’) shrubs covered the wall closer up creating a lush green backdrop.

Enhancing Your Side Garden’s Aesthetics

I did make two suggestions in regards to this side garden. Remove the ‘Orange Jubilee’ shrubs growing in-between the yellow oleander trees. Right now, they make that area look overcrowded. You cannot see the beauty and symmetry of the tree trunks against the wall.

Brightening Your View: The Importance of Plants in Side Gardens

If you never see your side garden or it serves as your utility area, you may not want to spend time and money on adding plants. However, I do recommend focusing on placing plants directly across from any windows. For the windows that face into that area, because who wants to look out onto a bare wall?

Want to add art and creativity to your desert side yard? Try these three inspiring ideas.

What do you have growing in your side garden?

marley horticulture learning lab

Repurposing Masonry Blocks for an Eco-Friendly Garden Wall

I am always on the lookout for new and different garden design discoveries. Using interesting materials can make a huge difference. Recently, I was teaching a class at the Desert Botanical Garden. As I headed toward the classroom, I admired the modern design of the building. It was the vine-covered wall that caught my interest.

beautiful desert garden wall

A brilliant person created this unusual wall from broken masonry blocks. Like many other garden walls in the desert Southwest, this one is different. The broken blocks came from a wall that had been removed elsewhere. Instead of letting the blocks end up in a landfill, the person realized that they could be used to build a beautiful and functional garden wall.

Queen’s Wreath Vines and the Play of Shadows

creative desert garden wall

The salvaged wall provides the perfect surface for queen’s wreath (Antigonon leptopus) vines. They crawl up on with their twining tendrils taking advantage of the nooks and crannies within the wall.

hidden desert garden wall

Harnessing the Beauty of Garden Shadows

The sprays of flowers, leaves, and stems create beautiful shadows along the pavement below. Shadows are an element of garden design. Do not underestimate the effect that the shapes of the shadows from cactuses, succulents, and even vines can add to a bare wall, fence, or even on the ground.

beautiful flowers

Years ago, I used to carry a small digital camera in my purse. All for the unexpected opportunity to take pictures of a particular plant, or design idea. Nowadays, this is just another reason that my smartphone is perhaps my most valued tool.

Book Review: Desert Landscaping and Maintenance

Cats In The Garden

*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.*

Do you have cats in your garden? I do. In fact, I have a few cats who love to spend time in the gardens surrounding my house, and none of them belong to me…technically.

Like many neighborhoods, mine has a feral cat population, and we have had cats come and go – we’ve even had kittens born behind my purple lilac vines. As you might expect, I’ve faced some challenges with cats in the garden, but have recently had several triumphs.

my vegetable garden

Several years ago, the number of strays in the neighborhood increased due to our neighbor feeding them and some of them began to use my vegetable garden as their toilet. 

My attempt to solve the problem was to plant the herb rue, which supposedly had cat-repelling properties. The local cats didn’t know that as I kept finding little ‘gifts’ in the vegetable garden.

After the rue didn’t work, I purchased a motion-controlled sprinkler head, which went off whenever the cats got too near, and that worked quite well at keeping them away. However, it also would go off whenever any of us walked too close to the veggies.

So last year, I decided to try a fine mesh garden netting to cover the vegetable garden with excellent results. It also had a welcome side benefit of decreasing caterillars because the moths couldn’t get in to lay their eggs.

My pots were also a make-shift litter box for my furry visitors. However, this was quickly rectified by placing paver stones on the bare spots in-between my plants, and they also served to cool the soil and preserve moisture in the pots.

my sister's cat, 'Scissors.

What is it about cats and pots? This is my sister’s cat, ‘Scissors.’

'roof cats.'

Do you have roof rats? I don’t. I have ‘roof cats.’ Or, cats that like to take refuge underneath my solar panels. Of course, they make sure that I don’t have any rats lurking about.

Cats In The Garden

For the past year, I have three cats who we have adopted. Of course, the cats don’t know that we’ve adopted them. What they do know is that the orange tree is wonderfully shady in the morning, the patio is blessedly cool on a hot summer’s day, and a picnic table is a great spot to gather with your friends. We don’t feed them, but they are healthy and happy.

One of our regulars visiting with our desert tortoise, Aesop.

One of our regulars visiting with our desert tortoise, Aesop.

Our family enjoys watching their antics through the window and allow them to enjoy our garden. I find myself smiling when I view them together. We have three regulars, a red tabby, a black and white cat, and a small black one.

Cats In The Garden

It seems that we’ve come to a compromise – they leave my vegetable garden and pots alone and only occasionally use my rose garden as an emergency pit stop. I must say that the simple pleasure we receive from our ‘adopted’ cats is worth it.

Embracing Weeds in Your Lawn: Surprising Results

Do you have a patch of lawn in your garden? It can be a cumbersome task to keep a grassy area green and healthy, not to mention weed-free. To keep it this way often means applications of “weed and feed” fertilizers. They feed the grass while killing the weeds. These are marginally effective. The chemicals contained within aren’t what I want to use in my back garden. Particularly not with my kids and animals using the grassy area. So, I have made peace with the weeds in my lawn with surprising results.

An Arizona lawn

My Lawn Transformation: Weeds and All

Our backyard is relatively large. It is divided into three sections with the largest area taken up with a bermudagrass lawn area where my kids enjoy playing. A pet desert tortoise, Aesop, can often be found munching on the grass throughout the summer months. I like the cooling effect and beauty that the grass adds. I do have plans to replace my lawn in a year or two, but for now, it fills our needs. 

The Key to Weed-Tolerant Lawn Beauty

This lawn is 19 years old, and as a result, there are weeds growing within it. Wind spreads weed seed. If you have a grassy area, it is just a matter of time before you see weeds coming up.

Weeds are all through this lawn and it is beautiful


Now, when I mention having weeds thriving in my grass, I’m not referring to the occasional stray plant here and there. Instead, I’m describing a lawn where an abundance of weeds has become an integral part of the landscape. The weeds are covering almost every inch. These resilient plants have truly made themselves at home in my once-pristine lawn.

Weeds In My Lawn

You have to look very closely to spot any bermudagrass in this area. But you can see it is filled with bright green clover and some nutsedge growing above it. I must admit to being extremely frustrated at the sheer amount of weeds growing in my lawn. But something happened last year, which enabled me to make peace with these unwanted weeds.

Wedding seating in the garden

Stop Worrying About Weeds in Lawn

We hosted a small wedding in our backyard last summer, and a lot of preparation went into having the garden looking its best. While I initially lamented the fact that weeds were growing in the lawn, I was surprised to see how pretty and green it looked. A few weeks after the wedding, as I looked at the wedding photos, I was struck by how healthy and beautiful the lawn looked. 

I realize your focus may be on how pretty the bride is, but look at how good my grass looks ;-)

I realize your focus may be on how pretty the bride is, but look at how good my grass looks 😉

My granddaughter and grandson - I couldn't resist sharing this photo of them!

My granddaughter and grandson – I couldn’t resist sharing this photo of them!

After the wedding was over and I had some time to reflect, I realized that my lawn looked great as it had the most important qualities that I wanted – lush green color, no bare spots, and healthy.

Weeds In My Lawn and you cannot tell

And so, I am now free to enjoy my lawn, and I am no longer upset over the weeds present. The key to keep it looking great and not bring attention to any weeds is to keep it regularly mowed. My teenage son mows ours weekly, and we fertilize it in spring and again in fall. At this point, I don’t know how much longer we will keep our lawn as I have a couple of ideas for this area instead, but in the meantime, I will enjoy the lush green of my backyard grass – weeds and all.

How about you? Have you interested in making peace with the weeds in your lawn?

Design Notes From the Field: A New Build, Metal Art, Weeds, and Shade