Summer time brings a riot of color to our desert gardens, which are but a distant memory in December.  However, cooler temperatures do not mean that our gardens have to take a holiday.  In our desert climate, there are many plants that flower…

Christmas in the desert is much the same as it is around the world.  Christmas lights adorn homes and trees, with a few notable exceptions.  This is the desert after all....we sometimes do things a little differently. First of all,…

Today was a beautiful, crisp day.  Temps are in the upper 50's and there are still flowers present in the garden. Firecracker Penstemon Hummingbirds just love the flowers.  Blooms will continue until late April. **I…

For those of you who have been fortunate enough to experience a desert sunset, you know how beautiful they can be.  In fact, the desert is well known for it's spectacular sunsets. This photo was taken outside of my front door. …

… you rejoice when it rains! It sounds crazy, I know, but it is absolutely true.   Our weather is usually sunny and beautiful the majority of the year.  Now don't get me wrong, we do love our sunny days, but sometimes…

This may come as a shock to some of you....but, it does get cold in the desert.  Tonight's temperatures are dropping to the low 30's, which for us desert dwellers is cold.  Below, is a sampling of how winter looks in the desert. I…

Chinese dragons Who would expect to find dragons in the garden?  Well these two Chinese dragons look quite at home in the park gardens. When I first visited China, I fell in love with the beautiful landscaping that I found…

Want beautiful foliage, spectacular flowers all packaged up in a tree that blooms in fall and winter?  Well, let me introduce you to a medium -sized tree with a funny name: Cascalote (Caesalpinia cacalaco).  I love this medium-sized…

 Artichoke Agave (Agave parryi 'truncata') Our society usually doesn't equate beauty with age.  Instead, we celebrate youthful beauty and spend our money on trying to stay looking younger than our years.  Thankfully,…