Has this happened to you?  You walk through the nursery, and you spot "the perfect plant."   You can envision it in your yard and know precisely where you will put it.   After coming home and planting it, you pat yourself…

I'm sure most of you know how much fun it can be to garden with your kids.  I remember my dad building each of us a raised planter where we could grow vegetables and flowers.  Today, my kids and I went to the store to buy flowers…

Each year, around the end of August, I walk into the plant section of our local home improvement store just to look at the colorful, flowering annuals While I may be sorely tempted,  I don't buy any; I just like to look. BUT,…

Baja Fairy Duster is Hummingbird Food in the Native Garden Baja fairy duster (Calliandra californica) is a must-have for the desert garden.  There is so much to love about this shrub.   My favorite attribute is that…

Discover Stunning Plant Combinations Do you ever wonder what plants look good together?  Below are pictures of some of my favorite plant combinations along with some general guidelines that I follow when designing a garden. Keep in mind…

What comes to mind when you think of cactus?   Perhaps the first thing you think of is the spines. If you have ever been unfortunate enough to have been pricked by a cactus, you'll likely never forget that most of them have…

I got asked, what my favorite plant is.  Well, asking a horticulturist to tell you what her favorite plant is, is rather like asking a mother to tell you who her favorite child is - it's impossible. But when pressed, I breakdown…

The time has finally arrived!  Summer temperatures are but a memory and fall is here!  Every year we wait for the end of summer so we can start adding plants in the garden. The only question is what plants will I add? The possibilities…

Globe mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) brings a unique "cottage-garden" feel to the desert plant palette along with some surprises. In spring a flush of beautiful flowers are produced that will cause people to stop in their tracks. After that,…