Hardenbergia

A Lilac for the Desert? Another Great Lesser-Known Plant to Try

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Purple lilac vine Discovering the Beauty of the Purple Lilac Vine (Hardenbergia violacea) In the midst of a colorless winter garden, a burst of vibrant beauty can be a delightful surprise. Explore the wonders of this wonderful purple…

Early Morning Birding Exploration

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I have picked up a new hobby, which was a bit accidental - birding! As a horticulturist, birds go along with gardening, and I've always enjoyed them. One of my most requested speaking topics is about gardening for birds. However, I have…
pumpkin bread

The Best Pumpkin Bread Recipe You’ve Ever Tasted

A Family Pumpkin Bread Recipe with a Garden Twist I realize you are likely to find useful desert gardening info on my website, but what you may not know is that I love spending time in my kitchen and this Pumpkin Bread Recipe is to-die-for. So,…
desert garden with flowering plants in fall

Fall in the Desert Garden

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Embracing the Desert Garden in Fall Fall is my favorite time of year in the desert garden for two main reasons. First, fall signals the beginning of the holiday season. And yes, I am one of those people who decorate for Christmas…

Got Dead Plants?

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Understanding the Mystery of Dead Plants I'm pretty sure I know the answer to the dead plant mystery. We have all likely experienced the death of a plant in our garden, and even though I am a horticulturist, I'm not immune. Sometimes,…
flowering shrub

Why Plant Names are Confusing

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The Common Name Conundrum Isn't this a pretty shrub? I saw this flowering beauty at a client's home. Now, when you see a plant that you like in a friend or neighbor's yard, you probably ask them what it's called. My client…
desert tree with shrubs planted underneath

Mishaps in the Garden

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Mishaps in the Garden: Dealing with Unexpected Plant Problems The Unpredictable Nature of Gardening In a perfect world, everything runs smoothly with no unexpected problems, and while you may not know what the future holds, it's always…
cacti_succulent_garden_desert

Got Heat-Stressed Plants?

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Do you enjoy the summer heat? I'm going record to state that I'm not a huge fan. I prefer to endure the intense heat indoors in the comfort of air-conditioning. However, the plants in my garden don't have that option. They are stuck…

Summer Hibernation Mode; What it is All About

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The dog days of summer... By the time midpoint of summer heat arrives, I am firmly in 'summer hibernation' mode. I have past all the garden needs in hot early summer and moved on to trying to find a cool spot with a nice glass of lemonade. Why…

Desert Adapted Plants Thriving in the Heat

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Embracing the Desert Heat: Landscaping with Desert-Adapted Plants Surviving the Summer Scorch with Desert Adapted Plants Let's face it...summer can be brutal. I tend to spend as little time outdoors as possible when temperatures…