

DIY Rosemary Herb Salt
DIY, herb gardening, Recipes From the Vegetable Garden
Do you like to use herbs to flavor your favorite dishes? If so, than you'll want to try herb salt.
So what are herb salts, you may wonder?
They are a mix of the herb of your choice combined with kosher or sea salt and they add…

Container Gardening: Growing Bougainvillea in Pots
Arizona garden, Containers, desert gardening, Drought Tolerant, Shrubs, Southwest garden
Do you love the beauty of bougainvillea? Many of us will agree that bougainvillea is beautiful, but many homeowners hesitate to grow them for a variety of reasons. The most common that I hear is that they get too big and…

Lessons From a Heat-Stressed Desert Garden
Agave, Arizona garden, Cactus/Succulents, California desert garden, desert gardening, Ground Covers, Landscape Problems, Nevada garden, Shrubs, Southwest garden, Succulent Gardening, Trees
Let's face it. Hot summers are not surprising to desert dwellers. In fact, a typical desert garden with native and desert-adapted plants will weather intense heat with little fuss.
However, this summer has been one for the books and…

Dipping My Toes Into the Wonderful World of Houseplants
Book Review, Houseplants
I have a shocking confession to make... Believe it or not, I'm relatively new to growing houseplants.
Yep, it's true.
As a horticulturist, I've focused my career almost solely on outdoor plants with only the occasional foray into…

Are Your Roses Feeling The Heat?
Arizona garden, California desert garden, desert, desert gardening, Las Vegas gardening, Roses in the Desert, Southwest garden, Southwest Texas garden
Photo: Roses Feeling The Heat , My Abraham Darby shrub rose and my little dog, Tobey.
If you live in a hot arid climate, chances are that your roses are feeling the heat and aren't looking their best right now. While gardeners in cooler…

How Do You Choose a Plant Nursery?
Arizona garden, Cactus/Succulents, desert gardening, Perennial, Shrubs, Southwest garden, Trees
"Where do you recommend I go to buy plants?" This is one question that I'm often asked by desert dwellers.
The choices that people have for purchasing plants range from a locally owned nursery, a nursery chain, or a big box store.
So…

Garden Surprise: A Self-Planted Bouquet
Arizona garden, California desert garden, desert gardening, Fuss Free Plant, Ground Covers, Las Vegas gardening, Southwest garden
Have you ever had the experience of receiving an unexpected self-planted bouquet?
I've been blessed to have gotten bouquets throughout my life from my wonderful husband, my children, and in the past - from a boyfriend or two.
But…

Mesquite Trees and Crazy Branches
Arizona garden, AZ Plant Lady, California desert garden, desert gardening, Landscape Problems, Pruning, Southwest garden, Southwest Texas garden, Trees
Have you ever paused in the shade of a mesquite tree (Prosopis spp.) and noticed that its branches grow every which way?
I was reminded of this when I was visiting a client earlier this week and was advising him on how to…

Sometimes The Best Thing To Do About Aphids Is Nothing
Arizona, Arizona garden, California desert garden, desert gardening, Landscape Problems, Nevada garden, Perennial, Shrubs, Southwest garden
What do you do when you spot aphids on your plants?
Do you reach for the nearest bottle of insecticide? Spray them off with a hose or remove them with your fingers?
Believe it or not, sometimes the best thing is to do nothing.
So,…

A New Shrub Named After a School Mascot
Arizona garden, California desert garden, desert gardening, Drought Tolerant, Hummingbird Gardening, Las Vegas gardening, Pruning, Shrubs, Southwest garden
One of my favorite things I do as a landscape consultant is to show my clients newer plant and shrub introductions on the market.
Imagine being the first person on your block with the latest plant that all your neighbors will want to add…