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…

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…

Photo: Roses Feeling The Heat , My Abraham Darby shrub rose and my little dog, Tobey. Challenges of Hot Arid Climates for Roses If you live in a hot arid climate, chances are that your roses are feeling the heat and aren't looking…

Finding the Perfect Plant Nursery Navigating Plant Shopping Options "Where do you recommend I go to buy plants? At a plant nursery?" This is one question that I'm often asked by desert dwellers. The choices that people have for purchasing…

The Joy of Unexpected Bouquets in the Garden A Garden Surprise with Sandpaper Verbena Have you ever had the experience of receiving an unexpected self-planted bouquet? I've been blessed to have gotten bouquets throughout my life…

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…

Dealing with Aphids on Your Plants: To Act or Not to Act 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…

Discovering the Beauty of 'Orange Jubilee' and 'Sparky' Tecoma Shrubs 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…

Container Gardening: Bringing Life to Your Desert Garden Spring Transitions in Container Gardening Spring in the desert brings a flurry of activity out in the garden - much of it involving container gardening. As the season changes,…