Before you lament a fall season devoid of colorful fall foliage in the arid West and Southwest regions of the U.S., here are some favorite water-wise shrubs and trees that will add glorious color in varying shades of orange, red, and burgundy to your arid autumn landscape.
we enjoyed on a trip to Williamsburg, VA several years ago.
Have you ever traveled somewhere else to find colorful fall foliage? What if you could have fall color in your own landscape?
A Splash of Fall Foliage Color in the Arid Desert
Like most water-wise plants, the following do best in well-drained soil. The watering guidelines given are approximate and may need to be adjusted in response to variables such as sun exposure, soil, and climate. In general, drought-tolerant plants do best when the soil is watered deeply and then allowed to dry out before the next watering. Plant in fall or wait until spring, and enjoy fall color for years to come.
Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris)
Autumn Pink
In spring and summer, this ornamental grass provides an attractive backdrop with its graceful green foliage. As temperatures begin to fall and days begin to shorten, burgundy-pink plumes softly wave above the green blades, and pink muhly grass takes center stage in the garden. Its color slowly fades to a lovely wheat color in winter. Plant it in groups of three, five, or seven for the greatest effect.
Growing Conditions
Where it will grow: Hardy to 0 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 18 degrees Celsius (USDA zones 7 to 9; find your zone)
Water requirement: Low to moderate; can survive on little water, but flowering is improved with regular summer irrigation. Water every 10 to 14 days in summer, every two weeks in spring through fall, and monthly in winter for the best flowering.
Light requirement: Full, reflected sun to filtered shade
Mature size: 3 feet tall and wide
Planting notes: Plant in well-drained soil in full sun or filtered shade; cut back to the ground in late winter; apply a slow-release fertilizer in spring.
‘Sticks on Fire’ Milk Bush (Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’)
Unexpected Bursts of Orange
Orange splashes of color come from an unexpected source with this drought-tolerant succulent. ‘Sticks on Fire’ differs from the green-colored parent plant in that it is smaller and new growth has a bright orange color. The color fades to yellow and then green in summer only to turn orange again when temperatures cool. In cooler climates it can be grown in a container and brought indoors when temperatures dip below freezing. Milk bush can easily be propagated from cuttings. Be sure to wear gloves when handling this plant, as its milky sap can irritate skin and eyes.
Growing Conditions
Where it will grow: Hardy to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 1 degree Celsius (zones 9 to 11)
Water requirement: Low; water every three weeks spring through fall and monthly in winter. In the low desert, water twice a month spring through fall.
Light requirement: Full sun to filtered shade (full sun is needed for it to develop the orange color)
Mature size: 4 to 8 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide
Planting notes: Plant in well-drained soil in full sun.
Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis)
A Burst of Fall Foliage
Chinese pistache is for those who are looking for a tree that produces colorful fall foliage and will thrive in dry, arid climates. It is widely grown throughout the Northwest and the southern half of the United States, and is a go-to tree for reliable autumn color in the Southwest. In fall, bright green leaves give way to shades of yellow followed by orange and red, providing much-desired fall color for the drought-tolerant garden. Female trees produce berries that attract birds. This tree isn’t fussy about soil, as long as it’s well-drained, but it does need room to grow to its full size.
Growing Conditions
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 23 degrees Celsius (zones 6 to 9)
Water requirement: Low to moderate; water to 3 feet every 10 to 14 days in summer, every three weeks in spring through fall and monthly in winter
Light requirement: Full, reflected sun to filtered shade
Mature size: 30 to 60 feet tall and 30 to 40 feet wide
Planting notes: Plant in well-drained soil in full sun or filtered shade; prune in winter to shape.
Firebush (Hamelia patens)
N
A Blaze of Color and Fall Foliage
The allure of firebush goes beyond its stunning orange-red spring and summer blooms, which are a magnet for hummingbirds. It saves its grand finale for fall when its lush foliage transforms into a vibrant shade of red, creating a fiery spectacle. In tropical climates, this heat-loving shrub can grow into a small tree, while in drought-tolerant landscapes, it remains a manageable and colorful shrub. Although it dies back when temperatures dip into the 20s, it resurfaces in spring. In zones 7 and below, it can be grown as an annual.
Growing Conditions
Where it will grow: Hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (zones 7 to 11)
Water requirement: Moderate; water 18 inches to 2 feet deep weekly in summer, every 10 to 14 days in spring through fall, and every three weeks in winter
Light requirement: Full and reflected sun to filtered shade (full sun is best for flowering)
Mature size: 4 to 5 feet tall and wide
Planting notes: Plant in well-drained soil; prune back in spring, after the danger of frost has passed.
This plum tree species is renowned for its regal burgundy-purple foliage that graces the landscape from spring through fall. Despite being a plum tree, its fruits are typically small or nonexistent, as its true value lies in its captivating foliage. Pale pink springtime blossoms are soon followed by the emergence of dark-colored leaves. While several cherry plum varieties exist, ‘Krauter Vesuvius’ stands out as the most drought-tolerant, making it ideal for enduring hot, dry summers.
Growing Conditions
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit (zones 5 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate; water 2 to 3 feet every 10 to 14 days in summer, every two to three weeks in spring and fall, and monthly in winter. In the low desert, water weekly in summer and every 10 to 12 days in spring and fall.
Light requirement: Full sun to filtered shade (full sun is needed for maximum purple color)
Mature size: 15 to 20 feet tall and wide; smaller cultivars are available
Planting notes: Plant in well-drained soil; prune during winter dormancy.
Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica)
A Bamboo-Like Marvel with Radiant Red Fall Foliage
Heavenly bamboo, often likened to true bamboo due to its fine-textured leaves and upright stems, unveils a delightful transformation in fall and winter. The new growth takes on a charming burgundy tint before transitioning to a bright spring and summer green. As cooler temperatures grace the landscape, the foliage transitions into enchanting shades of red. Additionally, small flowers give way to clusters of red berries in autumn. While moderately drought-tolerant, it thrives in arid regions, maintaining its vigorous growth in controlled environments.
Caution: Heavenly bamboo can become invasive in regions with abundant rainfall, especially in the eastern U.S., and all parts of this shrub are toxic.
Growing Conditions
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit (zones 6 to 9)
Water requirement: Low to moderate; water 18 inches to 2 feet twice a month in summer, every three weeks in spring and fall, and monthly in winter. In the low desert, water weekly in summer and twice a month in spring and fall.
Light requirement: Full sun to filtered shade (prefers filtered to full shade in the low desert)
Mature size: 4 to 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide; smaller cultivars are available
Planting notes: Plant in well-drained soil; selectively prune older branches at the base in late winter or early spring.
Do you have a favorite plant that gives you fall color?
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A Breath of Fresh Air: Creating Natural Air Fresheners
Have you ever sprayed air freshener in your home? Does it ever smell like the fragrance described on the can? I must confess that I have used air-fresheners in the past, but I’ve never happy with how my house smelled afterward. To me, the fragrance is so ‘artificial,’ and I also wonder if there are some ingredients in them that maybe aren’t good to inhale.
Discover the Beauty of Natural Fragrances
So, I was intrigued when I heard about ‘natural’ air fresheners made from plants – many of which I have in my garden.
Imagine your home filled with the natural fragrance of citrus paired with your favorite herbs drifting throughout – no overpowering, artificial fragrance, just subtle, refreshing scents.
How to Make Your Own Natural Air Fresheners
The combinations are endless, and the fragrance is released into the air by adding the contents and enough water to fill a small pot at least 1/2 – 3/4 full. Heat to boiling and then turn the heat down to low and allow it to simmer for a couple of hours. That’s it!
So are you as excited about creating your own ‘natural’ air fresheners as I am?
Natural Ingredients for Your Unique Fragrance
Let’s get started with some ingredients that you can use for your unique fragrant combination(s):
Citrus Delights
All types of citrus are refreshing and can serve as the base of your air freshener. I chose lemons, oranges and limes. But, if you have a grapefruit tree that is overly generous with its fruit, they would work well too!
A Touch of Herbs
Now let’s grab some herbs for your natural air fresheners from the garden or the grocery store).
Basil
2. Thyme
3. Mint
Rosemary and lavender would also work great. I also use vanilla extract and peppercorns in my mixtures.
Crafting Your Natural Air Freshener
Here are a few that I made.
Cooking (and eating) Italian food is some of my favorite – even though I have no Italian ancestry that I know of.
I used 1 sprig of basil, 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns and a few slices of lemon – it makes my home smell fresh as I imagine an Italian kitchen would smell like.
Add these ingredients to jars and fill them with water to the top. For this project, I used Ball mason jars.
I think it looks pretty, don’t you? Of course, if you are going to use use them right away, skip the jar and add directly to a small pot. Pour more water until it reaches 3/4 full, heat to boiling, lower the heat to low and enjoy for a few hours – KEEP an eye on the water level and add more as needed – DON’T let it dry out.
More Natural Fragrance Combinations
Here is another combination that I like.
A few slices of lime, 4 – 5 sprigs of thyme, a sprig of mint and a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
You can make one air freshener at a time, or create a few and store them in the refrigerator for a week. You can freeze them for longer until ready to use – just make sure to freeze them in a freezer-safe container such as a wide-mouth jar.
Lastly, this is my favorite combination, and only has two ingredients.
Oranges and vanilla extract.
I sliced half an orange and added 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
The fragrance reminds me of orange cream – YUM!
You can also add cinnamon sticks or a few whole cloves to this mixture for a spicier fragrance.
Exploring Natural Fragrance Variations
If you have ever stepped into a Williams & Sonoma store, they have their own natural air freshener recipe:
Lemon slices
Rosemary sprigs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
In addition to the ingredients I’ve used, here are some others that you can experiment with to create your own unique natural air freshener.
Citrus or apple peels, almond, coconut, or peppermint extract along with herbs like ginger, nutmeg, ground cinnamon, whole cloves, bay leaves, basil, sage, lavender, oregano, and rosemary.
Freshen Your Home Naturally
So if you want to add a little freshness to your home, don’t waste your time spraying artificial fragrance through your home. You can create wonderful combinations of scents using items from your garden, refrigerator, and pantry.
I hope you enjoy making these natural air fresheners as much as I do!
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Have you ever driven by a newly-planted landscape? If so, you probably noticed that many of the plants were quite small.
I like to joke that sometimes you need a magnifying glass just to see the new plants. But as small as they are, within a short amount of time, those plants start to grow.
Look at the same landscape three years later. The plants are well-established and look great.
Fast forward eight-ten years, and you may start to see signs of some plants becoming overgrown and unattractive.
When this happens to shrubs, we can often push a ‘restart button’ (for most types of shrubs) and prune them back severely in spring using a good pair of loppers, which reduces their size. I use my Corona loppers to do major pruning of my shrubs.
However, there are some plants where this approach doesn’t work.
Let’s identify a few of these plants and how to deal with them once they outgrow their allotted space or become filled with old, woody growth.
Desert Spoon (Dasylirion wheeleri)
Desert spoon is one of my favorite plants. I love how its blue-gray, spiky leaves add texture to the garden and contrast with plants that have darker green foliage.
After ten years or more in the landscape, desert spoon can start to take on a ragged, rather unattractive appearance, as well as grow quite large.
When this happens, I recommend that they be removed and a new one planted in its place.
Now, some of you may think that may seem wasteful, but I invite you to take another look at your landscape and the plants within it.
Your outdoor space isn’t static and unchanging. Its appearance changes with the seasons with plants blooming at different times. Trees gradually extend the amount of shade they provide and plants change in size.
A newly planted garden doesn’t look the same through the years, it changes.
Rosemary is a good choice for those who want rich, dark green color in the garden. Bees love the light blue flowers that appear in late winter and spring, and the aromatic foliage can be used to flavor your favorite dishes.
But, as time passes, it does get bigger, outgrowing its original space.
When this happens, people start to shear their rosemary, which is stressful for the plant and contributes to sections of branches dying.
For those who don’t like the formal look, pruning rosemary back severely would be your first impulse. But, the problem with rosemary is that they don’t respond well to severe pruning.
So again, in this case, it’s best to pull out the old rosemary and add a new one, which will provide beauty for several years.
Rosemary hedge
To avoid having to remove and replace rosemary too often, allow them plenty of room to grow to their mature size.
Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora)
Red yucca is prized for its succulent, green leaves that resemble an ornamental grass and its coral flowers, which appear spring through fall.
Once it has been growing seven years or more, red yucca may overwhelm the landscape visually. This is particularly true if the area it’s growing in isn’t very big.
Occasionally, some people will try to remove the outer leaves at the base. However, this is laborious and only serves to stimulate red yucca to grow back faster.
In those situations, I tell people that their plant has had a nice life, but it’s time to start over.
Newly-planted red yucca
You may be thinking, why use plants that you’ll only have to replace after seven to ten years?
Well, all three of these plants add beauty to the landscape and are low-maintenance.
Another way to think of it is to compare your landscape with the interior of your home. Do you make small changes to the decor of your home every few years to keep it looking fresh and attractive? The same should be true of the outside.
Replacing a few plants after seven years or more isn’t expensive. Don’t you think that the beauty these plants offer to your outdoor space makes them worth it?
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Step back in time in a busy city. Completely surrounded by small adobe homes and extensive historic gardens – all in modern-day Phoenix.
A Glimpse into Phoenix Homesteads District
Phoenix’s Only Adobe Neighborhood
The Phoenix Homesteads District dates back to the 1930s and is the only adobe neighborhood in Phoenix. Mature pine trees line the streets. They are interspersed with Mexican fan palms. This creates a green tunnel that beckons you to explore further.
Small Adobe Homes and Bountiful Gardens
Within this district, you’ll find small adobe homes nestled on spacious lots, adorned with towering trees and lush shrubs. These homes, constructed in the ’30s and ’40s, are designed to facilitate food cultivation and small-scale livestock ownership.
An Artistic Garden Gem
The purpose of my journey to this historic neighborhood was to visit a local artist and her picturesque gardens.
This historic garden jewel is located on ‘Flower Street.’
A Meeting with Suzanne Bracker
I came to visit this special place at the recommendation of a client. She told me about a resident artist, Suzanne Bracker. She has a beautiful garden but creates wonderful pieces of art.
The Garden’s Creative Touches
Suzanne met me by the curb in front of her home to lead me on a journey of inspiration and discovery.
The Garden’s Creative Touches
Repurposing Art in the Garden
Just a few steps into the garden, it’s apparent that Suzanne loves to repurpose items in her garden. The curved pathway and historic garden jewel is located on ‘Flower Street.’ The garden entrance is edged with broken concrete, often referred to as ‘urbanite’.
The property consists of two 1/4 acre lots. The adobe structure that used to serve as a garage/shed, straddles the original property line.
Queen’s wreath vine(Antigonon leptopus) and lantana grow on large river rocks within wire (gabion walls). The bright blooms of bougainvillea provide a welcome pop of color.
An old, gnarled tree root sits among vines. The tree adds color and texture contrast.
A Peruvian apple cactus (Cereus peruviana) grows through a giant bush lantana(Lantana camara). The lantana is in the shape of a small tree.
After only 5 minutes in this artist’s garden, I could tell that I was on a journey of the unexpected and could hardly wait to discover more.
The garage/shed is now an artist’s studio where pieces of Suzanne’s work are on display.
The original adobe wall is inside the studio. Adobe walls (made from mud and straw) keep buildings cool in summer.
You can see the bits of straw mixed in with the adobe. You can also see a small note in a crevice. It is awaiting discovery.
Unveiling Outdoor Art Galleries
From Mosaics to Jewelry – A Garden of Artistry
Evidence of Suzanne’s interest in a variety of artistic mediums is immediately apparent.
From mosaics…
To paper…
Clay…
And jewelry. Her talent is evident in almost everything she touches.
As we ventured back outdoors, Suzanne revealed a particular spot she affectionately calls her “graveyard”.
A Unique Garden ‘Graveyard’
Repurposing Clay Artifacts with Creativity
Underneath the shade of a large carob tree, the ‘graveyard’ is an area where the broken clay heads from Suzanne’s clay art find a place to rest.
This is a novel way to repurpose items.
Weights from old windows in the house now hang from metal trellises alongside snail vine.
Small crystals from old chandeliers now decorate the trellis and cast small rainbows wherever they catch the sun’s rays.
Peach-faced parrots, who live in the wild, stop by the bird feeder under the carob tree.
Sprays of delicate purple flowers from a large skyflower(Duranta erecta) shrub, arch over the garden path.
Along flagstone pathways, a flash of blue and green color catches my eye. Where most of us would throw out a few leftover glass beads, she uses them for a touch of whimsy.
As I enter her home, the original kitchen catches my eye – there’s no granite countertops or stainless steel appliances here.
This 1930’s kitchen is functional and very cute.
A Treasure Amidst the City
Plants provide color. The buildings are painted in vibrant shades of blue and purple as well.
Old oil cans, a kettle, and creamers find new life as garden art.
As I walk through the garden, we come upon a shady oasis, underneath the massive canopy of an old Lady Bank’s rose – this is the same type of rose as the famous Tombstone Rose.
A colorful rooster and his chickens enjoy the shade from the rose.
Gold lantana grows among round step stones.
One of the many enjoyable aspects of this garden are the garden rooms.
Among the garden paths, there’s always something to discover like these old, antique, toy cars. Suzanne put them on top of an old tree stump.
At the end of our garden journey, we pass by a jujube(Ziziphus jujube) tree, which tastes a little like apple.
Legacy of Flood Irrigation
Concrete Pipes as Garden Artifacts
The second house on the property has a lovely Rose of Sharon tree in front along with some interesting garden art.
The concrete pipes adorning the front of this home harken back to its historical roots. They were crafted from aged irrigation pipes originally used for flood irrigation. A practice that remains prevalent in certain older neighborhoods of Phoenix. These concrete pipes serve as enduring relics.
Today, they stand as a testament to the enduring traditions of this region. Their presence lends a unique historical charm to the property.
This garden still uses flood irrigation from the 1930s.
The blossoms of a small, Rose of Sharon(Hibiscus syriacus) add whimsical beauty with its flowers that change color as they age.
Suzanne’s Garden: A Historical Gem
An Artistic Oasis Preserving History
Gardens that surprise and inspire us are a real treasure.
Suzanne’s garden is a historic jewel. I am grateful for the opportunity to have met her and observe how her artistic talent extends to everything she touches.
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New plants can be planted in the fall with ease. You may notice the lengthening shadows on your way home from work, signaling shorter days. Or maybe you’ve noticed that you aren’t rushing indoors as quickly as you did earlier this summer.
It is time for cleaning up the summer garden and replanting new plants in the fall.
Fall is a time to celebrate the end of hot summer temperatures and what better way to do that than to venture out into the garden again?
Before you rush off to the nursery to shop for new plants, it’s essential to choose the right ones to ensure their successful growth in your garden. Researching your plant choices is the key to avoiding disappointment and wasted resources.
Here are three vital questions to answer before you start planting:
1. What Will Be the Mature Size of Your Plant?
It’s crucial to know how large your plant will grow once it reaches maturity. Neglecting this aspect can lead to overcrowded and overgrown landscapes. Small nursery plants can quickly transform into giants in your garden, potentially overwhelming your outdoor space.
This homeowner had ficus trees planted in the raised bed around their swimming pool.
Now, when you look at this picture, you may be wondering why would anyone plant ficus trees in this area.
Newly planted ficus tree
Well, it goes without saying that new plants are much smaller than they will be once they are planted and have a chance to grow.
Mature ficus tree.
But, once plants are in the ground and begin growing, that small little plant can increase in size exponentially. In this case, the ficus looks like it is ready to swallow up this house.
Over-planted shrubs
Another example of not researching the mature size of plants can be seen in many landscapes throughout the Southwest.
In a nutshell, the small 1 foot tall and wide shrub in the nursery can grow more than 10X its original size.
2. What Is the Preferred Sun Exposure for Your Plant?
Understanding the ideal sun exposure for your chosen plants is essential for their health and development. Placing sun-loving plants in the shade or shade-loving ones in full sun can result in leggy growth, fewer leaves, and diminished flowering.
What a plant that does best in filtered shade looks like when planted in full sun.
Conversely, if you place a plant that does best in the filtered shade in an area that gets full, afternoon sun – it will suffer.
You will save yourself a lot of time, money and frustration by simply placing plants in the exposure they like.
3. What Maintenance Does Your Plant Require?
Fuss-free Eremophila ‘Summertime Blue’
Different plants have varying maintenance needs. Some demand frequent pruning, fertilizing, and protection from pests, while others thrive with minimal attention. Choose plants that align with your preferred level of maintenance, and consider native or adapted species for fuss-free gardening.
Some plants need frequent pruning, fertilizing and protection from pests.
Others are what I like to call ‘fuss-free’ and need little else besides water.
The amount of maintenance a plant needs is largely dependent on whether or not it is native or adapted to your client.
For example in the Phoenix area where I live, queen palms are very popular. The problem is, is that they are not particularly well-adapted to our desert climate.
In fact, it is rare to see a healthy queen palm growing in the greater Phoenix area. Frequent applications of palm fertilizer are required to get them to look okay and even then, they will never look as good as those growing in Florida or California.
I don’t like to fuss over plants except for a couple of rose bushes in my garden, so I am a strong proponent of using native or adapted plants that need little pruning, no fertilizer and aren’t bothered by insect pests.
Now we know three important questions to get answered before selecting new plants for your garden.
Where Can You Go for Local Answers to These Questions?
To find answers to these questions and more, consult resources such as master gardeners, local botanical gardens, and online gardening communities. Armed with knowledge, you can make informed choices when selecting new plants for your garden, ensuring a beautiful and thriving landscape.
Master gardeners are an invaluable resource and their job is to help people learn how to grow new plants successfully. You can call them, email your questions or stop by and talk to them in person.
Take some time to visit yourlocal botanical garden. Write down which plants you like, or snap a photo of them with your phone. Note how large they are and what type of exposure they are growing in.
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It may surprise you to find that it is easier to find plants that thrive in the sun than in the shade.
Especially if you live in the desert Southwest. Why is this, you may ask?
Well, it can be hard to find plants that can handle the intense, dry heat of our climate while flourishing in the shade. While there are a number of lovely plants that can work in shady conditions, it’s hard to know which ones will, which is why I make sure to include my favorites for students in my online gardening class.
So, what do you do if you have a shady spot to fill?
One of my favorites is Yellow Dot (Wedolia trilobata), which is a vining ground cover with lush, dark green leaves interspersed with yellow daisy-like flowers.
Here is a plant that does fabulously in dark shade and will handle brief periods of full sun.
Yellow Dot grows quickly to 1 ft. high and 4 – 6 ft. wide and is hardy to 30 degrees. It’s susceptible to frost damage, which can be easily pruned back in spring.
One of my favorite characteristics of this lush green ground cover is that it has a long bloom period – spring through fall.
It grows beautifully underneath trees, along pathways, and among boulders. You just want to be sure to allow enough room for them to spread.
So, if you have a difficult shady spot that needs a plant – try Yellow Dot.
How about you? Do you have a favorite plant that does well in shady spots? I’d love to hear about it!
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Last month, I diagnosed my first ever case of garden color blindness.
Now, I realize that I am no doctor or medical authority. However, as a horticulturist, I am somewhat of an expert in the garden, which is where I made my diagnosis.
Attractive drought-tolerant landscape in the Southwest
Appreciating the Beauty of Drought-Tolerant Landscapes in the Southwest
Before I tell you more about my unorthodox diagnosis, I invite you to look at this photo. It’s of a lovely low-desert landscape filled with a mixture of trees, shrubs, and cacti.
Front entry to desert garden with flowering Parry’s Penstemon
Front entry to desert garden with flowering Parry’s Penstemon
Here is another lovely desert landscape with succulents, vines, and a flowering Parry’s Penstemon.
My client has a garden much like those photographed above. It’s filled with a variety of flowering shrubs, agaves, cacti, and ground covers.
Don’t Worry; Everything is Going to Be Okay
So when he called me in a panic telling me that the plants in his garden were doing poorly, I came ready to help him out.
However, once I got there, I didn’t see any problems. His plants looked great! He told me that his plants did look fine before he left on vacation. But, when he returned, they seemed less green and somewhat sickly.
It took me a while to assure him that his garden was healthy, and then we made small talk and I asked him where he went on vacation. His answer? Michigan!
That was an AH-HA moment! I now knew what the problem was, and it wasn’t with his plants. It was his eyes and his perception of green.
A large lilac bush next to a winery in Traverse City, Michigan
Let me illustrate:
A large lilac bush next to a winery in Traverse City, Michigan
Michigan is one of my favorite states to visit because my oldest daughter lives there with her family.
It is a beautiful place to explore with lovely gardens.
Colorful bearded iris in the Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
There are stunning botanical gardens awash with vibrant flowers spring through summer along with vivid greens.
Example of a Michigan Farm at Frederik Meijer Gardens
Example of a Michigan Farm at Frederik Meijer Gardens
Visiting Michigan in summer is something that I look forward to every year. The gardens with their lush greens are a soothing balm when I’m tired of the hot, dry summer heat back home.
My client had an experience much like this, enjoying the saturated greens of a Midwest summer before he returned home to his garden.
Now, take another look at the desert landscapes below:
Do they look a little less colorful to you? Dare I say drab?
When we travel to regions outside of the desert, our eyes become accustomed to bright, saturated colors that are part of that landscape. Then, when we return home, the soft, subtle shades of green are less evident to us due to the ‘green overload’ we are returning from.
It is Only Temporary Color Blindness
As I explained this to my client, he finally understood that there was nothing wrong with his plants, just his eyes.
The good news is that this is temporary color blindness and that his garden will soon look as beautiful and vibrant as it did before he went on vacation.
Have you ever suffered from temporary color blindness in the garden?
https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/desert-landscape-design-parrys-penstemon-002.jpg640480arizonaplantlady@gmail.comhttps://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/AZ-Plant-Lady-Logo-small.jpgarizonaplantlady@gmail.com2019-08-08 08:01:442023-10-03 12:29:02Have You Suffered From Color Blindness in the Garden?
What type of plants comes to mind when you are planning what to plant in your containers?
I’m willing to bet that purple hopbush (Dodonaea viscosa ‘Purpurea’) and bush morning glory(Convolvulus cneorum) probably weren’t the first plants that came to mind.
Thinking Beyond the Blooms
Admittedly, I tend to think of using plants known for their flowers or succulents in my containers. That is until a trip to California that I took this past April.
A Visit to Cornerstone Sonoma
In the picturesque Napa Valley region of northern California, sits Cornerstone Sonoma, which describes itself as “a wine country marketplace featuring a collection of world-class shopping, boutique wine rooms, artisanal foods, art-inspired gardens.”
Believe me; it is all that and more.
Amidst all its offerings, it was the unconventional container plantings that captured my attention.
Intriguingly, I discovered square steel containers filled with plants celebrated for their foliage, a departure from the typical container plantings I was accustomed to.
These unique designs were creative and beautiful.
The Appeal of Foliage-Focused Container Plantings
There were quite a few things about this type of container planting that appealed to me.
One, it is low-maintenance – no deadheading required. Just some light pruning 2 – 3 times a year, to control their size. Second, the plants are all drought tolerant (with the exception of the violas). Lastly, I like seeing new ways of doing things and using plants prized for their foliage in containers is something we don’t see too often.
Replicating the Concept with Container Plants at Home
Fast forward a few months, and I decided to rethink what to add to the large, blue planter by my front entry. So, I thought, why not try the same arrangement?
Smaller but Promising
Granted, the plants are smaller than those I saw in California, but given a few months, they should grow in nicely.
As you can see my new plants are rather mall, however, the purple hopbush will grow taller and its evergreen foliage will add shades of purple and green to this space. Furthermore, this shrub is one of those highly-prized plants that do well in both sun and filtered shade.
Embracing Foliage Diversity
The silvery-gray foliage of bush morning glory creates a great color contrast with the darker greens of the other plants. While it may not flower much in this semi-shady corner, I want it for its silvery foliage.
Adding Greenery to the Mix
In addition, I want to use a plant that has bright green foliage, so I have a single foxtail asparagus fern (Asparagus densiflorus Myers), which will thrive in this semi-shady exposure.
Maintenance will be relatively simple with periodic pruning to keep wayward branches in check. Fertilizing in spring and late summer with a slow-release fertilizer such as Osmocote will be all that’s needed to keep my container plants happy.
Do you have any plants with attractive foliage that you would use in containers?
https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/hopbushbushmorningglorycontainers-002.jpg388640arizonaplantlady@gmail.comhttps://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/AZ-Plant-Lady-Logo-small.jpgarizonaplantlady@gmail.com2019-07-30 07:34:002023-10-03 12:38:06It’s All About the Leaves: Creative Container Plantings
I don’t have any containers filled with flowering annuals. Shocking isn’t it?
There are a few reasons for this, the most important one is that I prefer using relatively fuss-free plants that look great all year in my pots.
I don’t have much patience for high-maintenance containers. In particular, ones with flowering annuals that need frequent irrigation. Not to mention deadheading of spent flowers and having to change them out seasonally. But, I do love the way they look.
Red Geraniums and White Bacopa
My inclination to avoid flowering annuals in my own garden has to do with my past and no, it’s nothing scandalous.
It does have to do with my work in the past. For five years, I was in charge of 45 pots. Each container was always be filled with colorful flowers.
Believe me, keeping all of those pots looking beautiful was a lot of work! Countless trips to the nursery, fertilizing, watering and replacing them twice a year got tiresome. Not to mention that I broke my foot when I tripping on a curb, while loading flats of flowers.
So, it may not come as a surprise that I prefer using succulent plants in my pots.
Victoria Agave ‘Compacta’
Much of my inspiration for using succulent plants in containers come from those at the Desert Botanical Garden as shown in the photo above and below.
Agaves are some of my favorite succulent plants and the smaller species do very well in containers.
In an article I wrote for Houzz, I list my ten favorite small agaves for Houzz that are suitable for growing in pots.
I hope you enjoy it and find one that is perfect for you!
Have you ever taken a peek behind the scenes? If you have, you know it reveals so much that you never knew. In the past, I’ve had a look at what goes on in the background in a variety of places including a Kentucky bourbon factory, the Lawry Spice Company, the Wheel of Fortune game show, local television news programs, U.S. Mint, to name a few.
Well, now I can add a visit to a seed company – ‘Botanical Interests’ to be precise.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
AZ Plant Lady (me) and my friend and fellow blogger, Teresa Odle of “Gardening in a Drought”
Last month, I toured gardens in the greater Denver area where Botanical Interests also is. We had the unique opportunity to visit their facility and learn all that goes into getting high-quality seeds into hands of gardeners throughout the U.S.
Exploring the Seed Warehouse
The first floor consists of a large warehouse with floor to ceiling shelves filled with the 600 different varieties of seed. The seed they carry include heirlooms, organics, and open-pollinated flowers, and vegetables.
Imagine a seed warehouse filled with 80 garden bloggers, and you have a pretty good idea of our vision of heaven! I admit it was hard to keep up with the tour as I wanted to read each package of seed we passed by.
Guided by the Owner, Judy Seaborn
Our tour was led by the owner of Botanical Interests herself, Judy Seaborn. She is warm, funny, and passionate. I am so impressed with her attention to detail. From the artistic seed packets to how the seeds are packaged as ‘gifts.’
Here are what the seeds are kept in before they are put into individual packets. Seeds like to be kept in a cold, dry area. Not surprisingly, Denver is the perfect location for a seed company.
Ensuring Seed Quality
Seed quality is essential as you want it all to be viable. Unlike many seed companies who have their seed tested by outside companies, Botanical Interests do their own testing to ensure that the seed is up to their high standards.
Can you guess what this is? It is a special machine from Germany with a micro-doser and seed counter. It makes sure that the exact amount of seeds make it into each packet.
Protecting Valuable Seeds
Here’s a fascinating tidbit: Many seed companies have a ‘vault’ where they store expensive seeds to maintain their peak quality.
Judy tells the story of when a delivery of seed came in via FedEx. The driver didn’t understand why the owner of the company had to sign for the delivery. That was until she told him the small bag of rare tomato seed was worth $10,000.
The Artistry Behind Each Botanical Interests Packet
If you’ve ever marveled at the beautiful and realistic artwork on Botanical Interests seed packets, you’re not alone.
Upstairs is an entire art department made up of several artists who are responsible for the drawings on each packet.
I have a confession to make – I wish that I could create drawings like this. My siblings and I are artistic, but display it in different forms. My sister is good at watercolors, my youngest sister is a sought-after professional photographer, and I show my creative talent in designing gardens.
Our tour wrapped up too quickly, but we each carried a gift of seeds to take home to our gardens.
I buy seed from Botanical Interests and have done so for years. I encourage you to do so as well as you will have a garden full of beautiful plants.
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Fall Foliage for the Southwestern Garden
Arizona garden, California desert garden, desert gardening, Fall Blooming Plants, Houzz Article, Nevada garden, Shrubs, TreesEmbracing Vibrant Fall Foliage in Arid Climates
Before you lament a fall season devoid of colorful fall foliage in the arid West and Southwest regions of the U.S., here are some favorite water-wise shrubs and trees that will add glorious color in varying shades of orange, red, and burgundy to your arid autumn landscape.
we enjoyed on a trip to Williamsburg, VA several years ago.
Have you ever traveled somewhere else to find colorful fall foliage? What if you could have fall color in your own landscape?
A Splash of Fall Foliage Color in the Arid Desert
Like most water-wise plants, the following do best in well-drained soil. The watering guidelines given are approximate and may need to be adjusted in response to variables such as sun exposure, soil, and climate. In general, drought-tolerant plants do best when the soil is watered deeply and then allowed to dry out before the next watering. Plant in fall or wait until spring, and enjoy fall color for years to come.
Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris)
Autumn Pink
In spring and summer, this ornamental grass provides an attractive backdrop with its graceful green foliage. As temperatures begin to fall and days begin to shorten, burgundy-pink plumes softly wave above the green blades, and pink muhly grass takes center stage in the garden. Its color slowly fades to a lovely wheat color in winter. Plant it in groups of three, five, or seven for the greatest effect.
Growing Conditions
Where it will grow: Hardy to 0 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 18 degrees Celsius (USDA zones 7 to 9; find your zone)
Water requirement: Low to moderate; can survive on little water, but flowering is improved with regular summer irrigation. Water every 10 to 14 days in summer, every two weeks in spring through fall, and monthly in winter for the best flowering.
Light requirement: Full, reflected sun to filtered shade
Mature size: 3 feet tall and wide
Planting notes: Plant in well-drained soil in full sun or filtered shade; cut back to the ground in late winter; apply a slow-release fertilizer in spring.
‘Sticks on Fire’ Milk Bush (Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’)
Unexpected Bursts of Orange
Orange splashes of color come from an unexpected source with this drought-tolerant succulent. ‘Sticks on Fire’ differs from the green-colored parent plant in that it is smaller and new growth has a bright orange color. The color fades to yellow and then green in summer only to turn orange again when temperatures cool. In cooler climates it can be grown in a container and brought indoors when temperatures dip below freezing. Milk bush can easily be propagated from cuttings. Be sure to wear gloves when handling this plant, as its milky sap can irritate skin and eyes.
Growing Conditions
Where it will grow: Hardy to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 1 degree Celsius (zones 9 to 11)
Water requirement: Low; water every three weeks spring through fall and monthly in winter. In the low desert, water twice a month spring through fall.
Light requirement: Full sun to filtered shade (full sun is needed for it to develop the orange color)
Mature size: 4 to 8 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide
Planting notes: Plant in well-drained soil in full sun.
Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis)
A Burst of Fall Foliage
Chinese pistache is for those who are looking for a tree that produces colorful fall foliage and will thrive in dry, arid climates. It is widely grown throughout the Northwest and the southern half of the United States, and is a go-to tree for reliable autumn color in the Southwest. In fall, bright green leaves give way to shades of yellow followed by orange and red, providing much-desired fall color for the drought-tolerant garden. Female trees produce berries that attract birds. This tree isn’t fussy about soil, as long as it’s well-drained, but it does need room to grow to its full size.
Growing Conditions
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 23 degrees Celsius (zones 6 to 9)
Water requirement: Low to moderate; water to 3 feet every 10 to 14 days in summer, every three weeks in spring through fall and monthly in winter
Light requirement: Full, reflected sun to filtered shade
Mature size: 30 to 60 feet tall and 30 to 40 feet wide
Planting notes: Plant in well-drained soil in full sun or filtered shade; prune in winter to shape.
Firebush (Hamelia patens)
N
A Blaze of Color and Fall Foliage
The allure of firebush goes beyond its stunning orange-red spring and summer blooms, which are a magnet for hummingbirds. It saves its grand finale for fall when its lush foliage transforms into a vibrant shade of red, creating a fiery spectacle. In tropical climates, this heat-loving shrub can grow into a small tree, while in drought-tolerant landscapes, it remains a manageable and colorful shrub. Although it dies back when temperatures dip into the 20s, it resurfaces in spring. In zones 7 and below, it can be grown as an annual.
Growing Conditions
Where it will grow: Hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (zones 7 to 11)
Water requirement: Moderate; water 18 inches to 2 feet deep weekly in summer, every 10 to 14 days in spring through fall, and every three weeks in winter
Light requirement: Full and reflected sun to filtered shade (full sun is best for flowering)
Mature size: 4 to 5 feet tall and wide
Planting notes: Plant in well-drained soil; prune back in spring, after the danger of frost has passed.
‘Krauter Vesuvius’ Cherry Plum (Prunus cerasifera ‘Krauter Vesuvius’)
A Regal Purple Masterpiece
This plum tree species is renowned for its regal burgundy-purple foliage that graces the landscape from spring through fall. Despite being a plum tree, its fruits are typically small or nonexistent, as its true value lies in its captivating foliage. Pale pink springtime blossoms are soon followed by the emergence of dark-colored leaves. While several cherry plum varieties exist, ‘Krauter Vesuvius’ stands out as the most drought-tolerant, making it ideal for enduring hot, dry summers.
Growing Conditions
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit (zones 5 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate; water 2 to 3 feet every 10 to 14 days in summer, every two to three weeks in spring and fall, and monthly in winter. In the low desert, water weekly in summer and every 10 to 12 days in spring and fall.
Light requirement: Full sun to filtered shade (full sun is needed for maximum purple color)
Mature size: 15 to 20 feet tall and wide; smaller cultivars are available
Planting notes: Plant in well-drained soil; prune during winter dormancy.
Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica)
A Bamboo-Like Marvel with Radiant Red Fall Foliage
Heavenly bamboo, often likened to true bamboo due to its fine-textured leaves and upright stems, unveils a delightful transformation in fall and winter. The new growth takes on a charming burgundy tint before transitioning to a bright spring and summer green. As cooler temperatures grace the landscape, the foliage transitions into enchanting shades of red. Additionally, small flowers give way to clusters of red berries in autumn. While moderately drought-tolerant, it thrives in arid regions, maintaining its vigorous growth in controlled environments.
Caution: Heavenly bamboo can become invasive in regions with abundant rainfall, especially in the eastern U.S., and all parts of this shrub are toxic.
Growing Conditions
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit (zones 6 to 9)
Water requirement: Low to moderate; water 18 inches to 2 feet twice a month in summer, every three weeks in spring and fall, and monthly in winter. In the low desert, water weekly in summer and twice a month in spring and fall.
Light requirement: Full sun to filtered shade (prefers filtered to full shade in the low desert)
Mature size: 4 to 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide; smaller cultivars are available
Planting notes: Plant in well-drained soil; selectively prune older branches at the base in late winter or early spring.
Do you have a favorite plant that gives you fall color?
Drive By Landscapes: Winter Beauty in the Southwest Garden
DIY: Create Natural Air Fresheners From the Garden
Citrus, DIY, herb gardeningA Breath of Fresh Air: Creating Natural Air Fresheners
Have you ever sprayed air freshener in your home? Does it ever smell like the fragrance described on the can? I must confess that I have used air-fresheners in the past, but I’ve never happy with how my house smelled afterward. To me, the fragrance is so ‘artificial,’ and I also wonder if there are some ingredients in them that maybe aren’t good to inhale.
Discover the Beauty of Natural Fragrances
So, I was intrigued when I heard about ‘natural’ air fresheners made from plants – many of which I have in my garden.
Imagine your home filled with the natural fragrance of citrus paired with your favorite herbs drifting throughout – no overpowering, artificial fragrance, just subtle, refreshing scents.
How to Make Your Own Natural Air Fresheners
The combinations are endless, and the fragrance is released into the air by adding the contents and enough water to fill a small pot at least 1/2 – 3/4 full. Heat to boiling and then turn the heat down to low and allow it to simmer for a couple of hours. That’s it!
So are you as excited about creating your own ‘natural’ air fresheners as I am?
Natural Ingredients for Your Unique Fragrance
Let’s get started with some ingredients that you can use for your unique fragrant combination(s):
Citrus Delights
All types of citrus are refreshing and can serve as the base of your air freshener. I chose lemons, oranges and limes. But, if you have a grapefruit tree that is overly generous with its fruit, they would work well too!
A Touch of Herbs
Now let’s grab some herbs for your natural air fresheners from the garden or the grocery store).
2. Thyme
3. Mint
Rosemary and lavender would also work great. I also use vanilla extract and peppercorns in my mixtures.
Crafting Your Natural Air Freshener
Here are a few that I made.
Cooking (and eating) Italian food is some of my favorite – even though I have no Italian ancestry that I know of.
I used 1 sprig of basil, 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns and a few slices of lemon – it makes my home smell fresh as I imagine an Italian kitchen would smell like.
Add these ingredients to jars and fill them with water to the top. For this project, I used Ball mason jars.
I think it looks pretty, don’t you? Of course, if you are going to use use them right away, skip the jar and add directly to a small pot. Pour more water until it reaches 3/4 full, heat to boiling, lower the heat to low and enjoy for a few hours – KEEP an eye on the water level and add more as needed – DON’T let it dry out.
More Natural Fragrance Combinations
Here is another combination that I like.
A few slices of lime, 4 – 5 sprigs of thyme, a sprig of mint and a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
You can make one air freshener at a time, or create a few and store them in the refrigerator for a week. You can freeze them for longer until ready to use – just make sure to freeze them in a freezer-safe container such as a wide-mouth jar.
Lastly, this is my favorite combination, and only has two ingredients.
Oranges and vanilla extract.
I sliced half an orange and added 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
The fragrance reminds me of orange cream – YUM!
You can also add cinnamon sticks or a few whole cloves to this mixture for a spicier fragrance.
Exploring Natural Fragrance Variations
If you have ever stepped into a Williams & Sonoma store, they have their own natural air freshener recipe:
In addition to the ingredients I’ve used, here are some others that you can experiment with to create your own unique natural air freshener.
Citrus or apple peels, almond, coconut, or peppermint extract along with herbs like ginger, nutmeg, ground cinnamon, whole cloves, bay leaves, basil, sage, lavender, oregano, and rosemary.
Freshen Your Home Naturally
So if you want to add a little freshness to your home, don’t waste your time spraying artificial fragrance through your home. You can create wonderful combinations of scents using items from your garden, refrigerator, and pantry.
I hope you enjoy making these natural air fresheners as much as I do!
5 Surprising Ways to Use Citrus Fruit For Home and Kitchen
Old, Overgrown Plants: Time to Start Over?
Arizona, Arizona garden, California, California desert garden, desert gardening, Landscape Problems, Shrubs, Succulent GardeningHave you ever driven by a newly-planted landscape? If so, you probably noticed that many of the plants were quite small.
I like to joke that sometimes you need a magnifying glass just to see the new plants. But as small as they are, within a short amount of time, those plants start to grow.
Look at the same landscape three years later. The plants are well-established and look great.
Fast forward eight-ten years, and you may start to see signs of some plants becoming overgrown and unattractive.
When this happens to shrubs, we can often push a ‘restart button’ (for most types of shrubs) and prune them back severely in spring using a good pair of loppers, which reduces their size. I use my Corona loppers to do major pruning of my shrubs.
However, there are some plants where this approach doesn’t work.
Let’s identify a few of these plants and how to deal with them once they outgrow their allotted space or become filled with old, woody growth.
Desert Spoon (Dasylirion wheeleri)
Desert spoon is one of my favorite plants. I love how its blue-gray, spiky leaves add texture to the garden and contrast with plants that have darker green foliage.
After ten years or more in the landscape, desert spoon can start to take on a ragged, rather unattractive appearance, as well as grow quite large.
When this happens, I recommend that they be removed and a new one planted in its place.
Now, some of you may think that may seem wasteful, but I invite you to take another look at your landscape and the plants within it.
Your outdoor space isn’t static and unchanging. Its appearance changes with the seasons with plants blooming at different times. Trees gradually extend the amount of shade they provide and plants change in size.
A newly planted garden doesn’t look the same through the years, it changes.
Trailing Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’)
Rosemary is a good choice for those who want rich, dark green color in the garden. Bees love the light blue flowers that appear in late winter and spring, and the aromatic foliage can be used to flavor your favorite dishes.
But, as time passes, it does get bigger, outgrowing its original space.
When this happens, people start to shear their rosemary, which is stressful for the plant and contributes to sections of branches dying.
For those who don’t like the formal look, pruning rosemary back severely would be your first impulse. But, the problem with rosemary is that they don’t respond well to severe pruning.
So again, in this case, it’s best to pull out the old rosemary and add a new one, which will provide beauty for several years.
Rosemary hedge
To avoid having to remove and replace rosemary too often, allow them plenty of room to grow to their mature size.
Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora)
Red yucca is prized for its succulent, green leaves that resemble an ornamental grass and its coral flowers, which appear spring through fall.
Once it has been growing seven years or more, red yucca may overwhelm the landscape visually. This is particularly true if the area it’s growing in isn’t very big.
Occasionally, some people will try to remove the outer leaves at the base. However, this is laborious and only serves to stimulate red yucca to grow back faster.
In those situations, I tell people that their plant has had a nice life, but it’s time to start over.
Newly-planted red yucca
You may be thinking, why use plants that you’ll only have to replace after seven to ten years?
Well, all three of these plants add beauty to the landscape and are low-maintenance.
Another way to think of it is to compare your landscape with the interior of your home. Do you make small changes to the decor of your home every few years to keep it looking fresh and attractive? The same should be true of the outside.
Replacing a few plants after seven years or more isn’t expensive. Don’t you think that the beauty these plants offer to your outdoor space makes them worth it?
What have you replaced in your garden recently?
Got Old, Overgrown Plants? Know When to Prune or Replace
A Historic Garden Jewel in the City
Arizona garden, Cactus/Succulents, Ground Covers, Landscape Design, Southwest gardenUnveiling a Historic Garden Oasis
Step back in time in a busy city. Completely surrounded by small adobe homes and extensive historic gardens – all in modern-day Phoenix.
A Glimpse into Phoenix Homesteads District
Phoenix’s Only Adobe Neighborhood
The Phoenix Homesteads District dates back to the 1930s and is the only adobe neighborhood in Phoenix. Mature pine trees line the streets. They are interspersed with Mexican fan palms. This creates a green tunnel that beckons you to explore further.
Small Adobe Homes and Bountiful Gardens
Within this district, you’ll find small adobe homes nestled on spacious lots, adorned with towering trees and lush shrubs. These homes, constructed in the ’30s and ’40s, are designed to facilitate food cultivation and small-scale livestock ownership.
An Artistic Garden Gem
The purpose of my journey to this historic neighborhood was to visit a local artist and her picturesque gardens.
This historic garden jewel is located on ‘Flower Street.’
A Meeting with Suzanne Bracker
I came to visit this special place at the recommendation of a client. She told me about a resident artist, Suzanne Bracker. She has a beautiful garden but creates wonderful pieces of art.
The Garden’s Creative Touches
Suzanne met me by the curb in front of her home to lead me on a journey of inspiration and discovery.
The Garden’s Creative Touches
Repurposing Art in the Garden
Just a few steps into the garden, it’s apparent that Suzanne loves to repurpose items in her garden. The curved pathway and historic garden jewel is located on ‘Flower Street.’ The garden entrance is edged with broken concrete, often referred to as ‘urbanite’.
The property consists of two 1/4 acre lots. The adobe structure that used to serve as a garage/shed, straddles the original property line.
Queen’s wreath vine (Antigonon leptopus) and lantana grow on large river rocks within wire (gabion walls). The bright blooms of bougainvillea provide a welcome pop of color.
An old, gnarled tree root sits among vines. The tree adds color and texture contrast.
A Peruvian apple cactus (Cereus peruviana) grows through a giant bush lantana (Lantana camara). The lantana is in the shape of a small tree.
After only 5 minutes in this artist’s garden, I could tell that I was on a journey of the unexpected and could hardly wait to discover more.
The garage/shed is now an artist’s studio where pieces of Suzanne’s work are on display.
The original adobe wall is inside the studio. Adobe walls (made from mud and straw) keep buildings cool in summer.
You can see the bits of straw mixed in with the adobe. You can also see a small note in a crevice. It is awaiting discovery.
Unveiling Outdoor Art Galleries
From Mosaics to Jewelry – A Garden of Artistry
Evidence of Suzanne’s interest in a variety of artistic mediums is immediately apparent.
From mosaics…
To paper…
Clay…
And jewelry. Her talent is evident in almost everything she touches.
As we ventured back outdoors, Suzanne revealed a particular spot she affectionately calls her “graveyard”.
A Unique Garden ‘Graveyard’
Repurposing Clay Artifacts with Creativity
Underneath the shade of a large carob tree, the ‘graveyard’ is an area where the broken clay heads from Suzanne’s clay art find a place to rest.
This is a novel way to repurpose items.
Weights from old windows in the house now hang from metal trellises alongside snail vine.
Small crystals from old chandeliers now decorate the trellis and cast small rainbows wherever they catch the sun’s rays.
Peach-faced parrots, who live in the wild, stop by the bird feeder under the carob tree.
Sprays of delicate purple flowers from a large skyflower (Duranta erecta) shrub, arch over the garden path.
Along flagstone pathways, a flash of blue and green color catches my eye. Where most of us would throw out a few leftover glass beads, she uses them for a touch of whimsy.
As I enter her home, the original kitchen catches my eye – there’s no granite countertops or stainless steel appliances here.
This 1930’s kitchen is functional and very cute.
A Treasure Amidst the City
Plants provide color. The buildings are painted in vibrant shades of blue and purple as well.
Old oil cans, a kettle, and creamers find new life as garden art.
As I walk through the garden, we come upon a shady oasis, underneath the massive canopy of an old Lady Bank’s rose – this is the same type of rose as the famous Tombstone Rose.
A colorful rooster and his chickens enjoy the shade from the rose.
Gold lantana grows among round step stones.
One of the many enjoyable aspects of this garden are the garden rooms.
Among the garden paths, there’s always something to discover like these old, antique, toy cars. Suzanne put them on top of an old tree stump.
At the end of our garden journey, we pass by a jujube (Ziziphus jujube) tree, which tastes a little like apple.
Legacy of Flood Irrigation
Concrete Pipes as Garden Artifacts
The second house on the property has a lovely Rose of Sharon tree in front along with some interesting garden art.
The concrete pipes adorning the front of this home harken back to its historical roots. They were crafted from aged irrigation pipes originally used for flood irrigation. A practice that remains prevalent in certain older neighborhoods of Phoenix. These concrete pipes serve as enduring relics.
Today, they stand as a testament to the enduring traditions of this region. Their presence lends a unique historical charm to the property.
This garden still uses flood irrigation from the 1930s.
The blossoms of a small, Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) add whimsical beauty with its flowers that change color as they age.
Suzanne’s Garden: A Historical Gem
An Artistic Oasis Preserving History
Gardens that surprise and inspire us are a real treasure.
Suzanne’s garden is a historic jewel. I am grateful for the opportunity to have met her and observe how her artistic talent extends to everything she touches.
Fall Planting: How to Select Plants
Arizona garden, California desert garden, desert gardening, Nevada garden, Southwest gardenChoosing the Right New Plants for Your Garden
Research New Plants Before You Shop
New plants can be planted in the fall with ease. You may notice the lengthening shadows on your way home from work, signaling shorter days. Or maybe you’ve noticed that you aren’t rushing indoors as quickly as you did earlier this summer.
It is time for cleaning up the summer garden and replanting new plants in the fall.
Fall is a time to celebrate the end of hot summer temperatures and what better way to do that than to venture out into the garden again?
Before you rush off to the nursery to shop for new plants, it’s essential to choose the right ones to ensure their successful growth in your garden. Researching your plant choices is the key to avoiding disappointment and wasted resources.
Here are three vital questions to answer before you start planting:
1. What Will Be the Mature Size of Your Plant?
It’s crucial to know how large your plant will grow once it reaches maturity. Neglecting this aspect can lead to overcrowded and overgrown landscapes. Small nursery plants can quickly transform into giants in your garden, potentially overwhelming your outdoor space.
This homeowner had ficus trees planted in the raised bed around their swimming pool.
Now, when you look at this picture, you may be wondering why would anyone plant ficus trees in this area.
Newly planted ficus tree
Well, it goes without saying that new plants are much smaller than they will be once they are planted and have a chance to grow.
Mature ficus tree.
But, once plants are in the ground and begin growing, that small little plant can increase in size exponentially. In this case, the ficus looks like it is ready to swallow up this house.
Over-planted shrubs
Another example of not researching the mature size of plants can be seen in many landscapes throughout the Southwest.
In a nutshell, the small 1 foot tall and wide shrub in the nursery can grow more than 10X its original size.
2. What Is the Preferred Sun Exposure for Your Plant?
Understanding the ideal sun exposure for your chosen plants is essential for their health and development. Placing sun-loving plants in the shade or shade-loving ones in full sun can result in leggy growth, fewer leaves, and diminished flowering.
What a plant that does best in filtered shade looks like when planted in full sun.
Conversely, if you place a plant that does best in the filtered shade in an area that gets full, afternoon sun – it will suffer.
You will save yourself a lot of time, money and frustration by simply placing plants in the exposure they like.
3. What Maintenance Does Your Plant Require?
Fuss-free Eremophila ‘Summertime Blue’
Different plants have varying maintenance needs. Some demand frequent pruning, fertilizing, and protection from pests, while others thrive with minimal attention. Choose plants that align with your preferred level of maintenance, and consider native or adapted species for fuss-free gardening.
Some plants need frequent pruning, fertilizing and protection from pests.
Others are what I like to call ‘fuss-free’ and need little else besides water.
The amount of maintenance a plant needs is largely dependent on whether or not it is native or adapted to your client.
For example in the Phoenix area where I live, queen palms are very popular. The problem is, is that they are not particularly well-adapted to our desert climate.
In fact, it is rare to see a healthy queen palm growing in the greater Phoenix area. Frequent applications of palm fertilizer are required to get them to look okay and even then, they will never look as good as those growing in Florida or California.
I don’t like to fuss over plants except for a couple of rose bushes in my garden, so I am a strong proponent of using native or adapted plants that need little pruning, no fertilizer and aren’t bothered by insect pests.
Now we know three important questions to get answered before selecting new plants for your garden.
Where Can You Go for Local Answers to These Questions?
To find answers to these questions and more, consult resources such as master gardeners, local botanical gardens, and online gardening communities. Armed with knowledge, you can make informed choices when selecting new plants for your garden, ensuring a beautiful and thriving landscape.
Master gardeners are an invaluable resource and their job is to help people learn how to grow new plants successfully. You can call them, email your questions or stop by and talk to them in person.
Take some time to visit your local botanical garden. Write down which plants you like, or snap a photo of them with your phone. Note how large they are and what type of exposure they are growing in.
3 Tips for Fall Planting Success
Made in the Shade: Yellow Dot
Arizona garden, AZ Plant Lady Classes, California desert garden, desert gardening, Ground Covers, Landscape Problems, Las Vegas gardeningIt may surprise you to find that it is easier to find plants that thrive in the sun than in the shade.
Especially if you live in the desert Southwest. Why is this, you may ask?
Well, it can be hard to find plants that can handle the intense, dry heat of our climate while flourishing in the shade. While there are a number of lovely plants that can work in shady conditions, it’s hard to know which ones will, which is why I make sure to include my favorites for students in my online gardening class.
So, what do you do if you have a shady spot to fill?
One of my favorites is Yellow Dot (Wedolia trilobata), which is a vining ground cover with lush, dark green leaves interspersed with yellow daisy-like flowers.
Here is a plant that does fabulously in dark shade and will handle brief periods of full sun.
Yellow Dot grows quickly to 1 ft. high and 4 – 6 ft. wide and is hardy to 30 degrees. It’s susceptible to frost damage, which can be easily pruned back in spring.
One of my favorite characteristics of this lush green ground cover is that it has a long bloom period – spring through fall.
It grows beautifully underneath trees, along pathways, and among boulders. You just want to be sure to allow enough room for them to spread.
So, if you have a difficult shady spot that needs a plant – try Yellow Dot.
How about you? Do you have a favorite plant that does well in shady spots? I’d love to hear about it!
Gardening in the Desert Southwest – Interview
Have You Suffered From Color Blindness in the Garden?
Arizona garden, California desert garden, desert gardening, Garden Travels, Landscape Problems, Las Vegas gardening, New Mexico garden, Southwest gardenUnderstanding Garden Color Blindness
Last month, I diagnosed my first ever case of garden color blindness.
Now, I realize that I am no doctor or medical authority. However, as a horticulturist, I am somewhat of an expert in the garden, which is where I made my diagnosis.
Attractive drought-tolerant landscape in the Southwest
Appreciating the Beauty of Drought-Tolerant Landscapes in the Southwest
Before I tell you more about my unorthodox diagnosis, I invite you to look at this photo. It’s of a lovely low-desert landscape filled with a mixture of trees, shrubs, and cacti.
Front entry to desert garden with flowering Parry’s Penstemon
Front entry to desert garden with flowering Parry’s Penstemon
Here is another lovely desert landscape with succulents, vines, and a flowering Parry’s Penstemon.
My client has a garden much like those photographed above. It’s filled with a variety of flowering shrubs, agaves, cacti, and ground covers.
Don’t Worry; Everything is Going to Be Okay
So when he called me in a panic telling me that the plants in his garden were doing poorly, I came ready to help him out.
However, once I got there, I didn’t see any problems. His plants looked great! He told me that his plants did look fine before he left on vacation. But, when he returned, they seemed less green and somewhat sickly.
It took me a while to assure him that his garden was healthy, and then we made small talk and I asked him where he went on vacation. His answer? Michigan!
That was an AH-HA moment! I now knew what the problem was, and it wasn’t with his plants. It was his eyes and his perception of green.
A large lilac bush next to a winery in Traverse City, Michigan
Let me illustrate:
A large lilac bush next to a winery in Traverse City, Michigan
Michigan is one of my favorite states to visit because my oldest daughter lives there with her family.
It is a beautiful place to explore with lovely gardens.
Colorful bearded iris in the Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
There are stunning botanical gardens awash with vibrant flowers spring through summer along with vivid greens.
Example of a Michigan Farm at Frederik Meijer Gardens
Example of a Michigan Farm at Frederik Meijer Gardens
Visiting Michigan in summer is something that I look forward to every year. The gardens with their lush greens are a soothing balm when I’m tired of the hot, dry summer heat back home.
My client had an experience much like this, enjoying the saturated greens of a Midwest summer before he returned home to his garden.
Now, take another look at the desert landscapes below:
Do they look a little less colorful to you? Dare I say drab?
When we travel to regions outside of the desert, our eyes become accustomed to bright, saturated colors that are part of that landscape. Then, when we return home, the soft, subtle shades of green are less evident to us due to the ‘green overload’ we are returning from.
It is Only Temporary Color Blindness
As I explained this to my client, he finally understood that there was nothing wrong with his plants, just his eyes.
The good news is that this is temporary color blindness and that his garden will soon look as beautiful and vibrant as it did before he went on vacation.
Have you ever suffered from temporary color blindness in the garden?
It’s All About the Leaves: Creative Container Plantings
Arizona garden, Containers, desert gardening, Drought Tolerant, Fuss Free Plant, Southwest gardenExploring Unconventional Container Plants
What type of plants comes to mind when you are planning what to plant in your containers?
I’m willing to bet that purple hopbush (Dodonaea viscosa ‘Purpurea’) and bush morning glory (Convolvulus cneorum) probably weren’t the first plants that came to mind.
Thinking Beyond the Blooms
Admittedly, I tend to think of using plants known for their flowers or succulents in my containers. That is until a trip to California that I took this past April.
A Visit to Cornerstone Sonoma
In the picturesque Napa Valley region of northern California, sits Cornerstone Sonoma, which describes itself as “a wine country marketplace featuring a collection of world-class shopping, boutique wine rooms, artisanal foods, art-inspired gardens.”
Believe me; it is all that and more.
Amidst all its offerings, it was the unconventional container plantings that captured my attention.
Unusual Choices in Container Plants
Purple hopbush (Dodonaea viscosa ‘Purpurea’), shrubby germander (Teucrium fruiticans), and violas.
Intriguingly, I discovered square steel containers filled with plants celebrated for their foliage, a departure from the typical container plantings I was accustomed to.
These unique designs were creative and beautiful.
The Appeal of Foliage-Focused Container Plantings
There were quite a few things about this type of container planting that appealed to me.
One, it is low-maintenance – no deadheading required. Just some light pruning 2 – 3 times a year, to control their size. Second, the plants are all drought tolerant (with the exception of the violas). Lastly, I like seeing new ways of doing things and using plants prized for their foliage in containers is something we don’t see too often.
Replicating the Concept with Container Plants at Home
Fast forward a few months, and I decided to rethink what to add to the large, blue planter by my front entry. So, I thought, why not try the same arrangement?
Smaller but Promising
Granted, the plants are smaller than those I saw in California, but given a few months, they should grow in nicely.
As you can see my new plants are rather mall, however, the purple hopbush will grow taller and its evergreen foliage will add shades of purple and green to this space. Furthermore, this shrub is one of those highly-prized plants that do well in both sun and filtered shade.
Embracing Foliage Diversity
The silvery-gray foliage of bush morning glory creates a great color contrast with the darker greens of the other plants. While it may not flower much in this semi-shady corner, I want it for its silvery foliage.
Adding Greenery to the Mix
In addition, I want to use a plant that has bright green foliage, so I have a single foxtail asparagus fern (Asparagus densiflorus Myers), which will thrive in this semi-shady exposure.
Maintenance will be relatively simple with periodic pruning to keep wayward branches in check. Fertilizing in spring and late summer with a slow-release fertilizer such as Osmocote will be all that’s needed to keep my container plants happy.
Do you have any plants with attractive foliage that you would use in containers?
From Trash to Treasure: Unique, Fuss-Free Container Plantings
Small Agaves Perfect for Containers
Agave, Arizona garden, Cactus/Succulents, California desert garden, Containers, desert gardening, Nevada garden, Succulent GardeningI have a confession to make.
I don’t have any containers filled with flowering annuals. Shocking isn’t it?
There are a few reasons for this, the most important one is that I prefer using relatively fuss-free plants that look great all year in my pots.
I don’t have much patience for high-maintenance containers. In particular, ones with flowering annuals that need frequent irrigation. Not to mention deadheading of spent flowers and having to change them out seasonally. But, I do love the way they look.
Red Geraniums and White Bacopa
My inclination to avoid flowering annuals in my own garden has to do with my past and no, it’s nothing scandalous.
It does have to do with my work in the past. For five years, I was in charge of 45 pots. Each container was always be filled with colorful flowers.
Believe me, keeping all of those pots looking beautiful was a lot of work! Countless trips to the nursery, fertilizing, watering and replacing them twice a year got tiresome. Not to mention that I broke my foot when I tripping on a curb, while loading flats of flowers.
So, it may not come as a surprise that I prefer using succulent plants in my pots.
Victoria Agave ‘Compacta’
Much of my inspiration for using succulent plants in containers come from those at the Desert Botanical Garden as shown in the photo above and below.
Agaves are some of my favorite succulent plants and the smaller species do very well in containers.
In an article I wrote for Houzz, I list my ten favorite small agaves for Houzz that are suitable for growing in pots.
I hope you enjoy it and find one that is perfect for you!
10 Small-Scale Agaves Just Right for Containers
Behind the Scenes at Botanical Interests Seed Company
Garden Travels, Product ReviewExploring Botanical Interests Seed Company
Have you ever taken a peek behind the scenes? If you have, you know it reveals so much that you never knew. In the past, I’ve had a look at what goes on in the background in a variety of places including a Kentucky bourbon factory, the Lawry Spice Company, the Wheel of Fortune game show, local television news programs, U.S. Mint, to name a few.
Well, now I can add a visit to a seed company – ‘Botanical Interests’ to be precise.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
A Tour of Botanical Interests
Botanical Interests High-Quality Seed Company is most recognized for the beautiful drawings of plants on individual seed packets. But, they are so much more than that, most especially helping gardeners make a difference.
AZ Plant Lady (me) and my friend and fellow blogger, Teresa Odle of “Gardening in a Drought”
Last month, I toured gardens in the greater Denver area where Botanical Interests also is. We had the unique opportunity to visit their facility and learn all that goes into getting high-quality seeds into hands of gardeners throughout the U.S.
Exploring the Seed Warehouse
The first floor consists of a large warehouse with floor to ceiling shelves filled with the 600 different varieties of seed. The seed they carry include heirlooms, organics, and open-pollinated flowers, and vegetables.
Imagine a seed warehouse filled with 80 garden bloggers, and you have a pretty good idea of our vision of heaven! I admit it was hard to keep up with the tour as I wanted to read each package of seed we passed by.
Guided by the Owner, Judy Seaborn
Our tour was led by the owner of Botanical Interests herself, Judy Seaborn. She is warm, funny, and passionate. I am so impressed with her attention to detail. From the artistic seed packets to how the seeds are packaged as ‘gifts.’
Here are what the seeds are kept in before they are put into individual packets. Seeds like to be kept in a cold, dry area. Not surprisingly, Denver is the perfect location for a seed company.
Ensuring Seed Quality
Seed quality is essential as you want it all to be viable. Unlike many seed companies who have their seed tested by outside companies, Botanical Interests do their own testing to ensure that the seed is up to their high standards.
Can you guess what this is? It is a special machine from Germany with a micro-doser and seed counter. It makes sure that the exact amount of seeds make it into each packet.
Protecting Valuable Seeds
Here’s a fascinating tidbit: Many seed companies have a ‘vault’ where they store expensive seeds to maintain their peak quality.
Judy tells the story of when a delivery of seed came in via FedEx. The driver didn’t understand why the owner of the company had to sign for the delivery. That was until she told him the small bag of rare tomato seed was worth $10,000.
The Artistry Behind Each Botanical Interests Packet
If you’ve ever marveled at the beautiful and realistic artwork on Botanical Interests seed packets, you’re not alone.
Upstairs is an entire art department made up of several artists who are responsible for the drawings on each packet.
I have a confession to make – I wish that I could create drawings like this. My siblings and I are artistic, but display it in different forms. My sister is good at watercolors, my youngest sister is a sought-after professional photographer, and I show my creative talent in designing gardens.
Our tour wrapped up too quickly, but we each carried a gift of seeds to take home to our gardens.
I buy seed from Botanical Interests and have done so for years. I encourage you to do so as well as you will have a garden full of beautiful plants.