Tag Archive for: Agave victoria-reginae

Small Agaves Perfect for Containers

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I 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.

container-red-geraniums

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' Small succulent plants for Containers

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.

Small succulent plants for 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

 
 
 

Beautiful Agave: How to Grow and Use It In Your Landscape

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Queen butterfly and a Victoria agave

Queen butterfly and a Victoria agave

Do you like succulents?

I do.  I must admit that I am not a huge fan of cacti in my own garden – I have only two.  But, I do have a number of agave, which are without a doubt, my favorite succulent.

What’s not to love about agave?

They are drought-tolerant, fuss-free and with over  200 species to choose from, the possibilities in the landscape are almost endless.

From species 18 inches in size to large size species over 6 feet tall and a variety of colors and leaf shapes to choose from, it’s a wonder that I don’t have more agave in my landscape.

Would you like to include agave in your landscape?

Learn more about this versatile agave and how to use it in your landscape in my latest article for Houzz.


Do you have agave growing in your garden?  What species is your favorite?

Decorate the Landscape With Versatile Agave

 
 

New Ideas for Sustainable Landscaping: A Preview…

New Ideas for Sustainable Landscaping

New Ideas for Sustainable Landscaping

Have you ever given much thought about how sustainable your landscape is?

I must confess that I have been giving it a lot of thought lately.

I am busy putting the final touches on a presentation that I am giving tomorrow on “New Ideas for Sustainable Landscaping”.

New Ideas for Sustainable Landscaping

The community where I am giving this talk, asked me to speak on this subject in their continuing efforts to become an Audubon International Sustainable Community.

There will be other experts on hand to discuss other ways that people and communities can become sustainable.

My talk will focus on three ways to create a more sustainable landscape:

– Maximize the use of arid-adapted plants.

– Utilize a good, functional design that is environmentally-friendly.

– Appropriate maintenance is practiced.

New Ideas for Sustainable Landscaping

Next week, I will write a series of blog posts that will focus on these three ideas.

My hope is that you will be able to implement some of these things in your own landscape.

In the meantime, please wish me luck for my talk tomorrow!

My Husband, Agave and Yucca….A Losing Battle?

I have been fighting a losing battle for over 16 years and it involves my husband, agave and yucca.

Yucca whipplei

Yucca whipplei

Okay, here is a yucca (above).  One of the many different species that occur throughout the Southwest.

And here is an agave….

Agave americana , Losing Battle

Agave americana

Actually, there are also many different species of agave as well.

Here are a few different agaves that I have grown along with my husband in the 25 years that we have been married:

Agave vilmoriniana , Losing Battle

Agave vilmoriniana

Agave parryi , Losing Battle

Agave parryi

Agave desmettiana (getting ready to flower) , Losing Battle

Agave desmettiana (getting ready to flower)

Agave victoria-reginae

Agave victoria-reginae

So, what is the battle that I am dealing with?

Well, my husband always refers to agave as yuccas.

No matter how often I tell him that we don’t have any yucca in our garden – only agave, he still calls them ‘yuccas’.

He has lived in the Desert Southwest his entire life and still cannot tell the difference.

Now, I really don’t have anything against yuccas….

Yucca baccata

Yucca baccata

Unlike agave, yuccas can grow very tall and large

Unlike agave, yuccas can grow very tall and large.

But, I must admit that I prefer agave.

Sometimes when my husband and I are driving down the street, he will point to a flowering agave and call it a ‘yucca’.  And every time, I correct him.  Now, I don’t want you to think that I am the type of person that is always correcting others, but this one thing is a particular sticking point with me.

I’m not sure why.  Maybe it’s because I’m a horticulturist and I am passionate (crazy) about plants?

For awhile I was wondering if my husband just did it to tease me, (like he does about other things).

That is until last weekend, when my father-in-law asked me to prune some of the dead leaves from his yucca….

Agave americana variegata

Agave americana variegata

The only thing is….it wasn’t a yucca.

Now, I know where my husband gets it from…..

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I hope you all have a great weekend!

I will be hibernating indoors this weekend, enjoying the air-conditioning 🙂

The Continuing Adventures of a Landscape Designer….