Tag Archive for: desert landscape

Heat proof garden plans are easy to put together. Forecasts of a heatwave in the desert may seem a rather foreign concept when temperatures in summer are routinely over 100 degrees. However, when temps are predicted to be 110 degrees and over, plants in landscapes that normally handle hot weather without complaint, can suffer.

Mastering the Art of Creating a Heat-Proof Garden

beautiful desert garden

preparation for heat proof garden

Preparation is Key: Heat-Proofing Your Landscape

The best preparation for heat-proofing your landscape begins before summer. Plant fuss free plants that really handle the expected heat well. However, with the imminent arrival of a heatwave, here are two tips that will help your plants survive.

Provide extra water by irrigating shrubs and groundcovers in the early morning hours for an extra 1/2 hour when temperatures are forecast over 115 degrees.

1. Strategic Watering for Extreme Heat

Provide extra water by irrigating shrubs and groundcovers in the early morning hours for an extra 1/2 hour when temperatures are forecast over 115 degrees.

Plants can uptake water more easily in the early morning as opposed to being watered during the day.  During the heat of the day, plants have to devote much of their resources to handle the stress of the heat and cannot uptake water efficiently. Therefore, it’s best to water early in the morning so that they are replenished with water and ready to face the excessive evaporation that will occur with temperatures over 115 degrees.

*It’s important not to overwater plants, so if the heatwave lasts more than three days, skip a day between providing extra water.

shade sheilding for heat proof garden

2. Shielding Plants from Intense Sun during Heatwaves

Provide temporary shade for heat susceptible plants such as hibiscus or roses.

The sun’s intense rays are even more focused during a heatwave and can cause stress to the plant itself, including sunburn damage.  This is especially true for plants that receive hot, western sun or in areas that receive reflected heat.

For shrubs and groundcovers, leaves may wilt and turn brown in response to a heatwave.  Even cactus and other succulents can suffer sunburn or other heat stress, which often reveals itself as yellowing.

Temporary shade can be provided using sections of shade cloth.

lawn chairs placed on top of plants

In a pinch, a lawn chair can work to add a welcome spot of shade for a plant.

Old sheets tied to posts, chairs or trees can also provide temporary shading until the heatwave subsides.

using a garden hose to lightly mist plants

3. Evening Cooling: Misting Your Way to Resilience

Lightly mist plants in the evening to cool them off. A light sprinkle of rain does wonders for cooling things off. However, when monsoon rains aren’t forecast, a light sprinkle of water from your hose can provide temporary cooling for your plants. Additionally, this helps to increase humidity levels, which is helpful to prevent them from our dry climate.

Note, when you do this, the goal isn’t to water the plants at the base, but rather to wet the foliage. Be sure the sun has set before misting your plants as the water can intensify the sun’s rays. I like to use this rain wand to mist my plants – it also is great for container watering.

a heat proof garden

Managing Heat Waves

Heatwaves can be particularly challenging to endure, both for humans and the flora around us. These periods of intense heat and elevated temperatures can induce discomfort and stress for plants, which can ultimately affect their health and vitality.

However, the key to effectively managing heatwaves lies in proactive preparation. Implementing strategic measures in advance can significantly mitigate their adverse effects. One of the most prudent approaches involves thoughtful planning, where the selection of native plants that are adapted to the local climate becomes crucial. Native plants are naturally better equipped to handle extreme heat and drought conditions.

Stay Cool Indoors: Coping Personally in the Heat

When faced with a scorching heat wave, keeping your plants cool is important, but keeping yourself cool is a top priority. Here are four strategies to help you stay refreshed:

  1. Stay Hydrated: Drink ample water throughout the day to keep your body well-hydrated. Proper hydration helps regulate body temperature and prevents heat-related health issues.
  2. Embrace Air Conditioning: Seek refuge in air-conditioned spaces, whether at home, work, or public places like shopping centers or libraries. If AC is unavailable, use fans to circulate air and create a cooling effect.
  3. Dress Wisely: Opt for lightweight, loose-fitting clothing made from breathable materials. Light colors reflect sunlight, reducing heat absorption and allowing your body to release heat more efficiently.
  4. Time Outdoor Activities: Plan outdoor activities during the cooler parts of the day, such as early morning or late afternoon. Avoid midday sun, when temperatures peak. If you need to be outside, use hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen to shield yourself from the sun’s direct impact.

In the meantime, my favorite tip to escape the heat is by hibernating indoors as much as possible 🙂

Want to learn more about how to create, grow, and maintain a heat-resilient garden? Check out my new book!

flowering groundcovers and a cactus desert adapted plants landscape


Embracing the Desert Heat: Landscaping with Desert-Adapted Plants

Surviving the Summer Scorch with Desert Adapted Plants

Let’s face it…summer can be brutal.

I tend to spend as little time outdoors as possible when temperatures soar above normal ranges. It’s times like this that I praise the inventor of air-conditioning.

While we can escape record-breaking temperatures, our heat-stressed plants can’t.

Beauty in the Heat: Desert-Adapted Plant Landscaping

However, you can create a landscape filled that thrives in the heat by using native or desert-adapted plants. And you know what? Most are very pretty!

Last weekend, I saw a great illustration of this…

Hospital vs. Church Landscaping: Lessons in Adaptation

Our church recently opened up a new campus, filled with new plants, but many of them were struggling to survive the intense heat, even if irrigated properly. Many were planted native to more tropical climates.

After church, my husband and I headed out to the hospital to visit a loved one. The hospital had just undergone a renovation and brand-new landscape areas surrounded the entrance.

I stopped to take a photo of one of the areas that were doing very well so I could share it with you. Full disclosure: if you hang out with me, be prepared for sudden stops to take pictures of plants.

The Secret to Thriving Landscapes

There were two main reasons that the landscape by the hospital was doing better than the one by the church:

  1. The plants by the hospital were better adapted to hot summers – desert marigold (Baileya multiradiata), gold lantana (Lantana ‘New Gold’), and Mexican fence post cactus (Pachycereus marginatus).
  2. Additionally, these plants had been installed three months earlier than the ones at the church. Yes, plants can technically be added any time of year BUT there are times that should be avoided if at all possible – specifically May and June.

Heat-Resilient Gardening

Sometimes you need to add new plants at the wrong time of year due to construction schedules, etc. In that case, I advise the use of shade cloth on a temporary basis for young plants through September IF you see that certain plants are struggling. This is in addition to watering them more often than existing plants in the landscape to help them establish their roots.

Use native or desert-adapted plants (those from other regions with similar weather conditions) to help your garden to be more resilient to hot, dry temperatures and they will need less help from you to beat the heat.

Stay cool friends!

A Colorful Yellow April Display: Palo Verde Trees

April in the desert garden is, in my humble opinion, the most beautiful time of year for summer blooms.  Winter and spring-flowering plants (Damianita, Penstemon, and ‘Valentine’ Emu Bush) are just beginning to fade and summer blooms are beginning to appear (Coral Fountain, Lantana, and Yellow Bells).   

Clearly the most colorful event in April is the flowering of palo verde trees.  

Did you know that each species of palo verde has a different shade of yellow?  

It’s true. The differences may not be obvious unless you see them next to each other. I’ll make it easier for you and show you some examples below.

  • Blue Palo Verde (Parkinsonia florida)
  • Foothills (Littleaf) Palo Verde (Parkinsonia microphylla)
  • ‘Desert Museum’ Palo Verde (Parkinsonia hybrid ‘Desert Museum’)
  • Palo Brea (Parkinsonia praecox)
Blue Palo Verde (Parkinsonia florida)

Blue Palo Verde (Parkinsonia florida)

Foothills (Littleaf) Palo Verde (Parkinsonia microphylla)

Foothills (Littleaf) Palo Verde (Parkinsonia microphylla)

'Desert Museum' Palo Verde (Parkinsonia hybrid 'Desert Museum')

‘Desert Museum’ Palo Verde (Parkinsonia hybrid ‘Desert Museum’)

Palo Brea (Parkinsonia praecox)

Palo Brea (Parkinsonia praecox)

The arrival of these yellow flowers is met with delight by many and to the dismay of others. Those that like clean, pristine landscapes, without a stray leaf or fallen flower, don’t like the flowers that they leave behind.  

As for me, I like things mostly natural and the golden carpet that my ‘Desert Museum’ palo verde trees leave behind, is a welcome sight.  

A Contemporary Garden with Summer Blooms

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summer blooms are beginning to appear

I like the contemporary entry to the above front garden flanked by desert spoon and the columnar cardon cacti (no, they aren’t saguaros) surrounded by golden barrels, it was the majestic ‘Desert Museum’ palo verde trees that caught my eye.

summer blooms are beginning to appear

Summer Blooms

Exploring the Garden’s Design

The plant palette is limited. This works well with contemporary design. The trees are pruned a bit too high. I like the flowers from the palo verde trees along the street decorating the grass and sidewalk.

summer blooms are beginning to appear

My personal style is more informal. I do appreciate contemporary design and really like this pathway. I believe a better species of agave that can handle full, reflected heat without growing too large would have been better – maybe Twin-Flower Agave (Agave geminiflora) or Artichoke Agave (Agave parrying var. truncata)?  

I’m in love with the flowers. Aren’t they fabulous?

Victoria agave

My favorite picture is one of the entryways. The ground is a solid carpet of golden yellow flowers. This contrasts beautifully with the gray-blue walls and red door.  

How about you?  Do you like the way flowers look on the ground?  Or do you feel the overwhelming impulse to blow them away?  

After a record-setting February, I think that it’s safe to say that spring has officially arrived. Plants are waking up a bit early with flower buds bursting forth with glorious blooms.

'Sierra Star' Fairy Duster (Calliandra 'Sierra Star')

Photo: ‘Sierra Star’ Fairy Duster (Calliandra ‘Sierra Star’)

Of course, an early spring means that people are anxious to get out in the garden. I always say that spring for horticulturists is like tax season for accountants as we get very busy helping others with their gardens.

This has certainly been true for me the past couple of weeks.  Staying up until 1 a.m. in the morning and then up early the next morning for the next appointment and afternoons spent designing landscapes and writing articles – I can hardly see straight at the end of the day.

I thought that I would give you a snapshot of the past 10 days.

Flowers, Work and Cowboy Boots

It all started with an early morning meeting with a landscape committee regarding adding come color to the entry areas of a community. An hour later, I was standing in the middle of a busy street, dodging traffic while taking multiple photographs of sixteen different corner landscapes.

Cereus peruvianus with golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii)

Photo: Cereus peruvianus with golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii)

Later that morning, I met with some clients who had a lovely home and a landscape with ‘good bones’, but that needed some more color according to the clients.

Ironwood tree (Olneya tesota)

Photo: Ironwood tree (Olneya tesota)

The property was situated along a golf course and had lovely specimen trees that offered welcome filtered shade.

Fragrant flowers of Texas mountain laurel (Sophora secundiflora)

Photo: Fragrant flowers of Texas mountain laurel (Sophora secundiflora)

As I walked around the landscape taking photographs for my report, I took some time to stop and smell the fragrant blossoms of their Texas mountain laurel, which smelled like grape candy.

Photo: Pink bower vine (Pandorea jasminoides)

Photo: Pink bower vine (Pandorea jasminoides)

The next day, I visited a family who needed help redesigning their backyard. However, as I approached the front door, my attention was caught by the beautiful pink bower vine that was blooming in the courtyard.

I spent that Wednesday working on designs and reports.

backyard was wall-to-wall grass

The next day, I visited a lovely ranch style home. The backyard was wall-to-wall grass and the homeowner wanted to create a border around the entire yard filled with flowering shrubs and perennials.

'Heavenly Cloud' sage (Leucophyllum langmaniae 'Heavenly Cloud'), yellow bells (Tecoma stans stans) and bougainvillea in my backyard.

Photo: ‘Heavenly Cloud’ sage (Leucophyllum langmaniae ‘Heavenly Cloud’), yellow bells (Tecoma stans stans) and bougainvillea in my backyard.

As a flower type of girl myself, this was a fun design to get to work on. I created a plant palette that included white and pink gaura (Gaura lindheimeri)purple lilac vine (Hardenbergia violaceae)tufted evening primrose (Oenothera caespitosa), firecracker penstemon (Penstemon eatonii), pink trumpet vine (Podranea ricasoliana), andangelita daisy (Tetraneuris acaulis) among others to ensure year round blooms.

beautiful home in the foothills

Friday found me at a beautiful home in the foothills where the client had recently moved in. She wanted help adding more color as well as symmetry to the landscape. This was a large project that was split up into four separate designs/reports.

SRP Water Expo

Saturday morning was spent attending the SRP Water Expo, where I bought my discounted Smart Irrigation Controller.  

SRP Water Expo

There were numerous displays, each with a focus on saving water in the landscape.

I saw many people I knew and walked away with my new irrigation controller, which will save water in my landscape. You can learn more about this controller and the Expo here.

getting a pedicure

After such a busy week, I indulged myself with getting a pedicure 🙂

oleander leaf scorch.
oleander leaf scorch.

This week was spent working on creating designs and reports for all of my consults the week before. I did have a few appointments, one of which, involved issues with problems with the turf areas in HOA common areas during which, I spotted more suspected cases of oleander leaf scorch.

oleander leaf scorch.

This area of Phoenix is seeing a lot of cases of this bacterial disease for which there is no known cure. Affected oleanders typically die within 3 – 4 years from when they first show symptoms.

Gopher plant (Euphorbia rigida) and Parry's penstemon (Penstemon parryi) in my front garden.

Photo: Gopher plant (Euphorbia rigida) and Parry’s penstemon (Penstemon parryi) in my front garden.

At home, my own landscape is having some work done.  Our 15-year-old drip irrigation system is being replaced. The typical life span of a drip irrigation system is typically 10 – 15 years, so when ours started developing leaks and the valves also began to leak, we knew it was time. So, my garden currently has trenches running through it with PVC pipe everywhere. It will be nice to have it finished and working soon.

On another note, my little grandson, Eric, is now 13 months old.  He is a bright ray of sunshine in my life and helps me to keep life in perspective when the busyness of life threatens to overwhelm me.

Cowboy Boots

I am so blessed to have a front row seat as he is learning and discovering the world around him.

I think he would like his own pair of cowboy boots, don’t you?

I have been dreaming of converting our backyard into a beautiful, low-maintenance desert landscape.

Right now, it has a large area of grass surrounded by large, flowering shrubs against the wall.  I would have loved to have taken out the grass years ago, but my husband and son protested since they would throw the football back and forth each evening before dinner.

low-maintenance desert landscape

low-maintenance desert landscape

But, now my son is almost 12 and often throws the football over the wall, so now I have been give permission to at least start thinking of converting the backyard.

Often, on my way home from a landscape consult, I will mentally design my new backyard garden.  I have some concrete ideas, but there is still a lot to be decided.

Whenever I see a landscape area that I like, I stop to take a picture.  I have quite a few pictures that I have taken of landscapes that inspire me.

Here are just a few…

Red flowering Chuparosa, growing underneath native mesquite and foothills palo verde trees.  A hedgehog cactus grows by a large boulder.  Mexican bird-of-paradise, trained as trees are growing in the background.

Red flowering Chuparosa, growing underneath native mesquite and foothills palo verde trees.  A hedgehog cactus grows by a large boulder.  Mexican bird-of-paradise, trained as trees are growing in the background. 

Goodding's verbena, chuparosa and brittlebush blooming with creosote bush in the background.

Goodding’s verbena, chuparosa and brittlebush blooming with creosote bush in the background. 

Desert ruellia provides an attractive background for golden barrel cacti.  This area needs to be pruned once every 2 years

Desert ruellia provides an attractive background for golden barrel cacti.  This area needs to be pruned once every 2 years. 

low-maintenance desert landscape

Young palo verde tree with potted artichoke agave. 

I am still in the “designing inside my mind” stage, but will soon need to put things down on paper.  I have my drafting supplies ready to go once I am.

Of course, the entire project hinges on having enough money for large containers, big boulders, trees, plants, dirt for mounds and paying someone to rip out our grass.

I would hope to be able to do this next winter, but we will see…

Which one of the landscape areas above do you like best?