Tag Archive for: Eremophila ‘Valentine’

When you describe yourself, do you think of yourself as a trendsetter?  Do you wear the most current fashions or drive the newest style of car?

Well, anyone who knows me well, would not use the word trendsetter to describe me.  Now that doesn’t mean that my clothing or car are out of style…..I am perfectly content being more ‘middle of the road’ in my tastes.  My youngest sister is what you would call a trendsetter and I am always getting inspiration from her in terms of my fashion sense, books to read and so much more.

However, before you write me off as a trendsetter, there is one area in my life where I do like to be a trendsetter…..in the garden.

If you drive down any neighborhood where you live, you probably find the same types of plants in the front yard.  In a given neighborhood, there can be a very limited variety of plants present.

This can be a result of the home builder designing and installing the landscape, using a limited amount of plants to choose from.  Or, that the homeowners do not know that there are other plants available for them to use.

In my little corner of the desert Southwest, you will see a large amount of Lantana, Dwarf Oleander, Texas Sage, Bougainvillea and Ficus trees.

Now there is nothing wrong with these plants and they look fabulous in the warmer months.  But, when so many people have these plants in their front yard, they tend to become boring.  The plants actually tend to become part of the background and do not add much interest to the landscape.

Imagine if everyone wore the same 4 pieces of clothing.  It would be pretty boring.  

But, imagine if one of those people decided to spice up her wardrobe by putting on a different style and color shirt?  You can bet that people would start to notice her.

Well, the same is true of your garden.  There are many different types of plants that are just as beautiful as the more common ones found in your neighborhood.

Over the next few posts, I will show you some of my favorites.

Today, I will introduce you to one of my favorite shrubs.  This shrub was introduced by Mountain States Wholesale Nursery.  

My favorite shrubs

My favorite shrubs

 Aren’t the flowers beautiful?  This is my Valentine shrub (Eremophila maculata ‘Valentine).

Over 12 years ago, I remember my nursery sales representative bringing me some free shrubs to try out on the golf course I was working at.   Well anytime anyone offered me free plants, I was more then happy to try them out.

My favorite shrubs

My favorite shrubs

Well, they turned out to be the best thing I had ever planted and I was soon ordering more.

Okay, here are just some of the reason I love this shrub:

It is evergreen

Beautiful flowers are produced during the winter months, when there is not much going on in the garden.

It only needs to be pruned once a year – in May.

I never had to fertilize them.

Very low-maintenance.

Hardy to 15 degrees F.

(Even when temperatures dipped down to 21 degrees last week, my shrubs are still beautiful and flowering).

Grows approximately 5′ x 5′ in size.

and does best in full sun.

I mean, what more can you ask for in a plant?

Still not convinced?

Here is another look……

My favorite shrubs

So what are you waiting for?  Go to your local nursery and pick some up.  I have even seen them at our local big box stores.

Who knows?  You may soon be known as the trendsetter in your neighborhood when you garden becomes a standout by using some lesser known plants 🙂

Drive By Landscapes: Winter Beauty in the Southwest Garden

I imagine that many of you are busy this week with the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.  My kids love that they only have to go to school for three days this week.  As I mentioned before, I am hosting Thanksgiving this year at our house for my in-laws and my brother and sister-in-law and their two new baby boys.

Do you know someone who loves to entertain?  Or maybe you are that someone?  As for me, I like the ‘idea’ of entertaining but not necessarily the work.  I tend to get a bit distracted as I plan out the details.  So, this post may appear a bit disjointed, which is how my brain works most of the time….so please bear with me 😉

Out in my garden, there are definite signs that winter will be here in just one month.

first blooms

I always celebrate the first blooms of my Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatonii), which will soon be a favorite destination for the hummingbirds.

first blooms

If you don’t already have one of these in your garden….rush to your local nursery and GET one.  My Valentine shrub (Eremophila maculata ‘Valentine’) is one of most favorite plants.  Soon it will be covered in red, trumpet shaped flowers that will last through spring.

first blooms

The yellow blossoms of my Cascalote tree look so beautiful against the blue sky, don’t you think?

Although I do try to include plants in my garden that will bloom through the fall and winter seasons, there is an area that is not particularly colorful…..

first blooms

Not too impressive….is it?

This is what my Bermuda grass lawn looks like once night time temperatures dip into the 50’s.  Although it looks more brown then green, it is not dead – just dormant.  Once the spring temperatures arrive it will green up very quickly.

Now if you love green grass and your husband loves to have to mow the lawn 12 months out of the year (mine doesn’t), you can overseed your grass with perennial rye grass seed in early fall.  I have done this from time to time, but not for the past couple of years.

The other day as I was up our driveway, I saw that one of my plants had a surprise for me….

Agave desmettiana

My Agave desmettiana is beginning to grow it’s flowering stalk.

It grows at an extremely fast rate and you can actually measure the growth daily.

first blooms

You know, I have seen hundreds of flowering agave, but it never gets old.  It is particularly special when it occurs in your own garden.

A common myth is that agave flower after being in the ground 100 years, hence the name ‘Century Plant’.  However, and the length of time that it takes an agave to flower is largely dependent on the species.  Some take longer to flower and others do not.

For example, my Agave desmettiana, above is actually the offspring of my previous agave that flowered and then died.  My agave above is only 5 years old.

**You may notice agave that have had their flowering stalk cut off in hopes that this will keep the agave from dying.  This will not work and robs the landscape of months of beauty that the flowering stalk adds.

Before I go, there is an upcoming event in our area that I would love to tell you about.  It is called Tour de Coops and one of the stops on the tour will be Double S Farms!

Double S Farms

For those of you who may be newer readers, Double S Farms is the residence of my mother (Pastor Farmer), my sister (Chicken Farmer) and her family.  

Double S Farms

 My son Kai loves hanging out with the chickens.

You might have guessed that the tour involves chicken coops.  Actually it is “a self-guided tour of the coolest chicken set-ups” in the Phoenix metro area.

This year’s event occurs on December 4th and you can find more information and ticket information at Tour de Coops.

Tour de Coops

I plan on being at Double S Farms on that day to help and hopefully be able to meet some of you 🙂

Well, that is about it for now.  I need to work on my grocery list for Thursday.  I have a 21 lb turkey thawing out in my refrigerator, but need just a couple more items including heavy cream for my baked corn dish 🙂

I hope you are having a great week so far!

The weather has warmed into the low 70’s this week and the flowers are beginning to burst out of their buds….

full bloom

 Pink Beauty (Eremophily laanii)  The first few blooms are beginning to appear on this Australian native. Grows up to 6 ft. high and blooms spring through fall.

Desert Senna

Desert Senna (Senna artemisiodes sturtii)

Another of my Australian favorites and are drought tolerant and extremely easy to grow.

Grows up to 6 ft. high and flowers in the spring. 

Firecracker Penstemon

Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatonii)

This Southwest Desert native has reached full bloom, causing hummingbirds to eagerly drink of it’s nectar.

Grows up to 2 ft. high, when flowering.  Blooms winter through spring (removing spent flowers, will cause more blooms to form and prolong the flowering period).

Palo Verde

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

It’s early, but the first few blooms on my Palo Verde tree are starting to appear.

This beautiful tree grows approximately 30 ft. high and wide.  In late spring, the tree will be a mass of beautiful yellow flowers.

Bower Vine

Bower Vine (Pandorea jasminoides)

This blossom is ready to open and join it’s neighbors and reveal its magenta heart.

Grows on a trellis for support and blooms fall through spring in the desert. 

full bloom

Purple Lilac Vine (Hardenbergia violaceae)

My second favorite Australian native, is in full bloom and is buzzing with bees.

Grows on a trellis or as a groundcover.  Blooms in February. 

full bloom

Violas and Alyssum

My annuals have bloomed non-stop all winter and show no signs of quitting any time soon.

full bloom

Valentine (Eremophila maculata ‘Valentine’)

My favorite Australian native who is aptly named for the time of year when it reaches full bloom.

Grows approximately 3 ft. high and wide.  Blooms December through April.

This is my monthly contribution to Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day, which occurs on the 15th of each month.  Please visit Carol of May Dreams Gardens to see what is blooming in other gardens around the world.

Summer time brings a riot of color to our desert gardens, which are but a distant memory in December.  However, cooler temperatures do not mean that our gardens have to take a holiday.  In our desert climate, there are many plants that flower reliably in December.  Here are some of my favorites plants from my December garden.

December Garden

December Garden, Parry’s Penstemon (Penstemon parryi)

Beautiful flowers and a magnet for hummingbirds.  Need I say more….?

December Garden

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)(Penstemon parryi)

The delicate light blue flowers are so beautiful.

December Garden

Baja Ruellia (Ruellia peninsularis)

I just love this shrub and it’s pretty purple flowers.  Most blooms are produced in spring, but some flowers are still produced in winter.

December Garden

Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii)

Reliable bloomer fall through spring.  Hummingbirds will appreciate this small shrub in the garden.

December Garden

Pink Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua)

Blooms fall through spring.

Baja Fairy Duster

Baja Fairy Duster (Calliandra californica)

Flowers year-round.  Slows down in the winter, but continues to flower in protected areas.

Firecracker Penstemon

  Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatonii)

My favorite plant in the garden.

Angelita Daisy

  Angelita Daisy (Hymenoxys acaulis)

Year-round bright color.  Heaviest blooming occurs in the spring.

Valentine

  Valentine (Eremophila maculata ‘Valentine’)

This is what my Valentine looks like in December.  However, peak flowering occurs in February, hence the name ‘Valentine’.

So, just because it is December, it does not mean that you have to resign yourself to a landscape without flowering plants.  Try one or more of these and see the difference a little color in December adds to your desert garden.

No Snow….

Today was a beautiful, crisp day.  Temps are in the upper 50’s and there are still flowers present in the garden.

beautiful day

Firecracker Penstemon

Hummingbirds just love the flowers.  Blooms will continue until late April.

**I will have some seeds available this spring.  Click here to see if this perennial will grow where you garden.

beautiful day

Stolk

Flowering in my children’s pool garden.See

earlier post about planting this garden.

beautiful day

Angelita Daisy (Tetraneuris acaulis)

This bright perennial will bloom all year.

This particular flower is from my neighbor’s garden.

beautiful day

Valentine (Eremophila maculata ‘Valentine’) (Tetraneuris acaulis)

My Valentine shrub is really starting to bloom.  

Blooming peaks in February, but continues into late April.

Rio Bravo Sage

Rio Bravo Sage (Leucophyllum langmaniae ‘Rio Bravo’)

Surprisingly, my Sage is still blooming, although there are not many left.

**Look closely at the little hairs covering the flower…this helps to protect the flower from the intense heat and sunlight in the summer months. 

Whirling Butterflies

Whirling Butterflies (Gaura lindheimeri ‘Siskiyou Pink’)

This perennial blooms spring through fall.  It is slowing down, but I was able to get some pictures of the last blooms.

yellow rose

My neighbor’s yellow rose.Roses

continue blooming through December and into January. 

 We actually have to cut them back severely in January to force dormancy.  It just kills me to prune off the beautiful rose blooms of my roses….

Purple Violas

My Purple Violas are blooming beautifully.

Goodding's Verbena

Goodding’s Verbena (Glandularia gooddingii)

A few blooms remain.

Next to the flowers is a volunteer Victoria Agave that has sprouted from the parent plant.

Globe Mallow

Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua)

Blooms fall through the spring.

Unfortunately, they do self-seed prolifically and I have to do a bit of weeding.

**If any of you are interested in seeds, I should have quite a few available this spring.

Click here to see if Globe Mallow will grow in your area. 

Purple Lantana

Purple Lantana (Lantana montividensis)

A few blooms remain, but a lot of Lantana has been burned by frost.
This one is located underneath a tree, which gives some protection from the frost.

Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea

The colorful ‘petals’ are actually not the flower.  They are called ‘brachts’.

The actual flowers are the tiny cream colored flowers in the center.

*I realize I include photos of my bougainvillea often, but it has done very well. Most Bougainvillea have been damaged by the frost, but this one is located underneath a tree in my backyard, which has protected it from the cold.

Thank you for joining me for December’s Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day.  Please visit May Dreams Gardens for more sites to visit.

Coming up soon…..A Desert Christmas Celebration.  More specifically, how we decorate our homes and gardens for Christmas.   You may be surprised at what we cover with lights…..