Tweaking the Landscape, An Old Bike, and Face Cream

Arizona garden, az plant lady family, Cactus/Succulents, desert gardening, Drought Tolerant, Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting, Southwest garden

November is a very busy time in the low-desert garden. Cooler temperatures make this best time of year to add plants and as a result, my phone begins to ring off the hook. Many of my clients have established landscapes that they are looking to do some tweaking to the landscape.

This usually consists of identifying what existing plants still add beauty to the landscape, or background structure, from a design standpoint, and then removing those that don’t. New plants are then added that will compliment the older ones.

One easy tip for creating a newer look to the desert landscape is to clean out river rock washes. While it is labor intensive, the process is quite simple. All you need to do is remove all the rocks, wash them off with water from the hose and put them back.

I must admit that I love working outdoors this time of year when the weather is simply lovely.

Here is a colorful surprise that I discovered while visiting a client last month. ‘Loretta’ is an eye-catching piece of garden art and I love her pink arms. She was purchased in San Francisco and is made up of parts from an old bike.

On another note, my grandson, Eric, decided to put on some ‘face cream’. The only problem? It was diaper cream! I think that all of us probably have a story like this one…

I hope that you are enjoying the fall season – I know that I am.

A Desert Garden’s Winter Beauty on Display

Sprays of Pink

Arizona garden, California desert garden, desert gardening, Drought Tolerant, Southwest garden

The Beauty of Queen Wreath Vine: A Love Affair with Pink

Queen wreath vine (Antigonon leptopus)

Like many women, I have not outgrown my teenage love affair with the color pink. However, instead of painting the walls of my room a vibrant shade of pink or wearing a fluorescent t-shirt, I now content myself with using it in the garden.

Queen Wreath Vine: A Delicate Climber

The Queen wreath vine (Antigonon leptopus), also known by its botanical name Antigonon leptopus, is a charming addition to any garden. Sometimes named Coral Vine or Mexican Creeper, this delicate climber graces my garden with its vibrant pink blossoms, creating a stunning display against the backdrop of my cascalote tree. The allure of pink is something I’ve held onto since my teenage years, and this beautiful vine allows me to incorporate that love into my outdoor space.

Heart-Shaped Buds and Lush Green Leaves

What sets this vine apart are its unique heart-shaped buds that eventually unfurl into beautiful pink blossoms. Paired with its lush green leaves, the vine adds a touch of romance and elegance to my garden. Its ability to climb and twine around my tree’s trunk creates a visual spectacle that I eagerly await each spring.

A Seasonal Wonder

While this special vine brings joy to my garden, it’s important to note that it is not a year-round presence. In the winter, it dies back to the ground, leaving behind only memories of its vibrant display. However, the anticipation of its return in the spring is part of what makes this vine so special. As the temperatures rise and the days grow longer, the vine begins its ascent up the trunk of my tree, signaling the start of another season of enchanting pink blossoms.

How to Grow Queen wreath vine (Antigonon leptopus)

Here’s a list of steps on how to grow this beautiful vine:

Choose the Right Location: Select a suitable location for planting your Queen wreath vine. It thrives in full sun to partial shade, so make sure it receives adequate sunlight.
Prepare the Soil: Ensure the soil is well-draining and rich in organic matter. If the soil is heavy or clayey, consider amending it with compost to improve drainage.
Planting: Plant your Queen wreath vine either by sowing seeds or by transplanting a young plant. Spring is the best time to plant this vine.
Spacing: Space the plants about 10 to 12 feet apart or provide sturdy support structures for the vine to climb.
Support Structures: Queen wreath vine is a climbing plant, so it requires a trellis, arbor, or similar structure for support. Install the support system before planting or soon after to avoid disturbing the plant.
Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged during the growing season. Once the plant is established, it can tolerate some drought.
Fertilization: Fertilize your Queen wreath vine with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer during the growing season. Follow the recommended dosage on the fertilizer package.
Pruning: Regularly prune the vine to maintain its shape and control its growth. Pruning is typically done in late winter or early spring before new growth begins.
Winter Care: In colder regions, Queen wreath vine may die back to the ground during winter. Provide a layer of mulch to protect the roots and encourage regrowth in the spring.
Pest and Disease Management: Keep an eye out for common garden pests like aphids and scale insects. Treat any infestations promptly with appropriate methods or insecticidal soap. This vine is generally resistant to most diseases.
Propagation: If you want to propagate more Queen wreath vines, you can do so by taking softwood cuttings in the spring or by collecting seeds.
Enjoy the Blooms: Once established, your Queen wreath vine will reward you with beautiful pink blossoms during the growing season. These heart-shaped blooms will create a stunning visual display in your garden.

Remember that Queen wreath vine can be invasive in some regions, so be cautious and monitor its growth, especially if you’re in an area where it is not native. Enjoy the vibrant beauty and charm this lovely vine brings to your garden.

Have You Met Antigonon leptopus?

Have you ever grown an Antigonon leptopus, also known as Queen wreath vine? For those who haven’t had the pleasure, this pink beauty is a must-have addition to any garden. Its climbing nature and heart-shaped buds make it a captivating plant that adds a touch of whimsy and elegance to your outdoor space. If you’d like to learn more about this delightful vine, be sure to read my earlier post on the subject.

The vine is a testament to the enduring allure of pink in our lives, and I can’t imagine my garden without its vibrant, heart-shaped blossoms.

For more information, you can read my earlier post about this pink beauty.

November Days

Arizona garden, AZ Plant Lady, desert gardening, Fall Blooming Plants, Noelle Johnson Horticulturist Arizona, Southwest garden, Succulent Gardening

The Busy November: A Month of Plant Sales, Garden Talks, and Fall Tweaks

Embracing the Hectic Beauty of November

If I had to pick the busiest month of the year, it would be November.

Kids’ school activities, plant sales, and speaking engagements fill our lives. It is a lot of WORK helping people update their outdoor spaces. But, is also a time where my garden is reveling in the cooler temperatures of fall and I start to make some tweaks to it. I love the quote, “A garden is never finished”. That is certainly true of mine. Hence the little green flags indicating new plants that need irrigation run to them.

Plant Sales and Community Support

Earlier this month, I was a special guest expert at a local plant sales that raises money for community services. I enjoyed coming up with creative combinations for those who were shopping and answering their questions about the best exposure for the different plants offered for sale.

Inspiring Gardeners with Creative Container Gardening

A few days later, it was all about creative container gardening as I spoke to a group of interested gardeners at a local branch of the Phoenix Public Library. While I like to talk about gardening to groups, there is always a little fear before it begins when you stare at a sea of empty seats and pray that they will be at least half filled by the time it starts. I must say that I was thrilled when they had to bring in extra chairs for my talk. Yeah!

The Delight of Fall in the Garden

Fall is my favorite time of year in the garden when the summer bloomers are still producing colorful flowers and my cool-season plants are beginning to show off as well.

You know what else I like about November? It means that Christmas is just around corner! I wonder how early I can get away with putting up Christmas decorations?

November Blooms

Got Old, Overgrown Plants? Know When to Prune or Replace

Arizona garden, Cactus/Succulents, desert gardening, Landscape Problems, Pruning, Shrubs, Southwest garden, Succulent Gardening

Dealing with the Dilemma of an Overgrown Plant: To Prune or Replace?

Overgrown plant, old Texas sage (Leucophyllum frutescens ‘Green Cloud’)

The Challenge of Aging Plants in the Landscape

You have undoubtedly seen old, overgrown plants filled with mostly leafless branches that rarely flower anymore. Or, perhaps it is an aged succulent that has brown patches. The patches can slowly encroach onto the upper parts of the plant from the base. So, what is the solution for plants that no longer add decorative value to our landscape?

Old rosemary filled with unproductive woody growth

The Power of Severe Renewal Pruning

Dealing with overgrown plants is a common challenge for gardeners and landscapers. Understanding when to prune and when to replace is crucial for maintaining a beautiful landscape.

Not all plants respond well to severe pruning; some are better replaced altogether. Let’s discuss specific Southwestern shrubs and succulents.

Oleander that has undergone severe renewal pruning in spring.

Springtime Rejuvenation

Many shrubs can be rejuvenated by severely pruning them back, which gets rid of old, woody growth and stimulates the production of new branches, which will flower more (in the case of flowering shrubs). It is helpful to think of severe renewal pruning as the “fountain of youth” for many plants.

This type of pruning is best done in spring, once the weather begins to warm up. Shrubs that respond well to this include bougainvillea, jojoba, lantana, oleander, Texas sage, and yellow bells. It’s important to note that not all shrubs will come back from this method, but the pruning didn’t kill the shrub – it only hastened the demise of the plant that was already in progress. If this happens, replace it with another.

Old desert spoon (Dasylirion wheeleri)

Some Plants Do Not Like Renewal Pruning

There are some plants that don’t respond well to renewal pruning or where that isn’t possible to do in the case of succulents. In this case, the solution is simple – take them out and replace them with a younger version of the same plant. Examples of plants that are better removed and replaced include aloe, desert spoon, red yucca (hesperaloe), rosemary, and prickly pear cactus. When you think about it, the cost isn’t very high, when you consider the beauty that these plants added to your landscape for eight years or more.

Heavenly Cloud Texas Sage several weeks after severe pruning.

Weighing the Cost and Beauty

Explore the decision-making process behind removing and replacing old succulents and shrubs in your landscape, considering the cost and the beauty they bring to your garden.

When you think about it, the cost isn’t very high, when you consider the beauty that these plants added to your landscape for eight years or more.

*Have you severely pruned back an old shrub and had it come back beautifully? Or, maybe you recently removed and replaced some old succulents?

Ready to Prune? Here Are Common Pruning Terms Defined

Overgrown Container Plants Get a Much Needed Haircut

Arizona garden, AZ Plant Lady, Cactus/Succulents, Containers, desert gardening, Pruning, Shrubs, Southwest garden

I’m about to show you my messy container plants, which have been sadly ignored for the past few months.

Overgrown Container Plants

Shocking isn’t it? I’m embarrassed to show this to you, but I’m the first to admit that I’m not a perfect gardener. Sometimes, life gets in the way of garden maintenance tasks, and since I don’t have my own personal gardener on my payroll, my plants sometimes look like this.

While the plants are perfectly happy and healthy, they are messy, and you can’t even tell how many plants and pots there are.

The center pot is filled with a lush green Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac) shrub and some overgrown ‘Victoria Blue’ salvia.

Arabian jasmine loves shade and can handle filtered shade too. It’s fragrant white flowers greet visitors who pass by it on the way to the front door. As you can see, it does well when planted in the ground or a large pot.

hop bush (Dodonaea viscosa), bush morning glory (Convolvulus cneorum), and foxtail asparagus fern (Protasparagus densiflorus 'Meyeri')

In this corner, my lovely blue pot is filled with a hop bush (Dodonaea viscosa), bush morning glory (Convolvulus cneorum), and foxtail asparagus fern (Protasparagus densiflorus ‘Meyeri’).

I planted this arrangement of plants last year and was inspired by a collection of containers that I saw in California.

I love the combination of plants known for their foliage and wanted this for my front entry. Needless to say, mine doesn’t look like this and won’t without a little attention from me.

This is my succulent container that is filled with a single ‘King Ferdinand’ agave (Agave ferdinandi-regis) and elephants food (Portulacaria afra).

*The witch decoration is a little outdoor decoration for Halloween.

Overgrown Container Plants Pruning

I started in by pruning the most prominent plant, the Arabian jasmine. Using my hand pruners, I cut it back, removing approximately 2/3 of its total size. The ‘Victoria Blue’ salvia was cut back as well, but it is on its way out as it’s usually used for as a warm season annual, but it may come back and bloom for me before winter arrives.

As I pruned back the overgrown jasmine, I discovered a forgotten trailing plant that I had added several months ago. I can’t remember what it was – perhaps bacopa or scaevola.

That looks so much better! The Arabian jasmine will grow back a little before the cold of winter halts its growth. I lightly trimmed the elephants food and tied up the hop bush to a wooden stake to help promote more upright growth.

In about a week, I’ll add some flowering annuals to the black pot, and I’m open to suggestions. *Do you have a favorite cool-season annual?

Got Frost-Damaged Plants? How and When to Prune…

Arizona Road Trip: Flowers, Containers, and a Wedding

Arizona, desert gardening, Garden Travels, Perennial, Road Trip, Southwest garden

Arizona Road Trip: Sweet potato vine trail underneath a planting of lantana and ‘Victoria Blue’ salvia.

I’ve spent a busy week on the road traveling back and forth throughout the central and northern parts of Arizona.

While my road trips were for pleasure, there were some work elements involved, viewing the newest trends of high desert landscaping, and taking photos of pretty plants.

Planters filled with green and black sweet potato vines trail over the railing at Tlaquepaque with Mark Twan (Samuel Clemens) sitting underneath.

Arizona Road Trip: Planters filled with green and black sweet potato vines trail over the railing at Tlaquepaque with Mark Twan (Samuel Clemens) sitting underneath.

During the first part of the week, I spent a few days in Sedona. This colorful, high desert town holds a special place in my heart. It is where my husband and I spent our honeymoon, and we make a point of coming back up to visit every few years.

Sweet potato vine, lantana, 'Katie' ruellia, and salvia

A must stop destination for us are the shops are Tlaquepaque, which is modeled after an old Mexican village. Fountains and courtyards are scattered throughout the stores, inviting visitors to sit and enjoy the dappled shade while listening to the gentle sounds of water features.

To be honest, I do enjoy perusing the galleries and shops, but the main draw for me is the beautiful container plantings. Sweet potato vine, lantana, ‘Katie’ ruellia, and salvia are artfully arranged within the containers.

A ‘Painted Lady’ butterfly drinking nectar from a lantana.

Butterflies and hummingbirds are also frequent visitors to Tlaquepaque.

Area hotels also feature lovely examples of plants that thrive in the dry heat like the trumpet vine and yucca, above.

While in Sedona, we made side trips to Flagstaff and Cottonwood before it was time to travel back home.

After one night home, it was back into the car and off on another journey. This time, we brought our kids with us for a destination wedding in Skull Valley, which is a half hour outside of Prescott.

The wedding was held in the middle of the wilderness, reached by traveling over 20 minutes on a curving, unpaved road. Wildlife was plentiful as we spotted a coyote, deer, and a roadrunner, while also smelling a skunk along the way.

It was dusk when the wedding began, and the setting couldn’t have been more beautiful. A cool breeze welcomed guests to the venue that backed up onto the Prescott National Forest.

The ceremony was beautiful, and the groom got all choked up in the midst of his vows. Guests spent a great time celebrating at the reception, held in an old barn, and we got back to the hotel late.

We took a back way back home, which involved driving some curvy mountain roads, but we traveled through little towns that we had never heard of such as Wilhoit and Peeble Valley.

I love the fact that even after living here for over 30 years, I still enjoy the beauty of our state and yet encounter new places.

**Do you have a favorite place to visit in Arizona?

Shed the Gloves and Get Your Hands Dirty

az plant lady family, desert gardening, Gardening With Kids, Product Review, Southwest garden, Vegetable Gardening

Disclosure: This post is paid for by the folks at Lava Soap. The opinions expressed, are my own.

Are you afraid to get your hands dirty when you garden? I’m not. In fact, I seldom wear gardening gloves when I’m working in the soil. Oh, gloves are useful when using pruners, raking, or dealing with thorny plants. However, I find elemental pleasure with working in the soil with my bare hands.

I especially like to ditch the gloves when I am working in my vegetable garden where whether I am planting seeds, smoothing out a new layer of compost, or harvesting plants – touching the plants and soil with my hands makes me happy.

Last week, I spent the morning out in the vegetable garden, cleaning out old plants and getting it ready for sowing seeds in mid-September. The experience was not unlike the feeling you get after spring cleaning. I have an almost blank canvas on which to add new vegetables this fall.

After the plants are ripped out, I add several inches of new compost to prepare the beds. I buy my compost in bags, which makes it easier to add just where I want it to go.

This year, I am changing things up a bit by adding mushroom compost, which has composted horse manure and straw among other things. I like to try new things to see how they perform and then communicate that information to you.

All told, we added a total of 6 inches of regular and mushroom composts to the garden.

Our desert tortoise, Aesop, came out to see what we were doing. Unfortunately, we discovered that he is able to climb up into the vegetable garden, which we don’t want as he will eat our leafy greens. So, we will have to replace the short wood sides with taller ones.

As if my hands weren’t dirty enough after pulling out plants, they became more so as I smoothed out the newly added mulch around the few plants that remained. Of course, any chance of getting his hands dirty, brings out my grandson, Eric, to help me out in the garden.

Back in the house, we had two pairs of messy hands. So, out came my favorite hand cleaner that I reserve for the dirtiest of messes. Lava Soap is the most effective way that I have found to get rid of the ground in garden dirt from my hands, and Eric was anxious to get started first. Within a couple of minutes, his little hands were nice and squeaky clean.

My hands were worse than Eric’s, coated with soil and plant debris and I knew from experience that regular soap wouldn’t do the job. So I grabbed my bar of Lava and got started.

That is a lot of dirt!

Almost done!

Finished!

In the past, whenever I would use regular soap, it never got them completely clean, and I would have dirt remaining in the small cracks in my hands. I also didn’t like how dried out my hands would feel after working in the garden.

Lava Soap not only gets my hands (and Eric’s) cleaner than regular soap, it doesn’t dry them out either. Most of us have heard of this famous cleaning bar and how it is useful for getting rid of grease, paint, and glue due to the pumice that within it. However, I’m here to state that it also did a fabulous job removing the garden soil from my hands while leaving them moisturized afterward.

So, ditch the garden gloves, reach your hands into the soil and experience the joy of gardening. Just be sure to have some Lava Soap ready to help you clean up afterward.

Lava Soap is available at retailers across the country, including Ace, Walmart, Dollar General, and Family Dollar. To find a store near you, visit LavaSoap.com and click on the Where to Buy button.

Meyer Lemons: Why You Should Plant One

Arizona garden, California desert garden, Citrus, desert gardening, Fruit Trees, Houzz Article, Las Vegas gardening, Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting, Southwest garden, Southwest Texas garden

One of the best things about having a garden in the desert southwest is our ability to grow citrus of all kinds. Lemon trees are a popular fruit tree and I am often asked what type of lemon do I recommend.

There are different types of lemons but the one that is my favorite isn’t a ‘true’ lemon tree at all. It’s a Meyer lemon, which is a cross between an orange tree and a lemon tree.

The result is a fruit that tastes sweeter than your typical lemon and has lovely thin, smooth skin. Meyer lemons are suitable for use in the same ways that other lemons are, but you can use them in additional ways as well due to their sweeter nature.

I recently shared the reasons why you should plant a Meyer lemons tree in one of my latest articles for Houzz.

Have you ever grown a Meyer lemons tree?

March is the Perfect Time for Planting a Meyer Lemon Tree

Create a Hummingbird Garden in a Container

AZ Plant Lady, Containers, desert gardening, Noelle Johnson Horticulturist Arizona, Perennial, Southwest garden

Do you love hummingbirds? Maybe a better question would be, who doesn’t?

Hummingbird feeding from an ocotillo flower.

Attracting hummingbirds to your garden isn’t hard to do by simply adding flowering plants, rich in nectar that they are attracted to.

Female Anna’s hummingbird at my feeder.

But, what if your garden space is small or non-existent? Is a hanging a hummingbird feeder your only option?

Well, I’m here to tell you that space needn’t keep you from having your own hummingbird garden – all you have to do is to downsize it creating one in a container.

If you have a small patio, stoop or even a balcony, you can create your own mini-hummingbird garden in a container.

For those of you who have think you have no space at all, look up!

Hanging containers or window boxes are a great option for those short on garden space.

Whether you have small garden space or simply want to increase the amount of hummingbirds visiting your existing garden – creating a mini-hummingbird garden in a container is a great way to do it.

Let’s get started.

Here are the elements of a hummingbird container garden:

LOCATION:

– Select a location that receives at least 6 hours of sun a day.

– Group containers together for greater color impact, which increases the chances of hummingbird visits.

– Place containers in areas where you can view the visiting hummingbirds such as an entry, near a window or a back patio.

– Make sure that the containers are visible and allow easy access for hummingbirds to fly in and out.

CONTAINERS:

– The type of container isn’t important – but drainage is. Make sure pots have holes for drainage.

– Select colorful pots for a welcome splash of color (optional).

– Larger pots will stay moister longer, therefore needing to be water less frequently.

SOIL:

– Use a planting mix (not potting soil), which is specially formulated for container plants since it holds onto just the right amount of moisture without becoming soggy like potting soil can.

– For large containers, save money on expensive planting mix (soil) by filling the bottom third of the container with recycled plastic water bottles and/or milk jugs.

WHAT PLANT WHERE?

While hummingbirds don’t care how you arrange plants in your mini-hummingbird garden

– you can certainly arrange plants.

– Place the tallest plant in the center, surrounded with medium-sized filler plants interspersed with trailing ground covers.

This planter has the tallest plant (Salvia) located in the center with mid-sized purple coneflower next to it with ‘Wave’ petunias spilling over the outside.

*Grab my FREE guide for Fuss-Free Plants that thrive in a hot, dry climate!*

COLOR:

A hummingbird’s favorite color is red, although they will visit flowers of all colors as long as they are rich in nectar.

However, let’s explore color in regards to creating a beautiful container and figuring out what color combos look best.

To this, we will need to visit our friend, the color wheel.

– To achieve a soft blending of colors, select plants with flower colors that are next to each other on the color wheel.

– For a striking contrast, pair flowers with colors that occur on opposite ends of the color wheel.

HUMMINGBIRD ATTRACTING PLANTS:

Salvia coccinea

– Hummingbirds are drawn to flowers that have a tubular shape.

Hummingbird feeding from the yellow flower of aloe vera.

– The color red is their favorite, but as stated earlier, they will visit flowers of all colors.

Young hummingbird feeding from a lantana flower.

– They tend to prefer flowers with little to no fragrance since their sense of smell is poor.

– Plants belonging to the Salvia genus are all very popular with hummingbirds and are a safe choice when creating a hummingbird container garden.

Soap aloe flowers.

– Flowering succulents are also often visited by hummingbirds as well.

Rufous hummingbird feeding from the flower of a red hot poker plant.

– There are helpful online resources with lists of plants that attract hummingbirds. Here are two helpful ones:

The Hummingbird Society’s Favorite Hummingbird Flowers

Top 10 Hummingbird Flowers and Plants from Birds & Blooms Magazine

– Other helpful resources are your local botanical garden, master gardener or nursery professional.

Another bonus to planting hummingbird attracting plants is that many of the same flowers attract butterflies too.

CARE:

The key to maintaining healthy container plants lies in proper watering and fertilizing.

Let’s look at watering first:

– Water containers when the top 2 inches of soil are barely moist. You can stick your finger into the soil to determine how dry the soil is.

– Water until the water flows out the bottom of the container.

– The frequency of watering will vary seasonally.

Fertilizing is important for container plants – even plants that don’t normally require fertilizer when planted in the ground will need it if in a container.

– Fertilize with a slow-release fertilizer, which lasts 3 months.

The key to maintaining healthy container plants lies in proper watering and fertilizing.

Let’s look at watering first:

– Water containers when the top 2 inches of soil are barely moist. You can stick your finger into the soil to determine how dry the soil is.

– Water until the water flows out the bottom of the container.

– The frequency of watering will vary seasonally.

Fertilizing is important for container plants – even plants that don’t normally require fertilizer when planted in the ground will need it if in a container.

– Fertilize with a slow-release fertilizer, which lasts 3 months.

Don’t be afraid to look outside the box when it comes to what can be used as a container.

An old wheelbarrow makes a great container after a making a few holes in the bottom for drainage. *While marigolds don’t attract hummingbirds, there are a few dianthus in this planter that do.

Hummingbirds love water!

Add a water feature in a container that will surely attract nearby hummingbirds.

Add places for hummingbirds to perch nearby or within the container itself.

This little black-chinned hummingbird was perfectly at home perching on a lady’s slipper (Pedilanthus macrocarpus) stem that was growing in a container.

You can always add a small, dead tree branch within the container itself for a convenient perching spot.

As you can see, the amount (or lack of) garden space doesn’t need to limit your ability to attract hummingbirds using beautiful, flowering plants.

****************************

I spoke about small space gardening at the Hummingbird Festival 2015, and it was an unforgettable experience, filled with educational talks, beautiful gardens and observing hummingbirds up close – I even got to hold one! To read more about my adventures with hummingbirds, click here.

I hope that you are inspired to create your own mini-hummingbird habitat in a container.

**Do you have a favorite plant that attracts lots of hummingbirds? Please share them in the comments section.

Screening and Color For a Blank Wall

Arizona garden, AZ Plant Lady, Containers, desert gardening, Fuss Free Plant, Landscape Problems, Shrubs, Southwest garden, Succulent Gardening

Have you ever encountered this landscaping challenge? This blank wall is rather boring, and the home behind it dominates the view. So what would you do to fix these problems?

I faced this dilemma last month at a client’s home. The pool was the main focal point of the landscape, and the dull wall wasn’t doing it any favors. In coming up with a solution, we had to select a plant that was relatively low-litter, due to the proximity to the pool and that looked attractive throughout the entire year because of the high-profile location.

Hop Bush (Dodonaea viscosa)

I recommended adding three hop bush (Dodonaea viscosa). These are tall, evergreen shrubs that thrive in arid climates such as ours.

One of the many things that I love about them is their versatility. They thrive in full sun and light shade, and can be allowed to grow up to 12 feet tall, or maintained at a lower height.

Hop bush can be allowed to grow to their natural shape…

…or pruned more formally.

For the area behind the pool, I recommend having it grow to its full height, which will help provide privacy while the attractive foliage will add a welcome screen of green throughout the year.

evergreen shrubs Hop bush flowers

Hop bush does produce light green, papery flowers in spring, but they aren’t particularly showy. So, we need to add a color element to the area behind the pool.

One of my favorite ways to add color to any landscape is to incorporate brightly colored containers in shade of blue, purple, or orange. That way, whether plants are in bloom or not, there is always a bright splash of color.

For this area, I recommended adding 3 blue pots, equally spaced.

Now it was time to decide what to plant in each pot. The client wanted a low-maintenance choice that wouldn’t require a lot of water.

Immediately, I remembered touring a landscape that had blue containers filled with ‘Blue Elf’ aloe. Even though the aloe had finished blooming for the year, their spiky blue-gray foliage added nice color contrast.

This small aloe is one of my favorite succulents for several reasons. First, it begins to bloom in late winter, lasting into spring adding welcome color to cool-season landscapes. Hummingbirds can’t resist the flowers either.

This aloe is best showcased when grouped together and thrives in full sun, unlike most aloe which prefer filtered shade. Finally, it is hardy to 15 degrees F. so cold winters seldom bother it.

And so, here is the planting that I suggested to my client that will provide year round beauty and privacy.

*Do you have a favorite plant or group of plants that you like to use against bare walls?

Visit to a Client’s Desert Garden

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