Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii)

New Plants Worth a Second Look…

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Do you ever get tired of seeing the same plants showing up in landscapes time after time?   It doesn't matter whether you live in the desert or in more temperate climates - there are always 5 - 10 varieties of plants that are used over and…
Blackfoot Daisy

One Tough Little Daisy for the Desert Garden

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Do you like daisies? I do. Especially one that can handle the tough conditions often present in the desert garden. Blackfoot Daisy (Melampodium leucanthum) thrives in full sun - even areas that receive hot, afternoon sun.  All…
Desert Botanical Garden

Plant Shopping: New Varieties and Tough Decisions

Last weekend, my husband and I loaded up our two youngest kids into our truck and headed out to the Desert Botanical Garden's spring plant sale. Desert Botanical Garden, My husband and kids wait patiently at the end of the agave aisle…
Sonoran Living

Television Appearance, Pots, Herbs, Vegetables and Flowers

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Have you ever been on live television?   If you had asked me a year ago, I would have said "no".  I had done some filming for "how-to" gardening videos for SheKnows.com - but they weren't live and took place in my back garden.…

Pruning and Blooms in the Spring Garden

Yesterday, I asked you on my Facebook page, what was blooming in your garden right now? March is a glorious time in the desert garden and also time for some needed garden maintenance.  We don't have a landscaper, so we…
Protect_Citrus_From_Sunburn

Even Citrus Trees Need Sunscreen to Prevent Sunburn

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Last week, I was visiting one of my favorite clients when I noticed that one of her citrus trees was showing signs of sunburn, which led to me explaining to her that even citrus trees need sunscreen to prevent sunburn in many cases. Recognizing…
Community Garden

Creating a Community Garden In a Tropical Place…

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Have you ever visited a community garden?   I had the opportunity to help create a community garden with some very special friends in Miami, Florida. Me (Noelle Johnson), Matt Mattus, Helen Yoest, Amy Andrychowicz, Steve Asbell…
gardens of Vizcaya

Exploring a European, Tropical Garden: Part 2

I have been enjoying sharing with you about my recent trip to the beautiful gardens of Vizcaya, located in Miami, Florida. The trip and garden visit came as a part of my partnership with the folks at Troy-Bilt.  These gardens are…
Vizcaya

A Visit to the Italian-Inspired Gardens of Vizcaya

Last week, I visited Miami along with five of my garden-blogger friends, hosted by Troybilt.  We had two days together, packed with activities including building a community garden, which I'll tell you about later.   The first…
Over-Pruning and Ways to Avoid Them

Problems Caused by Over-Pruning and Ways to Avoid Them

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Which type of shrub would you prefer in your garden? This one? Or, this one? Believe it or not, these are the same type of shrub. Did you know that over-pruning causes a lot of problems in the landscape that affect the shrub,…