Photo: Landscape Renovation Project
As a mom, grandmother, and horticulturist, the fall season is a very busy season for me. Whether I’m busy on the work site, hosting a Halloween party, or helping out my mother as she recuperates from a broken leg – there is never a dull moment.
I thought that I would show you just a snippet of the events of the past few weeks.
Photo: My mother’s orthopedist knows how to decorate his office for Halloween.
Over a month ago, my mother suffered a very badly broken leg that required surgery. My very active and independent mother has been working hard with physical therapy and her recovery, but still has a few weeks left in a wheelchair. As a result, my siblings and I have stepped in to help her where we can. One of my favorite ways to help out is to take her shopping wherever she wants to go. Of course, it helps that she and I like the same types of stores. We got into a lot of trouble in Target’s dollar section buying Christmas decorations and gifts last week.
Photo: My granddaughter Lily enjoyed talking to our desert tortoise, Aesop, during her visit to Arizona from Michigan.
Visits from my oldest daughter and her family are always a highlight for us.
Photo: My 3-month old grandson, Leo, slept through most of his first visit to Arizona.
Every year on October 31st, my siblings and their kids come over for a fun night of Halloween-themed food and trick-or-treating. It is so much fun to see the little kids get all dressed up for Halloween, including my grandson, Eric.
Photo: Eric dressed up like a ‘Minion’
While my two youngest kids are almost too old for trick-or-treating, they enjoyed dressing up and going with Eric.
Photo: Gracie was a ‘bag of ice’
Photo: Kai was a ‘computer error code’
Life hasn’t slowed down in November, which is the busiest month of the year for me as a horticulturist.
Photo: Mountain States Wholesale Nursery
A highlight of this month was a visit to an open house at one of the pre-eminent nurseries of the Southwest.
While you may not have heard of Mountain States Wholesale Nursery, you have undoubtedly seen plants that they have developed, many which may be in your own garden. Flowering shrubs such as ‘Valentine’ and ‘Blue Bells’ have their origins in the fields of this nursery as do many of the newest tecoma and desert willow species.
I spent a fun-filled day with friends and colleagues touring the facilities and getting a sneak peek at their newest plants in production. The perfect way to cap off our visit was being gifted with a new plant!
Next up on my agenda was overseeing the installation of one of my landscape projects.
Photo: Landscape Renovation, Before
My clients, who live in New York City for most of the year, spend their winters and spring in Arizona. They recently purchased a home with overgrown, excessively pruned shrubs as well as artificial grass with a putting green that they wanted to get rid of.
I initially met with them in April and put together a plan for a landscape that would reflect their style. Once they came back to Arizona in November, they asked me to come out and oversee the installation.
A mixture of pink muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris) and artichoke agave (Agave parryi ‘truncata’) are being planted in the area formerly covered by artificial turf.
Many of the old shrubs were removed as was the fake grass. Contouring was added to help add height and interest to the formerly flat backyard landscape.
Matt, is the landscape contractor, who I refer many of my clients too. He has the uncanny ability to find the biggest, best plants – he holds his sources close to his chest, but as long as my clients are happy, so am I.
I must admit that I am sorely tempted to grab one of his specimen cactus or succulents for my own garden.
Photo: Landscape Renovation, Before
The client wanted an area for a cactus garden. So, we took out the shrubs in this corner and added cactus.
Photo: Landscape Renovation, AFTER
The saguaro cactus isn’t in place yet, but soon will be. Our goal was to add several different types of cactus and succulents that the client liked, including beavertail, candelilla, golden barrel, Moroccan mound, and torch cactus. An ocotillo anchors the corner and will eventually leaf out and flower, which usually occurs about a year after planting.
Photo: A palo blanco (Acacia willardiana) tree will soften this area without outgrowing this area.
It is so rewarding to be a part of the process of homeowner’s landscape be renovated into a space that will provide them with years of enjoyment.
Despite the busyness this fall season, I am getting excited for the upcoming holiday season. How about you? What is keeping you busy this fall?
Wild About Penstemons
Arizona, desert gardening, Fuss Free Plant, Perennial, Southwest gardenI adore flowers of all kinds, but I must confess that my favorite types look as if they belong to a cottage garden, which probably explains why I am wild about penstemons.
Photo: The pink flowers of Parry’s penstemon (Penstemon parryi) adds welcome color to a spring garden.
I adore flowers of all kinds, but I must confess that my favorite types look as if they belong to a cottage garden, which probably explains why I am wild about penstemons.
There are many different species of penstemon with varying colors, ranging from shades of pink to red with some white ones thrown in.
Photo: Firecracker penstemon (Penstemon eatonii) adds vibrant color to a hummingbird demonstration garden.
All penstemons are native to the western half of North America where they thrive in well-drained soil. Most grow in higher elevations, and all are drought-tolerant. For those of you who love to grow native plants that are low-maintenance, penstemons are a must-have.
Photo: The 4 – 6 foot flowering spikes of Palmer’s penstemon (Penstemon palmeri) lightly perfume the air of this desert landscape.
I like plants that add a touch of drama to my garden and penstemon do a great job at that when they send up their flowering spikes that tower over their lower cluster of leaves. Bees and hummingbirds love their flowers and it is fun to watch their antics as they sneak inside the flowers for nectar.
Photo: A row of rock penstemon (Penstemon baccharifolius) adds lovely color to this area at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix.
While penstemon may look rather delicate, it is anything but as it can survive temperatures over 100 degrees and temperatures that dip anywhere from 15 degrees Fahrenheit all the way down to -30 degrees, depending on the species.
The bloom time for penstemon depends on the species as well as the climate they grow in. For desert dwellers like me, most bloom in late winter into spring. Each year, I eagerly await the appearance of the first unfolding flowering spikes of my firecracker penstemon (Penstemon eatoni) to emerge in January.
In my garden, Parry’s penstemon (Penstemon parryi) is another favorite of mine in the garden, and its flowers begin to open in late February. This year, I am growing pineleaf penstemon (Penstemon pinifolius), which is a new one for me and I am curious to see how it will do.
Another penstemon that I am anxious to try is rock penstemon (Penstemon baccharifolius), which blooms spring through fall. Lastly, I have added Palmer’s penstemon (Penstemon palmeri) to my garden. I used to grow it years ago and was happy to incorporate it back into my landscape.
It’s important to note that penstemon grows best when grown in the western half of North America. The season in which they bloom can vary depending on the USDA zone. In my zone 9 garden, I begin to appear in January and last through spring. For those who live in colder climates, penstemon will bloom later in spring or even begin flowering in summer. However, no matter when they bloom, penstemon are sure to add beauty to the landscape with a touch of drama.
**Do you have a favorite penstemon?
Gifts for the Gardener: Books for Water Wise Gardening
desert gardening, Drought Tolerant, Southwest garden, Vegetable GardeningBooks for Waterwise Gardening
Gardening in a dry climate comes with unique challenges where water is viewed as a precious resource and needs to be used wisely. Does that mean that you cannot have a beautiful garden? Absolutely not! You can have an attractive outdoor space filled with beautiful plants and a vegetable plot as well with proper planning with help from these water-wise books.
Today, I would like to share my final installment for gifts for the gardener by sharing not one, but two books that are worth adding to your gardening library.
*This blog post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thanks for your support in this way.*
Waterwise gardening
If you are looking to create a drought tolerant landscape but are in need of ideas and guidance, look no further than The Water-Saving Garden, by Pam Penick.
The book opens with a chapter dedicated to inspiration with several types of water wise gardens highlighted to help the reader determine which one is right for them. Lovely, color photos of landscapes display the incredible beauty of gardens that conserve water.
Waterwise gardening
Designing a water-saving garden entails including several elements such as contouring, permeable building materials, and more to help conserve water and Pam does a great job of talking about each type and how to incorporate into the landscape.
Plants that are native or adapted to survive on little water are the backbone of the water-saving landscape, and most are surprisingly attractive. A substantial list of drought tolerant plants will have you imagining how they will look decorating your outdoor space. Helpful tips for when to plant as well as alternative locations for growing plants are included within the pages of this book, and the author doesn’t stop there – she has an entire section of how to incorporate water or the appearance of water in the landscape with water features and plants.
The Water-Saving Garden: How to Grow a Gorgeous Garden with a Lot Less Water is a book that will help readers create a water-wise landscape filled with beauty and would make a wonderful gift for the gardener in your life or yourself.
Pam has another book, Lawn Gone, which I bought a few years ago, and it sits in a prominent place in my garden library. It’s filled with inspiration and guidelines for a grass-free landscape.
I enjoy my edible gardens very much and so I was excited when Sasquatch Books provided me with a free copy of Growing Vegetables in Drought, Desert & Dry Times: The Complete Guide to Organic Gardening without Wasting Water. I certainly wish this book had been around when I first started. Vegetable gardening comes with its set of challenges like watering efficiently and creating a micro-climate that is favorable to growing vegetables. This book addresses these issues and more.
Whether you are a beginner or have grown vegetables in a different climate, this book is a must have for those who find themselves living in an arid region.
Location, location, location is perhaps the most important part of a successful vegetable garden. Of course, not everyone has the best location and the book talks about what to take into consideration when deciding where to grow your vegetables in addition to ways to modify the dry climate to make it easier for them to grow in a dry climate.
Guidelines for growing vegetables in raised beds and even containers are provided along with how to amend the desert soil so it can sustain vegetables. Perhaps the most informative chapters for desert gardeners are those addressing several ways to irrigate as well as a list of the best varieties of vegetables for arid climates. Additional chapters teach how to control harmful pests and solve common problems.
If you or someone on your gift list is new to the desert or simply want to begin gardening, both of these books are filled with inspiration and guidance.
Toilet Paper Rolls and Vegetable Seeds…
How to Add a Splash of Color to Your Garden With Pots
Cactus/Succulents, Containers, desert gardeningPhoto: Colorful containers at Civano Nursery, Tucson
Does your garden have a case of the ‘blahs’?
One of the most frequent desires for homeowners that I meet with is more colorful interest in their outdoor spaces. One of the easiest ways to add a splash of color to the garden is by introducing brightly colored pots.
Photo: Colorful containers at Civano Nursery, Tucson
There are some situations where adding color using flowering plants is difficult, particularly when there is a lot of shade as most plants won’t bloom in heavy shade.
My favorite solution for that problem is to plant a shade-loving succulent in a colorful pot such as elephant’s food (Portulacaria Afra).
Adding a color element to a shady entry is just one of the many ways to use vibrant pots to add colorful interest year-round. In my latest Houzz article, I share a number of ways how you can utilize pots as a decorative element in the garden.
Creative Container Gardening Tips
Gifts For The Gardener: Fabric Planters, Colorful Watering Wands, and Small Pruners
Gift Ideas, Product ReviewToday I’m back with more gift ideas for the gardener in your life. As a garden writer and horticulturist, I have the opportunity to view and test many different types of products, free of charge so I can give you my honest review. Some attract my interest right away, while others don’t. Those that I like, I try out myself before I recommend them to others.
*This blog post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thanks for your support in this way.*
Gift For Gardeners , Bloem Fabric Containers
Fabric Planters are a new concept in pots. They are portable, reusable, washable, and made from recycled water bottles. The colorful choices were what first attracted me to them.
The bags come in a variety of colors and sizes including this rectangular one, which is the perfect size for growing herbs or vegetables. My favorite are the mini-herb planters that you can order here.
Gift For Gardeners, Dramm Watering Wands
Watering Wands – First of all, I like the description of watering wands because they create a visual picture of plants responding to the ‘magic’ of being watered.
Of course, watering wands aren’t new, but the folks at Dramm have put a new spin on irrigating plants by hand with bright colors. They also have a chocolate-brown color option as well.
If you haven’t used a watering wand before, they mimic the pattern of rainfall when irrigating plants. This is important since watering straight from a hose tends to result in water running off with little permeating the soil around the roots. Dramm’s watering wand slows down the amount of water so that it can reach the roots without disturbing the soil. It also has an off and on lever for convenience.
For those who like color and gardening, this is a great gift idea – I gave a blue one to my daughter for her Michigan garden. To order yours, click here.
Gift For Gardeners, Dramm Spray Nozzle
Spray Nozzle – Keeping with the watering tool theme, there are a variety of ways to water plants and this tool from Dramm takes the standard spray nozzle and kicks it up a notch.
Besides the lovely colors, it comes with nine different spray patterns to fulfill whatever need you may have – from watering the vegetable garden, potted plants, or the lawn. Of course, it usefulness isn’t limited to the garden, this spray nozzle has the perfect settings for washing the car, your dog, or whatever else needs a spray of water. Click here to order your own.
Dramm Hand Pruners
Compact Hand Pruners – Whenever I am in the garden, I have a pair of hand pruners with me so that I am always prepared to deadhead faded flowers or prune a wayward branch that I always find.
However, the problem that I frequently encounter is that my pruners don’t fit easily into my pocket when I need my hands for something else. As a result, I put my pruners down only to have to search for them later when I forget where I put them.
Dramm has addressed this problem that affects women most often as their pockets are too small to hold standard-sized pruners. Their compact hand pruners are easily held in the palm of your hand and work very well pruning small branches and perennials. What makes happy is that they fit easily in my back jeans pocket. Of course, the pretty colors are also a plus – I have a purple pair. Of all of the colorful gift ideas I’ve shown you today, this one is my favorite. If you need a great gift idea for the women on your Christmas list (or for yourself), click here to order these pint-sized pruners.
I hope that one or more of these garden tools help you find the perfect gift for those on your list. If you are wanting one of these tools for yourself, feel free to send them the link to this blog post for an easy way to buy you the perfect gift.
Still looking for gift ideas? Come back in a few days for some of my favorite gardening books.
*Disclosure: These products were provided to me free of charge to give my honest review.
Gifts For The Gardener: Herb Kit in a Handmade Vintage Box
Gift Ideas, herb gardening, indoor gardening, Product Review*This post contains affiliate links for a product that I have used. If you click on the affiliate link and buy the product, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate links help to support this site. Thank you for supporting Ramblings From a Desert Garden.
The Christmas season is in full swing and if you are like me, you are busy shopping for the perfect gift for that special somebody in your life. My gift list is rather long with five kids, three grandchildren, my husband, siblings, nieces, nephews, and my mother. As a result, quick trips to the store have been inserted into my busy schedule. This includes dropping by the store on date nights with my husband.
Whittling down my Christmas list online has become my favorite way of finding special items for loved ones. Just a few minutes sitting at the computer (or on your phone) and you’re done. It turns out that you can buy just about anything online and that is certainly true of items for gardeners in your life.
As a horticulturist and garden writer, I get to see a lot of products with a garden theme. So, in anticipation of Christmas and to help you with your shopping list, I am going to feature creative gift ideas, for the next few weeks, for those in your life who like to grow things.
The folks at Dryden Trading Company asked me to try their Vintage Wooden Window Garden Planter Box Kit and sent me one free of charge for me to review.
Indoor Herb Kit
VINTAGE HERB KITS
I’m particularly excited about this gift idea as I enjoy growing herbs throughout the year. I grow herbs outdoors all year in my Arizona garden, but I’ve also grown them indoors on my kitchen windowsill, which is why I was excited to try this all-in-one indoor herb kit.
The kit arrives in a very nice rustic, wooden box complete with lid. There are several colors available and I chose the white one. Everything you need is inside the box – plastic planting tray, soil, seeds, plant markers, chalk, and instructions. All you need to supply is water.
1. Add soil to the plastic planting tray. The soil doesn’t completely fill the tray – but not to worry, this is Wonder Soil.
2. Add water to the soil. Immediately, the soil began to expand making sounds like those you hear when you add milk to Rice Krispy cereal – kids would love to watch this stage.
As you can see, the soil now reaches to the top of the plastic tray.
3. Plant herb seeds. The kit comes with five packages of herb seeds with enough seeds left over to plant a second crop. You can always plant your own seeds as well. I planted all five varieties of herb seeds, although I must admit that I don’t like cilantro. However, people in my family do, so I planted it.
4. Add plant markers. Popsicle sticks with blackboard paint are a very cute way to identify the newly planted herbs. As I mentioned before, the vintage herb kit includes everything you need, even a stick of chalk.
Seeds are planted, plant markers are in, and now it’s time to find the right spot for my new planter.
5. Place in an area where the herbs will receive at least 6 hours of sun. I have a sunny kitchen window which works perfectly.
I am looking forward to seeing little green herbs poke up through the soil. Better yet, I can hardly wait to use them to flavor my favorite dishes.
If you have someone on your Christmas list who likes to garden or cook with fresh herbs, this would be an excellent gift idea. You can visit their website to see the different options for ordering a vintage herb garden for a loved one or yourself.
**Come back soon for more gift ideas for those who love to garden.
Beautiful Succulents, a Wild Animal Encounter, and a Special Story,
az plant lady family, Cactus/Succulents, desert, Desert Animals, Noelle Johnson Landscape ConsultingLife has been awfully busy lately. So much so, that it has affected me from doing blogging as regularly as I like to do. So, I would like to take a little time to let you know what I have been up to this past month.
Work has seen me driving me from one corner of the Phoenix metro area to the other, meeting with clients and helping them to create beautiful outdoor spaces. In fact, I broke my record for the most landscape consultations in a single month. Now that the holidays are here, work has slowed down a little.
A beautiful succulent, Euphorbia trigona
One thing that I enjoy about visiting new clients is that I get to see impressive specimen plants like this Euphorbia trigona that flanked the entry of the Phoenix home.
beautiful succulent
This is a truly beautiful succulent that lends a tropical look to the landscape. It is very frost tender and must be protected when temperatures dip into the 30’s. I’d say it’s worth the effort for a plant like this.
Coyote
Encounters with wildlife happens often during my work. However, seeing a coyote in the middle of the day is rather rare. As I was driving home from a consultation, I saw this beautiful coyote walk across the street. I stopped my car and it stood off to the side of road while I took a few pictures with my phone.
While I’ve seen a number of coyotes over the years, most often their appearance reflects the hardship of living in the desert. However, this coyote was the healthiest one that I’ve encountered.
I think that it enjoyed the attention that I was giving it as it stood still for several seconds before walking off into the desert.
Christmas is my favorite season of the year. I enjoy shopping for the perfect gift, decorating the house, baking my favorite desserts, singing along to Christmas music in the car, and rejoicing in the reason for Christmas.
Earlier this week, we filmed a video segment for our church’s upcoming Christmas Eve services. We were asked to share the story of our daughter Ruthie’s adoption along with her cousin Sofie. They were best friends in the orphanage when my sister and her family adopted Sofie back in 2006. One year later, my husband and I went to China and adopted Ruthie. So, they are not just best friends, but cousins.
We taped the video at my sister’s house, which took over 3 hours. The video came out great. You can view it here.
I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are enjoying this holiday season.
10 Cold Hardy Succulents That Add Beauty to the Winter Landscape
A Welcome Gift From an Agave and a Friend
Agave, Cactus/Succulents, desert gardening, Southwest gardenThe appearance of a package in my mailbox always brightens my day. Sometimes, it is the latest garden product that a company wants me to try out, or new plants to try out in my garden. But, this small box contained three small items that I had long been waiting for.
Whale’s Tongue Agave (Agave ovatifolia)
For those of you who have followed my blog for awhile, you know that agave are my favorite type of succulent. I love the beauty of their fleshy leaves arranged in rosette patterns with their pointy tips and finely toothed edges.
Two Whale’s Tongue Agave (Agave ovatifolia)
My friend and fellow blogger, Pam Penick, also knows how much I love agave. So, when her whale’s tongue agave (named ‘Moby’, after the book Moby Dick) flowered earlier this year in her Austin, Texas garden, she kindly gifted me with three of Moby’s offspring.
The three baby agave, which arrived a week ago, came from an agave that is well known throughout the garden blogger community. Pam’s agave was the focal point of her backyard and appeared in many of her blog posts.
I must admit that I fell in love with whale’s tongue agave after seeing ‘Moby’. The leaves of this agave has a unique shape with a concave dip that makes the leaves resemble the tongue of a whale. I would often stop and take pictures whenever I saw one while working and began to incorporate into my landscape designs.
Three ‘Moby’ Juniors
Pam began to chronicle the beginning of the end of Moby’s life as it began to flower and at the end, she harvested the tiny bulbils (agave babies) from the flowering stalk.
I was so honored when she emailed me to tell me that she had reserved three little ‘Moby Juniors’ for me. I’ve been anxiously awaiting their arrival and now they are finally here!
Right now, they are re-hydrating for a day or two until I get organized and get them planted. I have a few spots in mind for them in the garden. While they can grow in full sun in Texas, whale’s tongue agave does best in filtered shade or morning sun in Arizona gardens. I’ll probably plant them underneath the shade of my palo verde trees.
I am so grateful for this special gift of agave and look forward to seeing the beauty of three Moby Juniors grace my Arizona garden.
Beautiful Agave: How to Grow and Use It In Your Landscape
A Busy Fall Season
az plant lady family, azplantlady, Cactus/Succulents, desert gardening, Horticulturist, Noelle Johnson Landscape ConsultingPhoto: Landscape Renovation Project
As a mom, grandmother, and horticulturist, the fall season is a very busy season for me. Whether I’m busy on the work site, hosting a Halloween party, or helping out my mother as she recuperates from a broken leg – there is never a dull moment.
I thought that I would show you just a snippet of the events of the past few weeks.
Photo: My mother’s orthopedist knows how to decorate his office for Halloween.
Over a month ago, my mother suffered a very badly broken leg that required surgery. My very active and independent mother has been working hard with physical therapy and her recovery, but still has a few weeks left in a wheelchair. As a result, my siblings and I have stepped in to help her where we can. One of my favorite ways to help out is to take her shopping wherever she wants to go. Of course, it helps that she and I like the same types of stores. We got into a lot of trouble in Target’s dollar section buying Christmas decorations and gifts last week.
Photo: My granddaughter Lily enjoyed talking to our desert tortoise, Aesop, during her visit to Arizona from Michigan.
Visits from my oldest daughter and her family are always a highlight for us.
Photo: My 3-month old grandson, Leo, slept through most of his first visit to Arizona.
Every year on October 31st, my siblings and their kids come over for a fun night of Halloween-themed food and trick-or-treating. It is so much fun to see the little kids get all dressed up for Halloween, including my grandson, Eric.
Photo: Eric dressed up like a ‘Minion’
While my two youngest kids are almost too old for trick-or-treating, they enjoyed dressing up and going with Eric.
Photo: Gracie was a ‘bag of ice’
Photo: Kai was a ‘computer error code’
Life hasn’t slowed down in November, which is the busiest month of the year for me as a horticulturist.
Photo: Mountain States Wholesale Nursery
A highlight of this month was a visit to an open house at one of the pre-eminent nurseries of the Southwest.
While you may not have heard of Mountain States Wholesale Nursery, you have undoubtedly seen plants that they have developed, many which may be in your own garden. Flowering shrubs such as ‘Valentine’ and ‘Blue Bells’ have their origins in the fields of this nursery as do many of the newest tecoma and desert willow species.
I spent a fun-filled day with friends and colleagues touring the facilities and getting a sneak peek at their newest plants in production. The perfect way to cap off our visit was being gifted with a new plant!
Next up on my agenda was overseeing the installation of one of my landscape projects.
Photo: Landscape Renovation, Before
My clients, who live in New York City for most of the year, spend their winters and spring in Arizona. They recently purchased a home with overgrown, excessively pruned shrubs as well as artificial grass with a putting green that they wanted to get rid of.
I initially met with them in April and put together a plan for a landscape that would reflect their style. Once they came back to Arizona in November, they asked me to come out and oversee the installation.
A mixture of pink muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris) and artichoke agave (Agave parryi ‘truncata’) are being planted in the area formerly covered by artificial turf.
Many of the old shrubs were removed as was the fake grass. Contouring was added to help add height and interest to the formerly flat backyard landscape.
Matt, is the landscape contractor, who I refer many of my clients too. He has the uncanny ability to find the biggest, best plants – he holds his sources close to his chest, but as long as my clients are happy, so am I.
I must admit that I am sorely tempted to grab one of his specimen cactus or succulents for my own garden.
Photo: Landscape Renovation, Before
The client wanted an area for a cactus garden. So, we took out the shrubs in this corner and added cactus.
Photo: Landscape Renovation, AFTER
The saguaro cactus isn’t in place yet, but soon will be. Our goal was to add several different types of cactus and succulents that the client liked, including beavertail, candelilla, golden barrel, Moroccan mound, and torch cactus. An ocotillo anchors the corner and will eventually leaf out and flower, which usually occurs about a year after planting.
Photo: A palo blanco (Acacia willardiana) tree will soften this area without outgrowing this area.
It is so rewarding to be a part of the process of homeowner’s landscape be renovated into a space that will provide them with years of enjoyment.
Despite the busyness this fall season, I am getting excited for the upcoming holiday season. How about you? What is keeping you busy this fall?
Fall-Blooming Shrubs for Cool Color
AZ Plant LadyFall Blooming Shrubs, Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha)
Summer temperatures are fading and it’s time to get back outdoors and enjoy the beauty surrounding our homes. When many plants begin to slow down blooming, there are some that are just getting started including these fall-blooming shrubs.
This time of year is very busy for me as many of my clients are ready to focus on their garden. However, as busy as I get, I try to find some time to sit outside and enjoy the colorful plants in my own garden.
Mt. Lemmon Marigold (Tagetes lemmonii)
Fall is the best time for adding new plants to the landscape, so this is a great time to take a look at your garden and see where you would like to see some welcome autumn color.
If you are ready to add more color to your outdoor space this autumn, I invite you to read my latest article for Houzz where I list my favorite flowering shrubs in the fall garden.
10 Fall-Blooming Shrubs for Southwest Gardens
Chaparral Sage (Salvia clevelandii)
Do you love purple flowers? Check out my blog post
where I feature autumn bloomers with purple flowers.
What is your favorite flowering plant for fall?
Video: Fall Gardening Tasks for the Southwest Garden
ArizonaFall Gardening , Gaillardia
Fall has arrived in the desert southwest, despite what the thermometer says.
Days are still warm, but the nights are getting longer and cooler.
Plants are beginning to show signs of fall by putting an extra flush of bloom.
Fall Gardening , Salvia chamaedryoides
This is by far, my favorite time of year and you’ll often find me in the garden adding new plants as well as tending to my vegetable garden.
Not surprisingly, fall is the busiest time in the garden, and there is a lot to do. I’ve made a new ‘AZ Plant Lady Garden Video‘ to help you with what needs to be done in the garden right now.
*What are you doing in your fall garden?
Fall Planting: How to Select Plants