Is your garden looking a bit lackluster and in need of more color than green? While colorful flowering plants can help, it is hard to find a plant that will flower all year long.
*Some of you may know that I am the garden blogger forBirds & Blooms magazine. I have been going through some recent blog posts that I have written for them and thought that I would share some of my favorites with you.
As part of a two-part series, I shared some creative ways to add color to the landscape without relying on plants alone. This is especially helpful during the winter months when not many plants are in flower.
Most of the photographs in these posts were taken during a recent trip to Southeastern Arizona including Bisbee, Tombstone, and Tucson.
I hope that you are inspired to use a few of these colorful ideas in your own landscape!
https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/logo-1.png121239arizonaplantlady@gmail.comhttp://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/favicon.pngarizonaplantlady@gmail.com2014-08-20 13:30:002022-06-12 04:19:3310 Ways to Add Color to Your Garden Without Plants
My father-in-law had always been a meticulous gardener and took a lot of pride in his landscape. Have you ever seen rounder shrubs?
A few years earlier, I had designed the landscape around his new home and tried to convince him to allow his plants to grow into their natural shapes. But as you can see from the photo above, he didn’t follow my advice.
He eventually took out his backyard grass and replaced it with artificial turf and whenever flowers or leaves would fall on the grass, he would vacuum them up – I’m not kidding.
We would often joke with each other about our very different styles of gardening – especially when he would come over to my house for a visit and see my plants growing “wild and free” as he would say.
But despite our differences, we shared the same love for plants and the garden.
Unfortunately, his gardening days were numbered and he asked me to come over and help him with the gardening tasks that he could no longer do.
My father-in-law was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) in October 2010 and it progressed very rapidly.
So, I became his ‘substitute gardener’ and I was happy to be able to help out so that he could still enjoy the beauty of his garden, even if he could not care for it himself.
In early August of 2011, I lightly pruned back his gold lantana. At this point, my father-in-law spent most of his time indoors sitting down. But, as I was pruning, I saw him slowly make his way out, with his walker, so he could watch me prune his plants.
At this point, he could no longer talk due to ALS and I’m certain that if he could have spoken, he might have asked me to make the lantana ’rounder’.
After this light pruning, the lantana would grow back to its original size before stopping during winter. If they had not been pruned, they would have look quite overgrown for my father-in-law’s taste.
Light pruning involves removing 1/3 or less. The timing of this light pruning is crucial – prune too late and your plants will be extra susceptible to damage from frost. Don’t prune after early August in zone 9 (July in zone 8) gardens. Pruning in fall should not be done for this very reason.
Substitute Gardener
Another part of the garden that my father-in-law took a lot of pride in was his flowering annuals. Every year, he would plant the same red geraniums and white-flowering bacopa in winter. Once spring rolled around, he would plant red and white vinca. He never deviated by trying out newer colors or varieties.
I found myself taking over this job as well and when I came home and see all there was to do in my neglected garden – I didn’t mind. It felt so good to be able to control how his garden looked because ALS had taken control of everything else.
My father-in-law died in September 2011, just 11 months after being diagnosed with ALS.
It’s been almost 3 years since he passed away, but whenever August comes around and I find myself lightly pruning back my gold lantana – I enjoy the memory of one our last moments together in the garden as I pruned his lantana.
https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/MeticulouslymanicuredSWlandscape-1.jpg7681024arizonaplantlady@gmail.comhttp://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/favicon.pngarizonaplantlady@gmail.com2014-08-18 13:30:002022-11-05 00:28:23Summer Pruning and a ‘Substitute’ Gardener
There are some plants in the landscape that are underused through not fault of their own.
This can be for a number of reasons, one of which, is that it isn’t stocked at local nurseries. Customers often walk into their local nursery without any specific plant in mind and choose from what is in stock.
Another reason is that many southwestern natives aren’t all that impressive looking in their nursery container, where their root growth is restricted. However once they are planted and roots begin growing, they really take off and transform into a beautiful plant.
One underused plant in the southwest garden is little leaf cordia (Cordia parvifolia).
There are so many reasons to love this underused, native shrub…
– it is evergreen in zones 8 and above
– thrives in areas with full, reflected sun
– is drought tolerant
– needs no fertilizer
– rarely needs to be pruned
– and perhaps most importantly, it has beautiful, white flowers!
I recently wrote about little leaf cordia for Houzz.com and how to grow and use it in the landscape.
My hope that this underused shrub will soon become a much-used shrub in the southwestern landscape.
https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/PlantNurserySouthwest-1.jpg9081024arizonaplantlady@gmail.comhttp://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/favicon.pngarizonaplantlady@gmail.com2014-08-15 18:07:002022-11-05 00:40:38Underused White Flowering Beauty – Little Leaf Cordia
I am always on the lookout for new things to make from the garden.
Recently I learned how to make specially flavored salts using herbs from my garden. ‘Herb salts’ have become a popular flavoring tool in the culinary community and they are very easy to make.
The process of making herb salts starts out looking like this…
And ends up transformed into this…
Are you interested in making your own herb salts?
Summertime means that many of my herbs are actively growing and I sometimes run of ways to use all of the fragrant leaves of them.
Herb or ‘gourmet’ salts are a great way to preserve herbs while adding a new twist to flavoring my favorite foods.
Photo: Basil Salt
In my last post, I shared how to make basil salt using two ingredients – fresh basil leaves and kosher salt.
Today, I’d love to show you how to make your own unique herb salt blend.
For my herb salt blend, I went out into the garden and looked for a variety of herbs that I love to cook with. I found rosemary, sageand thyme. I then grabbed a head of garlic and kosher salt. I must admit that I was thrilled that I had all these herbs growing in my garden. I grew the garlic too!
For equipment, you should have a cutting board, a sharp knife for chopping, a baking sheet and a glass jar with a lid.
You can make this recipe using a food processor, but it is optional.
1. You will need 2/3 cup rosemary, 2/3 cup sage and 2/3 cup thyme leaves. These are the amounts I used to get the flavor I liked, but you can play around with the ratio of each herb or choose different herbs to get the flavor you want.
2. Place 1/2 cup kosher salt on your cutting board and add 5 peeled garlic cloves and chop them together. The garlic should be finely minced at this point.
3. Chop all of the herbs together.
4. Combine the salt/garlic and the herbs together and continue chopping until finely chopped.
**You can use a food processor for steps 3 & 4 instead of chopping. Simply put all ingredients in at once and pulse for 30 seconds.
At this point you can use your herb salt to flavor a roast of beef, chicken or pork before cooking or to flavor roasted vegetables. But, if you aren’t using the herb salt right away, continue on…
5. Put your herb salt mixture onto a baking sheet in a thin layer and bake in a 200 degree oven for 30 minutes. This step dries out the herb mixture. You can also allow it to air dry over a couple of days instead of putting it into the oven.
6. Place your dried mixture into a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds to get rid of any lumps.
If you don’t have a food processor, you can put the dried mixture into a Ziploc bag and roll it with a rolling pin until it is finely ground up.
7. Put your herb salt into a glass jar with a tightly-fitted lid. Store in a dark, dry place with your spices and dried herbs to preserve its flavor.
I will use my herb saltblend to flavor a pork loin, baked chicken or even a beef roast. It would also taste great when sprinkled on roasted vegetables or put into soups, don’t you think?
As you can imagine there are a number of different types of herb salts that you can make. Here are a few different combinations that you might want to try:
Photo: Rosemary Sage Garlic Salt
All of these herb salt blends can be made following the same steps as I have done for my herb salt blend – except where noted.
Rosemary Lemon Pepper Salt – 1/3 cup rosemary leaves, 2 tablespoons lemon zest, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and 1/2 cup kosher salt. *(Increase cooking time to 1 hour)
Rosemary Sage and Garlic Salt – 1/2 cup of rosemary leaves, 1/2 cup sage, 5 peeled garlic cloves and 1/4 cup kosher salt.
Sage Thyme and Garlic Salt – 1/2 cup sage, 1/2 cup thyme, 5 peeled garlic cloves and 1/4 cup kosher salt.
If your garden is filled with herbs, this is a creative way to use them in the kitchen or give them as gifts. Even if you don’t have a garden filled with herbs, you can find fresh herbs at your local grocery store or farmers market.
So, how about you? What would herb(s) would your ideal herb salt contain?
https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/DIY-Herb-Salt-1.jpg7591024arizonaplantlady@gmail.comhttp://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/favicon.pngarizonaplantlady@gmail.com2014-08-12 14:10:002022-11-05 00:53:15DIY Herb Salt Blends From the Garden
I do. But, I don’t like buying herbs from the store because they can be expensive and often aren’t very fresh looking.
Photo: Purple basil and chives
I enjoy growing herbs outdoors in my garden, but I also grow herbs indoors on my kitchen windowsill.
Whether you have a garden, a balcony or a windowsill, you can grow herbs inside.
Many people grow herbs indoors during the winter time, but you can grow them inside all year long.
So, are you ready to grow your own fresh herbs? Let’s get started…
1. Select a place to put your potted herbs that has a sunny window. – A window that faces south is best, but east facing will also work. West facing windows may be too hot in if you live in the desert, but you can experiment with it. Herbs need at least 4 – 5 hours of sun.
It’s important to note that herbs grown indoors won’t look as compact or lush as those grown outdoors, which is due to the fact that they don’t get as much sun indoors.
2. Choose plastic or glazed containers with holes for drainage.
It’s best to avoid terra-cotta pots, which can dry out – especially during the winter when the air in our homes can be dry from heating.
growing herbs indoors
You can also use cans as recycled containers. I have grown herbs in tomato cans as well as coffee cans.
A row of cans with their labels removed, filled with herbs would add a real contemporary look to the kitchen, don’t you think?
3. Use potting or planting mix. Avoid using potting soil, which is not formulated for containers and can become soggy.
4. Select what herbs you want to grow.
There are many different herbs that will grow well indoors, which include basil, chives, lemon balm, mint, parsley, sage and thyme.
You can buy herb transplants from your favorite nursery or sometimes at the grocery store.
growing herbs indoors
Another way to grow certain herbs is to start them from cuttings.
I ran out to the garden to grab two types of basil and some apple mint to show you how to do this. Basil and mint are both easy to start from cuttings.
Remove the leaves from the bottom as shown, above. Place the cuttings in a glass of water so that most of the stem is submerged in water, but take care that no leaves are in the water.
growing herbs indoors
Place in a window with bright, indirect sun. Change the water every other day and watch for roots to develop. Once roots have grown 1/2 – 1 inch, transplant each cutting into a container filled with potting mix and your are done!
I told you it was easy.
5. Water your potted herbs when the top of the soil feels dry.
Herbs don’t like soggy soil, so it’s best to allow the top of the soil to dry out before watering deeply until the water runs out the bottom.
An easy to tell when it’s time to water is to stick your finger into the soil till you reach your first knuckle – slightly less than an inch. If it feels barely moist, then it is time to water again.
6. Fertilize your herbs.
When plants are grown in pots, they need to be fertilized and herbs are no different. You can apply organic fertilizer granules and work into the top inch of soil OR you can use an organic liquid fertilizer such as fish emulsion.
Follow directions on the granular fertilizer package when applying and guidelines for frequency. In general, liquid fertilizer can be applied every 2 weeks.
Soon you will have fresh herbs close at hand and ready to use in your favorite dishes.I recently made herbs salts from my herbs, which is fun and easy to do. The flavor that they add to food is just delicious!
I enjoy DIY projects – particularly when they involve things that I have grown in my garden.
It seems that a lot of the things that I make from the garden include herbs. I have dried herbs, frozen them into ice cubes and have done homemade herb butter.
Using herbs from my garden when I cook always gives me a special satisfaction, and my food tastes great too!
Photo: Basil herb Salt
Today, I am excited to share with you how to make basil herb salt. If you haven’t heard of herb salts before, they are referred to as ‘gourmet salts,’ which are very popular in the foodie community.
Herb salts are easy to make – especially if you have a food processor. The salt helps to preserve the fresh flavor of your favorite herbs, and they add fabulous flavor to your favorite dishes.
Gourmet salts also make great gifts.
It is hard to find anyone who doesn’t love basil and the flavor it adds to so many different dishes. I enjoy making Italian food and am often using basil. Usually, I tear or chop some fresh basil leaves and add them as flavoring.
Basil salt can be used in a variety of ways including sprinkling into your favorite tomato sauce, on top of a fresh-baked pizza, adding to bruschetta or simply sprinkling some on the top of fresh tomatoes. Are you ready to get started?
You will need fresh basil (either from your garden or the store) and kosher salt – pretty simple!
Grab your food processor, a baking sheet and a glass jar with a lid.
1. You will need 1/2 cup each of kosher salt and basil leaves.
2. Add the basil and kosher salt to your food processor and pulse for 30 seconds.
The finished mixture should look like this.
3. Pour the mixture out onto a baking sheet in a thin layer. The mixture will be somewhat moist.
4. Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated 225-degree oven. After the first 10 minutes, lightly mix the basil salt mixture and bake for another 10 minutes – this helps it to dry out completely.
5. Put the dried basil salt mixture back into the food processor and blend to remove any remaining lumps. *Make sure that the food processor is dry beforehand.
6. Put your basil salt into a glass container with a tight-fitting lid.
That’s it – you are done!
I must admit that this is a pretty easy project and the food processor does most of the work.
Keep your basil salt in a dark, cool space where you keep your other herbs/spices to help preserve its flavor. Use it within a few months for the best flavor.
*******************************
This is one of the rare times that I didn’t have to spend any extra money on a DIY project – I had the basil growing in my garden, the kosher salt was in the pantry, and I used a mason jar that I had on hand.
I made three batches of basil salt and will keep one for myself and start using it right away. The rest I plan on giving away as gifts.
Gifts from the garden and kitchen are personal and much appreciated by others. Last year, I gave away homemade jam from my peach tree. This year it will be basil salt.
I can’t wait for my basil plant to grow more leaves so I can make more!
Photo: ‘Herbes de Provence’ salt
**Basil salt is just the beginning of different types of herb salts you can make. In my next post, I will show you how to make a customized herb salt blend as well as some ideas of other herb salts you can make.
What would you use basil salt to flavor?
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Earlier this week, I mentioned I was being interviewed about drought tolerant gardening for several radio stations throughout the country.
This morning, I am doing a live interview for the public radio station, KERA in Dallas, Texas. I will be taking viewer questions throughout the program. *You can listen to it here, if you like.
I must admit to being a little nervous, but am mostly excited to talk about a subject that I am passionate about and have a lot of experience with having lived in California and now Arizona.
In my last post I talked to you about 10 steps toward a drought tolerant garden.
As I promised, it is time to decide what to plant in your water wise garden.
Today, let’s talk about one of my favorite group of plants – perennials.
The perennials I am sharing with you can grow in a variety of climates throughout the United States and I will note their USDA planting zones.
*For best results, the following guidelines should be followed when planting these or any drought tolerant plants:
– Plant in well-drained soil.
-Amend the existing soil with compost at a ration of 1:1.
– The planting hole should be 3X as wide as the root ball to allow the roots to grow outward more easily and the plant to establish more quickly.
Photo: White Gaura (Gaura lindheimeri)
White gaura has a central place in my drought tolerant landscape. I have three growing underneath my front window where I can enjoy their delicate, butterfly-shaped flowers that appear in spring and fall where I live in the low desert.
In cooler locations, it blooms spring through summer. This white-flowering native grows approximately 2 ft. tall and wide.
Hardy to zone 7 – 10, plant gaura in well-drained soil.
Photo: Penstemon species
The arrival of spring is heralded by the flowering spikes of penstemon. There are many different species of native penstemon and all have a place in a drought tolerant garden.
Hummingbirds will flock to your garden to enjoy the nectar from its blooms. The base rosette of penstemons are approximately 1 foot high and 1 – 2 feet wide when not in flower.
The species you choose depends on your region and their cold hardiness ranges from zone 4 – 10. Plant in full sun to filtered shade in well drained soil.
Photo: Blackfoot Daisy (Melampodium leucanthum)
If you like white daisies, than this is a drought tolerant perennial that deserves a place in your garden.
Blackfoot daisies are a native, mounding plant that grow 12 inches tall and 18 inches wide. Don’t let their straggly appearance fool you when you see them at the nursery – once they are planted and have a chance to grow roots, they will fill in and look great.
I like to plant blackfoot daisies next to boulders where their soft texture provides beautiful contrast.
Plant in full sun, well-drained soil. Hardy to zone 5 – 10.
Angelita Daisy / Perky Sue (Tetraneuris acaulis – formerly Hymenoxys)
Here is one of my all time favorite perennials. I use it often in my designs and landscapes that I have managed in the past.
Angelita daisies are native to the United States, which add a welcome spot of color to the garden. Don’t let their delicate appearance fool you – they are very tough.
Plant them in groups of 3 or 5 for best effect in areas with full, (even reflected) sun to filtered shade. Gardeners in zones 5 – 10, can grow this pretty little perennial that reaches 1 foot high and tall.
In zone 8 gardens, it is evergreen and will flower throughout the year. For those who live in zones 5 – 7, it can die back to the ground, but will quickly grow back in spring and provide yellow blooms throughout the summer into early fall.
In zones 4 and below, angelita daisy is often grown as an annual.
The flowers of tufted evening primrose open at night where their white blooms illuminate the garden.
As flowers fade, they turn pink. Plant this native alongside boulders or at the base of spiky plants such as sotol (desert spoon) where you can show off the contrast in textures.
Plant in full sun to filtered shade in well-drained soil for best results. Hardy to zones 8 – 10.
Photo: Damianita (Chrysactinia mexicana)
It’s hard to find a native plant that can compete with the golden yellow blooms of damianita.
This shrubby perennial grows 1 foot high and 2 feet wide. Masses of yellow flowers appear in spring and fall covering the bright green needle-like foliage.
Hardy to zones 7 – 10, damianita needs full sun and well-drained soil. Prune back to 6 inches in spring after flowering has finished to keep it compact and reduce woody growth.
Photo: Trailing Lantana (Lantana montevidensis)
While not a native, trailing lantana is a plant that is well adapted to arid climates and is a popular choice for drought tolerant gardens. It also is a butterfly magnet.
*Lantana can be invasive in warm, humid climates but in arid regions, this is not a problem.
Trailing lantana grows up to 1 foot high and 3 feet wide. Plant in full sun or filtered shade.
Although lantana is not cold hardy (it grows in zones 8 – 10), it is often grown as an annual in colder climates. Flowers appear quickly after the danger of frost has passed that last until the first frost in fall / winter. Shear back to 6 inches in spring once the freezing temperatures have ended.
Any of these beautiful perennials will add beauty to your drought tolerant garden.
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Do you live in an area that has been affected by drought?
You may be surprised at the answer. Periods of drought aren’t uncommon for those of us who live in the Western United States, but more recently drought has expanded to some other areas that may surprise you.
Drought tolerant gardening is rapidly becoming a very popular way to garden. Contrary to what some people may think, drought tolerant gardens are low-maintenance, easy to care for, use far less resources and can be beautiful.
Photo: Agave, mesquite and salvias.
Drought tolerant gardens are a great choice for any landscape because they are much more self-sufficient and sustainable than other landscapes. Even if drought has not affected your area, that doesn’t mean that it won’t in the future.
*This week, I will be doing a series of radio interviews about drought tolerant gardening for radio stations in Oregon, Texas and Alabama.
I must admit to being a little nervous since I have not done a radio interview before and I have four to do this week. I think that it should be easier than being on TV since I don’t have to worry about what I’m wearing or if my hair is messed up 😉
Photo: Agave, saguaro, wildflowers and yucca.
No matter if you live in California where many areas are experiencing exceptional drought, the Southwest or wherever you live, the principles of drought tolerant gardening are the same.
Photo: Landscape filled with drought tolerant plants and limited amount of grass.
I recently shared 10 tips for drought tolerant gardens in an article for Birds & Blooms where I serve as the garden blogger, which you can read here.
Whether you implement 1 or all of the 10 tips, you will be increasing the sustainability of your landscape.
I encourage you to take a little time to read the 10 tips and then come back later this week, when I will share with some of my favorite drought tolerant plants.
Wish me luck on my first radio interview tomorrow. I’ll let you know how it goes…
**********************
For more information on drought tolerant gardening, click here.
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This is my last post on unique containers. To date, we have looked at containers on four, two and one wheels, one that fits on your feet as well as some ‘trashy’ ones as well.
Today, I’d like to show you two containers that you shouldn’t sit on.
Chair planter in Downtown Noblesville, Indiana.
I saw these two chair planters sitting in front of a gift shop in downtown Noblesville, Indiana.
The seat of these old chairs have been taken out and a planter, much like those you would use for hanging baskets were inserted into each empty seat.
This type of whimsical planting is fun and hopefully people won’t make the mistake of sitting them.
Note that in dry climates, like Arizona and other desert climates – you can do this in the cooler months of winter and spring, but not in the summer. The roots would literally ‘cook’ in the hot temperatures.
I hope you have enjoyed seeing some of my favorite unique containers that I have encountered on my travels.
I have found a unique container of my own on a recent trip to Minnesota that I can’t wait to plant in fall once the temperatures cool. I’ll be sure to share it with you!
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10 Ways to Add Color to Your Garden Without Plants
UncategorizedIs your garden looking a bit lackluster and in need of more color than green? While colorful flowering plants can help, it is hard to find a plant that will flower all year long.
*Some of you may know that I am the garden blogger for Birds & Blooms magazine. I have been going through some recent blog posts that I have written for them and thought that I would share some of my favorites with you.
As part of a two-part series, I shared some creative ways to add color to the landscape without relying on plants alone. This is especially helpful during the winter months when not many plants are in flower.
Most of the photographs in these posts were taken during a recent trip to Southeastern Arizona including Bisbee, Tombstone, and Tucson.
Backyard Garden Decor: Adding Color – Part 1
Backyard Garden Decor: Adding Color – Part 2
I hope that you are inspired to use a few of these colorful ideas in your own landscape!
Summer Pruning and a ‘Substitute’ Gardener
Arizona garden, AZ Plant Lady, az plant lady family, desert gardening, Pruning, Southwest gardenHave you ever had a ‘substitute’ teacher? As most of you know, a substitute teacher doesn’t do things the same way our regular teacher does.
A few years ago, I was asked to step in as a ‘substitute’ gardener for my father-in-law’s landscape.
Photo: Meticulously pruned desert ruellia (Ruellia peninsularis)
My father-in-law had always been a meticulous gardener and took a lot of pride in his landscape. Have you ever seen rounder shrubs?
A few years earlier, I had designed the landscape around his new home and tried to convince him to allow his plants to grow into their natural shapes. But as you can see from the photo above, he didn’t follow my advice.
He eventually took out his backyard grass and replaced it with artificial turf and whenever flowers or leaves would fall on the grass, he would vacuum them up – I’m not kidding.
We would often joke with each other about our very different styles of gardening – especially when he would come over to my house for a visit and see my plants growing “wild and free” as he would say.
But despite our differences, we shared the same love for plants and the garden.
Unfortunately, his gardening days were numbered and he asked me to come over and help him with the gardening tasks that he could no longer do.
My father-in-law was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) in October 2010 and it progressed very rapidly.
So, I became his ‘substitute gardener’ and I was happy to be able to help out so that he could still enjoy the beauty of his garden, even if he could not care for it himself.
In early August of 2011, I lightly pruned back his gold lantana. At this point, my father-in-law spent most of his time indoors sitting down. But, as I was pruning, I saw him slowly make his way out, with his walker, so he could watch me prune his plants.
At this point, he could no longer talk due to ALS and I’m certain that if he could have spoken, he might have asked me to make the lantana ’rounder’.
After this light pruning, the lantana would grow back to its original size before stopping during winter. If they had not been pruned, they would have look quite overgrown for my father-in-law’s taste.
Light pruning involves removing 1/3 or less. The timing of this light pruning is crucial – prune too late and your plants will be extra susceptible to damage from frost. Don’t prune after early August in zone 9 (July in zone 8) gardens. Pruning in fall should not be done for this very reason.
Substitute Gardener
Another part of the garden that my father-in-law took a lot of pride in was his flowering annuals. Every year, he would plant the same red geraniums and white-flowering bacopa in winter. Once spring rolled around, he would plant red and white vinca. He never deviated by trying out newer colors or varieties.
I found myself taking over this job as well and when I came home and see all there was to do in my neglected garden – I didn’t mind. It felt so good to be able to control how his garden looked because ALS had taken control of everything else.
My father-in-law died in September 2011, just 11 months after being diagnosed with ALS.
It’s been almost 3 years since he passed away, but whenever August comes around and I find myself lightly pruning back my gold lantana – I enjoy the memory of one our last moments together in the garden as I pruned his lantana.
Pruning Flowering Shrubs in Late Summer
Underused White Flowering Beauty – Little Leaf Cordia
Southwest garden, UncategorizedThere are some plants in the landscape that are underused through not fault of their own.
This can be for a number of reasons, one of which, is that it isn’t stocked at local nurseries. Customers often walk into their local nursery without any specific plant in mind and choose from what is in stock.
Another reason is that many southwestern natives aren’t all that impressive looking in their nursery container, where their root growth is restricted. However once they are planted and roots begin growing, they really take off and transform into a beautiful plant.
One underused plant in the southwest garden is little leaf cordia (Cordia parvifolia).
There are so many reasons to love this underused, native shrub…
– it is evergreen in zones 8 and above
– thrives in areas with full, reflected sun
– is drought tolerant
– needs no fertilizer
– rarely needs to be pruned
– and perhaps most importantly, it has beautiful, white flowers!
I recently wrote about little leaf cordia for Houzz.com and how to grow and use it in the landscape.
My hope that this underused shrub will soon become a much-used shrub in the southwestern landscape.
Great Design Plant: Little-Leaf Cordia Handles Desert Extremes
**Is there a plant that you think deserves a more prominent place in the southwestern landscape? Please share it in the comments below!
Downsizing Is A Good Thing – But Not Always….
DIY Herb Salt Blends From the Garden
DIY, UncategorizedI am always on the lookout for new things to make from the garden.
Recently I learned how to make specially flavored salts using herbs from my garden. ‘Herb salts’ have become a popular flavoring tool in the culinary community and they are very easy to make.
The process of making herb salts starts out looking like this…
And ends up transformed into this…
Are you interested in making your own herb salts?
Summertime means that many of my herbs are actively growing and I sometimes run of ways to use all of the fragrant leaves of them.
Herb or ‘gourmet’ salts are a great way to preserve herbs while adding a new twist to flavoring my favorite foods.
Photo: Basil Salt
In my last post, I shared how to make basil salt using two ingredients – fresh basil leaves and kosher salt.
Today, I’d love to show you how to make your own unique herb salt blend.
For my herb salt blend, I went out into the garden and looked for a variety of herbs that I love to cook with. I found rosemary, sageand thyme. I then grabbed a head of garlic and kosher salt. I must admit that I was thrilled that I had all these herbs growing in my garden. I grew the garlic too!
For equipment, you should have a cutting board, a sharp knife for chopping, a baking sheet and a glass jar with a lid.
You can make this recipe using a food processor, but it is optional.
1. You will need 2/3 cup rosemary, 2/3 cup sage and 2/3 cup thyme leaves. These are the amounts I used to get the flavor I liked, but you can play around with the ratio of each herb or choose different herbs to get the flavor you want.
2. Place 1/2 cup kosher salt on your cutting board and add 5 peeled garlic cloves and chop them together. The garlic should be finely minced at this point.
3. Chop all of the herbs together.
4. Combine the salt/garlic and the herbs together and continue chopping until finely chopped.
**You can use a food processor for steps 3 & 4 instead of chopping. Simply put all ingredients in at once and pulse for 30 seconds.
At this point you can use your herb salt to flavor a roast of beef, chicken or pork before cooking or to flavor roasted vegetables. But, if you aren’t using the herb salt right away, continue on…
5. Put your herb salt mixture onto a baking sheet in a thin layer and bake in a 200 degree oven for 30 minutes. This step dries out the herb mixture. You can also allow it to air dry over a couple of days instead of putting it into the oven.
6. Place your dried mixture into a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds to get rid of any lumps.
If you don’t have a food processor, you can put the dried mixture into a Ziploc bag and roll it with a rolling pin until it is finely ground up.
7. Put your herb salt into a glass jar with a tightly-fitted lid. Store in a dark, dry place with your spices and dried herbs to preserve its flavor.
I will use my herb saltblend to flavor a pork loin, baked chicken or even a beef roast. It would also taste great when sprinkled on roasted vegetables or put into soups, don’t you think?
As you can imagine there are a number of different types of herb salts that you can make. Here are a few different combinations that you might want to try:
Photo: Rosemary Sage Garlic Salt
All of these herb salt blends can be made following the same steps as I have done for my herb salt blend – except where noted.
Rosemary Lemon Pepper Salt – 1/3 cup rosemary leaves, 2 tablespoons lemon zest, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and 1/2 cup kosher salt.
*(Increase cooking time to 1 hour)
Rosemary Sage and Garlic Salt – 1/2 cup of rosemary leaves, 1/2 cup sage, 5 peeled garlic cloves and 1/4 cup kosher salt.
Sage Thyme and Garlic Salt – 1/2 cup sage, 1/2 cup thyme, 5 peeled garlic cloves and 1/4 cup kosher salt.
If your garden is filled with herbs, this is a creative way to use them in the kitchen or give them as gifts. Even if you don’t have a garden filled with herbs, you can find fresh herbs at your local grocery store or farmers market.
So, how about you? What would herb(s) would your ideal herb salt contain?
How to Grow Herbs Indoors
UncategorizedDo you like using fresh herbs when you cook?
I do. But, I don’t like buying herbs from the store because they can be expensive and often aren’t very fresh looking.
Photo: Purple basil and chives
I enjoy growing herbs outdoors in my garden, but I also grow herbs indoors on my kitchen windowsill.
Whether you have a garden, a balcony or a windowsill, you can grow herbs inside.
Many people grow herbs indoors during the winter time, but you can grow them inside all year long.
So, are you ready to grow your own fresh herbs? Let’s get started…
1. Select a place to put your potted herbs that has a sunny window. –
A window that faces south is best, but east facing will also work. West facing windows may be too hot in if you live in the desert, but you can experiment with it. Herbs need at least 4 – 5 hours of sun.
It’s important to note that herbs grown indoors won’t look as compact or lush as those grown outdoors, which is due to the fact that they don’t get as much sun indoors.
2. Choose plastic or glazed containers with holes for drainage.
It’s best to avoid terra-cotta pots, which can dry out – especially during the winter when the air in our homes can be dry from heating.
growing herbs indoors
You can also use cans as recycled containers. I have grown herbs in tomato cans as well as coffee cans.
A row of cans with their labels removed, filled with herbs would add a real contemporary look to the kitchen, don’t you think?
3. Use potting or planting mix.
Avoid using potting soil, which is not formulated for containers and can become soggy.
4. Select what herbs you want to grow.
There are many different herbs that will grow well indoors, which include basil, chives, lemon balm, mint, parsley, sage and thyme.
You can buy herb transplants from your favorite nursery or sometimes at the grocery store.
growing herbs indoors
Another way to grow certain herbs is to start them from cuttings.
I ran out to the garden to grab two types of basil and some apple mint to show you how to do this.
Basil and mint are both easy to start from cuttings.
Remove the leaves from the bottom as shown, above. Place the cuttings in a glass of water so that most of the stem is submerged in water, but take care that no leaves are in the water.
growing herbs indoors
Place in a window with bright, indirect sun. Change the water every other day and watch for roots to develop. Once roots have grown 1/2 – 1 inch, transplant each cutting into a container filled with potting mix and your are done!
I told you it was easy.
5. Water your potted herbs when the top of the soil feels dry.
Herbs don’t like soggy soil, so it’s best to allow the top of the soil to dry out before watering deeply until the water runs out the bottom.
An easy to tell when it’s time to water is to stick your finger into the soil till you reach your first knuckle – slightly less than an inch. If it feels barely moist, then it is time to water again.
6. Fertilize your herbs.
When plants are grown in pots, they need to be fertilized and herbs are no different. You can apply organic fertilizer granules and work into the top inch of soil OR you can use an organic liquid fertilizer such as fish emulsion.
Follow directions on the granular fertilizer package when applying and guidelines for frequency. In general, liquid fertilizer can be applied every 2 weeks.
Soon you will have fresh herbs close at hand and ready to use in your favorite dishes.I recently made herbs salts from my herbs, which is fun and easy to do. The flavor that they add to food is just delicious!
Click the links below to learn how to make:
Basil Salt
Herb Salt
For more information on how to grow herbs and how to preserve them, click on the following links:
Preserve Herbs By Freezing Them Into Ice Cubes
Preserve Herbs By Drying Them
Got Basil? Create Delicious Herb Salt
DIY, UncategorizedI enjoy DIY projects – particularly when they involve things that I have grown in my garden.
It seems that a lot of the things that I make from the garden include herbs. I have dried herbs, frozen them into ice cubes and have done homemade herb butter.
Using herbs from my garden when I cook always gives me a special satisfaction, and my food tastes great too!
Photo: Basil herb Salt
Today, I am excited to share with you how to make basil herb salt. If you haven’t heard of herb salts before, they are referred to as ‘gourmet salts,’ which are very popular in the foodie community.
Herb salts are easy to make – especially if you have a food processor. The salt helps to preserve the fresh flavor of your favorite herbs, and they add fabulous flavor to your favorite dishes.
Gourmet salts also make great gifts.
It is hard to find anyone who doesn’t love basil and the flavor it adds to so many different dishes. I enjoy making Italian food and am often using basil. Usually, I tear or chop some fresh basil leaves and add them as flavoring.
Basil salt can be used in a variety of ways including sprinkling into your favorite tomato sauce, on top of a fresh-baked pizza, adding to bruschetta or simply sprinkling some on the top of fresh tomatoes. Are you ready to get started?
You will need fresh basil (either from your garden or the store) and kosher salt – pretty simple!
Grab your food processor, a baking sheet and a glass jar with a lid.
1. You will need 1/2 cup each of kosher salt and basil leaves.
2. Add the basil and kosher salt to your food processor and pulse for 30 seconds.
The finished mixture should look like this.
3. Pour the mixture out onto a baking sheet in a thin layer. The mixture will be somewhat moist.
4. Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated 225-degree oven. After the first 10 minutes, lightly mix the basil salt mixture and bake for another 10 minutes – this helps it to dry out completely.
5. Put the dried basil salt mixture back into the food processor and blend to remove any remaining lumps. *Make sure that the food processor is dry beforehand.
6. Put your basil salt into a glass container with a tight-fitting lid.
That’s it – you are done!
I must admit that this is a pretty easy project and the food processor does most of the work.
Keep your basil salt in a dark, cool space where you keep your other herbs/spices to help preserve its flavor. Use it within a few months for the best flavor.
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This is one of the rare times that I didn’t have to spend any extra money on a DIY project – I had the basil growing in my garden, the kosher salt was in the pantry, and I used a mason jar that I had on hand.
I made three batches of basil salt and will keep one for myself and start using it right away. The rest I plan on giving away as gifts.
Gifts from the garden and kitchen are personal and much appreciated by others. Last year, I gave away homemade jam from my peach tree. This year it will be basil salt.
I can’t wait for my basil plant to grow more leaves so I can make more!
Photo: ‘Herbes de Provence’ salt
**Basil salt is just the beginning of different types of herb salts you can make. In my next post, I will show you how to make a customized herb salt blend as well as some ideas of other herb salts you can make.
What would you use basil salt to flavor?
Perennials for a Drought Tolerant Garden & Radio Interview
UncategorizedEarlier this week, I mentioned I was being interviewed about drought tolerant gardening for several radio stations throughout the country.
This morning, I am doing a live interview for the public radio station, KERA in Dallas, Texas. I will be taking viewer questions throughout the program. *You can listen to it here, if you like.
I must admit to being a little nervous, but am mostly excited to talk about a subject that I am passionate about and have a lot of experience with having lived in California and now Arizona.
In my last post I talked to you about 10 steps toward a drought tolerant garden.
As I promised, it is time to decide what to plant in your water wise garden.
Today, let’s talk about one of my favorite group of plants – perennials.
The perennials I am sharing with you can grow in a variety of climates throughout the United States and I will note their USDA planting zones.
*For best results, the following guidelines should be followed when planting these or any drought tolerant plants:
– Plant in well-drained soil.
-Amend the existing soil with compost at a ration of 1:1.
– The planting hole should be 3X as wide as the root ball to allow the roots to grow outward more easily and the plant to establish more quickly.
Photo: White Gaura (Gaura lindheimeri)
White gaura has a central place in my drought tolerant landscape. I have three growing underneath my front window where I can enjoy their delicate, butterfly-shaped flowers that appear in spring and fall where I live in the low desert.
In cooler locations, it blooms spring through summer. This white-flowering native grows approximately 2 ft. tall and wide.
Hardy to zone 7 – 10, plant gaura in well-drained soil.
Photo: Penstemon species
The arrival of spring is heralded by the flowering spikes of penstemon. There are many different species of native penstemon and all have a place in a drought tolerant garden.
Hummingbirds will flock to your garden to enjoy the nectar from its blooms. The base rosette of penstemons are approximately 1 foot high and 1 – 2 feet wide when not in flower.
The species you choose depends on your region and their cold hardiness ranges from zone 4 – 10. Plant in full sun to filtered shade in well drained soil.
Photo: Blackfoot Daisy (Melampodium leucanthum)
If you like white daisies, than this is a drought tolerant perennial that deserves a place in your garden.
Blackfoot daisies are a native, mounding plant that grow 12 inches tall and 18 inches wide. Don’t let their straggly appearance fool you when you see them at the nursery – once they are planted and have a chance to grow roots, they will fill in and look great.
I like to plant blackfoot daisies next to boulders where their soft texture provides beautiful contrast.
Plant in full sun, well-drained soil. Hardy to zone 5 – 10.
Angelita Daisy / Perky Sue (Tetraneuris acaulis – formerly Hymenoxys)
Here is one of my all time favorite perennials. I use it often in my designs and landscapes that I have managed in the past.
Angelita daisies are native to the United States, which add a welcome spot of color to the garden. Don’t let their delicate appearance fool you – they are very tough.
Plant them in groups of 3 or 5 for best effect in areas with full, (even reflected) sun to filtered shade. Gardeners in zones 5 – 10, can grow this pretty little perennial that reaches 1 foot high and tall.
In zone 8 gardens, it is evergreen and will flower throughout the year. For those who live in zones 5 – 7, it can die back to the ground, but will quickly grow back in spring and provide yellow blooms throughout the summer into early fall.
In zones 4 and below, angelita daisy is often grown as an annual.
Photo: Tufted Evening Primrose (Oenothera caespitosa)
The flowers of tufted evening primrose open at night where their white blooms illuminate the garden.
As flowers fade, they turn pink. Plant this native alongside boulders or at the base of spiky plants such as sotol (desert spoon) where you can show off the contrast in textures.
Plant in full sun to filtered shade in well-drained soil for best results. Hardy to zones 8 – 10.
Photo: Damianita (Chrysactinia mexicana)
It’s hard to find a native plant that can compete with the golden yellow blooms of damianita.
This shrubby perennial grows 1 foot high and 2 feet wide. Masses of yellow flowers appear in spring and fall covering the bright green needle-like foliage.
Hardy to zones 7 – 10, damianita needs full sun and well-drained soil. Prune back to 6 inches in spring after flowering has finished to keep it compact and reduce woody growth.
Photo: Trailing Lantana (Lantana montevidensis)
While not a native, trailing lantana is a plant that is well adapted to arid climates and is a popular choice for drought tolerant gardens. It also is a butterfly magnet.
*Lantana can be invasive in warm, humid climates but in arid regions, this is not a problem.
Trailing lantana grows up to 1 foot high and 3 feet wide. Plant in full sun or filtered shade.
Although lantana is not cold hardy (it grows in zones 8 – 10), it is often grown as an annual in colder climates. Flowers appear quickly after the danger of frost has passed that last until the first frost in fall / winter. Shear back to 6 inches in spring once the freezing temperatures have ended.
Any of these beautiful perennials will add beauty to your drought tolerant garden.
10 Tips for Drought Tolerant Gardening
azplantlady, UncategorizedDo you live in an area that has been affected by drought?
You may be surprised at the answer. Periods of drought aren’t uncommon for those of us who live in the Western United States, but more recently drought has expanded to some other areas that may surprise you.
Drought tolerant gardening is rapidly becoming a very popular way to garden. Contrary to what some people may think, drought tolerant gardens are low-maintenance, easy to care for, use far less resources and can be beautiful.
Photo: Agave, mesquite and salvias.
Drought tolerant gardens are a great choice for any landscape because they are much more self-sufficient and sustainable than other landscapes. Even if drought has not affected your area, that doesn’t mean that it won’t in the future.
*This week, I will be doing a series of radio interviews about drought tolerant gardening for radio stations in Oregon, Texas and Alabama.
I must admit to being a little nervous since I have not done a radio interview before and I have four to do this week. I think that it should be easier than being on TV since I don’t have to worry about what I’m wearing or if my hair is messed up 😉
Photo: Agave, saguaro, wildflowers and yucca.
No matter if you live in California where many areas are experiencing exceptional drought, the Southwest or wherever you live, the principles of drought tolerant gardening are the same.
Photo: Landscape filled with drought tolerant plants and limited amount of grass.
I recently shared 10 tips for drought tolerant gardens in an article for Birds & Blooms where I serve as the garden blogger, which you can read here.
Whether you implement 1 or all of the 10 tips, you will be increasing the sustainability of your landscape.
I encourage you to take a little time to read the 10 tips and then come back later this week, when I will share with some of my favorite drought tolerant plants.
Wish me luck on my first radio interview tomorrow. I’ll let you know how it goes…
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For more information on drought tolerant gardening, click here.
Overcrowded, Overpruned Shrubs and How to Avoid Them
azplantlady, Southwest garden, UncategorizedHave you ever seen shrubs that have been planted too closely together?
At first glance, it looks like the new plants in the landscape above fit just fine into this area.
But, what if I told you that those small shrubs grow 6 feet high and wide at maturity?
As they grow, out come the hedge trimmers, and over-pruned, ugly shrubs are the result.
Unfortunately, this is a problem that has reached almost epidemic proportions in areas throughout the Southwest.
Why else would people prune beautiful flowering shrubs into something that resembles anonymous, green blobs?
The good news is that you can avoid this from happening in your landscape. Even if you currently have overcrowded shrubs, you can solve the problem.
I recently wrote an article for Houzz.com on how to avoid overcrowded and the resulting over-pruning…
I hope that you find this article helpful – I’d love to hear your thoughts.
10 Tips for Drought Tolerant Gardening
Unique Containers: Day 7 – Don’t Sit on These Planters!
Containers, UncategorizedThis is my last post on unique containers. To date, we have looked at containers on four, two and one wheels, one that fits on your feet as well as some ‘trashy’ ones as well.
Today, I’d like to show you two containers that you shouldn’t sit on.
Chair planter in Downtown Noblesville, Indiana.
I saw these two chair planters sitting in front of a gift shop in downtown Noblesville, Indiana.
The seat of these old chairs have been taken out and a planter, much like those you would use for hanging baskets were inserted into each empty seat.
This type of whimsical planting is fun and hopefully people won’t make the mistake of sitting them.
Note that in dry climates, like Arizona and other desert climates – you can do this in the cooler months of winter and spring, but not in the summer. The roots would literally ‘cook’ in the hot temperatures.
I hope you have enjoyed seeing some of my favorite unique containers that I have encountered on my travels.
I have found a unique container of my own on a recent trip to Minnesota that I can’t wait to plant in fall once the temperatures cool. I’ll be sure to share it with you!
Indiana, Illinois and Abe Lincoln