Many of the landscape plants in the southwestern landscape tend to be found in shades of purple and yellow. As a result, I tend to include plants with red flowers whenever I create a design to help balance the purple and yellows in the plant palette.
Baja Fairy Duster (Calliandra californica) is one of my favorites because it has such unusual flowers.
They do look like ‘fairy-dusters’, don’t they? The unique shape of the flowers is due to the fact that the showy part of each flower is actually a bunch of stamens grouped together – you don’t see the petals.
You can learn more about this beautiful, drought-tolerant, low-maintenance shrub including what zones it will grow in, in my latest plant profile for Houzz…
Have you seen the Chihuly art display at the Desert Botanical Garden?
What did you think?
Do you love seeing his beautiful artwork displayed in the garden?
Or, are you of the opinion that it detracts from the plants and their more subtle beauty?
For those of you not familiar with Dale Chihuly, he is a famous, glass artist whose work is displayed throughout museum and botanical gardens throughout the world.
Chihuly glass displayed on the ceiling of the lobby at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.
I have many friends who are huge fans of seeing Chihuly’s art displayed throughout the garden.
There are others though, who feel that the art overshadows the surrounding plants.
My three youngest kids and granddaughter. Note the flowering Aloe Vera and the orange Chihuly art in the background.
Last month, my husband and I took our kids & granddaughter to the Desert Botanical Garden.
While they thought that the glass artwork was ‘cool’, the kids were more excited about visiting the Butterfly Pavilion and in my granddaughter’s case – smelling all the flowers.
I am a strong proponent for including color in the garden, usually by adding plants with variegated foliage and/or flowering plants.
Of course, a brightly-colored wall or container is also a great way to introduce color to the garden.
My personal opinion is that art in the garden should be complementary and not overshadow the plants. In most areas, I feel that the Desert Botanical Garden got the right balance, but there were a couple of areas where I felt the art overwhelmed their surroundings.
While walking through the garden, I did enjoy seeing unexpected sightings of the glass, artfully displayed alongside some of the plants.
For many visitors, the Chihuly exhibit is the highlight of their visit to the garden.
I must admit that while I did admire the art, the horticulturist in me tends to focus more on the plants.
But, that didn’t stop me from having my picture taken next to some of the beautiful art 🙂
I would love to hear your thoughts on the Chihuly exhibit at the Desert Botanic Garden (or any other garden).
**If you want to see the Chihuly Exhibit, you’d better hurry – the last day is May 18th.
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Last week, I mentioned on my Facebook page that I was “channeling my inner Martha Stewart”, preparing for a future diy blog post.
Here are the ingredients I used…
Distilled water, ice-cube trays and edible flowers such as violas.
Here is what I ended up with…
Wouldn’t these look great on your Easter table?
It was very easy to do, but there are some tricks to doing it just right.
*Not all flowers are edible and you must be sure to use flowers that have not been treated with chemicals or pesticides.
I wrote about how to make your own floral ice cubes along with a list of edible flowers, in my latest blog post for Birds & Blooms, which you can access here.
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*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.
Have you ever made a discovery that was literally under your nose?
I did.
Earlier this month, I embarked on a tour of low-water gardens that displayed sustainable design throughout the greater Phoenix area.
The earlier parts of our tour showed examples of water harvesting using cisterns along with man-made arroyos. Then we viewed a creative example of sustainable design for a beautiful parking lot that needed no supplemental water and little to no maintenance.
I mentioned last week that I had saved the best for last and I can’t wait to share with you this jewel in the midst of a desert city.
The last stop on our tour of low-water and sustainable gardens was the Scottsdale Xeriscape Demonstration Garden.
The garden is just over 5 acres and sits hidden from the street next to Chaparral Park in central Scottsdale.
Over 200 different types of plants are used throughout the garden, all of which are drought-tolerant and well-adapted to our hot, dry climate.
My friend and fellow blogger, Pam Penick, came with me to this beautiful garden (you can see her at the top of the terraced planters).
One of my favorite parts of the garden included this innovative design, called the ‘Terraced Cascade’ which creates the appearance of water traveling down between terraced planters filled with Palo Blanco trees (Acacia willardiana) and Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata).
Water does flow down discretely hidden steps between the terraces during times of heavy rainfall toward the water harvest basin where it waters existing plants before flowing underground toward the nearby lake.
Raised planters were filled with flowering Ocotillo as well as Birdcage Evening Primrose (Oenothera deltoides).
Birdcage Evening Primrose (Oenothera deltoides) in the foreground and Mexican Evening Primrose (Oenothera berlanderi) growing against the Ocotillo.
I must admit that I was surprised to find this garden in an area that I used to spend a lot of time in.
Years ago, before the garden existed, my husband and I would take evening walks around the nearby lake with our daughter. Believe it or not, before there was a garden, there used to be a miniature golf course in this location.
I love stone walls and would have some in my own garden, if I could afford them. The stone walls were capped with flagstone and had rows of round stones, which added an unexpected touch of texture.
From our vantage point, we could see to the other side of the garden where a tall, dead tree stood. Trees like this are called a ‘snag’, which is a dead or dying tree. This tree provides a home for hawks, which help keep the rabbit population down.
Baja Fairy Duster (Calliandra californica) and Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata)
Gabion walls were used along pathways to created terraces to help slow down storm water in order to reduce flooding while watering the plants.
The demonstration garden is located next to a water treatment plant and part of the garden sits on top of a reservoir that contains 5.5 million gallons of treated water.
Deer Grass in the foreground.
One of the things that I enjoy about demonstration gardens is that they ‘demonstrate’ different gardening methods as well as showcasing plants.
In this case, I was impressed with the collection of plant species used, which aren’t typically seen in residential or commercial landscapes, which is a shame.
As we walked down the main path, we came upon a man-made, mesquite ‘bosque’. The word ‘bosque’ is used to refer to stands of trees nearby rivers or washes throughout the southwestern United States. Usually, you’ll find these bosques made up of mesquite trees.
This bosque was planted with Honey Mesquite trees (Prosopis glandulosa), which is simply stunning in spring when it’s bright-green leaves reappear. A warning though – it has thorns.
Palo Brea (Parkinsonia praecox) trees and gabion walls line the main walkway.
Plants are maintained just the way I like them – no shearing or over-pruning.
Gold Mound Lantana, Orange Bush Lantana and Pink & White Globe Mallow.
The main pathway parallels the local dog park.
There is little that can compare to the beauty of the new spring leaves of mesquite trees. I love how the coral-colored variety of Bougainvillea and the yellow flowers of Aloe Vera look like brightly-colored jewels along with the leaves of the mesquite.
Nearing the end of the trail, I couldn’t help but marvel at this beautiful garden and its creative design.
Throughout the garden were educational signs talking about a myriad of gardening subjects that were clearly illustrated by the garden itself including planning and design, plant care and desert habitat.
A large cistern was located on one end of the trail, which was filled with the average amount of water that a household uses in 1 week.
Around the outer border of the cistern is an American Indian saying that says:
“THE FROG DOES NOT DRINK UP THE POND IN WHICH HE LIVES”
Those are words that all of us who live in the dry, southwest should all ponder…
I hope you have enjoyed these posts of our tour of sustainable, southwestern landscapes in the greater Phoenix area.
Pam and I drove about 170 miles in one day and we weren’t able to see all of the great examples of sustainable landscaping. However, if you are interested in seeing examples of sustainable gardening, then I would recommend starting at the Desert Botanical Garden, which is filled with arid-adapted plants that thrive in our climate with minimal water and fuss.
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I am always on the lookout for beautiful landscapes that are well-designed and need minimal care. I like to call them sustainable or ‘fuss-free’ landscapes.
A week ago, my friend and fellow-blogger, Pam Penick came into town on a quest to see examples of gardens that use little water. So, I was more then happy to spend a day with her looking at some great examples of gardens around the greater Phoenix area.
The first part of our journey began with a visit to the beautifully-designed Arizona State Polytechnic Campus, which included cisterns, man-made arroyos and creative uses for urbanite. If you missed it, you can read about our visit, here.
The second leg of our tour took us to a butterfly/hummingbird demonstration garden along a golf course and a well-designed parking lot (yes, I said a parking lot).
First, was our visit to a butterfly/hummingbird demonstration garden.
Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatoni)
I must admit that I was excited about seeing this garden, which is near and dear to my heart because I designed it.
In the beginning, this landscape area was rather unremarkable There were a number of foothill palo verdes, cascalote and ironwood trees in this area and a few over-pruned Valentine shrubs.
Pink Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii)
The golf course community wanted to create a demonstration garden to show residents how they can have a beautiful landscape that will attract butterflies and hummingbirds that consists entirely of drought-tolerant plants.
Coral Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua ‘Coral’)
I want to showcase drought-tolerant shrubs and perennials that provided overlapping seasons of color.
Firecracker Penstemon, Purple Trailing Lantana and Damianita.
Paths were created by using stabilized DG that blended seamlessly with regular DG placed around the plants.
While walking through the garden, we saw hummingbirds enjoying the flowers.
White Globe Mallow
The plants in this garden aren’t only drought-tolerant – they don’t require any supplemental fertilizer, soil amendments and need pruning once a year or less.
It doesn’t get much better then that, does it? Our next stop was a park in the mountains of Scottsdale, called Cavalierre Park.
I must admit that I was surprised that my favorite thing about the park was its parking lot.
I realize that that may sound strange, BUT have you seen how ugly most parking lots are?
The majority of parking lot islands are over-planted and over-pruned. In addition, trees seldom thrive in the small islands in the midst of hot, reflected heat.
So, as we drove up to Cavalierre park, I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was no asphalt in sight.
Believe it or not, these parking lot islands get no supplemental irrigation and need little, if any pruning.
Each island was edged with rusted steel edging and filled with native rock from the site.
The fact that there is not a traditional asphalt parking lot reduces the amount of runoff from rainfall. This non-traditional parking lot created from stabilized DG (decomposed granite) doesn’t heat up, thereby keeping the area a bit cooler since it doesn’t contribute to the ‘heat-island’ effect that asphalt does.
During construction cacti and trees were salvaged from the site and replanted onsite once it was finished.
Trees too large to be removed were incorporated into the design with steel edging preserving their original grade.
This raised planter keeps the existing mesquite tree and saguaro cactus at their original grade while creating a beautiful, focal planting near the entrance of the park.
I am constantly amazed at how beautiful sustainable landscapes can be simply by using good design and arid-adapted plants that are maintained correctly.
I don’t know about you, but I would much rather enjoy a parking lot like this instead of one surrounded by asphalt and over-pruned shrubs, wouldn’t you?
I hope you have enjoyed this second installment of our tour of sustainable landscapes in the Phoenix area.
Be sure to come back for our last installment – I have saved the best for last…
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What do you think of when someone mentions ‘sustainable landscaping’ to you?
Do visions of stark landscapes with a few dried out plants and cactus come to mind? Nothing could be further from the truth. Sustainable landscapes are beautiful, low-maintenance and drought-tolerant.
Scottsdale Xeriscape Demonstration Garden
Last week, I spent an entire day visiting some great sites throughout the greater Phoenix area, which have some great examples of sustainable landscaping.
Now if you are thinking that I did this all by myself, you would be wrong. My friend and fellow southwest-blogger, Pam Penick, came up for a visit from Austin, Texas to see how we do sustainable landscaping here in Phoenix.
Our first stop was a visit to Arizona State University’s Polytechnic Campus in the East Valley.
A row of Palo Blanco (Acacia willardiana) trees stand along the side of an arroyo that catches rain water.
The campus is located on a former Air Force Base and it was decided that the lackluster appearance of the location needed a huge facelift.
The new academic complex consists of several buildings connected by separate courtyards – each with great examples of sustainable landscaping.
Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis) trees, Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) shrubs and potted Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis)
Each courtyard had inviting, shady areas along with sunny spots so that whatever the season, students were drawn to enjoy the outdoors.
All the plants were arid-adapted and relatively low-maintenance.
Concrete cisterns collected sporadic rainfall and the overflow is directed toward a swale that collected excess storm water. Plants along the swale benefit from the extra water.
Most of the area within the courtyards was covered in stabilized, decomposed granite (DG) that allows rainwater to permeate and keeps the ‘heat island’ effect away in the absence of excess concrete.
Gabion wall with Lady’s Slipper (Pedilanthus macrocarpus)
Gabion walls are filled with river rock that had been saved from the previous site and were used throughout the complex to create low walls. One of my favorite succulents, lady’s slipper, looks great when planted against walls like this one.
Aloe Vera planted in rows underneath Palo Blanco trees.
I must admit that I have not been a huge fan of aloe vera plants. But, after seeing how effectively they were used throughout the courtyards, I have changed my mind.
They are so striking when used in masses like this. Of course, I realize that this is their best season and soon they will be done flowering, but even when out of flower, the striking texture of the leaves would still look great in this area.
Aloe Vera
Here is another photo of the aloe vera – I’m really loving this plant now.
Anna’s Hummingbird and Aloe Vera flower.
The hummingbirds were very busy feeding from the flowers of the aloe.
The concrete that was removed during construction was repurposed into step stones, benches and retaining walls.
Called ‘urbanite’, this recycled material is becoming increasingly popular and is one great choice for hardscapes.
If you are renovating your landscape and concrete removal is part of that – think about reusing it in the landscape. Want to use ‘urbanite’ and don’t have any broken concrete? You can sometimes find it available on Craigslist.
Palo verde trees were in full bloom and used to great effect with the straight, modern lines of the building.
One of the reasons that I love palo verde trees so much (I have three in my own garden), is that they have great branch architecture – meaning that they shape of the branches and how they grow is beautiful.
During heavy rainfall, excess water runs from the cistern down the swale, watering the plants alongside it.
River rock removed during construction was saved and reused for the cisterns and the swales.
The outside of the buildings were covered with grape ivy, which help to keep the building cooler as it helps shield the building from the sun’s rays.
The walkway the ran alongside the buildings was planted with Sonoran desert natives such as Palo Verde and Creosote.
Along the walkways, arroyos were created to help channel storm water in this area that was previously covered in concrete and would flood frequently.
Mesquite trees were salvaged for use in this area and smaller shrubs and cacti were planted along the arroyo.
There are many different elements of this landscape that contribute to its sustainability – the use of recycled plants and materials, areas formerly flooded now direct storm water toward cisterns and plants, reduced concrete areas decrease the heat island effect, and finally arid-adapted plants decrease the need for supplemental water.
*I attended school at the main campus of ASU in Tempe. Since then, my major (Urban Horticulture) has been moved to the Polytechnic Campus. How I wish that I had had the opportunity to study at this beautiful campus!
This landscape was designed by Ten Eyck Architects who won an ASLA award for the sustainable design of the landscape. To learn more about this well-designed landscape, click here.
Pam and I had a wonderful visit and this was just the first stop on our tour!
Next time, I will show you the next spots along our journey including some innovative landscapes that need no supplemental water, while still looking beautiful.
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Some of you who are birdwatchers may have heard of the term ‘life list’, which refers to the list of birds that they hope to see within their lifetime.
While I like birds just fine, I don’t have a ‘life list’ of birds I want to see before I die.
But, I started wondering whether or not anyone had a ‘life list’ of plants that they hope to see in person?
I don’t know about you, but my list would be pretty long. Of course, I would want to photograph any plant on my ‘life list’ so that I can view it again from time to time.
Yesterday, I spent the entire day with my friend and fellow southwestern-blogger, Pam Penick. We drove around looking at some great examples of well-designed desert landscapes.
It was during this outing that I spotted a flower that I had wanted a really good photograph of for so long, but it was always just out of reach from my camera.
This particular flower is no stranger to residents of Arizona and I see them all the time in the spring. However, photographing one close up, was almost impossible without a ladder…
My two youngest kids and I on a recent visit to the Tucson desert.
Yes, I am talking about the beautiful saguaro flower.
The buds of saguaro flowers begin to form at the very top of the cactus.
Heavily cropped photo of a saguaro blossom.
I once got a photo from faraway of the flowers using my best zoom lens (which doesn’t zoom all that close) to capture this picture a few years ago of saguaro flowers growing on an arm.
But, that wasn’t good enough for me. I wanted a photo that would show the intricacies of the 3-inch flower.
Well, it may have taken a few years, but yesterday was the day that I was able to get my camera within a few inches from a saguaro flower without having to use a ladder.
It was so wonderful to see this magnificent flower up close. The white petals are somewhat waxy, like many flowers of cacti and the center is very large.
The blossoms open at night and stay open for only 24 hours and are pollinated by bats, birds and bees.
So, are you wondering how I got up so close to a saguaro flower?
We found these two arms from a saguaro laying on a pallet.
My guess is that they were going to be transplanted. Unlike other cacti, saguaro do root well from cuttings. While you can plant a saguaro arm in the soil, it will always look like an ‘arm’.
I was thrilled to have been able to photograph AND touch the blossom of this beautiful flower that is almost always out of reach.
So now I think that I may need to work on creating a ‘life list’ for photographing plants so that I can check off a saguaro blossom.
**My friend Pam and I had a wonderful adventure as viewed some amazing landscapes, which I can’t wait to show you…
I just have to wade through a few hundred photographs first 😉
So, what would plants would you put on your ‘life list’?
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A few years ago, while visiting my sister in the Palm Springs area in California, we visited the Living Desert Museum. This is a combination botanical garden and zoo.
We had a great time exploring along with our kids and I enjoyed taking pictures of the different plants that I saw.
While walking through the gardens, I noticed a small shrub, which at first glance, I assumed was a small species of Leucophyllum (Texas Sage).
I took a quick photo and then walked on.
Fast forward 2 years later, where I found myself learning about a newer plant on the market that thrives in desert heat, is drought-tolerant, flowers all year and needs little to no pruning.
Now any plant that looks great but isn’t fussy in desert gardens is one that I definitely need to get to know better.
I found out that this particular shrub was supposed to look a lot like a gray Texas sage. That was when I remembered taking the photo, above.
I was thrilled to find out that I had been introduced to this plant earlier, but hadn’t known it.
There is so much that I can say about Blue Bells (Eremophila hygrophana ‘ Blue Bells ‘) and I have written an article about this beautiful, yet tough shrub, which you can read in my latest Houzz plant profile…
I strongly encourage you to be a trendsetter in your neighborhood by planting this lovely shrub in your garden!
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A Tale of New Beginnings: The Mexican Fence Post Cactus and Rachele’s Journey
This is a story about new beginnings – one for a new cactus and another beginning for my second-oldest daughter, Rachele.
Believe me when I say that both stories are connected in a way.
The Connection Between a Mexican Fence Post Cactus and a Daughter’s Departure
This cactus, above, is a Mexican Fence Post (Pachycereus marinatus), which has been happily growing in my front garden.
What may not be initially obvious is that 11 years ago, I started this cactus from a 2 ft. piece of one (called a ‘cutting’) given to me by a client from their large Mexican Fence Post cactus.
Well, exactly 1 year ago, I repeated the favor for our neighbors.
Sharing the Beauty: Providing a Piece of the Mexican Fence Post Cactus to Neighbors
Look carefully at the photo above and compare it with the first one. Can you see where we cut off a piece of the cactus?
Our neighbors had recently re-landscaped their front yard and wanted a cactus like ours. Of course, they knew that they would have to start out with a much smaller one – but they were unprepared for how expensive it would be to buy one at the nursery.
Our cactus had been growing so well, we decided to offer them a piece (cutting) off of our Mexican Fence Post. So, my husband, daughter and I gathered together to take a cutting from our cactus.
Here is how we did it…
How to Properly Take a Cutting from a Cactus
We selected a good-sized length of cactus and while I held onto it, my husband took a pruning saw and started sawing it off at the bottom.
Multiple layers of newspaper and gloves are helpful to use to grab onto cacti with short thorns. For cacti with longer thorns, you can use carpet remnants. When you cut out a piece of cactus, it will be much heavier then you are expecting – so be prepared.
My husband and daughter wheeled the cactus cutting over to our neighbor’s house using our wheelbarrow.
Preparing the Cactus Cutting for Planting
We then placed the cutting in a dry, shady spot for 2 weeks in order to allow the cut site to ‘callus’ over, which would protect the cacti from rotting when it is replanted.
*Exactly 3 days after helping us with the cactus cutting, my daughter, Rachele, left for the Navy and basic training. It was a sad goodbye for us, but a new beginning for her.
After 2 weeks had passed, the new cactus was planted in its new location with a wooden stake for support.
No water was applied for the first month after planting, in order to make sure that the entire cut end had callused over.
One month after planting, the cactus was watered deeply, monthly, until November.
*Whenever I looked at the newly-planted cactus, thoughts of my daughter and how she was doing in her new Navy life always crossed my mind.
One year later, the new cutting is doing so well and has even grown two new sections.
You can see the parent cactus in the background.
Now, I may not be located as closely to my daughter as these two cacti, but like the new cactus, she is growing and doing so well in her new career with the Navy. We are so proud of her!
You can read more about Rachele’s adventures, here.
How to Propagate Cactus Via Cuttings
Propagating cactus via cuttings can be done with many species of cacti. Here are a few guidelines to follow for success:
1. Propagate cactus during the warm season, when the threat of frost is over.
2. Make the cut at the joint where the segment attaches to the parent plant. For prickly pear cacti, you can cut a segment that consists of 1 – 3 pads.
3. Place the new cutting in a dry, shady spot for 2 weeks to allow the cut site to ‘callus’, which protects the cacti from rot when it is replanted.
4. Plant your new cactus in full sun with well-drained soil.
5. Don’t water for a month after planting. Then water deeply, monthly until fall.
6. Provide temporary shade for the first summer. You can do this by placing a plastic patio chair over the top or using shade cloth.
Soon, you will begin to see new growth on your cactus.
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I am busy putting the finishing touches on my presentation for an upcoming speaking engagement this Monday evening…
The women’s ministry at Cornerstone Church in Chandler, AZ asked me to speak about desert gardening.
Now, I love talking about how easy it is to have a beautiful and low-maintenance garden in the desert – yes, I said easy.
We are the ones that make our landscapes high-maintenance by making the following mistakes:
– Not allowing plants enough room to grow, which leads to over-pruning.
– Pruning plants more often then they need it.
– Selecting plants that aren’t well-adapted to our climate.
– Using fertilizer on plants that almost never need to be fertilized.
The event begins at 7:00 with the main speaker and afterward, attendees are given the choice of going to one of several ‘labs’ being offered at 8:00 pm.
I will be heading up the lab, “Creating a Beautiful, Fuss-Free Garden”.
The main speaker, is Lysa TerKeurst, who is fabulous.
And, did I mention that the entire event is FREE??? There is no need to register. Just show up. Here is a link for more information.
I’d love to those of you who live in the greater Phoenix area!
********************
On another note, I have been talking about attending plant sales and sharing with you about new varieties of some popular plants available along with a few of the newest plant introductions.
I had mentioned that I had come away with 3 new plants from the Desert Botanical Garden’s Spring Plant Sale.
So today, I thought that I would share with you the plants I chose and why…
1. The first plant I chose is one that I have never grown before – Red Powder Puff (Calliandra haematocephla). As indicated on the plant sign, it is new to the market.
It is related to Red & Pink Fairy Duster shrubs, (which are great plants for the desert landscape, by the way).
I was entranced by the photo of large, puff-ball flowers. I also liked that I could grow it as a small tree, if I wanted too.
I like that is hardy to 20 degrees, which should make the occasional dips into the low 20’s in my garden no problem.
I planted it along the eastern side of my backyard, against a patio pillar. It will receive morning sun and afternoon shade. Growing to its right is a 15 ft. tall Mexican Bird-of-Paradise (Caesalpinia mexicana) that I’ve pruned into a tree form. So, I think that they will look great next to each other.
The next plant I chose is Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha).
Years ago, I planted this shrubby perennial in a parking lot of a golf course I worked at. It did beautifully and attracted hummingbirds. It would die back to the ground every winter, but quickly grew back in spring.
I have also seen Mexican Bush Sage grown in a variety of other areas during my travels, including Santa Barbara, CA and Miami, FL where it is grown as a perennial.
During a tour of the White House in Washington DC, I saw it grown there as well, where it is treated as an annual.
As much as I have liked this plant, I’ve never grown it in my own garden.
I planted it against the outside of one of my vegetable gardens where it will get morning and early afternoon sun. Two other factors were important in choosing this area for my new Mexican Bush Sage – I didn’t have to add drip irrigation for it because it will get residual moisture from the vegetable garden AND it will also attract pollinators to my vegetable garden.
The last plant that I chose is one that many of you may be familiar with, just with a different flower-color.
Purple Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii ‘Purple’) was evidently a very popular plant at the sale because there was only one left, which went home with me.
It will grow much like the red variety, pictured above, enjoying filtered shade or afternoon shade.
Flowers will appear in fall, winter and spring in low-desert gardens.
Other varieties of Autumn Sage are available with different-colored flowers like white, pink and salmon.
My new Purple Autumn Sage is also happy in its new home outside the vegetable garden where it will receive afternoon shade.
I will keep you updated on how well they grow in my garden.
https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Screen-Shot-2014-03-28-at-10.50.52-AM.jpg8111600arizonaplantlady@gmail.comhttp://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/favicon.pngarizonaplantlady@gmail.com2014-03-28 18:33:002021-01-14 11:24:093 New Plants To Try & New Speaking Engagement
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Great Southwestern Plant: Baja Fairy Duster
Arizona, desert, UncategorizedDo you like red-flowering plants?
I do.
Many of the landscape plants in the southwestern landscape tend to be found in shades of purple and yellow. As a result, I tend to include plants with red flowers whenever I create a design to help balance the purple and yellows in the plant palette.
Baja Fairy Duster (Calliandra californica) is one of my favorites because it has such unusual flowers.
They do look like ‘fairy-dusters’, don’t they? The unique shape of the flowers is due to the fact that the showy part of each flower is actually a bunch of stamens grouped together – you don’t see the petals.
You can learn more about this beautiful, drought-tolerant, low-maintenance shrub including what zones it will grow in, in my latest plant profile for Houzz…
Which red-flowering plants is your favorite?
Plant Palette for New Landscape Area: Trees and Shrubs
Chihuly Art in the Desert Garden
desert gardening, UncategorizedHave you seen the Chihuly art display at the Desert Botanical Garden?
What did you think?
Do you love seeing his beautiful artwork displayed in the garden?
Or, are you of the opinion that it detracts from the plants and their more subtle beauty?
For those of you not familiar with Dale Chihuly, he is a famous, glass artist whose work is displayed throughout museum and botanical gardens throughout the world.
Chihuly glass displayed on the ceiling of the lobby at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.
I have many friends who are huge fans of seeing Chihuly’s art displayed throughout the garden.
There are others though, who feel that the art overshadows the surrounding plants.
My three youngest kids and granddaughter. Note the flowering Aloe Vera and the orange Chihuly art in the background.
Last month, my husband and I took our kids & granddaughter to the Desert Botanical Garden.
While they thought that the glass artwork was ‘cool’, the kids were more excited about visiting the Butterfly Pavilion and in my granddaughter’s case – smelling all the flowers.
I am a strong proponent for including color in the garden, usually by adding plants with variegated foliage and/or flowering plants.
Of course, a brightly-colored wall or container is also a great way to introduce color to the garden.
My personal opinion is that art in the garden should be complementary and not overshadow the plants. In most areas, I feel that the Desert Botanical Garden got the right balance, but there were a couple of areas where I felt the art overwhelmed their surroundings.
While walking through the garden, I did enjoy seeing unexpected sightings of the glass, artfully displayed alongside some of the plants.
For many visitors, the Chihuly exhibit is the highlight of their visit to the garden.
I must admit that while I did admire the art, the horticulturist in me tends to focus more on the plants.
But, that didn’t stop me from having my picture taken next to some of the beautiful art 🙂
I would love to hear your thoughts on the Chihuly exhibit at the Desert Botanic Garden (or any other garden).
**If you want to see the Chihuly Exhibit, you’d better hurry – the last day is May 18th.
DIY in the Garden: Floral Ice Cubes
DIYDid you know that certain flowers are edible?
It’s true.
Last week, I mentioned on my Facebook page that I was “channeling my inner Martha Stewart”, preparing for a future diy blog post.
Here are the ingredients I used…
Distilled water, ice-cube trays and edible flowers such as violas.
Here is what I ended up with…
Wouldn’t these look great on your Easter table?
It was very easy to do, but there are some tricks to doing it just right.
*Not all flowers are edible and you must be sure to use flowers that have not been treated with chemicals or pesticides.
I wrote about how to make your own floral ice cubes along with a list of edible flowers, in my latest blog post for Birds & Blooms, which you can access here.
A Jewel in the City: Sustainable Landscapes Part 3
AZ Plant Lady, Cactus/Succulents, desert gardening, Drought Tolerant, Southwest garden*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.
Have you ever made a discovery that was literally under your nose?
I did.
Earlier this month, I embarked on a tour of low-water gardens that displayed sustainable design throughout the greater Phoenix area.
The earlier parts of our tour showed examples of water harvesting using cisterns along with man-made arroyos. Then we viewed a creative example of sustainable design for a beautiful parking lot that needed no supplemental water and little to no maintenance.
I mentioned last week that I had saved the best for last and I can’t wait to share with you this jewel in the midst of a desert city.
The last stop on our tour of low-water and sustainable gardens was the Scottsdale Xeriscape Demonstration Garden.
The garden is just over 5 acres and sits hidden from the street next to Chaparral Park in central Scottsdale.
Over 200 different types of plants are used throughout the garden, all of which are drought-tolerant and well-adapted to our hot, dry climate.
My friend and fellow blogger, Pam Penick, came with me to this beautiful garden (you can see her at the top of the terraced planters).
One of my favorite parts of the garden included this innovative design, called the ‘Terraced Cascade’ which creates the appearance of water traveling down between terraced planters filled with Palo Blanco trees (Acacia willardiana) and Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata).
Water does flow down discretely hidden steps between the terraces during times of heavy rainfall toward the water harvest basin where it waters existing plants before flowing underground toward the nearby lake.
Raised planters were filled with flowering Ocotillo as well as Birdcage Evening Primrose (Oenothera deltoides).
Birdcage Evening Primrose (Oenothera deltoides) in the foreground and Mexican Evening Primrose (Oenothera berlanderi) growing against the Ocotillo.
I must admit that I was surprised to find this garden in an area that I used to spend a lot of time in.
Years ago, before the garden existed, my husband and I would take evening walks around the nearby lake with our daughter. Believe it or not, before there was a garden, there used to be a miniature golf course in this location.
I love stone walls and would have some in my own garden, if I could afford them. The stone walls were capped with flagstone and had rows of round stones, which added an unexpected touch of texture.
From our vantage point, we could see to the other side of the garden where a tall, dead tree stood. Trees like this are called a ‘snag’, which is a dead or dying tree. This tree provides a home for hawks, which help keep the rabbit population down.
Baja Fairy Duster (Calliandra californica) and Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata)
Gabion walls were used along pathways to created terraces to help slow down storm water in order to reduce flooding while watering the plants.
The demonstration garden is located next to a water treatment plant and part of the garden sits on top of a reservoir that contains 5.5 million gallons of treated water.
Deer Grass in the foreground.
One of the things that I enjoy about demonstration gardens is that they ‘demonstrate’ different gardening methods as well as showcasing plants.
In this case, I was impressed with the collection of plant species used, which aren’t typically seen in residential or commercial landscapes, which is a shame.
As we walked down the main path, we came upon a man-made, mesquite ‘bosque’. The word ‘bosque’ is used to refer to stands of trees nearby rivers or washes throughout the southwestern United States. Usually, you’ll find these bosques made up of mesquite trees.
This bosque was planted with Honey Mesquite trees (Prosopis glandulosa), which is simply stunning in spring when it’s bright-green leaves reappear. A warning though – it has thorns.
Palo Brea (Parkinsonia praecox) trees and gabion walls line the main walkway.
Plants are maintained just the way I like them – no shearing or over-pruning.
Gold Mound Lantana, Orange Bush Lantana and Pink & White Globe Mallow.
The main pathway parallels the local dog park.
There is little that can compare to the beauty of the new spring leaves of mesquite trees. I love how the coral-colored variety of Bougainvillea and the yellow flowers of Aloe Vera look like brightly-colored jewels along with the leaves of the mesquite.
Nearing the end of the trail, I couldn’t help but marvel at this beautiful garden and its creative design.
Throughout the garden were educational signs talking about a myriad of gardening subjects that were clearly illustrated by the garden itself including planning and design, plant care and desert habitat.
A large cistern was located on one end of the trail, which was filled with the average amount of water that a household uses in 1 week.
Around the outer border of the cistern is an American Indian saying that says:
“THE FROG DOES NOT DRINK UP THE POND IN WHICH HE LIVES”
Those are words that all of us who live in the dry, southwest should all ponder…
*******************
The Scottsdale Xeriscape Demonstration Garden is located at Hayden and McDonald Roads in Scottsdale. It is open from sunrise to 10:30 at night.
I hope you have enjoyed these posts of our tour of sustainable, southwestern landscapes in the greater Phoenix area.
Pam and I drove about 170 miles in one day and we weren’t able to see all of the great examples of sustainable landscaping. However, if you are interested in seeing examples of sustainable gardening, then I would recommend starting at the Desert Botanical Garden, which is filled with arid-adapted plants that thrive in our climate with minimal water and fuss.
If you haven’t visited Pam’s blog, Digging, I encourage you to do so. Many of the plants that she grows in Austin do well in our climate too. Did I also mention that she is an author? She has a fabulous book called Lawn Gone!: Low-Maintenance, Sustainable, Attractive Alternatives for Your Yard, which I highly recommend.
Tour of Southwestern Sustainable Landscapes: Part 2
azplantladyI am always on the lookout for beautiful landscapes that are well-designed and need minimal care. I like to call them sustainable or ‘fuss-free’ landscapes.
A week ago, my friend and fellow-blogger, Pam Penick came into town on a quest to see examples of gardens that use little water. So, I was more then happy to spend a day with her looking at some great examples of gardens around the greater Phoenix area.
The first part of our journey began with a visit to the beautifully-designed Arizona State Polytechnic Campus, which included cisterns, man-made arroyos and creative uses for urbanite. If you missed it, you can read about our visit, here.
The second leg of our tour took us to a butterfly/hummingbird demonstration garden along a golf course and a well-designed parking lot (yes, I said a parking lot).
First, was our visit to a butterfly/hummingbird demonstration garden.
Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatoni)
I must admit that I was excited about seeing this garden, which is near and dear to my heart because I designed it.
In the beginning, this landscape area was rather unremarkable There were a number of foothill palo verdes, cascalote and ironwood trees in this area and a few over-pruned Valentine shrubs.
Pink Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii)
The golf course community wanted to create a demonstration garden to show residents how they can have a beautiful landscape that will attract butterflies and hummingbirds that consists entirely of drought-tolerant plants.
Coral Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua ‘Coral’)
I want to showcase drought-tolerant shrubs and perennials that provided overlapping seasons of color.
Firecracker Penstemon, Purple Trailing Lantana and Damianita.
Paths were created by using stabilized DG that blended seamlessly with regular DG placed around the plants.
While walking through the garden, we saw hummingbirds enjoying the flowers.
White Globe Mallow
The plants in this garden aren’t only drought-tolerant – they don’t require any supplemental fertilizer, soil amendments and need pruning once a year or less.
It doesn’t get much better then that, does it? Our next stop was a park in the mountains of Scottsdale, called Cavalierre Park.
I must admit that I was surprised that my favorite thing about the park was its parking lot.
I realize that that may sound strange, BUT have you seen how ugly most parking lots are?
The majority of parking lot islands are over-planted and over-pruned. In addition, trees seldom thrive in the small islands in the midst of hot, reflected heat.
So, as we drove up to Cavalierre park, I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was no asphalt in sight.
Believe it or not, these parking lot islands get no supplemental irrigation and need little, if any pruning.
Each island was edged with rusted steel edging and filled with native rock from the site.
The fact that there is not a traditional asphalt parking lot reduces the amount of runoff from rainfall. This non-traditional parking lot created from stabilized DG (decomposed granite) doesn’t heat up, thereby keeping the area a bit cooler since it doesn’t contribute to the ‘heat-island’ effect that asphalt does.
During construction cacti and trees were salvaged from the site and replanted onsite once it was finished.
Trees too large to be removed were incorporated into the design with steel edging preserving their original grade.
This raised planter keeps the existing mesquite tree and saguaro cactus at their original grade while creating a beautiful, focal planting near the entrance of the park.
I am constantly amazed at how beautiful sustainable landscapes can be simply by using good design and arid-adapted plants that are maintained correctly.
I don’t know about you, but I would much rather enjoy a parking lot like this instead of one surrounded by asphalt and over-pruned shrubs, wouldn’t you?
I hope you have enjoyed this second installment of our tour of sustainable landscapes in the Phoenix area.
Be sure to come back for our last installment – I have saved the best for last…
Tour of Sustainable Southwestern Landscapes: Part 1
UncategorizedWhat do you think of when someone mentions ‘sustainable landscaping’ to you?
Do visions of stark landscapes with a few dried out plants and cactus come to mind? Nothing could be further from the truth. Sustainable landscapes are beautiful, low-maintenance and drought-tolerant.
Scottsdale Xeriscape Demonstration Garden
Last week, I spent an entire day visiting some great sites throughout the greater Phoenix area, which have some great examples of sustainable landscaping.
Now if you are thinking that I did this all by myself, you would be wrong. My friend and fellow southwest-blogger, Pam Penick, came up for a visit from Austin, Texas to see how we do sustainable landscaping here in Phoenix.
Our first stop was a visit to Arizona State University’s Polytechnic Campus in the East Valley.
A row of Palo Blanco (Acacia willardiana) trees stand along the side of an arroyo that catches rain water.
The campus is located on a former Air Force Base and it was decided that the lackluster appearance of the location needed a huge facelift.
The new academic complex consists of several buildings connected by separate courtyards – each with great examples of sustainable landscaping.
Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis) trees, Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) shrubs and potted Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis)
Each courtyard had inviting, shady areas along with sunny spots so that whatever the season, students were drawn to enjoy the outdoors.
All the plants were arid-adapted and relatively low-maintenance.
Concrete cisterns collected sporadic rainfall and the overflow is directed toward a swale that collected excess storm water. Plants along the swale benefit from the extra water.
Most of the area within the courtyards was covered in stabilized, decomposed granite (DG) that allows rainwater to permeate and keeps the ‘heat island’ effect away in the absence of excess concrete.
Gabion wall with Lady’s Slipper (Pedilanthus macrocarpus)
Gabion walls are filled with river rock that had been saved from the previous site and were used throughout the complex to create low walls. One of my favorite succulents, lady’s slipper, looks great when planted against walls like this one.
Aloe Vera planted in rows underneath Palo Blanco trees.
I must admit that I have not been a huge fan of aloe vera plants. But, after seeing how effectively they were used throughout the courtyards, I have changed my mind.
They are so striking when used in masses like this. Of course, I realize that this is their best season and soon they will be done flowering, but even when out of flower, the striking texture of the leaves would still look great in this area.
Aloe Vera
Here is another photo of the aloe vera – I’m really loving this plant now.
Anna’s Hummingbird and Aloe Vera flower.
The hummingbirds were very busy feeding from the flowers of the aloe.
The concrete that was removed during construction was repurposed into step stones, benches and retaining walls.
Called ‘urbanite’, this recycled material is becoming increasingly popular and is one great choice for hardscapes.
If you are renovating your landscape and concrete removal is part of that – think about reusing it in the landscape. Want to use ‘urbanite’ and don’t have any broken concrete? You can sometimes find it available on Craigslist.
Palo verde trees were in full bloom and used to great effect with the straight, modern lines of the building.
One of the reasons that I love palo verde trees so much (I have three in my own garden), is that they have great branch architecture – meaning that they shape of the branches and how they grow is beautiful.
During heavy rainfall, excess water runs from the cistern down the swale, watering the plants alongside it.
River rock removed during construction was saved and reused for the cisterns and the swales.
The outside of the buildings were covered with grape ivy, which help to keep the building cooler as it helps shield the building from the sun’s rays.
The walkway the ran alongside the buildings was planted with Sonoran desert natives such as Palo Verde and Creosote.
Along the walkways, arroyos were created to help channel storm water in this area that was previously covered in concrete and would flood frequently.
Mesquite trees were salvaged for use in this area and smaller shrubs and cacti were planted along the arroyo.
There are many different elements of this landscape that contribute to its sustainability – the use of recycled plants and materials, areas formerly flooded now direct storm water toward cisterns and plants, reduced concrete areas decrease the heat island effect, and finally arid-adapted plants decrease the need for supplemental water.
*I attended school at the main campus of ASU in Tempe. Since then, my major (Urban Horticulture) has been moved to the Polytechnic Campus. How I wish that I had had the opportunity to study at this beautiful campus!
This landscape was designed by Ten Eyck Architects who won an ASLA award for the sustainable design of the landscape. To learn more about this well-designed landscape, click here.
Pam and I had a wonderful visit and this was just the first stop on our tour!
Next time, I will show you the next spots along our journey including some innovative landscapes that need no supplemental water, while still looking beautiful.
Do You Have a ‘Life List’ for Plants?
Arizona, azplantladySome of you who are birdwatchers may have heard of the term ‘life list’, which refers to the list of birds that they hope to see within their lifetime.
While I like birds just fine, I don’t have a ‘life list’ of birds I want to see before I die.
But, I started wondering whether or not anyone had a ‘life list’ of plants that they hope to see in person?
I don’t know about you, but my list would be pretty long. Of course, I would want to photograph any plant on my ‘life list’ so that I can view it again from time to time.
Yesterday, I spent the entire day with my friend and fellow southwestern-blogger, Pam Penick. We drove around looking at some great examples of well-designed desert landscapes.
It was during this outing that I spotted a flower that I had wanted a really good photograph of for so long, but it was always just out of reach from my camera.
This particular flower is no stranger to residents of Arizona and I see them all the time in the spring. However, photographing one close up, was almost impossible without a ladder…
My two youngest kids and I on a recent visit to the Tucson desert.
Yes, I am talking about the beautiful saguaro flower.
The buds of saguaro flowers begin to form at the very top of the cactus.
Heavily cropped photo of a saguaro blossom.
I once got a photo from faraway of the flowers using my best zoom lens (which doesn’t zoom all that close) to capture this picture a few years ago of saguaro flowers growing on an arm.
But, that wasn’t good enough for me. I wanted a photo that would show the intricacies of the 3-inch flower.
Well, it may have taken a few years, but yesterday was the day that I was able to get my camera within a few inches from a saguaro flower without having to use a ladder.
It was so wonderful to see this magnificent flower up close. The white petals are somewhat waxy, like many flowers of cacti and the center is very large.
The blossoms open at night and stay open for only 24 hours and are pollinated by bats, birds and bees.
So, are you wondering how I got up so close to a saguaro flower?
We found these two arms from a saguaro laying on a pallet.
My guess is that they were going to be transplanted. Unlike other cacti, saguaro do root well from cuttings. While you can plant a saguaro arm in the soil, it will always look like an ‘arm’.
I was thrilled to have been able to photograph AND touch the blossom of this beautiful flower that is almost always out of reach.
So now I think that I may need to work on creating a ‘life list’ for photographing plants so that I can check off a saguaro blossom.
**My friend Pam and I had a wonderful adventure as viewed some amazing landscapes, which I can’t wait to show you…
I just have to wade through a few hundred photographs first 😉
So, what would plants would you put on your ‘life list’?
Blue Bells: A Beautiful, Yet Tough Shrub for the Desert Garden
Arizona, CaliforniaA few years ago, while visiting my sister in the Palm Springs area in California, we visited the Living Desert Museum. This is a combination botanical garden and zoo.
We had a great time exploring along with our kids and I enjoyed taking pictures of the different plants that I saw.
While walking through the gardens, I noticed a small shrub, which at first glance, I assumed was a small species of Leucophyllum (Texas Sage).
I took a quick photo and then walked on.
Fast forward 2 years later, where I found myself learning about a newer plant on the market that thrives in desert heat, is drought-tolerant, flowers all year and needs little to no pruning.
Now any plant that looks great but isn’t fussy in desert gardens is one that I definitely need to get to know better.
I found out that this particular shrub was supposed to look a lot like a gray Texas sage. That was when I remembered taking the photo, above.
I was thrilled to find out that I had been introduced to this plant earlier, but hadn’t known it.
There is so much that I can say about Blue Bells (Eremophila hygrophana ‘ Blue Bells ‘) and I have written an article about this beautiful, yet tough shrub, which you can read in my latest Houzz plant profile…
Hire residential landscape architects to help with all aspects of landscape design, from selecting or designing outdoor patio furniture, to siting a detached garage or deck.
A home remodeler or residential architect will see the potential in the architecture and building design of your home.
I strongly encourage you to be a trendsetter in your neighborhood by planting this lovely shrub in your garden!
New Beginnings For a Cactus and a Daughter
az plant lady family, desertA Tale of New Beginnings: The Mexican Fence Post Cactus and Rachele’s Journey
This is a story about new beginnings – one for a new cactus and another beginning for my second-oldest daughter, Rachele.
Believe me when I say that both stories are connected in a way.
The Connection Between a Mexican Fence Post Cactus and a Daughter’s Departure
This cactus, above, is a Mexican Fence Post (Pachycereus marinatus), which has been happily growing in my front garden.
What may not be initially obvious is that 11 years ago, I started this cactus from a 2 ft. piece of one (called a ‘cutting’) given to me by a client from their large Mexican Fence Post cactus.
Well, exactly 1 year ago, I repeated the favor for our neighbors.
Sharing the Beauty: Providing a Piece of the Mexican Fence Post Cactus to Neighbors
Look carefully at the photo above and compare it with the first one. Can you see where we cut off a piece of the cactus?
Our neighbors had recently re-landscaped their front yard and wanted a cactus like ours. Of course, they knew that they would have to start out with a much smaller one – but they were unprepared for how expensive it would be to buy one at the nursery.
Our cactus had been growing so well, we decided to offer them a piece (cutting) off of our Mexican Fence Post. So, my husband, daughter and I gathered together to take a cutting from our cactus.
Here is how we did it…
How to Properly Take a Cutting from a Cactus
We selected a good-sized length of cactus and while I held onto it, my husband took a pruning saw and started sawing it off at the bottom.
Multiple layers of newspaper and gloves are helpful to use to grab onto cacti with short thorns. For cacti with longer thorns, you can use carpet remnants. When you cut out a piece of cactus, it will be much heavier then you are expecting – so be prepared.
My husband and daughter wheeled the cactus cutting over to our neighbor’s house using our wheelbarrow.
Preparing the Cactus Cutting for Planting
We then placed the cutting in a dry, shady spot for 2 weeks in order to allow the cut site to ‘callus’ over, which would protect the cacti from rotting when it is replanted.
*Exactly 3 days after helping us with the cactus cutting, my daughter, Rachele, left for the Navy and basic training. It was a sad goodbye for us, but a new beginning for her.
After 2 weeks had passed, the new cactus was planted in its new location with a wooden stake for support.
No water was applied for the first month after planting, in order to make sure that the entire cut end had callused over.
One month after planting, the cactus was watered deeply, monthly, until November.
*Whenever I looked at the newly-planted cactus, thoughts of my daughter and how she was doing in her new Navy life always crossed my mind.
One year later, the new cutting is doing so well and has even grown two new sections.
You can see the parent cactus in the background.
Now, I may not be located as closely to my daughter as these two cacti, but like the new cactus, she is growing and doing so well in her new career with the Navy. We are so proud of her!
You can read more about Rachele’s adventures, here.
How to Propagate Cactus Via Cuttings
Propagating cactus via cuttings can be done with many species of cacti. Here are a few guidelines to follow for success:
1. Propagate cactus during the warm season, when the threat of frost is over.
2. Make the cut at the joint where the segment attaches to the parent plant. For prickly pear cacti, you can cut a segment that consists of 1 – 3 pads.
3. Place the new cutting in a dry, shady spot for 2 weeks to allow the cut site to ‘callus’, which protects the cacti from rot when it is replanted.
4. Plant your new cactus in full sun with well-drained soil.
5. Don’t water for a month after planting. Then water deeply, monthly until fall.
6. Provide temporary shade for the first summer. You can do this by placing a plastic patio chair over the top or using shade cloth.
Soon, you will begin to see new growth on your cactus.
3 New Plants To Try & New Speaking Engagement
azplantladyI am busy putting the finishing touches on my presentation for an upcoming speaking engagement this Monday evening…
The women’s ministry at Cornerstone Church in Chandler, AZ asked me to speak about desert gardening.
Now, I love talking about how easy it is to have a beautiful and low-maintenance garden in the desert – yes, I said easy.
We are the ones that make our landscapes high-maintenance by making the following mistakes:
– Not allowing plants enough room to grow, which leads to over-pruning.
– Pruning plants more often then they need it.
– Selecting plants that aren’t well-adapted to our climate.
– Using fertilizer on plants that almost never need to be fertilized.
The event begins at 7:00 with the main speaker and afterward, attendees are given the choice of going to one of several ‘labs’ being offered at 8:00 pm.
I will be heading up the lab, “Creating a Beautiful, Fuss-Free Garden”.
The main speaker, is Lysa TerKeurst, who is fabulous.
And, did I mention that the entire event is FREE??? There is no need to register. Just show up. Here is a link for more information.
I’d love to those of you who live in the greater Phoenix area!
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On another note, I have been talking about attending plant sales and sharing with you about new varieties of some popular plants available along with a few of the newest plant introductions.
I had mentioned that I had come away with 3 new plants from the Desert Botanical Garden’s Spring Plant Sale.
So today, I thought that I would share with you the plants I chose and why…
1. The first plant I chose is one that I have never grown before – Red Powder Puff (Calliandra haematocephla). As indicated on the plant sign, it is new to the market.
It is related to Red & Pink Fairy Duster shrubs, (which are great plants for the desert landscape, by the way).
I was entranced by the photo of large, puff-ball flowers. I also liked that I could grow it as a small tree, if I wanted too.
I like that is hardy to 20 degrees, which should make the occasional dips into the low 20’s in my garden no problem.
I planted it along the eastern side of my backyard, against a patio pillar. It will receive morning sun and afternoon shade. Growing to its right is a 15 ft. tall Mexican Bird-of-Paradise (Caesalpinia mexicana) that I’ve pruned into a tree form. So, I think that they will look great next to each other.
The next plant I chose is Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha).
Years ago, I planted this shrubby perennial in a parking lot of a golf course I worked at. It did beautifully and attracted hummingbirds. It would die back to the ground every winter, but quickly grew back in spring.
I have also seen Mexican Bush Sage grown in a variety of other areas during my travels, including Santa Barbara, CA and Miami, FL where it is grown as a perennial.
During a tour of the White House in Washington DC, I saw it grown there as well, where it is treated as an annual.
As much as I have liked this plant, I’ve never grown it in my own garden.
I planted it against the outside of one of my vegetable gardens where it will get morning and early afternoon sun. Two other factors were important in choosing this area for my new Mexican Bush Sage – I didn’t have to add drip irrigation for it because it will get residual moisture from the vegetable garden AND it will also attract pollinators to my vegetable garden.
The last plant that I chose is one that many of you may be familiar with, just with a different flower-color.
Purple Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii ‘Purple’) was evidently a very popular plant at the sale because there was only one left, which went home with me.
It will grow much like the red variety, pictured above, enjoying filtered shade or afternoon shade.
Flowers will appear in fall, winter and spring in low-desert gardens.
Other varieties of Autumn Sage are available with different-colored flowers like white, pink and salmon.
My new Purple Autumn Sage is also happy in its new home outside the vegetable garden where it will receive afternoon shade.
I will keep you updated on how well they grow in my garden.