Prepping for a Deep Freeze…

Arizona garden, AZ Plant Lady, California desert garden, desert gardening, Las Vegas gardening

It’s about to get really cold…

Well, cold in this area of the desert southwest. Temperatures are predicted to dip into the 20s for a few days, which is quite cold for zone 9a.

As a result, I am being asked by quite a few people about what they should do to prepare their semi-tropical plants for the cold temperatures.

The best thing you can do is to cover your frost-tender plants. This helps to trap the heat that rises from the ground, which raises the temperature by a few degrees around your plants.

Earlier this week, I wrote about how to protect your plants during a normal winter freeze (30 degrees and above). You do have the choice to protect your plants or not. I mentioned that I only protect my high-profile Lantana near my front entry.

But, when temperatures are forecast to fall into the 20s for a few days, I start pulling out all my old linens, including my kid’s old character bed sheets…

I cover most of my semi-tropical plants, including my other lantana, young citrus tree, yellow bells, bougainvillea and pink trumpet vine.

The reason for this is that I don’t want my plants killed to the ground by the frost, which can happen when temperatures dip into the 20s for a few days.

You see, frost damage can be cumulative with each additional night of freezing temps, creating more damage to plants.

So, if you have frost cloth – use it. If you don’t, then start raiding your linen closet and pull out towels, sheets, tablecloths, etc. Believe it or not, even newspapers can provide some protection. Just anchor it down with rocks to keep it from blowing away. (I once used canned foods from my pantry to anchor frost blankets 😉

What you shouldn’t use is plastic.

Also, if you want to protect your plants – you have to do better than this person did…

What they ended up with was plants with green areas, surrounded by brown, crispy frost-damaged growth. You need to cover the entire plant with no gaps.

Watering your plants at dusk also helps because water releases heat into the night.

If you have columnar cacti, then protect the ends using styrofoam cups.

Young citrus trees should also be protected.

If freezing temperatures persist, you can keep the coverings such as towels, sheets, and blankets on your plants for at least a week. If freezing temperatures last longer, uncover plants for a few hours during the middle of the day when temps are over 45 degrees to allow them to get needed sunlight. *If you use frost cloth, it is permeable and doesn’t need to be removed.

So what do you do if you don’t protect your plants and they look like this afterward?

Relax, first of all. More than likely, it is still alive at the base and will grow back once spring arrives.

Whatever you do, DON’T prune them now! That can damage or even kill your plant. I know it is ugly, but it is only until spring when you can prune all the frost-damaged foliage away.

**Even if you protect your plants from frost, there can still be some frost damage that occurs. It all depends on the severity and duration of the cold. But covering them increases the chance that they will recover once temperatures warm up in spring.

Cold Weather in the Desert ? Are You Kidding ?

8 Colorful Plants for the Desert Garden and Where to Find Them

Arizona garden, Cactus/Succulents, California desert garden, desert gardening, Las Vegas gardening, Nevada garden, Shrubs, Southwest garden, Trees

When people think about what a desert garden looks like, what comes to mind? Perhaps, visions of lots of brown with rocks and a cactus or two? Maybe visions of mostly brown terrain with scattered rocks and a couple of cacti? But in reality, the possibilities for colorful plants for the desert garden are far greater. Picture a vibrant landscape adorned with the entire spectrum of colors – from varying hues of red, orange, and purple to shades of pink and yellow.

I’m excited to introduce you to eight vividly colorful plants flourishing within my desert garden. All are vibrantly colorful and thrive in a hot, dry climate:

Bougainvillea 'Barbara Karst' is boldly vibrant with hot pink blooms

Colorful Plants for the Desert Garden

The Best List of Colorful Plants for the Desert Garden

Bougainvillea – Bougainvillea ‘Barbara Karst’

You can’t beat Bougainvillea for the vibrant color in the garden. It thrives in our dry, hot climate and flowers off and on spring through fall. Record-breaking heat doesn’t bother it in the least. Its resilience makes it a prime candidate for covering walls and facing challenging western exposures. For maximum flowering, they need to be in full sun. For those that don’t like the messy flowers, you can opt for dwarf varieties or plant one in a large pot, which will limit its size.

Hardy to 20 degrees F. Plant in full sun for optimal flowering.

Coral Fountain – Russelia equisetiformis

Often referred to as Firecracker Bush, this resilient plant is a colorful plant for a desert garden. It is a tropical beauty has a lovely cascading growth habit. Arching stems produce orange/red tubular flowers that delight hummingbirds. Blooming occurs spring through fall. This shrub takes a year or two before really taking off, but it’s worth the wait – I like to use them in groups of 3 to 5. It is also a good choice for adding to large containers – especially blue ones!

Cold hardy to 10 degrees F. Plant in full sun.

Firecracker Penstemon – Penstemon eatoni

Winter color is often lacking in desert gardens. However, there are many colorful plants for a desert garden that offer color through winter. This western native is my favorite during winter and spring in my front garden when it burst forth with brilliant orange/red blooms. Hummingbirds really enjoy the blooms as there aren’t many other plants for them to feed on this time of year. Prune off spent flowering stalks once the flowers begin to drop and you may get another flush of blooms to extend the season. It can be hard to find Firecracker Penstemon in box stores but local nurseries usually carry them.

Hardy to -20 degrees F. Plant in full sun.

Yellow Bells – Tecoma stans var. stans

Admittedly, there are many yellow-flowering plants in the desert, but this one is my favorite! I look forward to the gorgeous yellow blooms opening each spring in my back garden. Yellow bells bloom spring through fall,and hummingbirds are attracted to their flowers. They are fast growers and have lovely, lush green foliage. To keep them looking their best, prune them back severely to 1-2 feet tall once the threat of frost has passed in spring. There are several notable varieties of Yellow Bells in shades of orange including ‘Crimson Flare’ and ‘Sparky’.

Hardy to 10 degrees F. Plant in full sun to filtered sun.

Shrubby Germander – Teucrium fruticans ‘Azurea’

Photos don’t do this Mediterranean native justice. When viewed in person, people are immediately transfixed by the light-blue flowers (they appear more purple in photos), which appear in spring. I have several scattered throughout my back garden, and for me, they bloom throughout winter too! Using plants with silver-gray foliage near those with darker green leaves is a great way to add interest to the landscape, even when not in flower. I dearly love this shrub for its colorful winter/spring blooms in my desert garden.

Hardy to 10 degrees F. Plant in filtered sun.

Purple Lilac Vine – Hardenbergia violaceae

Here is another winter-flowering beauty. Purple flowers cover this vine from February into early March. Believe me when I say that they are a welcome relief to the winter blahs. Bees enjoy the blooms, which resemble lilacs but aren’t fragrant. It does require a trellis or other support to grow up on. When not in bloom, its attractive foliage adds a welcome splash of green throughout the year on vertical surfaces. The Purple Lilac vine is a very colorful plant for a desert garden and can be found in nurseries in fall and winter, during its flowering season.

Hardy to 20-25 degrees F. Plant in full to the filtered sun but avoid west-facing exposures.

‘Rio Bravo’ Texas Sage – Leucophyllum langmaniae ‘Rio Bravo’

If you love the color purple, you’ll want to include this variety of Texas Sage in your garden. Branches covered in masses of purple flowers appear off and on spring through fall, often in response to periods of increased humidity. The more humidity, the more flowers produced. There are many different types of Texas Sage and all add color to the desert garden. Now, you may not see them looking like this for the sad fact that many people prune them into unnatural shapes like balls, cupcakes, and even squares. Which would you rather have – a green ‘blob’ or a gorgeous purple beauty like this?

Hardy to 10 degrees F. Plant in full sun for maximum flowering.

Desert Willow – Chilopsis linearis

I want to include a tree in our list of colorful plants for the desert garden. Desert Willow is small to medium-sized tree that are native to the Southwest. Throughout the warm season, branches with bright green leaves are covered with pink blooms. The flowers add a lovely shade of pink, which is a color not always seen in the desert. There are many newer varieties of Desert Willow – I have four different ones in my garden, but ‘Bubba’ is my favorite. This is a deciduous tree and will lose its leaves in winter.

Hardy to -10 degrees. Plant in full sun.

SO, where can you find these plants?

Where to Buy Colorful Plants for the Desert Garden

I am often asked where is the best place to buy plants. Yes, you can head to your big box store, but they usually lack variety and are known to sell plants that don’t do well in our hot, dry climate.

My advice is to look to your local garden center and nursery for these and other plants for your garden.

This is a Fantastic Desert Nursery

I’d like to share with you about a new nursery that is mixing things up in a good way! Four Arrows Garden is a family business, located in Vail, AZ, where you order your plants online and they deliver them to you!

The Chavez family began their business with cuttings from succulents in their backyard that soon grew to people wanting them to offer other types of plants. She explains their unique nursery, “Our business model has changed over the year to fill the need in our community. We have transformed into “not your average nursery” because of a niche market to deliver landscape plants and creating an online shopping outlet for desert-adapted plants. We are different because we allow customers to shop for plants from the comfort of their homes.”

This Nursery Has Special Desert Plants

They source their plants from wholesale growers in the Phoenix and Tucson area. While their delivery area is primarily in the greater Tucson area, They can accept special requests from Phoenix area customers.

I encourage you to incorporate colorful plants within your desert garden to improve your curb appeal and your enjoyment of your outdoor space. Local nurseries are the best sources for these plants. If you are in the Tucson area, visit Four Arrows Garden’s online nursery to make your special order and they will deliver it to your door. Check them out on Facebook where Linsay keeps you updated on the latest plants available!

*Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Four Arrows Garden. My opinions and advice are my own.

Old and New Blend Together in a Backyard Landscape

AZ Plant Lady, desert gardening, Ground Covers, Landscape Design, Shrubs, Southwest garden

palo verde tree bougainvillea backyard landscape

Revamping Your Backyard Landscape

Assessing the Need for Change

Do you have parts of your backyard landscape that you would like to change? Perhaps you have areas you like in your garden. There are also plants you are tired of or are struggling to manage.

I want to show you what I did in my backyard, where I blended both old and new elements. First, a little history:

Balancing Old and New in a Backyard Landscape

Preserving What Works

I was fairly happy with the areas bordering the walls of the backyard. These areas have colorful shrubs such as Bougainvillea, Coral Fountain, and Yellow Bells.

Bid Farewell to the Dominant Lawn

We removed the large lawn that had dominated the center of my backyard space last year. We made the decision to replace the grass with a focus on plants that I love and that would blend well with the existing plants.

Creating a Harmonious Landscape

A New Focal Point

The focal point is a new flagstone seating area with Adirondack chairs arranged around a portable firepit. Around this area, boulders add height and texture. Angelita Daisy, Artichoke Agave, Blackfoot Daisy, and Pink Muhly grasses surround the seating area, which adds year-round color and texture.

In another area, a gentle mound stands planted with a ‘Bubba’ Desert Willow tree. Purple Trailing Lantana grows around the tree and will soon cover the entire mound in a mass of purple blooms.

Embracing Change and Growth

At this point, the new plants are still rather small. However, plants grow quickly in the desert climate and, in another year, will soon reach their mature size.

The Beauty of Seamless Integration

The result? A backyard landscape where the new and old will blend seamlessly together. I am delighted with how the finished product looks. It took me a long time to decide what to do with this area – it is so much easier to design someone else’s yard than your own.

Stay Tuned for more Transformations:

Progress! One-Year Post Desert Landscape Renovation

Container Gardening: Growing Bougainvillea in Pots

Arizona garden, Containers, desert gardening, Drought Tolerant, Shrubs, Southwest garden

large bougainvillea in front of a southwest home

Do you love the beauty of bougainvillea? Many of us will agree that bougainvillea is beautiful, but many homeowners hesitate to grow them for a variety of reasons. The most common that I hear is that they get too big and as a result, too messy.

Embracing Bougainvillea: Maximizing Beauty while Minimizing Hassle in Containers

While both statements are certainly true, wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy the captivating and vibrant beauty of bougainvillea in a more controlled manner? One can find great satisfaction in discovering how to strategically grow bougainvillea, harnessing its enchanting colors and delicate blooms while mitigating the challenges associated with its exuberant growth and occasional unruliness.

Thriving in Harsh Desert Summers: Consider Growing Bougainvillea

Let’s face it; summers in the desert can be brutal and bougainvillea are one of the lush green, flowering shrubs that thrive in intense heat and sun. So, why not consider adding one in a high-profile area where you can enjoy their beauty throughout the warm season?

Link to desert southwest Fuss-Free Plant Guide — *Grab my FREE guide for Fuss-Free Plants that thrive in a hot, dry climate!*

The Advantage of Potted Bougainvillea: Small Size, Less Mess

Growing bougainvillea in pots limits their overall size, and with smaller shrubs, there is less mess. It also makes it easier to protect them from frost damage in winter by moving the container to a sheltered location, such as underneath a patio or covering them with a sheet.

Mastering Bougainvillea Growth: Container Planting Insights

Bougainvillea make excellent container plants. In fact, many gardeners who live in cold climates, only grow them in pots and move them indoors in winter. I met a gardener in Austin, Texas who treats bougainvillea like an annual plant, planting a new one every year to replace the old one lost to winter cold. Thankfully, we don’t need to do add a new one every year.

Simple Steps to Cultivating Bougainvillea in Pots

Growing bougainvillea in pots is easy to do. Select a location in full sun where it will promote the most bloom. Bougainvillea are one of the few flowering plants that can handle west-facing exposures.

pale pink and white bougainvillea flowers in blue pot

Nurturing and Feeding Your Potted Bougainvillea for Optimal Growth

Provide support for them to grow upward if desired. You can also grow bougainvillea as more of a compact shrub form if you wish.

Water deeply and allow the top 2 inches to dry out before watering again. Bougainvillea does best when the soil is allowed to dry out between watering.

bougainvillea in containers along a hot wall

Apply a slow-release fertilizer in spring, after the danger of frost is passed. You’ll want to reapply fertilizer every three months until September.

Winter Care and Final Thoughts: Flourish with Potted Bougainvillea

Growing bougainvillea in pots keeps them small enough to make it feasible to cover them when freezing temperatures occur. So, if you like container gardening, consider growing bougainvillea in a pot for great success.

Creative Container Gardening Tips

Side Gardens (or Yards)

Arizona garden, California desert garden, desert gardening, Landscape Design, Las Vegas gardening, Shrubs, Southwest garden

Transforming Side Yards into Side Gardens

Sometimes, one area that many homeowners struggle with is what to plant in their side yards. It can be an awkward place with little sun and not much room for plants to grow. Most of these narrow spaces along the side of our home are little more than “yards,” but there is potential to turn them into “gardens.” On a visit to a client’s house, I saw a great example of this, where the homeowner had created side gardens.

Symmetry and Blooms: A Closer Look at the First Side Garden

Bougainvillea with Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) in side garden

First, her first side garden was planted with upright Bougainvillea shrubs against the wall with Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) planted in between. I liked the symmetry of the alternating plants. They covered the wall so well – I’m not a fan of a view of a bare wall outside my window.

Lush Green Backdrops: The Other Side of the Side Garden

Most of the time the star jasmine produces small white fragrant flowers in spring. The bougainvillea produces vibrant blooms spring through fall. What is interesting about this plant combination. is that the base of the wall in a narrow side garden rarely gets much sun. The star jasmine does well in the shade. After all, bougainvillea does best in sunny spots. The top part of them gets just enough sun to promote blooms.

Yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana) and 'Orange Jubilee' (Tecoma x 'Orange Jubilee') in side garden

In the other side of the garden, Yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana) trees grew along the wall toward the back. ‘Orange Jubilee’ (Tecoma x ‘Orange Jubilee’) shrubs covered the wall closer up creating a lush green backdrop.

Enhancing Your Side Garden’s Aesthetics

I did make two suggestions in regards to this side garden. Remove the ‘Orange Jubilee’ shrubs growing in-between the yellow oleander trees. Right now, they make that area look overcrowded. You cannot see the beauty and symmetry of the tree trunks against the wall.

Brightening Your View: The Importance of Plants in Side Gardens

If you never see your side garden or it serves as your utility area, you may not want to spend time and money on adding plants. However, I do recommend focusing on placing plants directly across from any windows. For the windows that face into that area, because who wants to look out onto a bare wall?

Want to add art and creativity to your desert side yard? Try these three inspiring ideas.

What do you have growing in your side garden?

Are Caterpillars Eating Your Shrubs? How to Recognize and Treat Them

desert gardening, Landscape Problems, Shrubs, Southwest garden

Caterpillars Eating Shrubs , Yellow Bells (Tecoma stans stans)

Do you have caterpillars lurking beneath the leaves of your shrubs?

If they look like the yellow bells shrub, pictured above, probably not.

Caterpillars Eating Shrubs

But, if your leaves look as if a vampire came along and sucked them dry, then they are there, whether you can see them or not. Other telltale signs include little black pellets, which are caterpillar ‘poop’.

Damaged bougainvillea leaves

Bougainvillea can also fall prey to hungry caterpillars, who leave behind ragged holes and edges.

So, what do you do? Nothing? Or should you pull out all the stops to get rid of them?

I address these questions and more in my latest video:

Fall Gardening Tasks for the Southwest Garden

10 Shrubs for Full Sun and Reflected Heat

Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

10 Drought-Tolerant Shrubs That Thrive in Full Sun and Reflected Heat in the Southwest

One of the most challenging situations in landscaping involves cultivating plants in areas exposed to both full sun and the unforgiving embrace of reflected heat. Reflected heat is the result of surfaces like sidewalks, walls, and patio decks absorbing daytime warmth only to radiate it back out later.

It’s easy to understand that the combination of intense sunlight and reflected heat can make it a daunting task to find plants that not only survive but also enhance these areas with their beauty.

Fortunately, there’s a selection of attractive plants ready to thrive in these sun-soaked and heat-kissed spaces.

flowering_pink_fairy_duster_Calliandra_eriophylla

1. Pink Fairy Duster (Calliandra eriophylla)

Native to the desert Southwest and northern Mexico, Pink Fairy Duster boasts airy foliage that transforms in spring with pink, feather duster-like flowers. These blossoms not only please the eye but also attract hummingbirds. While it can survive on natural rainfall, deep watering once a month in spring and fall and twice a month in summer enhances its appearance and flower production.

2. Feathery Cassia (Senna artemisioides, formerly Cassia artemisioides)

Hailing from the arid regions of Australia, Feathery Cassia presents fragrant yellow flowers against finely textured gray-green leaves in late winter and early spring. Its foliage adds a gentle green contrast to the landscape when not in bloom. The plant’s resilience to reflected sun and light shade makes it a versatile choice.

3. Beloperone (Justicia californica)

A native of the Sonoran Desert, Beloperone or Chuparosa, graces your landscape with red trumpet-shaped flowers in winter. Its bright green heart-shaped foliage offers a visually refreshing element to your garden, although it may be absent during drought periods. Beloperone is a favorite of hummingbirds, providing them with nectar during lean blooming times.

4. Little-Leaf Cordia (Cordia parvifolia)

Native to the Mexican desert regions, including Baja, Chihuahua, and Sonora, Little-Leaf Cordia offers papery white flowers that complement other colors in your landscape. Despite its delicate appearance, this shrub is robust and can withstand heat, sun, and drought, making it an excellent choice for low-maintenance gardens.

5. Texas Ranger (Leucophyllum frutescens)

Commonly known as the barometer bush, Texas Ranger bursts into purple blooms during periods of increased humidity following rain. Its gray foliage, covered with tiny hairs, reflects sunlight and has a velvety texture. Texas Ranger’s beauty shines when it’s allowed to grow naturally rather than being pruned into formal shapes.

Jojoba green plant with fruits on a farm

6. Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis)

Jojoba, native to desert regions in Arizona, California, Baja, and Sonora, stands out for its evergreen foliage. The leaves are covered in a waxy coating that helps it withstand heat and reflected sunlight. Its vertically arranged leaves protect it from direct sun exposure, making it a hardy and versatile choice.

7. Yellow Bird-of-Paradise (Caesalpinia gilliesii)

Native to South America, primarily Argentina and Uruguay, Yellow Bird-of-Paradise offers finely textured foliage and large yellow flowers with red stamens, adding color to sunny garden areas. It thrives in hot temperatures and can withstand both extreme heat and occasional frost.

8. Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spp.)

Bougainvillea graces your garden with vibrant colors during spring, with bracts surrounding tiny cream flowers. Its lush green foliage conceals thorns and thrives in areas with full sun and reflected heat. Proper irrigation includes deep watering followed by drying out before the next watering. These shrubs do great in containers as well.

9. ‘New Gold’ Lantana (Lantana ‘New Gold’)

Butterflies are attracted to ‘New Gold’ Lantana’s golden yellow flowers, covering bright green foliage from spring through fall. With its low growth habit, this shrub adds color to your garden’s lower sections. While typically grown in zones 9 to 11, it can survive winters down to Zone 8.

10. Natal Plum (Carissa macrocarpa)

With dark green leaves, Natal Plum offers an alternative to boxwood in intensely sunny locations. It produces white star-shaped flowers with a jasmine and orange blossom fragrance in spring. This South African native comes in various sizes, making it suitable for different sunny areas. Note that the sap of Natal Plum can irritate the skin, and the plant has thorns.

The above 10 shrubs are fantastic examples of plants that can handle full sun as well as reflected warmth. All the shrubs need consistent irrigation, but strong drainage.

Do you have a plant that you like that does well in full, reflected sun?

**For additional shrub suggestions, I recommend Mary Irish’s book, Trees and Shrubs for the Southwest.

A Dime Store Magnifying Glass and a Whole Miniature World at Your Doorstep

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

azplantlady, Pruning, Uncategorized

Do you enjoy winter?

I do. Surprisingly, the desert Southwest has definite seasons and winters can get cold with temps dipping into the 20s.

Photo: Frost-damaged natal plum

Unfortunately, the cold temperatures can wreak havoc on our frost-tender plants such as bougainvillea, lantana, and yellow bells – to name a few.

Let’s face it, no one likes the sight of brown, crispy, frost-damaged plants in the landscape – including me. Often, my first impulse is to prune off the ugly growth – but, I have to remind myself that I can actually do more damage by pruning too early.

Learn what plants are most commonly affected by frost damage, when to prune, and how in my latest article for Houzz.com

I hope your week is off to a great start!

Got Frost-Damaged Plants? How It Happens, and When and How to Prune

A Peek Into My Back Garden

azplantlady

What has your winter been like?

Has it been unusually cold or warm? If you live in the Southwest, you have undoubtedly experienced a warmer then normal winter.

As a result, many plants that are usually dormant in winter, are green and blooming even though it is still technically February.

I started wearing sandals 2 weeks ago, but I still haven’t broken out my shorts yet.

Last week, I showed you my edible garden, (also known as a kitchen garden), which is located on the side of our house.

Today, I wanted to show you a peek at what is happening in the back garden during this warm winter.

This is one part of the back garden.

This was my first vegetable garden. Because this garden is close to the house, I like to plant vegetables that are harvested frequently such as leaf lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers.

To the right, you can see my pink trumpet vine. Behind is a hollyhock getting ready to flower. Against the wall is purple lilac vine in full bloom and peeking through the slats of the fence are nasturtium leaves.

I have two large rose bushes and the ‘Abraham Darby’ rose bush has a few lovely blooms. You may notice that this rose has a rather old-fashioned appearance. This is one of many David Austin shrub roses.

After growing 40 hybrid tea roses in the garden of our first house, I have found that I like shrub roses. They are easier to take care of (need less pruning) and are very fragrant.

The pink trumpet vine (Podranea ricasoliana) growing up against the pillar of my patio has beautiful, pink flowers.

Normally, it suffers some frost damage during the winter, but during this warm winter, I have had pink flowers all winter long. The flowers normally show up in spring and fall and are truly stunning.

I went out into the garden and cut the flowers for a lovely bouquet yesterday.

This plant grows quickly and can be grown as either a vine or a sprawling shrub.

Another plant that usually shuts down for winter is coral fountain (Rusellia equisetiformis). I love the arching branches of this perennial and its orange/red blossoms.

One plant that still looks like winter, is my bougainvillea.

A few days ago, I asked you on my facebook page if you love or hate bougainvillea. I had an overwhelming response with most of you saying that you liked it.

I have two bougainvillea. I used to have more, but while I love the beauty of bougainvillea, I don’t particularly like to prune them, so two words for me.

The blue sky is really the perfect backdrop for the orange, tubular flowers of orange jubilee (Tecoma x Orange Jubilee).

For those who want a tall shrub that grows quickly, then orange jubilee is a great choice.

I recommend using it against a bare wall or to screen out pool equipment.

In fact, I visited a client who used orange jubilee as ‘green curtains‘ for her home.

Right now, my purple lilac vine (Hardenbergia violaceae) has taken center stage in the back garden.

Growing up my south-facing wall, they burst forth in a profusion of purple blooms every February and last into March.

The whiskey barrel planter is a holding area where I have planted my extra plants. I’m not sure what I will do with it later.

In addition to growing purple lilac vine up walls, I also like to grow it as a groundcover too.

*This vine is easy to find in nurseries in winter and spring, when they are in flower. However, you can have a hard time finding it in summer and fall. So if you want one, get it now.

Behind my purple lilac groundcover vine, I have red bird-of-paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) growing.

But, because it is dormant in winter, it isn’t much to look at right now – but I’ll show you how lovely they are this summer.

Hollyhocks have a special place in my garden. I love these old-fashioned flowers and their flowers are truly stunning in spring (they flower in the summer in cooler climates).

They self-seed and come up every year for me. In a month, the flowers will start to burst forth and I can hardly wait.

The hollyhocks are located next to my smaller vegetable garden and receive enough water from the garden without me having to give them supplemental water.

Another old-fashioned favorite flower are nasturtiums. These flowers have a place inside of all of my vegetable gardens.

Not only are they beautiful, nasturtiums also repel bad bugs from bothering my vegetables. Another bonus is that their leaves and flowers are edible.

The bloom in late winter and through spring. I let them dry up in summer before pulling them out. They do drop some seeds, so I always have new ones coming up the next year in the garden.

I have several pots in front of my smaller vegetable garden. In them, I plant a combination of vegetables and flowers, including bacopa, which trails over the edges of pots.

There are carrots and leaf lettuce growing in my second vegetable garden.

I step outside into the garden whenever I need a few carrots for dinner and they taste so delicious.

In the same garden, I am growing celery for the first time. I must say, that I am quite impressed at how well it is growing and can’t wait to taste it.

Last week, I mentioned showing you a part of my garden that I have NEVER shown anyone.

This is my side yard – NOT a garden…

This is the space where we store garden equipment, trash cans and our garden shed. I also have my compost bin in this area.

You can see only half of the side yard in this photo, but you aren’t missing anything by not seeing the rest.

Another purple lilac vine grows along the fence, which hides part of the side yard and a large ‘Desert Museum’ Palo Verde provides welcome shade.

Our second bougainvillea is located along the wall. It is never watered and it has been 3 years since it has been pruned. As you can see, it does just fine being ignored.

And so, I hope you have enjoyed peeking into parts of my back garden. Of course, I haven’t shown it all to you – just the parts that are blooming.

In a few months, I will show the other areas when they are in bloom.

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

So, what is blooming in your garden this month?

Do you have a favorite winter/spring blooming plant?

A Few New Ideas for Sustainable Landscapes

Sustainable Landscape

When most people think of a ‘sustainable landscape’, they view one that is boring, filled with few plants which is why they are often surprised to see how beautiful they are.

Over the past couple of weeks, we have talked about small steps that you can take toward a more sustainable landscape and today, we will finish up our series with a few more steps you can take in your own garden.

Re-think what you plant in pots.

Leaf lettuce, garlic, parsley growing along side petunias.

If you are like most people, you have a few pots that you fill with flowering annuals, which you fertilize on a semi-regular basis.

But, how about thinking outside of the box about what we add to pots.

For example, did you know that many vegetables do great in pots and are also attractive? I like to grow vegetables in my pots and add a couple of annual flowers in for a little color.

A Few New Ideas for Sustainable Landscapes

While some flowering annuals can be a bit fussy (pansies, for example) – herbs are not. They look great in pots, are on hand whenever you need a bunch of fresh herbs for cooking and they don’t need as much water and fertilizer as flowers.

Crown-of-Thorns, Lady’s Slipper, Elephant’s Food and a cactus.

Succulents make beautiful pots with their varied textures. Because the store water inside, they do not need as much water as other container plants.

A helpful tip for planting a large container – fill the bottom third with recyclable plastic bottles. Most plant’s won’t reach to the bottom of large containers and it is a waste of money to fill up the entire pot with expensive potting soil. Another bonus is that it also makes your pot a bit lighter.

Use natural or recycled materials when possible.

Gate made from old Ocotillo canes and tree branches.

Often, when we are adding elements to our landscape, we overlook the many things that are recycled or natural that can fill that need.

For example – did you know that you can create a ‘living’ fence made from Ocotillo canes? It’s true! I have seen them my local nursery.

Pathway made from recycled, broken concrete.

If your landscape needs a path – instead of buying new pavers or step stones, use recycled, broken concrete. Or use natural stone products like flagstone.

It is hard to overstate how boulders can help a landscape go from ‘okay’ to ‘fabulous’.

Boulders add both height and texture without needing any water or pruning. In addition, boulders make plants look better when they are planted alongside.

Eliminate or decrease the use of pesticides.

Leaf-roller caterpillar damage on Yellow Bells shrub.

Our first reaction when seeing insects damage on our plants is to run for the nearest pesticide in our misguided attempt to rescue our plants.

But, did you know that most plants can handle some damage from insects without any problem?

In fact, once damaging insects take up residence in our favorite plants – soon after new bugs come along that devour the bad bugs.

Bougainvillea Looper Caterpillar damage.

If you see something is eating the leaves of your plants, you have several options that are not harmful to the environment:

– Ignore it

– Prune off the affected foliage

– Pick off the insects (or spray off with water).

– Apply an organic pesticide such as insecticidal soap or BT (Bacillus thuringiensis).

You can also help to prevent damaging insects by planting ‘companion’ plants, which bad bugs do not like. For example, planting garlic around roses helps to keep aphids away.

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I hope you have enjoyed this series of posts on sustainable landscaping. My hope is that I have helped to inspire you to make some changes to your landscape to make it more sustainable.

I’d love to hear your thoughts or any ideas that you have done in your own garden to make it more sustainable.

For a complete listing of these posts with links, click here.

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