Tag: flowers

  • Summer Challenges of landscaping in the low desert

    introduction to hot weather thinking Put very simply, the key is “Right Plant, Right Place”. The start of my career in horticulture came when I was hired at a plant nursery down the street in Fountain Hills AZ. I was a nursery tech and customer service employee primarily, because without plants and customers there is…

  • Flowers to Look forward to – march

    Flowers to Look forward to – march

    Spring in Arizona transforms the landscape. Flowers of all kinds are blooming – some plants for the only time all year. Make time for the botanical garden, a drive to the desert, or a visit to the arboretum this March to catch some of these flowers in bloom.  Native PENSTEMON Penstemon parryi is our stalwart neon…

  • Seasonality and February blooms

    Seasonality and February blooms

    The first spring flowers are here-  Or rather the late winter flowers are here.  This time of year is a little awkward in terms of seasonal color in the garden. All the warm weather flowers are quiet and the spring flowers haven’t quite woken up yet. We still have a few option though. The seasonality…

  • Mailbox question: how to keep pots from drying out

    Mailbox question: how to keep pots from drying out

    Mailbox Question: Planting in the low desert has a steep learning curve for people who are more familiar with temperate climates. Obviously dealing with desert plants and our rocky soil and intense summer sun is going to be tricky when starting out; but setting up some annuals like petunias over the winter seems much more…

  • Blue and purple flowers for spring

    Blue and purple flowers for spring

    The desert is full of cheerful yellow color every spring due to the abundance of brittlebush, palo verde, and countless other daisies and ornamentals. These warm colors are great but they don’t fit every situation or garden, and sometimes we want contrast. These shrubs and annuals bloom during spring and potentially longer.  Arizona bluebells –…

  • Spotlight: The Splendid Argentine Giant Cactus

    Spotlight: The Splendid Argentine Giant Cactus

    If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will go its whole life believing it is stupid. So the saying goes. It means that different creatures have their own abilities and certain environments where they can thrive. Just like one person might excel in one situation and struggle very much…

  • Spotlight: Tangerine Crossvine – vigorous, colorful, dependable

    Spotlight: Tangerine Crossvine – vigorous, colorful, dependable

    I’ve been using a fair amount of tangerine cross vine in my plantings, and it’s not a mystery why. I can make a compelling argument for planting it in Phoenix gardens with only a few basic facts. It seems like a good choice already for many back garden walls and sitting areas. But let me…