Oriental gardens and desert landscapes do not go together in most folks minds, but it can be done. Instead of using non-native plants and pouring on tons of water look to the basic concepts of Oriental gardens and then apply those concepts. Oriental gardens focus on creating a harmonious and […]
Time for another delightful herb to grow in the Southwest – thyme. It’s pretty, relatively low water, good for pollinators, and useful in the kitchen. What’s not to love?! There are many other herbs I have discussed on this site, indeed, “Herbs” ia one category you can search on this […]
Lemons are luscious. The trees are lush looking in the landscape. One bonus is that lemons are one of the easier citrus to grow successfully. A plethora of lemons can be easily preserved in many ways – that’s a topic for Savor the Southwest, like crafting this lemony “adult beverage.” […]
This time of year is holy to many religions, celebrating the equinox and the turning of the world from short dark days to longer ones filled with light. Around Spring Equinox, many of us turn our thoughts to events that occurred long ago and half a world away. With this […]
The United States of America is celebrating 250 years of Independence this year, and with independence much on my mind I noticed that Greek Independence Day is coming up on March 25 (next week). Since many Greek plants do well in our region, perhaps you might like to plant a […]
‘Tis the season to be jolly – and to decorate home and hearth. Trees, lights, swags, a big wreath for the door, but you still want to buy presents, and it all costs money. Hard to be jolly when you feel like you are “poor.” But listen – you are […]
The bunnies hop right on past the desert hopbush, also called desert hops, and occasionally called sand cherry. Other common names include arilla (Spanish); and in Seri, casol caacol. I would love to know the O’odham name if someone reading this knows it. The botanical name is Dodonaea viscosa and […]
Is this a plant in my yard a Lysiloma or an Acacia? That was the question from a Substack newsletter reader of mine. Complete with two pictures of the plant in their front yard. Feathery leaves, creamy pale puffball flowers. It could be a Lysiloma or is it an Acacia? […]
Lawns are an easy way to cover the soil in the yard and are a common landscaping solution “back East.” But lawns are not a natural part of the arid Southwest landscape, and thus require extensive work to maintain. As discussed in Lawns in the Southwest, the Seven Principles Xeriscape […]
Wondering if you should have lawn in our dry and arid climate? Especially with drought for the past umpteen years and weather patterns behaving oddly? And what about if you live at elevation, in the mountains? No, Yes, Maybe There is an entire spectrum of responses to this question. There […]
