Fall Planting Time: Four Flowering Shrubs for Dry Southwestern Gardens

Fall is just around the corner and for gardeners in the southwestern US, it is a great time to think about planting perennial, flowering shrubs. This is also a great time to plan out your landscape for next year, including preparing for more drought!  Benefits of planting in autumn is a little extra free water Read More…

Hopseed Bush Or Dodonaea Viscosa, Fast Growing Drought Tolerant Screen Plants for So. California

I have been profiling a number of drought tolerant, fast growing screen plants lately and Dodonaea belongs on the list too.  These lacy shrubs are also called Hop Bush or Hopseed Bush after their seed pods that resemble hops.  Hop Seed bushes come with leaves in either bright, lime green or dark purple.  Both versions Read More…

Plant Profile: Desert Willows, Chilopsis Make Good Choices for Fall Planting in Dry Southern California Gardens

Yes, it’s going to be 90 today, but my Favorite Time of the Year is just around the corner! It’s almost time for Fall Planting Season. This is your chance to decide what your personal landscape will look like next year – and how much money you are willing to give to the DWP each Read More…

Brush Cherry; Drought Tolerant Screen Plant Profile

Brush Cherry, or Carolina Laurel is a pretty, dependable garden shrub that grows quickly into screens or hedges.  These shrubs can grow up to 30 feet tall and 10 – 12 feet wide.  I have seen mature stands of Carolina Laurel grow even taller. Carolina Laurel is versatile too, growing in full sun to part Read More…

#FloralFriday: Gollum Jade is Flowering and Looking Like Sea Coral

OK, this is the late night, almost full moon edition of Friday Floral. Here is a flowering Crassula Portulacea, commonly called Horseshoe or Spoon Jade. Or more lately Gollum Jade and now Shrek Fingers. I’m sure it will have a new nickname when another movie comes out. Anyway, this has typical crassula-type flowers, almost exactly Read More…

Blue Flowering Sage Herb Plants for #FloralFriday

The sage is blooming now, it is so pretty I just had to share it with you.This is regular culinary sage. I must say I am very impressed with how drought tolerant it is! It is growing with some lavender and artemis plants. Both plants are known to be drought tolerant bloomers, but I was Read More…

Yellow Flowering Cactus Pear Blooming

My cactus pear is flowering! I can’t wait for the pears. Here’s a little piece I wrote for my main garden website: Prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) are useful in the landscape for dramatic impact, adding a southwestern feel to any landscape. Opuntia cactus also have edible pads and provide the red cactus pears of Read More…