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…
Category: drought tolerant
Plant Rescue Update: Crassula Plant Setback
A few weeks ago I rescued this little succulent plant from the store. It was very abused, beaten up, had broken parts and gave me a very sad look when I walked by. So, I took it home, gave him some water and tucked the broken leafs back into the pot. I put him in 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…
Pomegranate Trees and Pests
Pomegranates are good choices for drought tolerant gardens. They can take regular garden watering, but will grow in drought conditions once established. These deciduous trees can grow up to 20 feet tall and across, forming a large round shrub. They can also be trimmed and formed into multi-trunk trees. But sometimes there can be trouble Read More…
Acacia tree is blooming
Here are a few photos of my acacia. Acacia trees can grow up to 20 feet tall. I planted mine because it is drought tolerant, will cover the back fence (and my neighbor) and they bloom! Beautiful giant yellow flowers. I have heavy clay, alkaline soil and no water. So I was looking for something Read More…