Thoughtful Gardening Gifts: Ten Must-Have Items I love to spend time out in the garden, but it may surprise you to learn that I don’t have a garden shed full of tools, fertilizer, and other gardening items. Full Disclosure: I USED to! As a garden influencer, companies send me their newest tools and fertilizers in hopes that I will recommend them to my followers. As a result, my garage was overflowing with so much stuff! Simplifying the Essentials: Gardening Gifts That Made the Cut And you know what? I found that I only need a few must-have items that make great gardening gifts. As a result, my ..read more

Exploring the Largest Therapeutic Garden in Arizona Discover Arizona’s Largest Therapeutic Garden in Bisbee. Explore healing outdoor spaces and inclusivity at this remarkable resource and heal your soul. On a recent visit to southeastern Arizona, I was invited to visit a special garden in Bisbee, a small community with a big heart. The Significance of the Founder’s Garden My husband and I visit Bisbee every spring and enjoy walking through the older part of town with its historic buildings and exploring the mining history. A Healing Oasis in the Desert During this visit, I was to speak about g ..read more

Planting Own-Root Roses in the Desert: A Blooming Success Story Have you seen roses growing in a desert garden? What about own-root roses? When I talk with desert dwellers, many are convinced that roses cannot grow in our hot, dry climate. However, that just isn’t true. I experience a certain kind of joy when I share with them that they can grow roses in the desert. I’ve done it since the early 90s, and roses are what began my desert garden journey. Year-Round Rose Planting Typically, when people think of planting roses in the desert, they think of winter because that’s when we can plant bare ..read more

A Family Pumpkin Bread Recipe with a Garden Twist I realize you are likely to find useful desert gardening info on my website, but what you may not know is that I love spending time in my kitchen and this Pumpkin Bread Recipe is to-die-for. So, today’s post is about a favorite recipe, but there is a garden connection it’s made from pumpkins! From baking to cooking, I enjoy both – especially around the holidays. I am going to share with you this very special family recipe for pumpkin bread. A Pumpkin Bread Recipe Worth Sharing I realize that you’ve probably had pumpkin bread before, but likely ..read more

I have picked up a new hobby, which was a bit accidental – birding! As a horticulturist, birds go along with gardening, and I’ve always enjoyed them. One of my most requested speaking topics is about gardening for birds. However, I have begun to dive deeply into the fascinating birding world. Birding is Fun with my Family It may surprise you that the Southwest is one of the top bird-watching destinations. I am fortunate that there is a lovely riparian preserve a few miles from my home where you can see many different species of birds. It turns out my two sisters also enjoy birding, so the oth ..read more

Forecasts of a heatwave in the desert may seem a rather foreign concept when temperatures in summer are routinely over 100 degrees. However,  when temps are predicted to be 110 degrees and over, plants in landscapes that normally handle hot weather without complaint, can suffer. preparation for heat proof garden The best preparation for heat-proofing your landscape begins before summer.  However, with the imminent arrival of a heatwave, here are two tips that will help your plants survive. 1. Provide extra water by irrigating shrubs and groundcovers in the early morning hours for a ..read more

On a recent visit to southeastern Arizona, I was invited to visit a special garden in Bisbee, a small community with a big heart. My husband and I visit Bisbee every spring and enjoy walking through the older part of town with its historic buildings and exploring the mining history. During this visit, I was to speak about gardening to a community group and was given the opportunity to tour a recently completed garden. So what is so special about this garden? Well, it is the largest therapeutic garden in Arizona. Its goal is to “serve as a space for our community partners—including hospitals ..read more

Do you have a side garden or perhaps an empty stretch of landscape along the side of your house? Many of my clients do, and they desire something attractive to look at when they look outside their windows. Because let’s face it – staring at a bare block wall is boring! It could be that your side yard is narrow or super shady, which makes growing plants difficult. Well, I’m here to share ample inspiration for your side yard with three ideas for you to consider. Imagine being able to add colorful art to your outdoor walls! My friend Shawna Coronado has done that in her side garden with colorfu ..read more

Have you seen roses growing in a desert garden? When I talk with desert dwellers, many are convinced that roses cannot grow in our hot, dry climate. However, that just isn’t true. I experience a certain kind of joy when I share with them that they can grow roses in the desert. I’ve done it since the early 90s, and roses are what began my desert garden journey. Typically when people think of planting roses in the desert, they think of winter because that’s when we can plant bare-root roses. But did you know we can plant roses at other times of the year? Own-root roses expand the planting seas ..read more

Today was a day long in coming… In many ways, it was like a very long pregnancy – 18 months to be exact since my initial discussion with my editor about writing a book on desert gardening. The journey from idea to book was filled with varying emotions, from excitement, stress, and impatience, to today when I feel pure happiness. Writing a book is not easy, but my reason for doing so is to inspire and guide people who live in dry climates to create and maintain an outdoor space that brings both joy and beauty. Within the pages of Dry Climate Gardening, I help you with specific strategies for p ..read more