Climate change clearly has arrived in the American Southwest with scorching heat daily. And sadly, no monsoon rains yet, even though monsoon season officially started on June 15th.  We all hope that storms will be sweeping in from the Gulf of Mexico and Sea of Cortes soon. That’s what the TV weather forecasters keep telling … The post Harvesting monsoon rain saves gardens appeared first on Hot Gardens.net ..read more

Mother Nature can be your BFF if you want to turn your love of gardening into a source of extra spending money. And it is so simple. All you need are inexpensive pots you can buy on Amazon or your local garden center, some potting soil and patience. Then, on a sunny Saturday, hold your “garden … The post How to grow a money tree appeared first on Hot Gardens.net ..read more

Okay, you removed that thirsty grass in your front yard. You’ve also planted a tree or two or three around your home, shading at least part of your yard and the house, reducing the temperature. But off to the edge of your property–if your home is like most in the U.S. Southwest–is a dreaded gray … The post For goodness sakes, cover up that naked wall appeared first on Hot Gardens.net ..read more

The push for increased tree planting in cities around the world swells with each disruptive weather event. Whether it is reflected in nation-drowning floods in Pakistan or wildfires sweeping mountainsides bare in California, climate change has arrived. And ordinary people are saying: “We gotta do something.” In response to clamor from citizens to “do something”, … The post Where to get free or cheap trees in L.A., Phoenix, San Diego and… appeared first on Hot Gardens.net ..read more

Fall is definitely the best time to plant in hot, dry Western gardens. It’s actually a good time to plant in much of the world, because, after all, Fall is when Mother Nature sows seeds. But not just any Fall day will do. In the desert southwest, including parts of Texas and California, you should … The post Follow the 90 degree rule for planting appeared first on Hot Gardens.net ..read more

When April comes in Tucson and the temperature reaches to the high 80s F (30C) the Arizona native Palo Verde (Parkinsonia florida) trees burst into dazzling bloom. Street after street are lined with them and, were gas prices lower, I might be tempted to spend a hour or two every day driving around the city … The post Oh so yellow, gravel gardens and no mow rewilding appeared first on Hot Gardens.net ..read more

On Christmas Day the Audubon Society turned out thousands of its members for the 122nd annual bird count. The goal of the bird count is not only to calculate how many of which birds are where, but if there are any changes. Changes like non-appearance of certain birds which could mean that a bird species … The post Birds and cactus on the move appeared first on Hot Gardens.net ..read more

With the limited color range in gardens in hot, dry desert climates–usually shades of brown and muted greens–having a tree outside your window that blazes with reds, yellows and oranges in Fall is a happy choice. (I have a warning for you about leaves turning yellow at other times of year…but more about that later.) … The post 3 trees for Fall color in desert, but beware appeared first on Hot Gardens.net ..read more

Vita Sackville-West’s ‘White Garden’ at Sissinghurst Castle in the U.K. was revolutionary in 1950. And inspiring to this day. Instead of a garden filled with billowing rows of mixed-color flowering plants–a style that had dominated English gardens for generations–Sackville-West installed only plants that bloomed in one color: white. According to her weekly gardening column she … The post A one color garden–no, make that two appeared first on Hot Gardens.net ..read more

While there are two ways to combat plant death-by-dehydration, it is probably too late for many in the U.S. Southwest, especially Arizona and Nevada, after a weeklong stint of record setting heat. (For those of you outside of the SW, there were high temperatures of 110-120F (43-48 celsius) for 8 days in a row and … The post So your garden died. What’s next? appeared first on Hot Gardens.net ..read more