After 40 years, Pearson & Company, an iconic local interior plant showroom and design studio, has a new owner— serial entrepreneur and real estate agent Scott Schaefer. Founded by the late designer and Phoenix Home & Garden Masters of the Southwest award winner Craig Pearson, the business has curated and maintained plants for hundreds of homes in the Valley. Schaefer had the opportunity to work with Pearson before his passing on Aug. 28. “Craig was a pioneer in the industry,” he says. “For more than four decades he was gracing the Valley with his wonderful and generous personality, i ..read more

Start planning a refresh for your summer-weary garden with brilliantly hued winter and spring annuals to delight the senses. Each of these selections is available in a multitude of cultivars and colors to suit any aesthetic, whether grown outdoors in pots or used indoors in cut flower arrangements. Windflowers   (Anemone spp.) • Annual or perennial • Blooms: Varied colors; winter to spring • 6″-8″H by 4″-6″W • Well-drained soil • Zones 7-10 • Full to partial sun • Medium water; low maintenance • Attracts: Bees, birds Commonly called windflowers, anemones are grown as perennials fro ..read more

All Elevations Fall is an ideal time for planting trees and shrubs. Planning includes assessing current landscape conditions and evaluating past choices such as selection, location and aesthetic value. Sketching a map of your landscape as professional designers do provides a big-picture view and helps plan new plantings before visiting a nursery for selection. Consider how much sun or shade particular areas receive, as well as poorly draining soil or caliche that is difficult to till. Assessing how well plants survived the past seasons will determine whether they should stay or go, and if th ..read more

High-tech methods and old-fashioned artistry meet in a Phoenix photographer’s captivating horticultural prints. By Paula M. Bodah | Photography by George Gruel What George Gruel chooses to photograph is simple. A single, striking bird of-paradise flower, a delicate sprig of yellow-blossomed brittle bush, a handful of glossy red chili peppers, all popping against a midnight-black background. Yet, the resulting images defy this simplicity, revealing a complexity, detail and textured richness that prompts uncertainty, blurring the lines between a photograph, an oil painting and the tangible re ..read more

Surrounded by young fruit trees and lush foliage, a Tangerine Beauty crossvine blooms over this picturesque side gate. A Glendale gardener honors her heritage with a cottage garden of roses and ranunculus. By Wynter Holden | Photography by Melissa Valladares Horticulture is in Michelle Moghina’s roots. Originally from Romania, Michelle’s passion for plants stems from generations of women with a sixth sense for gardening. It started with her grandmother, who maintained picturesque blooms on the property her family purchased from wealthy landowners. “Even though out of necessity they had to ..read more

Add height, color and visual interest to your garden with trellises, arbors or pergolas covered in eye-catching flowering vines, or make plain walls and fences disappear into the background with these colorful selections. Snail Vine   (Cochliasanthus caracalla or Vigna caracalla)  • Blooms: Lavender and white; summer to fall • 15′-20’H by 8′-12’W • Well-drained loamy soils • Zones 9-11 • Full to partial sun • Medium water; low maintenance • Attracts bees, birds Native to Central and South America and a member of the bean family, the snail vine blooms profusely throughout summe ..read more

All Elevations Monsoon season is a great time to plant native flora that thrive in local microclimates and depend on summer rains to germinate and survive. Find a variety of mixtures—as well as more specific seed packs—free of charge through local seed libraries, or for purchase through websites such as Native Seeds/SEARCH (nativeseeds.org) and at local nurseries. Prepare the ground by raking to create areas for the seeds to settle, which will prevent them from blowing or washing away or from being eaten by birds. This is also a good time to think about what to plant once the weather cools of ..read more

Textures, forms, pruning and placement are all important elements in choosing plants for a Japanese-inspired garden. Get started with these recommendations by Ben Schrepf, garden curator at Phoenix’s own Japanese Friendship Garden (japanesefriendshipgarden.org). Compact Myrtle   (Myrtus communis ‘Compacta’)  • Shrub n White flowers; summer • 2′-4’H by 2′-4’W • Moist, well-drained soil • Zones 8-10 • Full to partial sun • Medium water; low maintenance • Attracts: Birds Also known as dwarf myrtle, this compact evergreen shrub is a native of Europe, where its small, highly aromat ..read more

All Elevations June is usually the hottest and driest month in Arizona. This is stressful on many plants, especially cultivated garden flora. Hopefully, the vegetables you planted in late winter and early spring are growing well thanks to your preparation. If you haven’t already, now is a good time to remember to adjust irrigation for warmer weather. Once the monsoons begin in July, it may be time to scale it back, depending on how much rain your microclimate receives. Water is critical no matter where you plant. The variable weather we experience throughout our seasons offers some challenges ..read more

Landscape by Donna Winters; photography by Art Holeman Spending more time outside has been shown to reduce depression and anxiety and increase feelings of well-being. In other words, it’s good for you! But in a world of hectic schedules and to-do lists as long as your arm, planning day trips to the great outdoors isn’t always easy. That’s where your garden comes in. By creating a garden that’s an extension of your living space, you’ll naturally spend more time among nature and get your daily dose of vitamin D. With an al fresco design and the right budget, getting outside is as easy as stayin ..read more