At a visit yesterday to the Tucson Botanical Garden I found three of my passions combined: gardening in hot dry climates, art in gardens, and picking up trash from public areas. I’m going to start with the picking up trash part in this post. [Full disclosure: I am a member of a Tucson environmental group … The post Lonely Cactus and a Giant Plastic Fish appeared first on Hot Gardens.net ..read more

Imagine stepping into your backyard and being greeted by the sight of thriving fruit trees ladened with succulent, sun-kissed fruits. A dream? Not at all. It takes a little planning and some digging but you can easily start a backyard orchard this weekend in your desert garden. On left, green figs and on right, ripe … The post Growing a backyard orchard appeared first on Hot Gardens.net ..read more

It’s long. It’s narrow. And a home’s side yard is usually given little attention. Perhaps the original builder or an earlier owner spread a layer of rocky mulch on the soil and added a few stepping stones along the unused passageway from the front to the back of your home. But often it is not … The post Fixing that neglected side yard appeared first on Hot Gardens.net ..read more

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