Yesterday, I completed the first full spring project. The barrels were heavy and thank goodness a neighbor helped me carry them to the front.  It will take awhile for these cactus/agaves to fill out, but once they do, it's going to be very beautiful.  They are very low maintenance for care here.  I look forward to seeing how this cacti garden will turn out. It's winter at El Presidio and so things aren't as lush as they usually appear to be. Days are warm and nights are cold.  Once the evenings get back to a low of 50 degrees, the plants will start coming back.  In the background you see the California Palm with the large messy 2 Live Oaks in the background.  Currently they are dropping acorns....and lots of them.  After that is done, then they drop leaves....and lots of them.  After that is done, they drop pollen...and lots of it.  Yeah spring with these oaks is not too much fun:)

No matter how hard you try not to prick yourself; it still happens.  I got needles everywhere....in my fingers(even though I wore gloves) and in my tongue and lips.  Long story, but I'll tell you this much, I'm glad I'm done with the plantings. I sealed the pots to the cement to keep them in place. 

I look forward to their growth and flowering habits.  It should be a quite a show in about a year.  A low maintenance garden that punches up the drab front a little.  I have some castor bean work to do now to add that purple punch on the wings of those cactus.  The front is going to look great....or at least I hope.  Until next time, happy adventures in the garden!

Labels: cacti, cacti security, cacti wall, live oaks Tucson, spring projects, using cactus as a barrier, Xeric Garden

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Swallowtail in my garden

I have to admit that when I first moved to the desert and heard the word "Xeriscape", I didn't want anything to do with it.  To me, at the time, I thought it meant zero plants and more rock.  The fact of the matter is that xeriscaping can be lush and beautiful.  With the way the world is changing, it is only a matter of time before resources begin to run out.  Currently most people pay for the delivery of water but not for the quantity of water.  Some people believe that this "extra charge" is coming sooner than later.  In fact, it does happen in some countries right now.  Living on the desert island of Sal in Cape Verde, we had a very limited amount of water and it was delivered once a week. I learned quickly to be ready to fill our tank up when the trucks came. They charged for delivery and the amount used.  As the world's population increases so will the use of her natural resources.  Many of us reading this will not see the affects of this, but unfortuneatly our grandchildren will and that is a sad thought.  So to be a forward thinker, xeriscaping is not zeroscaping as it's about planting vegetation that will grow within the amount of your rainfall each year.  Xeriscaping is not just for the desert regions but for all places.....it's wise planting for your water bill.....and low maintenance in your garden. In the next two segments of this blog, I'll cover the principles of xeriscaping and the 3 basic regions of gardens using the xeriscape model around your home.  It's sound advice financially and naturally as wildlife, native to our areas, will respond to local plants that will thrive in our own yards.  

Ground Morning Glory

The Zones.  When using the xeriscape method, you must think of setting up your zones.  There is the oasis zone, transition zone, and native zone.  The oasis zone is near your home and placed around your seating areas, patio, etc.  This zone tends to get more water and attention.  Think of this area as your "oasis" when you sit down with guests or for that cup of coffee.  Larger pots are placed around this area as it is easier to water them being closer to the house.  The transition zone consists of native trees that you'd like to shade your home.  If you have gray water, this is a good place to irrigate.  Trees should be placed 15 feet from your home to provide shade and coolness from our desert sun.  It will also create a pleasing aesthetic look.  The plants will need occassional watering to keep them looking attractive.  Finally, the natural or native zone is the lowest and furthest away from the home.  These use the lowest water amounts and are generally native plants. Once established, these plants should need little to no water depending on our annual rainfall.  Remember to group plants with similar needs for water, sun, and maintenance to increase irrigation efficiency and reduce maintenance time.

Here are the 7 principles of xeriscaping......

1. Water-wise planning and design

2. Soil Amendment or not..

3. Plant Selection

4. Limited Practical Turf...if any...but we need to consider people who have kids

5. Efficient Irrigation

6. Mulch

7. Proper Maintenance

Until next time, happy gardening!!!

Labels: ground morning glory, Xeric Garden, xeriscape

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The Queen Butterfly

Yesterday I went to visit a Tucson garden(winner for the best xeriscaped yard of 2008) for breakfast and it was really something special. The owner is leaving with her husband for Mexico to live and it was their last big hoohah before they left their lives....and garden behind in Tucson. We arrived at their home and were immediately surrounded by butterflies EVERYWHERE!!! It was like walking into a Walt Disney movie without the villains.  Okay that last line was cheesy, but it seriously was very cool to be surrounded by that many butterflies! So much to learn....here is a posting secret on how to attract the Queen Butterfly to your Southwestern Garden.

Euphorbia Trigona

Xeriscape winner 2008 in Tucson

I asked the owner how old her garden was and she told me that it was 7 years old. Depending on what part of the garden you're standing in at El Presidio, it will vary from 1 year to 3 years.  Seeing her garden after 7 years made me happy because I know that it all will come together.  Several things were interesting to note from this conversation.  I asked her if it would be hard to leave this garden when they move, and she responded, "It's just a garden.  I love this place, but I could take it or leave it." That response threw me off as I thought of my own circumstances.....after all the intimate time and energy you spend in a garden...and years of it!!!....you can just "take it or leave it"!? Maybe I will understand that statement down the road, but for now, I'll just store it in the back of my mind. She also said that she wouldn't mind putting in a pool. We all reacted to her as if she were nuts!!!  Pools in Tucson are a waste of water and a huge mess....not to mention all the critters that drown in this deadly trap!  If you had kids, maybe......but even then.....we have places for people to go and swim.  How many kids drown every year....every day...in this state because Mom or Dad or someone wasn't watching? Too many....plus so many people around here don't keep their pools clean and West Nile/mosquitos are out of control in Central Tucson.  I can't believe how green people let their pools get. Okay, I'm getting off topic:)......More pics....but still....a pool??!

Of course, there are a lot of butterfly plants out there, but one stood out on this visit....the Blue Mist Flower or Ageratum ....just read the sign below...these latin names get to be too much;) And there is another name that most people call it here in Tucson.....Greggi. This is what the owner told me that this plant was. The shot below is taken from the Tucson Botanical Gardens...and they have two varieties of this plant.  The vid shows the title Eupatorium Greggi on the tag.

Greggi/Gregg's Blue Mistflower

Apparently this greggi acts like an aphrodisiac for the Queen Butterfly.

It was funny because she views her garden the same way most people see their gardens....as a disaster.  And again, it's all in the eye of the beholder.....that's why it's good to get an outsider's perspective when in doubt.  She was extremely happy to hear from people that her garden was divine:)

A butterfly orgy

Here are several comments about this plant that I found online regarding the Blue Mist Flower or Greggi and it's invasive nature....the home owner of this particular garden also told me that it spreads......

"It's funny how plants habits change locally. I was butterfly gardening in Tucson in very lean soil with little watering. Eupatorium Greggi did very well, but I wouldn't call it invasive at all. On the other hand, it was one of the best butterfly attractors in the garden."  From Lisa

"I don't have any, but have been looking all over for them. I saw a patch of this at a local business and was extremely impressed because there were more queen butterflies on that one patch than I'd ever seen flocking to flowers before. They absolutely went crazy over it and it was such a beautiful sight, I vowed I would find some and plant it. At least give it a try, it may do better here in texas at attracting butterflies than elsewhere. I've learned and am still learning , that different plants do better in some states and areas than others, and obviously, butterflies in texas may like mistflower better than butterflies in another state. I think it has to do with soil pH, and climate, and a lot of other things."

So....butterfly gardening....hmmmm:)

Labels: Ageratum Corymbosum, Blue Mist Flower, eupatorium greggii, Euphorbia Trigona, Gregg's Blue mistflower, greggi, Queen Butterfly, Xeric Garden

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