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How to Sow Desert Wildflower Seeds
The author reflects on the nostalgia of warm streetlights and cottonwood trees, contrasting past and present experiences. Despite harsh desert conditions, they find beauty and resilience in native plants. The act of planting wildflower seeds symbolizes hope, creativity, and the spiritual nature of gardening, encouraging a carefree approach to nurturing life.
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Two yuccas that are not Joshua tree to try in your desert garden
The Joshua tree, or Yucca brevifolia, is vital to the Mojave Desert ecosystem but looks out of place in suburban settings. In contrast, Mojave yucca (Yucca schidigera) and Our Lord’s candle (Yucca whipplei) are better suited for gardens. Both species thrive in low desert conditions and require minimal care after establishment.
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Here Lies a Bird
The author reflects on the impact of their outdoor cat on local wildlife, recounting the unfortunate death of a bird and their son’s thoughtful burial of it. In response, they consider fostering ecological balance in their garden, particularly through the native weed Eriogonum deflexum, which supports butterfly caterpillars and offers potential beauty.
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Bedding Annuals Deserve a Place in the Wintery Desert Garden
The author reflects on cherished memories of their grandmother’s garden, particularly its vibrant flora and rich, well-cultivated soil. Through anecdotes of growing flowers and learning about gardening techniques, they illustrate the nostalgic connection to nature. This fondness transforms into a modern Mojave garden, adapting those memories amidst new conditions.
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Baja Fairy Duster is an Effortlessly Cool Shrub For the Hot, Dry Garden
The Baja fairy duster (Calliandra californica) thrives in desert gardens, attracting pollinators with its vibrant red flowers. It adapts well to low water conditions and serves as an attractive, resilient shrub that can reach four to five feet. Ideal for enhancing landscapes, it pairs beautifully with other desert plants, creating striking visual aesthetics.
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A Gardening Manifesto for the Desert: Plant More and Do Less
Throw caution to the wind and let your garden grow There is a beautiful and achingly lonely beech tree at a cemetery just outside of Boston in Cambridge. There are many beeches in Mt. Auburn Cemetery, of many species and cultivars. This old tree may no longer be there, as many have succumb to beech…
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Let Desert Willow Add a Little Rugged Grace to Your Garden
The desert willow (Chilopsis linearis) thrives in harsh conditions, demonstrating resilience with its vibrant, leopard-print-like blooms. This deciduous tree features taproots, making it suitable for small spaces. Various cultivars offer repeated blooming, with notable varieties like Burgundy Lace and Timeless Beauty. The hybrid Chitalpa combines traits of both the desert willow and Catalpa.
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Golden Barrel Cactus Adds Whimsy or Formality Depending on Your Tastes
Cactus, especially the golden barrel variety, are adaptable and visually striking plants for gardens. Instead of straight lines and large specimens, informal groups with varied sizes are suggested, fitting well in both contemporary and wild gardens. They thrive in desert climates and can be placed under trees for some shade and less water.
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A Deceptive and Clear Yellow Flower That Takes Heat and Drought
Desert margiold’s yellow can be cool or warm depending on time and season Desert marigold, Baileya multiradiata, is the most charming desert wildflower. Its perennial flowers are the closest you will get to pure yellow in a desert garden. But even this is a trick that only the desert marigold can pull off, for its…
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This Resilient, Ubiquitous Shrub Deserves a Closer Look
Nerium oleander thrives in harsh desert conditions, earning it a second chance in my garden Sometimes, you plant something—and this is true of anywhere, but particularly here in the low desert—not because a plant is rare, or tame, or because it looks good year round. You plant it for the one or two things that…
Mojave Gardener 