As May approaches, we have been getting a lot more questions regarding irrigation systems and water features. Make sure to talk to a professional (aka us here at Desert Rose!) before deciding to install and/or turning on your own! Question of the Week: Q: I have a water feature that I turned on and the water is just dribbling out.nIt was working great last year. What went wrong? A: Could be a number of things. First thing I would do is make sure it has enough water. If it does, try cleaning out the holding pond as it might have collected a lot of debris. In many circumstances, you will have to drain and clean it out. Dirt, sand, and debris could have built up during the winter or the filter

Phil's Favorite of the week: Wild or Desert Four O’clock (Mirabilis multiflora) - Zone 4-8 15-18” tall, up to 4’ – 6’ wide. Allow space for this one. Large spreading plant from large tap root. Lush dark green leaves all season, blooms pink in the summer. Deer and rabbit resistant. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Plant full sun. Extremely drought tolerant

Talk about one heck of a Transformation Tuesday! On the left, the clients had an unused, old sandbox and they decided to make something attractive out of it. We started with adding a gorgeous water feature. This specific design allowed running water, which in our opinion, is quite the relaxing sound! The water ran along with perennials, vines, and a Montgomery spruce to give it that special, oasis feel.

Oh pests! Question of the Week: Q: I am planting a vegetable garden again this year. Last year I had problems with moles digging into the bed. How can I prevent that from happening again? A: There are a couple of options: you can set out traps and/or poison, however, if you want something less aggressive, you are going to need to build a raised vegetable garden. Start by constructing one out of 4x6 tread timber. Next, line the bottom of the raised bed with wire mesh. Make sure it extends past the wooden frames. Proceed with placing your dirt on top of the base wire mesh. All the supplies can be picked up at your local hardware store. Hopefully, it keeps those moles from making unwanted hole

This week's Phil's Favorite: Bradford flowering pear (Pyrus calleryana 'Bradford) Stunning flower tree with white blossoms in the spring. Likes full sun, light to moderate watering. Could reach 30'high to 25' wide. Grows quickly with no fruits and have bright shining leaves. Chanticleer and Aristocrat are also flowering pear trees that work well. Great fall color.

Transformation Tuesday this week is a continuation of last week. This large patio needed some elbow grease. We started with removing all the weeds and proceeded with laying down the patio. A small moss rock flowerbed was added to this new entertaining area. We also planted Aspen, irises, and columbines for some Southwestern vegetation.

Ugh, we never want to see this happen! Question of the week addresses turning on/off your irrigation system! Q: I went to turn on my irrigation and when I turned on the valve, water began to shoot everywhere. I turned it back off and found a crack on the shutoff. What went wrong? (See photo) A: Great question! This is a problem we get phone calls from homeowners quite a bit. The valve you are talking about is a ball valve which is usually located in the reduced pressure assembly. This valve is not designed for use to shut off your irrigation in the winter. It is for “emergency” shutoff if the irrigation system fails at the box or you need to make repairs past the reduced pressure assembly. W

Time for Phil's Favorite of the week! Krauter Vesuvius Purple Leaf Plum, Prunus cerasifera 'Krauter Vesuvius' Zone: 4 - 9 Small colorful light pink spring flowering tree with purple, red or dark green leaves. Grows up to 20’ high and about 18-20’ wide. Great ornamental tree for any landscape!

A beautiful Transformation Tuesday! The original landscaping was chock full of weeds and unusable space. We started with constructing a moss rock border with some beautiful perennials, ornamental grasses, vines, and aspen. To add the finishing touches, we added mulch for some color for the beds and Sunset Rose gravel. Next week, we will feature part II of this project, which consists of an amazing flagstone patio! Have a wonderful happy Tuesday!

Question of the Week: Q: I have a long tall, planter that I need to fill with soil for planting. I need a lot of soil, but don’t want to spend too much money on good soil just to fill the bottom area. Where can I get some fill dirt for about 18” before I add the good soil? A: You can purchase it at your local gravel company. Just make sure you ask for “clean” fill dirt. Another option - you may know someone that has access to dirt that is free. In either case, if you are filling up the bottom of the flowerbed, once you get the desired height of “fill dirt”, tamp it down. I would recommend adding a weed barrier before you place your good planting soil so that whatever was brought in with the

Phil's Plant of The Week: Powis Castle Artemisia Artemisia x 'Powis Castle' - Awesome drought tolerant perennial which has an aromatic, silver-gray foliage. Doesn’t bloom but has great texture. We like to plant at least one of these in our landscapes. It adds great contrast in any xeric garden. Zone 4-9 Plant in full sun.

Transformation Tuesday! Grass can use a lot of water. With our clients being conscious of water usage, we converted the landscape into a xeric garden. There was a GREAT foundation of plants and rocks already there, After removing the grass, we converted the sprinkler irrigation into a drip system. After planting the new shrubs, we dressed up the beds with bark mulch to help retain moisture. Enjoy the beautiful weather!

Good irrigation is critical to beautiful landscaping, healthy gardens, and effectively maintaining the property of one’s home. Your irrigation needs depend on the size of your property, the type of plants that require watering, as well as your local climate. In Santa Fe we try to be as conservative about water as possible, which is why proper irrigation not only saves you money, but is better for the environment as well. Before you get started, it is important to design and map out your irrigation system prior to purchasing products and beginning installation. This ensures that moisture will get to all areas needed without too many gaps or unnecessary overlapping of hydration. Keep in mind a