Transformation Tuesday: This property had erosion problems and the clients wanted to put something that was functional and would help with the issue. We constructed a dry riverbed which helped control and direct the flow of water. Next, put a few terraces using moss while maintaining the slope. To the right of all of this, we seeded the area with native grass, adding gravel and finished with a few plants. Have a happy Tuesday!

Boy was that a crazy week of weather! Here's a question of the week addressing Monday's monsoon: Q: With the recent rain we have had, I have an irrigation system on a timer. Is there anything that I can purchase so that when it does rain, my irrigation system won’t water without me having to turn it off? A: Yes, you have a couple of options. One is a Rain Sensor which automatically shuts off your sprinkler system when it rains a certain amount so you don’t have to worry about turning off the system. It is pretty easy to install and you could purchase one at your local irrigation supply or hardware store. Second option is more extreme. There are irrigation timers that will actually water base

Plant of the week: Sunray tickseed ( Coreopsis grandiflora) Zone 4-9. A golden yellow daisy-like flower. Good cut flower, moderate grower and attracts butterflies. Blooms from summer till frost. 18”-24” tall by 12” wide. Full sun. Water during summer, but is drought tolerant once established.

Transformation Tuesday! Our clients wanted to increase the curb appeal as you approached the driveway. We started by adding a moss rock border and flagstone stepstones from the garage to the front courtyard. Next, we added colorful perennials and shrubs that bloom throughout the year, along with a few trees to round out the look and give our clients an enjoyable view as they arrived home. Happy Tuesday!

Question of the week: Q: With the recent rain we have received, the weeds have taken off on my property. After pulling all weeds with roots from the area that I have covered with riverrock, what is the best way to keep weeds from coming back? A: I am assuming that you do not have weed barrier under the rocks. The best way would be to remove the rocks, put a weed barrier and retirn the rock. If you have a lot of dirt in the rock you removed, you may want to get new rock since the dirt most likely has seeds in it and once you put the rock back, you will have issues with weeds growing on top of the weed barrier. Another option, is use a product called Preen that can be scattered over the area t

Plant of the week: Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora) - Zone 5-11 Tall spikes hold deep rose-pink flowers atop clumps of slender, green, drought tolerant foliage that reach 4 to 6 feet tall. Blooms nearly year-round in warm winter regions. An effective choice to add dramatic interest in a rock garden, as a landscape accent or in containers. Partners beautifully with other desert-like plants. Evergreen. Plant full sun. Deer resistant.

The final part of our 3 part series for Transformation Tuesday! This shot was taken 3 months after the completion of this large-scale makeover. We are grateful for the opportunity to work on such an amazing project. The photos speak for themselves: just an amazing result. We hope you enjoyed this series!

Question if the week: Q: The red hot poker in the back yard has developed lots of brown leaves (see photo). Is this normal? Is there something we can do? A: After physically checking out your red hot poker (Kniphofia), it is suffering from crown rot - which can actually kill your plant. To remedy this situation, your plant needs to dry out entirely. Do not give it any additional water. Since it is an already established and is a drought tolerant plant, it should do fine with just the occasional rain unless we hit another long dry spell; then supplemental water will be needed.

Plant of the week! Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa) - Zone 5-10 Tough Southwestern native plant with small white flowers resembling single rose blooms; later attractive fluffy white seed heads that persist throughout the fall. Tolerates alkaline soils. Use in the hottest and dry places in your landscape. Plant in full sun.

Part II of this very large project for Transformation Tuesday! Wait until next week. We saved the best pictures for last :) See you next week!

Question of the week: Q: I have aspens that have a lot of bumps or bulges on the branches, what are they? A: The bumps or bulges are common on aspen trees. They are called poplar twig galls. Caused when the poplar a twig gall fly inserts eggs in the developing stems. Larvae hatch and feed within the stem causing the swollen gall. The good thing is these galls do not harm the health of the tree. There is nothing to control or prevent gall, although birds can help keep them in check. Curious about something? Send them our way!

Plant of the week: Climbing rose (Rosa X) Zone 5-10 Clusters of red flowers that will engulf a trellis or wall. A hardy and vigorous climber that provides a continuous supply of showy blooms with a mildly spicy fragrance. Perfect for an arbor, fence, gateway, or pillar in any style garden. Blooms on old and new wood. Deciduous. Full sun, blooms spring and summer.

Transformation Tuesday! Talk about a large scale project. We will break this down into 3 parts to showcase some of the changes that were made. Our client started off with a very plain courtyard that contained a very large raised bed that took up the entire length of the courtyard as well as sticking out 8 feet in width. The raised bed was overtaken by overgrown Russian Sage, so much so that the plants started coming out of the sides. A stamped concrete pathway leading up to the front door and grey river rock took up the remainder of the courtyard. After doing a complete overhaul (removing the Russian Sage, moss rock flowerbed, concrete pathway, gravel, and all the dirt in the raised bed so w

With summer upon us, you might be getting an itch to redo or install a new landscape project. This may sound like a great and exciting idea, but most people are surprised when they find out how much the project is going to cost. To do any landscaping project right, it takes time, money and planning, to include using a licensed contractor (See our January 2018 blog on “What to look for in a contractor”). Not only are people often surprised by cost, but they also get overwhelmed when it comes to the design and execution of a project, which are key elements in satisfaction with the end product. When undertaking a large project, one of the questions that is almost always asked is if Desert Ros