Happy November from Desert Rose! In this month’s blog we will review the importance of having your landscape designed by someone who understands the bloom times of the foliage planted. Misjudging bloom times is an easy way to cause you to have an amazing yard in early summer but then no flowers for the rest of the year. In order to prevent that, we will discuss some simple steps to mix blooms times to make sure your yard looks good year round. Let’s pretend we have a medium-l

Our client had purchased the house with beautiful rock terraced beds already in place, but there were very few plants in the beds. The irrigation needed some work and the tree in the middle of the flowerbed was more of an eyesore. The client wanted a water-wise variety of plants. He also wanted a yard that would look nice year-round. With this in mind, we had a good idea of what the client wanted and went to work on the design. Since the rock flowerbeds were already in place,

Q: When is a good time to add more bark/mulch to the beds? A: The best time to touch up the beds is once all the leaves have fallen and have been cleaned up. Whether you want composted cotton burrs or bark, we will be glad to help you!

Autumn Joy Stonecrop Sedum spectabile 'Autumn Joy' Zone 4-11 Thick, pale green leaves and stems hold up beautiful clusters of small pink flowers that fade into a beautiful red in the fall. Plant in partial to full sun for best growth. A moderate grower that can reach 2' tall and wide. Looks great in groupings of 3 or as a single specimen by a character stone. Easy to care for and waterwise. Blooms from late summer to early fall. Prune back in late fall/early winter to a few

In part two, the client wanted a flagstone where they could relax and enjoy the views from their side yard. Our direction was to cover the entire area with gravel with the addition of a few plants to keep it from looking bare. We planted a mix of Blue Mist Spireas and Russian Sage on the outer perimeter and Hummingbird Mint Agastache next to a Powis Castle near the house. A square patio with square steps to the front porch was requested. We cut the flagstone patio with minimu

Q: I wanted to buy some pots so I can have some indoor plants during the fall. What should I look for and what type of soil should I buy? A: Whenever you are purchasing pots always ensure that there is a drainage hole in the bottom of the pot. If there isn't, you can always drill one. Every pot needs a drainage hole to prevent the roots from sitting in water and getting root rot. Also make sure you get a saucer to place under the pot. When it comes to soil, it depends on the

Butterfly Blue Pincushion Scabiosa columbaria 'Butterfly Blue' Zone 3-9 These unique blue flowers that resemble pincushions add to the beauty of any yard. The dense green foliage constantly sends up blooms from mid-summer through fall. A fast grower that can quickly reach 1' tall and wide. Deadhead regularly to promote more blooms. Attracts butterflies. Cut back to a few inches when the plant goes dormant.

This week, we tackle a 2 part series. Our client wanted a mossrock flowerbed around the front porch. They started the work themselves but decided to call Desert Rose for some help. They wanted waterwise colorful plants planted and gravel spread outside the beds. We picked up where the client left off and started the moss rock border on the right side of the steps. We continued the border to the corner of the house and leveled out the area to prep it for planting. With the cli

Q: How often and how much water should I give to the pots of geraniums that I brought into the house? A: The amount of water you give and how often you water depends on the size of the plant and how big the pot is. As a general rule of thumb, you want to water pots until water begins to trickle out of the drainage hole on the bottom of the pot (make sure you have a saucer under your pot). Once it begins to trickle out, stop watering immediately. When watering, make sure there

Oregon Grape Holly Mahonia aquifolium Zone 5-9 Thick, woody stems are covered by spiked leaves to make this unique evergreen. New leaves start off red, then turn green once mature. In the winter, expect scarlet colored leaves to help give your yard a festive look. In the spring, expect tiny, canary yellow flowers to cover this plant. Soon after blooming, small blueberries develop that can be used to make preserves. Plant in full to partial sun and water regularly. A moderat