Lupine - Lupinus Zone 5-8 Slightly resembling ears of corn, these flowers are truly stunning to look at. The flower is made up of lots of small, pea-like flowers attached to a stalk. They come in a variety of colors and bloom from late spring to summer. The deep green, interesting shaped foliage adds to the beauty of this plant. The top of the flower can reach 3 feet tall and the foliage can spread 2 feet wide. Plant in full sun and well drained soils for best results. Requi

Is everyone is enjoying this beautiful weather in Santa Fe right now? This front courtyard had previously been landscaped quite a long time ago in a simple design with grey crushed gravel and flagstone steps. The plants that were used were Blue Oat grasses, a couple Holly Hocks, and Russian Sage that spread throughout the yard, which gave the courtyard a messy look. There was also a dry river bed that helped to direct rain water from the roof outside the courtyard but it was

Q: How do you know which plants to cut back and how far to cut them back? A: Mostly from experience, but in general woody (blue mist spireas and potentillas) plants can be trimmed 1/3 off the top and non woody (coneflowers and lilies) can be cut a few inches above the ground. This is not a hard rule but more of a guideline since there are a lot of exceptions. Always be sure of how to prune a plant before doing it. You can always cut more off, but you can never uncut it.

Yerba Mansa - Anemopsis californica Zone 4-7 With leaves that resemble thick spinach, this plant has been used as a medicine by the Natives for a variety of uses. Produces several cone like white flowers, which is made up of many tiny flowers. Spend flowers brown into seed pods of the same shape. Grows naturally in marshy areas in NM and surrounding states, it prefers to moist soil with short periods of drought. Blooms late spring/early summer. Can reach 18" tall and spreads

Brrr! Hope everyone is staying dry and warm out there! This week, we tackle a tough transformation. It may look like a simple landscape, but it involved a lot of manual labor - even the mini-backhoe was brought in to get this job complete! The client wanted terraced flower beds to transform the backyard into a yard that not only looked good, but was also functional. The first step was to start removing some of the excess dirt in order to for the flowerbeds to be terraced. The

Q: I have something growing in my juniper tree that looks greenish brown. What is it? Will it kill my tree? A: It is called Juniper Mistletoe (Phoradendron juniperinum). Although it looks ugly, in most cases, it won't kill your tree. This version of mistletoe actually uses photosynthesis instead of stealing nutrients from the tree. It does, however, steal water from the trees. As long as the trees are getting enough water, it isn't considered a problem (but it can be unsightl

Mojave Sage - Salvia pachyphylia Zone 5-8 This California native plant thrives in New Mexico and is a great addition to any garden because of its beauty. Blueish-silver foliage has an unusual sage shape but adds a nice contrast to the large, bright, lavender colored flowers. Blooms all summer long. Prune after blooms are spent. Plant in full sun and well drained soils for best results. Tolerates a wide variety of soil types. Mojave sage requires little water or maintenance o

Good morning Santa Fe! Here's your weekly Transformation Tuesday: This week, we wanted to showcase what kind of vegetation growth can happen after just one planting season! Don't hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or comments. Have a wonderful day.

Q: I have a very large chamisa that I want to keep but it blocks my view of the road when I am backing out of my driveway. How far down can we cut it back? A: Chamisas are very tough plants that can be cut flush to the ground and still regenerate. We recommend cutting it down to about a foot above the ground. Continue to trim it each year (as low as a foot to a few feet above ground) in fall to prevent it from getting overgrown. Need a landscaping question answered? Don't hes

Snow in summer - Cerastium tomentosum Zone 3-7 Silver blue foliage provides a nice backdrop for the white flowers that blanket this spreading ground-cover. Plant in full sun and water regularly for best results. Drought tolerant once established. A fast grower that can reach up to 12" tall and spread a few feet wide. Cut spent flowers to prevent seeding if you want to control the spread of this plant. Blooms in spring and summer. Deer resistant. Cut back dead foliage in late