Happy Tuesday everyone! We hope that your allergies aren't too bad! Stay safe, be happy. The client wanted to have a large, flagstone patio that flowed out from the cement slab. They also wanted flagstone steps that looped around the house for ease of access around the property. In order for us to keep the flagstone patio flush with the cement slab, we needed to divide the yard into three-tiers. This would allow each tier of the yard level, versus the flagstone patio being le

While you are spending time at home, send us all your landscaping related questions! Q: How can I prevent my fruit tree from late frosts? A: An old trick is to put frozen jugs around the base of the fruit tree every night to trick the tree into thinking it is colder than what it is until the risk of frost is gone. It helps keep the tree dormant so the blooms don’t freeze off during a late frost.

Morpho Grand Blue Larkspur Delphinium grandiflorum 'Morpho Grand Blue' Zone 3-7 Thin, green leaves that slightly resemble rosemary vegetation covers most of this plant from spring until summer. Once summer comes around beautiful, blue flowers cover the top of this moderate grower. Blooms attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Remove spent blooms to promote flowering. This plant can reach 24" tall and 18" wide. Water regularly for best growth. Plant in part sun.

Well Santa Feans, as we bunker down for the next few weeks, Desert Rose will go over some of the things to look into before bringing on a landscaping individual or company to work on your projects! There are many options available when looking to hire landscaping maintenance services - big chains, local companies, private individuals, and your neighbor’s teenager. The choices can be confusing, but it is important to do your research and take time when choosing a company. One

Q: My aspen trees seem to be leafing out early this year. Will a freeze or snow damage my tree? A: If it is a deep enough freeze the leaves will die off and the tree will produce a new set. This can be stressful for the tree but it can handle it as long as it happens less than a few times. If it is a lighter freeze the leaves may not fall off but there most likely will be damage to the leaf. The leaves will appear with black spots on them and unfortunately there is nothing th

Lead Plant Amorpha Zone 3-8 A beautiful native flower that can be found growing wild throughout New Mexico. Purple, violet and magenta colors explode off of the unique shaped flowers. Small greenish-blue foliage stays low to the ground. Needs little water or care. Plant in sun to part shade with minimum amendments made to the soil (unless to improve drainage). Prefers well drained soils but adaptable to most soils. Blooms early to mid summer. Seed pods that resemble green b

Choose “Fire Smart” Plants When selecting plants, keep the following tips in mind: -Minimize using evergreen shrubs and trees within 30 feet of a structure since junipers, pinion, and pines contain oils which make these plants burn with great intensity. -Select plants that are low-growing with high a moisture content. -Deciduous trees like maples and ash trees are generally more fire resistant than evergreens because they have a higher moisture content when in leaf and a lowe

Q: There are still some old berries on my crab apple from over the winter. It looks messy with the new growth coming out. Is there anything I can do to improve the look? A: The crab apples are usually consumed by birds through the winter. If there are still crab apples left over, you can simply pull them off by hand and throw them away or compost them.

Sweet woodruff Galium odoratum Zone 5-9 Cute, tiny white flowers cover deep green foliage on this low growing ground cover. Blooms appear in late spring to summer. Foliage has a vanilla scent when dried. Plant in full to partial shade, which make this plant great for those dark corners in your garden. A moderate grower that can spread indefinitely via underground roots. Can reach 12" tall. Easy to care for and deer resistant. Prefers well drained soils but will tolerate mos

Never too early to prepare your landscape! What Is Firescaping? Firescaping is a landscape design that reduces the chance of your house and property being consumed by a wildfire. You want to have a landscape design and choice of plants that offers the best defense, and at the same time improves the look of your property. The goal is to surround the house with things that are less likely to burn.