I remember laughing when listening to the radio. It was late September, and the speaker announced, “It’s planting season! Come and take a look at our nurseries!” Where I come from (Germany), this is when the planting season slowly ends. In spite of the many mistakes I made at first, gardening in the Sonoran Desert has now become my passion; it is my desire to share these experiences with others and hopefully be able to provide some helpful advice as well.
Roses
Don Juan – grows fast and is a great climber
Don Juan – has a beautiful strong fragrance
Don Juan – dark red blooms
Don Juan – needs full sun to bloom
Don Juan
Don Juan
Don Juan
Henry Fonda – has a beautiful soapy fragrance
Henry Fonda
Henry Fonda
Henry Fonda
Sonia – couldn’t pass up on this one…
Sonia – this hybrid tea rose was also our wedding rose 🙂
Sonia
Sonia
Trumpeter – a small rose tree that is a thankful bloomer
Trumpeter
Trumpeter
Trumpeter
Trumpeter
Texas Sage
Heavenly Cloud
Heavenly Cloud
Heavenly Cloud
Lynn’s Legacy – this one needs to be on the drip system to look pretty
Lynn’s Legacy
Our House and Garden
2003 – When we first purchased the house
Sabino Canyon
Sabino Canyon
Sabino Canyon
Moon in October
Oleander
Barbara Bush – slightly fragrant
Barbara Bush – very pretty but not quite as cold hardy as Pink Beauty
Barbara Bush – more tender appearance than Pink Beauty
Barbara Bush – slightly different shades of pink
Barbara Bush
Barbara Bush
Barbara Bush
Barbara Bush
Barbara Bush
Barbara Bush
Barbara Bush
Barbara Bush
Barbara Bush
Barbara Bush
Calypso
Calypso
Calypso
Hardy Red
Hardy Red
Hardy Red
Hardy Red
Hardy Red
Hardy Red
Petite Pink
Pink Beauty – makes a great choice for a hedge
Pink Beauty – looks great from the distance
Pink Beauty – newly planted against the wall
Pink Beauty – 1 year after planting
Pink Beauty – 1 year after planting
Pink Beauty – 2 years after planting
Pink Beauty – 2 years after planting
Pink Beauty – 3 years after planting
Pink Beauty – 3 years after planting
Six Petal Oleander!
Mushrooms
Honey Mushroom or Chanterelle – not sure
Puffball Mushroom
Mixed Flower Beds and Pots
Lantanas
Dallas Red
New Gold
Orange
Purple Trailing
Rainbow
Ice Plants
Delosperma Cooperi Lavender Ice
Delosperma Cooperi Lavender Ice
Delosperma Cooperi Wheels of Wonder Orange
Red Apple Aptonia
Red Spike
Red Spike
Red Spike
Hibiscus
Bahama Bay Enlightement
Bahama Bay Enlightement
Bahama Bay Enlightement
Pink Lipstick
Pink Lipstick
Pink Lipstick
Rosa Sinensis Pink Versicolor
Rosa Sinensis Pink Versicolor
Rosa Sinensis Pink Versicolor
Spin the Bottle
Spin the Bottle
Spin the Bottle
Spin the Bottle
Spin the Bottle
Spin the Bottle
Vice President
Yellow
Gazanias
Gazania – This one could not make up its mind 😉
Gazania with honey bee
Gazania – they add color to the winter when not much else is in bloom but decline after the monsoon; seed out on their own for next season…
Gazania – flowers open in the sun and close at night and on cloudy days
Gazania
Gazania
Gazania
Gazania
Gazania
Gazania
Gazania
Gazania
Gazania
Gazania
Gazania
Different Trees
Mesquite Tree Leaves – what a mess! You may skip the fitness studio today 😉
Mesquite Trees in winter
Mesquite Tree Leaves
Mimosa – not very cold tolerant; only plant in protected areas
Mimosa
Persian Lilac – smaller flowers but more heat tolerant than Chinese Lilac; beautiful fragrance
Persian Lilac
Persian Lilac
Persian Lilac
Pomegranate
Pomegranate
Purple Leaf Plum – incredible in early spring! Hummingbirds like to build their nest in it
Purple Leaf Plum
Purple Leaf Plum
Purple Leaf Plum
Purple Leaf Plum
Different Succulents
Agave
Crape Myrtles
Acoma – incredible foilage in fall
Acoma
Acoma
Acoma
Acoma – they perform best in full sun, even in Arizona!
Baton Rouge
Acoma and Baton Rouge
Acoma and Baton Rouge
Acoma and Baton Rouge
Dynamite – the purest red but growth more stunted than Red Rocket
Dynamite
Dynamite
Dynamite
Tuscarora – one of the easiest to grow
Tuscarora
Tuscarora
Tuscarora
Red Rocket – has a tendency to shoot up like a rocket!
Red Rocket
Red Rocket
Red Rocket
Red Rocket
Red Rocket
Red Rocket
Red Rocket
Red Rocket in winter
Red Rocket
Sioux
Zuni
Zuni
Zuni
Zuni
Zuni tree bark
Camellias
Mrs Tingley – my favorite but the most delicate I have had so far
Mrs Tingley
Mrs Tingley
Mrs Tingley
Mrs Tingley
Lady Campbell – incredibly elegant; blooms in late winter, early spring
Lady Campbell
Lady Campbell
Lady Campbell
Mathotiana Supreme – robust with pretty foilage; blooms after Christmas
Lady Campbell
Herme – this one has a wonderful fragrance; makes a beautiful “post hugger”, for example next to the entrance
Debutante – very hardy blooms on Christmas
Debutante
Debutante
Debutante
Debutante
Debutante
Debutante
Debutante
Chansonette – blooms in late fall before Christmas
Cactus
Stenocactus
Saguaro
Saguaro
8-year old Saguaro
5-year old Saguaro
Prickly Pear
Prickly Pear
Hedgehog
Hedgehog
Hedgehog – a bee diving into the “beauty of honey”
Hedgehog
Young Golden Barrel
Old Golden Barrel
Devil’s Claw – pretty when in bloom; rodents have a tendency to chew off flower buds
Devil’s Claw
Cholla
California Fire-Barrel
Arizona Barrel
Arizona Barrel
Arizona Barrel
Arizona Barrel
Arizona Barrel
Arizona Barrel-Smile!
Citrus Trees
Mexican Key Lime
Lemon Tree
Lemon Tree
Lemon Tree
Lemon Tree
Different Shrubs
Blue Plumbago
Blue Plumbago – love that blue
Blue Plumbago
Blue Plumbago
Blue Plumbago
Blue Plumbago
Cape Honeysuckle – sweet and stunning color in late fall
Cape Honeysuckle – they die back after the first frost, usually right before Christmas
Cape Honeysuckle
Cape Honeysuckle
Cape Honeysuckle
Cape Honeysuckle
Creosote
Creosote
Dwarf Plumbago
Dwarf Ruellia
Dwarf Ruellia
Dwarf Ruellia
Dwarf Ruellia
Mandevilla
Mandevilla
Mexican Bird of Paradise
Orange Jubilee
Red Mexican Bird of Paradise
Red Mexican Bird of Paradise
Ruellia
Salvia – our hummingbird’s favorite!
Salvia
Salvia
Texas Mountain Laurel – pretty foilage year round; blooms in early spring; keep an eye on tent caterpillars!
Texas Mountain Laurel
Texas Mountain Laurel
Texas Mountain Laurel
Texas Mountain Laurel
Texas Mountain Laurel
Yellow Bells
Grape Vine
Red Flame and Crimson – Our Vineyard in April
Crimson vine in winter
Red flame – ready for harvest!
Red Flame – performs better than the Crimson because it matures sooner, usually right before the big heat wave
Red Flame
Red Flame in March
Red Flame – early growth
Red Flame
Red Flame – Red Flame and Crimson Vine both produce red, juicy, seedless grapes
