Gardening in the desert Southwest is full of challenges and rewards. Although this site will focus mainly on roses (I love them!), most people who grow roses also grow other things: trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, and bulbs to enhance the landscape. The decision to grow anything in the desert is not without controversy, and some of those controversies will be discussed here. While many of the articles will focus on the area in and around Albuquerque, New Mexico, it is important to understand that gardening here is very different from gardening in Phoenix or Tucson, or in Flagstaff or Santa Fe. Within Greater Albuquerque, growing conditions vary from along the Rio Grande River to the Northeast Heights to the foothills of the Sandias to the North Valley to Corrales to the West Mesa. Within my own very small yard there are several microenvironments, with different planting and care required in each.
Part of the joy of gardening is in sharing information, photos, and horror stories with other people who love to garden. I hope you will visit often and feel free to leave comments for discussion.
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Thanks, Gregory!
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Last week I posted a photo of a young fledgling Western Scrub jay here. That photo was taken 6 days ago.
Now, the bird is still a fledgling, and is still awkward, and is still getting its adult feathers. But it has learned about peanuts, and just goes straight for them when they are [...]
This guy (girl?) is the State Bird of New Mexico. At least one family lives in my neighborhood, and they walk on the block walls, eat lizards in the woodpile, make very interesting sounds, and just entertain in general.
This one was sitting outside my bedroom window this morning, but I could not get a [...]
Most of the gardeners I know in the high desert enjoy a variety of birds. Many put out food and water for the birds, and I am one who does. I think of summer as hummingbirds and roses, and winter as junkos.
But, even in the city, there are many different birds. When [...]
Today was the day to begin harvesting the peaches. How do I know? A little bird told me!
As soon as the peaches almost reach ripeness, the birds begin to sample them. Some people cover their fruit trees with netting to protect the fruit from being eaten by the birds. I find [...]
This weekend the Pacific Southwest District had a great Horticulture Judging School and Seminar in Palm Desert, California.
Click HERE to view a PowerPoint slide show from the school/seminar.
“Yoyo” is a sport of “Gizmo,” which is the bright orange blossom in this photo. Yoyo has a range of expression, from solid red (mainly in cooler weather) to red with “hand painted” orange stripes (mainly in mid-summer).
Yoyo was registered in 2003. In 2006, the same sport was registered in its solid red [...]
Click this link to view a PowerPoint slide show of some of the arrangements from the Albuquerque Rose Show, May 24-25, 2008.
Fran Hardy, Membership Chair for the Albuquerque Rose Society, has sent out the following announcement:
We have just learned that there will be a memorial service for Alan Hunton
on Wednesday, May 28 at 1:00 pm
at Asbury Methodist Church
10000 Candalaria NE (just East of Eubank).
Alan’s son would like this to be a celebration of his [...]
This presentation is not yet complete. Look for a revision in the next couple of days.
Click on the link, and be patient as the presentation loads. Then, click each slide, or just scroll to view the PowerPoint slide presentation.
2008-albuquerque-rose-show-arrangements-ppt
© 2008 Susan Brandt Graham. All rights reserved. Photos may not be copied without written permission. Brief quotes are permitted if a link back is provided. Contact admin@swdesertgardening for questions and/or permission to use. | Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS)
