Common name:Blackfoot Daisy
Botanical name:Melampodium leucanthum
Small mounding perennial grows quickly to 1' x 2'. White daisylike flowers with yellow centers cover the plant nearly year-round The leaves are narrow and gray-green. Accepts full sun or partial shade but blooms better in the sun. Bright and colorful groundcover. Plant in well-drained soil. Native to the southwest U.S. and Mexico.
Common name:Parry's Penstemon
Botanical name:Penstemon parryi
This perennial grows at a moderate rate to 1-1/2' x 1-1/2'. Blue-green leaves form a rosette at the base of the plant. Hot pink flowers appear on spike in the spring. Reseeds easily. Accepts full sun or partial shade. Plant in fall for spring flowers. Attracts hummingbirds. Tender perennial at higher elevations. Native to southern Arizona and Sonora.
Common name:Desert Marigold
Botanical name:Baileya multiradiata
Fast growing perennial reaches 1' x 1'. Soft silvery gray leaves. Bright yellow daisy like flowers appear year round. This undemanding plant reseeds easily. Accepts reflected sun. Be careful not to overwater. Native to southwest U.S. and northern Mexico.
Common name:Coral Penstemon
Botanical name:Penstemon superbus
This perennial grows at a moderate rate to 2' x 3'. Leaves are blue-green and vivid coral flowers appear in late spring. Reseeds easily. Plant in fall for spring flowers. Accepts full sun or partial shade. Attracts hummingbirds. Native to the Chihuahuan Desert.
Common name:Palo Verde Desert Museum
Botanical name:Parkinsonia 'Desert Museum'
This semievergreen tree will grow quickly to 25' x 25'. It has a beautiful vase-shape and makes a makes a nice specimin tree. Bright yellow blooms appear from spring through summer. There is seasonal leaf and flower litter. Overwatering may cause imbs to break. Look for selections that offer a vareity of bark colors and textures and thornless selections.
Designer: Carol Stuttard, Homeowner
Photographer: GardenSoft
Maintain a two to four inch layer of mulch on the soil surface to reduce weeds, infiltrate rain water, and reduce compaction.
Use multiple cycles of irrigation on watering days. Most sprinklers deliver water faster than soils can absorb it.
By breaking up the watering time into smaller segments, runoff can be greatly reduced.
Attract, or buy beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewings to control pest outbreaks in your garden.