When we first moved to this house, the land had been pummelled by truck drivers’ rigs and nipped bare by goats. Five resilient saguaros, a couple of palms, and several oleander bushes were all that had endured through the years. We both have a love for native desert plants and were eager to begin the desert revegetation that would bring beauty back. Our acre-and-a-third is part of the larger, gently sloping bajada system that drains the rising elevations here in the East Valley. It is harsh, but quite a few plants are locally indigenous and fascinating to watch for on our local hikes. We began planting native plants local to our particular area of the valley, and then, thanks to the extensive drip irrigation that we put in, we have been able to include many beautiful trees, cacti, and shrubs predominantly from the three Southwestern deserts.
The concept of “wildscaping” has inspired us. Our goal is to establish dense, varied plant islands that offer refuge for native wildlife and create a tapestry of color and texture. We’ve maintained many narrow paths, and as the garden matures, we are creating a rich habitat with plants blooming throughout the year, a diversity of bird sightings, the welcome rustle of lizards scurrying about, and an overall sense of beauty, life, and peace.
The Garden
Passion-flower vine (passiflora foetida) growing on shrub Tecoma stans “Jubilee”
Mexican Twister (Pachycereus marginatus var.) cactus with split red fruit, Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa), Mexican Palo Verde (Parkinsonia aculeata)
Cowhorn Agave (Agave bovicornuta) with flower stalk, South American mesquite (Prosopsis var.) to left
Brazilwood Tree (Haematoxylum braziletto) detail with blooms and seed pods
Red Yucca (Hesperaloe paraviflora) at left foreground, purple-flowering Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) at far right
Tecoma stans “Jubilee”, Queen’s wreath (Antiginon leptopus), white Oleander (Nerium oleander), Blue Palo Verde (Parkinsonia florida), Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea)
Yellow-flowered Dalea Bush (Dalea lutea)
Ruellia in foreground, Tecoma stans “Jubilee” behind
Heartleaf Hibiscus (Hibiscus martianus)
Creosote (Larrea tridentata), Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea), Blue Palo Verde (Parkinsonia florida)
South American mesquite at left (Prosopsis var.), Turpentine Bush (Ericameria laricifolia) as cover, Blue Palo Verde in bloom at right (Parkinsonia florida)
Staghorn cholla in bloom (Opuntia versicolor) at left, Brittlebush as cover (Encelia farinosa), Century Plant Agave in back (Agave americana)
Wildscaping with densely planted wildlife habitat and narrow trails throughout.
Along with natural cover and food sources, wildlife needs a source of water.
For current notes and photos of our garden please take a look at our current monthly Newsletter, which also has a link to archived past Newsletters. Click on the “Newsletter” link at the top of this page.