Lazygardens - YOU ARE WRONG!!! Don't discourage Carrie. With a little planning, she can have petunias and pansies by next Xmas. Carrie - start planning your fall/winter garden now and you will feel better. Make yourself a little spot with a misting umbrella and place some pots filled with your favorite annuals. Plant something a little more hardy around the perimiter - including roses. You can try a small section of grass and and use groundcover in the rest of the yard. Look at some magazines and you will get great ideas to give yourself a garden retreat.

I'm in NE Phoenix. Everything is growing great. I'll list them as a tribute to lazygardens since most 'don't grow here'.

Royal Palms
Foxtail Palms
Lady Palms
Areca Palms
Plumerias
Mango
Guava
Pineapples
Avocados
White sapote
Apples (eating them now)
Peaches
Nectarines
Passion fruit
Bananas
All citrus doing well (Blood Orange, Grapefruit, Key Lime)
Royal Poinciana growing fast

Naturally, the cacti/succulents doing great. Most things I have need heat to do well though which we have in abundance this time of year. Just have to watch them carefully and make sure the watering system is OK.

Good luck to everyone this summer!

my miniature roses are still blooming the others are as you said. my flower bed on a northeast exposure is full of blooming zinnias, marigplds and four o clocks. the sage bushes, fairy duster and all the trees, navajo willows, mesquite, palo verdi, citrus, desert oak, all doing well and of course cactus and succulents.

Can't plant Mesquite my son is allergic to it per a allergy skin test, so that is a no go. I like the idea of a misting umbrella are they available at Kmart/Walmart??? Also what I did not make clear is my roses do ok they servive the summers they just don't look good like in the winter, I have 85 of them.
You all have very good ideas and I am with you magicgarden, my foxglove and Delphiniums are doing fine but they have to have shade cloth over them, I just miss my regular annuels. I can't believe some of you are still growing pansies. I like the Mexican primrose I found at Home Depot. Gosh it was 111F today.
Happy Summer,
Carrie

I'm a certified desert landscaper. I spent a year learning how to deal with landscaping in the desert. It boils down to how much work and money do you want to waste fighting mother nature.

I know one landscape designer who plants an "English cottage garden" every fall, using heat-sensitive plants like pansies and delphiniums. It is drop-dead gorgeous between November and April. Every May, his landscaping crew rips out the dead stuff and throws it away. The big resorts all have pansies and begonias in February and rip them out and throw them away when the heat gets them.

Yes, Carrie can have her pansies by CHRISTMAS ... and she can watch them DIE in June. This is Phoenix, not Portland.

Sonotaps is growing heat-tolerant tropicals, and fruit varieties bred to tolerate the low desert. I have two of the things on his list, the Plumeria and citrus. I know people who grow most of the others ... they need one or more of the following factors: shade, moist soil, and freeze protection.

Magic ... you are in Tucson, in a different growing zone. The lower summer temps, earlier rains, and lower winter temps makes a HUGE difference in summer survival.

This type of nature one often has to learn at their own pace. Aggravation, time spent and deep pockets aside.
Live and let die.

{{gwi:271914}}

carrie, watch out for the mexican primrose. althought it does look nice when it is in full bloom in the spring, it is very invasive with runners that pop up all over from the parent plant. if you don't want it growing all over your garden, you might want to try to grow that plant in a pot to keep it contained. i am forever trying to keep my mexican primrose under control and have pulled out all the plant only to have it coming back for more.

I saw misting umbrellas at Target and you can also get them on-line. I just hope you are encouraged to do what you want with your garden. Don't let the climate or other people discourage you because there is much satisfaction, particularly if you are unwell. You can always use pots and bring your pansies in. I have irrigation and so my water bill is quite reasonable. I have tree shade, so much of my cooler climate annuals do not suffer and die - they seem be become dormant and come back in the fall. There are lots of easy trees - too - besides mesquite that you can plant. Just ask at a nursery. The desert trees are quick growers. And Tucson is not that much different from Phoenix. We have had almost no rain and horrid heat all year. It doesn't make a difference to my happy garden family, however. Oh, and here is a tip - plant geraniums and garlic with your roses. You will be shocked at the difference it makes. Good luck to you.

I'll have to agree with Lazygardens and say that Tucson and Phoenix are in different zones (Zone 12 verses zone 13 - Sunset) and therefore are different.

Tucson is much 'cooler' in the summer and gets more of the monsoon than we do in Phoenix, so we're drier. Some microclimates notwithstanding, I would be hesitant to plant more tropical things in Tucson due to cold in winter but I speak only of the things I am growing.

Tucson may however be more hospitable and you may get more life out of annuals than Phoenix as they don't have as much consistent extreme heat and dryness that Phoenix area gets.

What's so wrong about ripping out dead plants? In many parts of the country, we are happy if annuals live for a few months before frosts take them. Pansies last only from early spring to early summer...a few good months. We cherish each plant as it comes and goes and look forward to the next series of blooms.

That's what's nice about gardens (well, my garden, anyway) is that it is always changing from season to season. I don't expect any plant to bloom and look its best all year long. When plants die, it gives me the fun opportunity to replace them!

I go to Arizona every year (just love that state). I don't know how you guys do it in the summer. That misting umbrella sounds great...never heard of it. Do you sit under it while it sprays water?

Dear Susanzone5 - The misting umbrella is available on-line from Target. It shoots mist from around the edges of the umbrella so you can sit around and it cools the area near you. I know what you mean about annuals providing the opportunity for change. Its not as difficult as you think, either - annuals that work in cooler climates in spring and summer, do well in fall and winter in the southwest. There is less variety of annuals that work in the summer but there is still a good selection. Having a tree for filtered sunlight makes all the difference. The best thing about the southwest is that you can have a green, flowering garden all year. Next time you are in our neck of the woods, check out the rose gardens down in the Tombstone area and gardens in Elgin, the up and coming wine growing region.

This is the first time I have had mini roses in pots and so far only one is dead. My 3 year old meskite tree has saved everything I have in pots. Granted the roses don't look too good now but I think they will make it. I have Armenian cucumbers planted in a large pot and it's going crazy but all vine and no cukes. Does anyone else have this or am I rushing things. Thanks

Instead of foxglove, plant gladiolus and irises on an wall that gives some afternoon relief or next to a taller plant, they bloom into summer and provide the upright look, I have had success with panses and begonias all summer but, they do need mostly all shade in the summer, mine are on a north wall with an eave. as far as roses, mine looked like mini roses on a full size bush, I trenched around them do create a well, and layered with mulch and water every day, about 3 gallons per plant, now the blooms are average size and the foliage is looking good. Don't give up yet. when in doubt add more water.

My vines from Asian sweet potatoes
are thriving where they do not get direct sun. The sugar cane is thriving in the large clump of bananas. The bananas are doing well with 3 pseudostems fruiting. I did lose one mature banana stem to the wind. It had a bud developing inside and would have been fruiting soon. It is now composting to feed the survivors.
Pomegranites do great year round and shrug off the heat!
The American Kestrel Falcons have left the nest to establish their own territories. The lizards are multiplying like rabbits.
Happy gardening!

I have petunias, snapdragons,roses,portulaca,vincas,alyssum,society garlic and several other plants that are thriving right now. It seems to be that you just need to find the right microclimate around your yard. For example, the Petunias that are thriving get afternoon shade and since they are in with some of my roses, they get watered every other day. I planted these in April with some roses. Usually, I plant petunias (and everything else) a lot earlier and get months of beautiful plants.

Then sometimes I have plants like a few roses that should be doing well in their microclimate and don't, go figure.

that is good to know agility mom. in my micro climate for flowers I only tried zinnias and marigolds this year and they are doing fine I will try those you mentioned next year,

I love the winter flowers, and use them in containers for color. And know that in the heat they will be gone, so I replace them with summer loving plants. Angelonias are my favorites, called "Summer Snapdragon". With containers, it is easy to water, and be conservative. Kathleenor, it is typical with Armenian Cukes to only have male flowers at first. Then the females bloom - you can see the fruit on the bottom of the blossom.

My yard looks like it's just waiting for fall. Guess I'm glad I didn't pull out all the darn lantana yet... because it's the only thing besides the bourgainvillea that's blooming. Oh-- but I have a potted echinopsis going into bloom... late bloomer?

Does anyone have ornamental grass (or native bunch grass) growing that looks good right now?

Hi everyone - I just returned to New York after visiting my home and gardens in Tucson. It is always an astonishing pleasure to see how my trees and flowers are doing. The mesquites, acacias and paloverde are now 3 years old and are providing filtered sunlight for much of the front yard, enabling the petunias and snapdragons to survive. I have an even shadier spot around a mature palm tree that is enabling my begoias to do well. The fruit trees (Jonathan Apple, apricot and plum) are all doing well though they have some brown spots due to the heat. The apple tree is surprising even the most pessimistic gardeners. I look forward to my October trip and planting loads of petunias, snapdragons, pansies and violets because I just created a new raised flower bed near (but not too near) my mature lemon tree!

I'm so excited... I have a bloom on my favorite cactus! Must be the humidity!
I got this cactus in a one gallon from a nice man at the DBG show a little over a year ago (when I still worked there). I'm so glad I let him talk me into buying it... bloom unseen at the time.

Amy

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:408644}}

Here's the whole cactus-- for scale, it's in a 10 inch pot! These pics were taken in April this year.

Thanks for letting me share!
Amy

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:408647}}

Wow, what a great blossom! Thanks for sharing your pictures.

I have nothing against growing non native plants in AZ.

But I think if you take the time to learn and appreciate the beauty of all the cactus the native plants you'll have a much better time gardening.

I chopped down a queen palm and in its place I put a Blue Yucca tree, a golden barrel clump, a multi armed Totum pole cactus, a Queen Victoria Agave, and a multi armed columnar cactus that I don't know the name of. Let me tell you, it looks 1000% better than that crappy looking queen palm. Plus it's almost all non-maintenance.

When in Rome !!

I planted 3 Wave Petunias this past spring. One died from lack of water I think. The other 2 have been so so. They're in all day sun, raised bed, against a concrete wall. Entire stems seem to die when not enough water while other stems stay alive. I add more water and the other stems come back. Right now they look pretty darn good. However, I've grown Wave Petunias in cooler climates and they spread about to about 10' across. Here they haven't grown very much. So I guess you could say they done badly or great. I'm going with great. The stress has caused alot of flowers.

Elephant Food, Portulacaria L., a succulent, is doing great. Probably no surprise to guys but I'm thrilled. I was wanting to grow more succulents in CA and I guess now would be a good time to get into them. Never been too big on cactus but the huge bloom changed my mind in a hurry.

I ran into the link below that you guys probably already know about but it looked cool to me.

Here is a link that might be useful: Desert Tropicals

Hi all, sounds like things are going ok in your gardens. I don't mind pulling out the winter plants and planting plants for summer, and vice versa. I like changing out my pots and containers anyway every fall. I have foud a zone 9 delphinium which I am going to try this year. I have found plants from Home Depot do not take the heat well, I think because they must grow them in the mid-west somewhere and they are not used to the heat. My local nursery grows there plants in Phoenix so they do better in the heat. I have one petuna left and it does ok as long as as it gets water and stays out of the afternoon sun.
I went on vacation so I lost a few of my plants, the agapanthus, mexican primrose, coreopsis. It takes a lot of responsibility to grow certian kinds of plants in the summer, they have to be watered everyday.
I am just glad we have maybe 7 weeks left.
Carrie

I'm don't live in Arizona, but in San Antonio, where it is pretty darn hot.

Was lurking here to see what survives the Arizona heat.

I saw Armenian cucumbers mentioned.

Well, I AM ARMENIAN!!!

Never heard of Armenian cucumbers, but cucumbers are a big part of the Armenian diet.

I like the idea of the misting umbrellas and shade cloth etc. I've got so many plants to plant and it's 100 degrees around here. I've had no choice but to plant some of my plants. I've been covering them with shade cloth and have been misting them with my irrigation misters.

I'm don't live in Arizona, but in San Antonio, where it is pretty darn hot.

Was lurking here to see what survives the Arizona heat.

I saw Armenian cucumbers mentioned.

Well, I AM ARMENIAN!!!

Never heard of Armenian cucumbers, but cucumbers are a big part of the Armenian diet.

I like the idea of the misting umbrellas and shade cloth etc. I've got so many plants to plant and it's 100 degrees around here. I've had no choice but to plant some of my plants. I've been covering them with shade cloth and have been misting them with my irrigation misters.

Dear Carrie: Have you thought about an irrigation system? I have a professional system which cost me $800 (complete) and before that, I had a simpler one for $300. I don't even live in Tucson and my plants thrive! And I've got petunias, snapdragons, etc. (well they mostly die in the summer but a few survive - hey, they are annuals anyway!) You can set your system to water when you are not there or if you are not feeling well. You can turn it off when you feel like watering (it is theraputic to me to water). I acually think I have saved enough money on my system to have paid for itself. I've got a lot of flower beds but my water bill has never been over $70 at the high point of the summer. And, the system has three separate lines so you can set it up to water differently depending on what your plants need. If you want a referral, I can recommend someone good to do it for you.

It's taken me three summers to realize this is not So. California, but when fall comes I can plant all my favoarites and they grow like they did when I lived in Orange County. Petunia's are the best ones growing in pots and beds in full sun. Roses bloom all winter. Just stick to native desert plants in the summer and enjoy our beatuiful winters.

well we're just around the corner from the long hot summer again... lots of changes in my backyard from last summer so this year I have tons of mexican pots so I can have a riot of color around the back garden. Phoenix temps get high quick and stay there once we get into May..... my petunias are doing awesome but I'm not too sure how well they will be doing another month from now. African daisies are spectacular this year as they came back from last year.... I'm looking forward to summer to see what makes it and what doesn't!!

It is funny to read a post from 3 years ago. I should probably start a new thread. I have since put in a sprinkler/irrigation system which sure helps out the roses, and have scaled back on some of the english garden plants and roses. I did have over 100 roses and now I have under 30. Sticking with the annuals such as putunias, pansies, loblia, and so on for color. I have found that gallardia is great for the summer, is does great in pots and looks colorful since they have so many colors now.
We are upon another summer and things are going good so far with the improvement of the irrigation system. I have already pulled out most of my winter annuals. I did plant some bright light cosmos which I have grown in the summers before they give some color in the garden with the bright colors and sunflowers. I have always used summer flowers and pulled them out in the fall and I then plant the winter annuals such as the ones I named above. I have no problem doing that. I have to have flowers in my containters and baskets or I go crazy it is a thing with me, I love to have lots of flowers around, I have always been that way and always will be even if it means charging up the Home Depot card. Have a nice summer and if you have anything to add I would love to hear about your summer flowers.
Carrie

the "sun flu" has started in the yard. :) lawn looks awful. rose bush leaves are browning out. petunias/lobelias in planter...looks like their season is over...need to replace it with vinca or something. Climbing rose cecile brunner was a multitrunk bottom part has pink flowers but the branch that climbed up 4 foot high has lot of flowers they are all white. Maybe they are 2 colors and not bleached out by 105 deg sun. Grape vine looks great but no fruit yet(thompson seedless...& fruitless), been 4 years or so since i planted it as bareroot. The birds will get the fruit anyways but like the grape vine looks. Orange jubilee/hibiscus are doing well.

I know this is an old thread, but it's my first summer back in AZ in 10 years and my first experience with a yard and trees.

Minneola- huge tree, lots of fruit. Looks nutrient deprived cuz it was- fertilized it this morning.

Small lemon/lime trees (not sure yet) have some fruit- they as well need fertilizer (taken care of)

Newly planted fig tree is wilted and turning away from the sun. I think it's trying to escape! At night and in the morning it looks nice though.

Apple tree looks good, but it's only been 2 days in a row of really bad heat. I'm going to give it a good soak tonight as the leaves look a little tired.

Newly planted Pomegranate is very small, but looks pretty content. Nice glossy leaves. (hopefully my citrus will look like that soon, now that they got some food!)

Sweet Basil, Chives, Thyme, Sage, Parsley and Heirloom Tomato are doing great! Planted them along a wall shaded most of the day by the Minneola.

Cilantro has bolted and is itty bitty. Wish I could find a way to prevent bolting.

Sage is also being eaten by Caterpillars or something.

Strawberries dies 2 weeks ago.

Roses... well, the bush looks healthy, but the blooms are pathetic- then again I think I cut it in the wrong place recently because it has been giving me weird colored flowers ever since a little trim- I probably need to learn what that is all about.

Hibiscus... Poor little thing.

Someone mentioned Armenian Cucumbers. I have a bunch of them too, although I got them started late. I have just now started to see a couple of little cucumbers on them. They love it warm, but mine can't handle all day direct sun. Mine are on the east side of the house so they get shade all afternoon. If you have more than one and if they're flowering and you haven't killed off all the bees with poisons, have patience, they can still fruit. I suspect you might find fruit on them already. They like to climb up pretty high on trellises.

greendesert:
How do you eat your armenian cukes?
I have a recipe that makes them into what is closest described as bread and butter pickles, Easy, too.

I am watering like a fiend. Some plants were stressed, and I realized that I was not giving them enough water.

The heat is here! boooooo

The Flying Saucer squash is completely prostrate, not a bit of life left in it. Tomatoes for the most part look like refugees. Even the eggplant is wilting. Sunflowers are the only plants laughing at the heat - and I'm watering those, too. Did I mention how much I hate summer in Phoenix?

Dappled shade, seems to be a good answer. Trees and or shade structures. We use 40% shade over garden year round. Use a bigger plant to shade a smaller plant. Petunias, look wonderful from end of Sept thru first of June, still have some blooming beautifully on my covered patio. Plants that you would plant for summer elsewhere seem to do best here in the winter. It's just a learning process I think. I like desert willows myself, pretty bloom, nice dappled shade, and I use them as passive solar for house, sun in winter, shade in summer..and mini pergolas here and there, summer vines, etc..don't give up..

Does anyone else think it strange that the 'summer' veggies, e.g., squash, cukes, are dying while the 'winter' chard is continuing to produce and looks terrific?

I have four tomato plants under 30% shade cloth. The most prolific producer (that is, 3-4 tomatoes a week) is Early Girl. I think I've only gotten one fruit from Celebrity. My yellow pear tomato is a good giver and the Chocolate Cherry somewhat. My big tomato plants look pretty bad right now. It used to be I couldn't see through them, but somehow the leaves seem more sparse. I don't know why. I did kill a couple of hornworms.
My Armenian cucumber FINALLY gave me a lovely little cuke and we ate it right up raw-- it was really good. Another one looks like it will be ready soon. But I had hundreds of little flowers!! As for the zucchini, I am not holding out much hope. It did bloom several times, but the leaves tend to go yellow at times. It unfortunately does not get good coverage with the shade cloth, and that might be the reason.

Well I'm glad someone asked this! I live in sunlakes and I got all excited about what I could grow outside here when we got this house 3 yrs ago. I planted a variety of everything and then there was some typical tree landscaping already done. I have been told I have a green thumb and have been indoor and outdoor gardening since I was a child. I also have 3 bldgs in NYC where I have plants outside of them on the street in containers or along the trees in front of the bldgs. My roses are the talk of the neighb! Here howver it's been touch and go. I learned through hardship that some things are very hard to grow here. We lost 1 original queen palm and it seems that theyre not looking too healthy anywhere around here but the other 3 seem ok for now. My peach has taken a beating since planting it 2 yrs ago not much growth or leaf production. My 2 miniature pomegranate bloomed beautifully last spring but sometime in the past 2 months one has lost all of its main leaves and had to be cut back . My flowers that are planted on the east side of the house are doing well enough. My min. Roses are in full bloom my petunias are just about done but have reseeded since I planted them 3 yrs ago; snaps are the same. Poppies just went to seed as did my delphiniums and sunflowers. My biggest concern is my potato bush which bloomed nicely in spring but seems to be very frail now. It's been there for about a year or so. I d k what to do for it. The rose that is next to it had bloomed some during spring but then completely stopped doing anything at the end is spring. My crown of thorns and other various euphorbias are better than I hoped for and my grapefruit tree has a lot more yellow leaves than the 2 oranges but this happened last summer too(it's original to the house). My Meyer lemon is touch and go. It's never had new growth but had cont blooming until the summer hit and now I just d k. My other dwarf lime and lemon planted early last spring are ok but I know they'd be happier if summer was not so hot. I have a drip system for most and it comes on for 15 mins every 3 days. For about the last 2 weeks I had turned it to 10 mins every 2 but I'm afraid of changing an already est system. Anyway, I wish I had a lot more time to invest in gardening but I enjoy what time I do have. Sorry, this was long.

My purple fountain grass looks well enough in response to a poster. I have 4 separate plants. 3 of them receive south/west/eastern sun so God bless them! I had originally planted the bush that blooms in spring here with the little red flowers all over it. Lost 3 the first summer. Put the 3 fountain grass and one grandfather cactus in their graves and so far....

Yeah it takes work but lots of "impossible" stuff can be grown here. Like someone said, its all depends on how much work you want to put into it. If you are the standard resident and want no work stick with oleanders and vinca I guess. Personally I cant stand the unorigionality of most landscaping in the town. Im willing to put work into making my ranch look like someone love it.

In this picture is 4 types of banana, a papaya, and sugar cane.

We have 2 types of persimmons, 2 types of apples, 3 types of peaches, nectarine, 2 types of apricot, 3 types of pears, orange, fig, 3 types of pommigranite, 4 types of mango, 3 types of cherries, 2 types of sapotes, 2 types of grapes......

Its not hard to grow in Arizona.

www.facebook.com/amadioranch

This is a heavily mulched market garden thats only watered once every 2 weeks with flood irrigation. Cantaloupe, watermelon, bunches of different types of squash, eggplant, cucumber, onions. All done in the heat right now.

www.facebook.com/amadioranch

Hi and welcome. It is possible to grow most of the things you like, just in opposite seasons from where you came from. My yard is vivid with petunias all fall, winter and spring,dying off when the real heat arrives. As Lazygardens suggested, shade is your best friend here, be creative; trees, tall shrubs, pergola's etc, shade cloth. And I have found, the more green I add to my garden, the cooler it seems to be and helps the other plants. Making our own microclimate. It works. I live in the low desert of Casa Grande, hot is taken to a new level here I think, lol. Use all the pretty desert plants here for summer color and add the others as you create a better (cooler) environment. Have a great time gardening.

This is a question for Sonotaps..I am from area in Calif where the Avocados grow like weeds and miss them so much, how do you take care of yours? and have you actually had any fruit? And of course, what kind do you grow? I know some things just won't do here, but would love to have a Avocado tree/s if possible..thanks for any help..

I am sorry but I am very doubtful as to whether everything will grow in all areas. I live not far from Casa grande and I would challenge anyone around here to try and grow a banana , papaya, or other tropical fruit with soft leaves. I certainly believe, and have seen them, grown in other areas of Phoenix. I definitely agree that you need to microclimatize and I also envy those who have full time to garden and no HOA guidelines!

I agree, not everything we want, will survive here. For various reasons. But..You can grow more, than you may have thought. I am retired, and there is no HOA. My goal has been to amend my environment to take the heat off during the summer. To cool my yard and plants and home. So far, the more shade I create; by tree or structure, the more survives and thrives and the more pleasant outside is during the summer. My husband shrink wraps my patio in the winter, lol, and hangs a heat lamp on a timer; instant greenhouse. Tomato's and peppers thrived and bloomed and set fruit very early. Right now, I have hung sheets along with the other shade cloth over my veggies, and I am picking peppers and cherry tomato's daily. Almost total shade and new blooms daily. I think summer shade, over everything, makes a huge difference for most things here. Even the desert plants, the ones that grow in full sun here, look lusher and happier under summer shade..Just my personal views. And yes, my backyard does resemble a Bedouin camp right now, lol, but the neighbors haven't complained and enjoy the baskets of produce we give them.

All the tropical stuff is LOVING the heat. Mexican papayas have grown at least another foot in the last 2 months...wish they would bloom, I think I might be lacking a male plant...I have a few in the greenhouse to move out. Passion fruit plant is overtaking everything, cut it back, it just decided to turn the corner and grow around the house (which is nice, it is covering some damaged bricks. Plumerias are growing like crazy..this is their 3rd summer. And, amidst all the cluttered plants, I have 2 12 foot shoots come up from my Buddha's Belly bamboo.

All of my mangoes are fruiting, Mallika, Glenn, Haden, Kent, manilla. Guava starting to fruit. Cherries are fruiting, longans almost ripe.