Hey Grant, that looks great. Thanks for your posts- I enjoy them. I need to learn more about the succulents and arid-land plants that you grow. Beauty takes many forms. And while so many of us gardeners labor for deep green lawns, tropicals and other humid area plants, another world of wonderful xeric plants exists. I recently came back to the valley after living in So. Cali for many years.

My problem is that I have a hunch I won't get the same satisfaction from the xeric as I do the lush. Did you have this issue once? I also don't want to be "defeated" by mother-nature in growing what I want here in the hot desert. I have so many favorite plants common in east and west coats that I can't give up on (hollies, camellias, gardenias, roses, viburnums, etc.) This post is sounding kind of philisophical, haha, but I'd be curious to know what you and others think! Thanks.

I can't understand the appeal of not going xeric, unless we're talking edibles.

GermanStar, I love the way you combine plants--that agave/cactus combination is just awesome. Keep the eye candy coming!

RichSD, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. I think as a gardener you should grow what makes you happy, so let us know what that is and how it works out. I fell in love with the area in the late 1990's and worked hard to move here in 2000 (and then got transferred back to Seattle in 2006 and I was miserable back there and quit the job to come back to the place I love). Anyway, I fell in love with the kooky cacti, succulents, palms, citrus and funky xeric leafy plants, so those are definitely what I tend to grow.

That being said, the pic with 'Hercules' is one of the more xeric areas of my little garden. I still grow a ton of fluffy, flowering plants in autumn, winter and spring (geraniums, petunias, lobelias, calendulas etc), and I can't go without at least a few pots of colorful vincas, coleus, and iresine in summer, so that adds a sweet-and-salty mix of leafy color with stern succulents/cacti.

There is a TON of leafy stuff that thrives here, and than can help make up for any of the plants you miss (plus growing in winter plants that cold winter folks grow in summer--I never thought I'd grow another lobelia when I first moved here, wrong, Wrong, WRONG, lol). All that being said, I DO tend to favor plants (leafy or no) that love it here. I'm a huge believer in the old saying "Grow what loves your climate, and people will think you're a great gardener.". That holds true in any climate and I stick with it.

I'm sure you're aware you've got an inherit conflict with not wanting to be defeated by mother nature, but then having must-have plants, many of which will not be happy here. Some will work with some pampering (gardenias in acidic soil in pots, roses do great here (with their peak in winter not summer), but some will really struggle. Still, it's worth a try if they're that important to you--who knows, maybe you'll find some secrets to keeping them happy, or you'll try something folks here haven't tried and it will be a success (I'm always so happy that Echium candicans has taken off and blooms and self sows all over my garden when everything I read said it would die the first summer). Experiment, have fun, and keep us posted.

I think my earliest challenge gardening here was I was SO ecstatic about some of the plants I COULD grow, that I based my gardens on those even though they survived here, but didn't thrive here. I trimmed those away and really started focusing on building a garden mostly made up of plants that LOVE it here, with some 10% or so of experimentation. It's worked out pretty well over all.

My garden is now mostly citrus (6 or 7 types), pomegranates (5 or 6 types), leafy low water plants (Echium, Leucophyllum, hop seed, hollyhocks, rosemary, several sages, and Confederate roses) with lots of cacti and succulents, and containers of leafy/flowering stuff (I've got a big bed of vincas right in the middle of the garden). Plus hundreds, and hundreds, of silly containers on the patio, lol.

This is a really fun discussion for sure. I know the month just started, but here's a link to my June 2013 garden photo album, feel free to look there, or go back one month to my May 2013 album to see what's doing well in my little garden.

And, just to continue the what looks good theme, here's a colorful talavera pot planted with some bloodleaf (Iresine) and vincas. These all do really well here all spring/summer/autumn especially in afternoon shade.

Happy gardening all!
Grant

Here is a link that might be useful: Pics so far from the garden June 2013

Wow, what great pics you guys! I have to say that I have gone through a lot of the same thought processes as Grant. I am originally from the CA bay area where you can grow just about anything, so it has taken me awhile to decide how to pick my battles- LOL.

My front yard is completely desert scape and my back yard is a rather strange and evolving mix of "Farmville" with a caged vegetable garden, citrus grove, fruit orchard and grape and rose-covered chicken yard mixed in amongst the native palo verdes and creosote bushes. Yep, I'm one of those organic "hippies".

I am in a very rural area in the far North Valley, so I have some particular challenges from frost and critters. All I can say is it's been a process of trial and error, but it's sure been a fun journey so far!

Here's a picture of my far back patio, where a palo verde shades an artichoke, a pomegranate and a Santa Rosa Plum while a couple of figs, a peach or two, and an apple tree hang out with the creosote. The cosmos and other flowers are for fun and to attract the bees, butterflies and hummers.

This is part of my Bee brush, I Love this plan it smells wonderful!!

That Bee Brush is gorgeous! I have Bee Balm, but I think I need to get some Bee Brush, too! Did you buy it at a local nursery or grow it from seed?

Harvested my soft and hard-neck garlic this morning, now I need to get busy hanging it to cure.

Great new pics and updates! Do you have the botanical name of that bee bush? I love the look of your garden! Greg to see.

Nice garlic harvest too. Thanks for posting it!

No new pics from me this week as I'm in Boulder, CO for work, wishing I had brought sweaters! Lovely, charming town though, with a lot of nice parks, gardens and public plantings.

Keep the pics and updates coming,
Grant missing the heat. Yes, really!

Grant, I am NOT missing the heat, and would happily trade ya right about now-LOL! I am glad that you like my eclectic mess of a garden.

The "other" name for Bee Brush (or Bush) is Aloysia Gratissima and I am having a heck of a time finding any for sale so calb_gardner, if you can point me in the right direction I'd sure appreciate it! I have decided that this plant would be a great solution for my East side fence. You know, the one that has the neighbor with all of the trailers and junk on the other side (sigh).

Here is a pic of my Bee Balm, which was purchased as a small 3" pot last year, did not flower at all, heard me threaten to yank it and has now snapped to attention.

Oh gosh!! AzgardenQueen I bought that plant At least seven years ago And I have a hard time remembering what I had for breakfast yesterday so the chances of me remembering where I got that plant.... I'm sorry but that's slim to none. Although I do remember it was hard to find and I had to call around to get it I live in the north west valley. I took a class called scented Garden At the botanical gardens and went out and purchased as many Of those plants that I Could find. Chaparral sage, Chocolate flowers, Rosemary, Arabian jasmine, Creosote bush and Evening Primrose.
I love the bee Bush But I don't know if it would work as a privacy screen It's pretty thin and airy I have included a photo of it so you can see How delicate it looks. Another option might be an Arizona Rosewood I will include a photograph of that in a following post(I don't know how to put more than one photograph in a post from my iPhone)

Arizona Rosewood (vauquelinia californica) it's an excellent 10x8 shrub. The flowers are not fragrant but the birds love the seeds.

Thanks for all of the great info and pics, calb! I did find a non-profit nursery in Tucson that says on their site they have the bee brush but it sounds like I'll have to call to make sure, and I am very intrigued by all of the other plants on your list, too.

I have some arabian jasmine on the covered porch (can't grow it anyplace else - tried and it froze never to return) and it smells so lovely right now...Am trying to figure your "handle" out - did you happen to attend UC Berkeley? If so, Go Bears!

Thanks for the comments everyone, esp. Grant. I will ponder your suggestions. I definitely grow way too many things that just tolerate, not thrive, in this climate. It's hard work too, but I have the best lawn on the block :)

By the way, does anyone grow the lavender star flower bush (grewia)? I used to see them all over so. cal., but not here. sunset lists it as hardy here.

Fun new updates all! Thanks for the eye candy, and for the botanical name of that bee brush. I love seeing the monarda/bee balm, the larger bee brush and good ol' Arizona rosewood (why am I not growing this? Hmmmm). Great stuff!

I'm back in the Valley as of last night and am happy to be here. I was getting chilled in Boulder, LOL. I love me some heat and it feels good to be back.

Here are a couple of things looking good today:

Huernnia procumbens, a fun easy succulent for partial shade. It's another plant pollinated by ants and carrion flies, although I can't detect any fouls scent from it (too bad, as I love stinkers). Sort of neat in its own way I think.

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The first blooms on a Zauschneria californica plant. These are awesome perennial plants that self-sow all over my garden and bloom from early summer through very late winter. They're amazingly low-water.

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Finally, "Arizona poinsettia" or "rainbow spurge", Euphorbia heterophylla, starting to color up nicely. These fun short-lived perennials self-sow around the garden and i welcome them wherever they're happy. If you don't like weeding don't release it in your garden, hah, as it DOES make a lot of babies (that are easily pulled).

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I've seen a lot of Grewia in the Valley, but haven't really looked for it since this past winter's nasty freeze. Any Grewia out there with updates on their plants??

Happy gardening all!
Grant

Hey Grant those are some great looking plants! I have a funny compost story this week. As I mentioned in an earlier post, we harvested the garlic this week from one of our two outside raised beds. When we planted the garlic, we had turned in some compost, which apparently included some watermelon seeds from last year's garden.

By the time we pulled the garlic, watermelons were coming up everywhere and they are now outta control, so I guess this is now the "watermelon bed". As you can see from the picture, it looks like we'll have watermelons this summer.

Just bought 2 more Papaya (Solo) plants at Lowes, 3 plants per pot. Get these! They do very very well in the extreme heat, put them in your hottest spot with radiant heat. I lost my other ones in the great freeze (they had fruit!). Also bought another Rajapura banana (2 in pot), these banana do very well in AZ, fast growing.

{{gwi:408721}}Plumeria are blooming, got about 20 blood oranges half way to ripe, rajapuri banana doing well, papaya growing like crazy! Loquat and guava are struggling in the heat! Same with the herbs and coffee...

Fun updates everyone! Queenie that's a nice looking watermelon plant (and fruit!), thanks for posting it. It's always fun to see what sprouts in/from our compost, LOL. Keep us posted! I've STILL never tried watermelon here!

Fun new plants, euqruob. Keep us posted on how they do for you. Do the papayas get killed every year by the cold, or just during below average years? Will they fruit their first year (aka is it worth replanting them if they get zorched in a freeze)? We'd love to see/hear more! Beautiful plumeria too. Some of my smallest dwarf types are just budding up, but my large ones don't have any buds yet, but it's early for mine. I want some blooms though, hah! Keep the eye candy coming all!

Just for fun I'm attaching a pic of my variegated super dwarf Ruellia brittonia plant. I grew it from seed although I'm annoyed that it itself never sets seed, grrr. I know they're easy to propagate from stem cuttings but I wanted it to self sow all over the garden. Maybe this year. :)

Happy gardening!
Grant

Hello Everyone,

Here's what's making me happy in the garden even though it was 112* yesterday!

An unknown datura grown from seed that just decided to completely take off in the heat.

My new divine plumeria, arrived lush and ready to bloom from Jungle Jim's.

And finally my new trumpet vine which has grown at least a foot in the month this picture was taken. A beautiful vine, even without flowers. Droops a little in the late afternoon sun, but perks right up as the evening arrives. I am definitely going to be adding another one of these someplace else!

Can anyone tell me how to upload multiple pictures from a mac?

Podranea Ricasoliana

The Podranea Ricasoliana today for comparison.

The Podranea Ricasoliana today for comparison.

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euqruob, I've been wanting to try growing papaya here. Any tips on growing it? What soil mixture do you have it planted in? I know they don't like too much water.

In the winter, did you try protecting them at all? If the freeze gets them, will they come back from their roots in spring time or do they completely die?

those AZ poinsettias look great (I never heard of them before), as does that datura. All of my seed grown african marigolds bit the dust recently, but my sweet alyssum are maintaining and even putting out flowers. Is it too late to start zinnias from seed? I have the new zahara series.

I threw out my petunias yesterday. My big chinese holly bush (Ilex cornuta) shows no heat stress (in shade)- first summer in Arizona, nor do my camellias. My moss rose looks great- I bought a good variety from Stokes Seeds- not disappointed at all. My crape myrtle bush/tree is blooming now (pic.) I wish other Phoenix area people would grow these trees. There are a few tricks to learn in culture, but they're beautiful plants. Rich

Hello nothing would grow in My yard before my beautiful Hibiscus Tree was planted on Mother's Day by My Son and is doing great I also have a Bird of Paradise that is doing well also

Loving all of the eye candy! What beautiful plants and richsd I love your crepe myrtle and I agree - more of those would make the world a prettier place!

Y'all have me wishing I could grow the more tender tropical stuff here but I am a bit too far North in the Valley for that. Yes, I was one of the people in the "outlying areas" that got 2+ inches of SNOW this Feb.! The citrus always make a comeback though, so at least we can do that.

I will just have to settle for my veggies and Grant, you seriously HAVE to try a watermelon or two. The "Sugar Baby" variety is one of the smaller ones and you can trellis 'em to conserve space. They are so sweet and we have them all summer long and into fall. Here's a pic of today's haul from the garden :)

Loving all of the eye candy! What beautiful plants and richsd I love your crepe myrtle and I agree - more of those would make the world a prettier place!

Y'all have me wishing I could grow the more tender tropical stuff here but I am a bit too far North in the Valley for that. Yes, I was one of the people in the "outlying areas" that got 2+ inches of SNOW this Feb.! The citrus always make a comeback though, so at least we can do that.

I will just have to settle for my veggies and Grant, you seriously HAVE to try a watermelon or two. The "Sugar Baby" variety is one of the smaller ones and you can trellis 'em to conserve space. They are so sweet and we have them all summer long and into fall. Here's a pic of today's haul from the garden :)

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Finally found some more Papaya (Solo) at Lowes, they only get a few each season, you must buy them when you see them. Problem is, there are 3 to a container, and splitting them is not easy, nor something you want to do (Papaya suffer when transplanted, but they usually recover). Also picked up a Rajapur banana (actually 2 equally sized ones in a big container. If you see papaya at Lowes, buy it, it is only 14 bucks, and they do incredibly well in full sun, as hot as it gets.

Tomatoes were going strong, although the heat is starting to get to them.

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Ace 55 VF, Black Prince, SunSugar, and Black Cherry:

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Plumerias are blooming, although this year out of 10 plants, I only have 3 with inflos. Not sure why. Singapore Pink planted in ground:

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JJ's "Premium Pink"

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Newest purchase from Lowe's last week:

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This post was edited by PhxLynne on Sat, Jun 15, 13 at 1:20

Richsd, I tried crepe myrtles here a few years ago and did not have much luck. I think the leaves were brown a lot, I assumed from alkaline soil and water.

I would love to try these again; can you give some tips on how to grow them here? Yours is very pretty!

I live in Tempe

Terrific new pics and updates everyone, keep them coming! I love seeing who is growing what! I too grow a lot of daturas and love that evening scent! So nice! Arizona poinsettias are super easy to grow, just be sure you want them as they self sow like crazy. If you want me to save you seed just send me a private email richsd and all (grant_in_arizona@yahoo.com).

Here's something looking good right now, a fun "primrose", Oenothera that self sowed in my garden two years ago. It's making several fun perky yellow blooms each day and should continue doing so for months. It's been in full, hot, hateful sun without automatic irrigation since it first appeared in spring 2012. I really like it. I know, I know, it's a weed in many climates, but I like it. I hope you do too!

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Here's 'Fireworks' gomphrena really hitting its stride now that the heat is here:

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And finally, something for my fellow succulent lovers, a mongrel Huernia plant making a nice, silly, otherworldly bloom.

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Happy gardening! Grant

Here is a link that might be useful: Pics from my garden June 2013

Jasper, re: tips to grow crape myrtle. I think you're spot on about why they're usually not successful here- alkalinity in soil and water.

Here's what I've done: instead of using drippers, I flood the whole root zone by hose about once a week. In spring, I spray the leaves w/ micronutrients several times, weeks apart. The only fertilizer I use on it is ammonium sulfate or once in a while MG soluble plant food. Try again!

I'm trying to find a nursery here that carries a big selection of them. So far, all I see is a tiny selection, if any.

Good tips, Rich, thanks for sharing them. I do see a few nice looking crape myrtles around town, so they can thrive if given the right care. Thanks for sharing your secrets!

Nothing fancy, but I DO love how durable this variegated Algerian ivy is. It just sits outside on the patio all year and gets watered when dry. So durable, and the variegation really lights up in the evening. It's a close relative of the popular English ivy, but is much more heat tolerant. Just be sure to give is summer shade, hah! Happy gardening all!

Grant

Wow, great pictures everyone! Grant, I love that Fireworks gomphrena, beautiful summer color! Here are the summer staples in my yard, orange Mexican Bird of Paradise, and red bouganvilla. Bright color that blooms for months, easy care.

The huge white vinca was kept in a shady spot of my patio for several years. It finally grew so large, I decided to prune half of it off, then transplanted it to the yard. White vincas will tolerate some shade and still bloom. The Madagascar palm was also kept in a pot for years, it outgrew the pot, and this year I decided to transplant it to the yard. Both plants are happy in their new location.

Love all of the cool pics! Everyone has such pretty flowers! Well, this bumpkin just has some grapes to share with the group today. This is my Red Flame Seedless grape, which is just turning a beautiful deep color that is going to attract every bird in a 20-mile radius. I actually planted it for my chickens on the side of their enclosure - they are just a tad spoiled.

So the race is on, my chickens vs. the finches, quails and curved-beaks. We will see who wins, but my money is on my hens.

Oh, I almost forgot - for those of you who, as the old song goes, "prefer cactus plants" - here is a stalk that one of my variegated agaves has thrown up. As you can see, it is listing over at a bit of an angle as is the whole plant. It won't last long after it blooms anyway, so I'm just letting it be.

Love the new pics. You know, I'm ashamed because I have no excuse for not growing figs or grapes. I know so many people in person and on our fun forum that have had great results for years. Great pics and information Queenie and all!

Here's something looking good this morning, a first bloom on our native passion flower, Passiflora foetida. It's got a ton of other flower buds too. I bought it as a tiny seedling at the last AZ Rare Fruit Growers sale (always worth going!) and now it's got three or four stems each over 7 feet long. Fun! This stem/branch is climbing up and over an orange tree. Anyway, I thought folks might enjoy it so here it is. The blooms aren't as large as some of the more tropical types, but our good ol' native species is immune to anything our climate can give it.

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My little covered patio is looking good these days too. Nothing fancy, but it's a nice space where I sit with hot coffee and the newspaper (paper or iPad version if the paper version is late) almost every day of the year, prior to doing some *quiet* early morning gardening chores.

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Happy gardening!
Grant

Here is a link that might be useful: Pics from my garden June 2013

I'm starting school this fall so I can't afford a lot of plants but I love the clearance cart at Lowes. I was able to get these nice looking coleus for $1 at the Lowes in Tempe.

Nice coleus and other foliage plants, CAST1, thanks for posting them. I do love coleus too. I always grow at least one big pot with 'Alabama Sunset' coleus. Keep us posted on how yours do for you long term. I see an ornamental perilla in there too. Fun!

Just for fun, here's a quick-pic I took this morning of just some of the dozen or so gulf fritillary butterflies where they hang out each night, in my big hedge of hopseed plants. The butterflies get active when the sun gets hot but early each morning they hang out just like this. Not a great pic but it gives you the idea. I love seeing them and need to remember their beauty each time I find a half-eaten passion flower leaf! Happy gardening all!

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Here is a link that might be useful: Pics from my little garden, June 2013

Grant, your patio looks beautiful and I loooove the butterflies! I have a Buddelia (butterfly bush) in a pot and have just planted some trumpet vines on some of the fences and the courtyard wall in hopes of keeping our nectar-loving friends amused. The passion flower is gorgeous, too. Just might have to get some of that!

Cast1, that is a lovely tropical look you have going there and way to go on the bargain plants. You should just see some of the half-dead sale-rack stuff I've durg home over the years and hubby rolls his eyes but with a little water and TLC - voila! You have a great-looking addition to the garden for pennies on the dollar.

Tomatoes still coming on strong (my, those Heatmasters from Bonnie Plants really DO set fruit over 95 degrees) so here is the latest basket from the veggie patch, which was promptly turned into some delicious salsa!

Great looking harvest, AZGardenQueen! Thanks for sharing it with us. Your green thumb is giving you such a great, bountiful garden. It's so fun to see the results!

Here's one plant looking good, but smelling awful, hah, on my patio this week. A Hoodia gordonii plant I've been growing for years. The blooms look like, and smell like, carrion, the attract pollinating ants and flies. I love the strange, otherworldly appearance of the blooms, and the truly evil smell just makes me laugh, like when someone says something is rotten but still ask you to smell it, hah! Tennis ball to show relative size.

Happy gardening!
Grant