Category: Outdoor Living

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Garden Centers attract a lot of birds and, believe me, we see a lot of them this time of year.  They don’t seem to mind all the human activity in our retail setting and…

You Can Have Your Own Personal Shopper!   Wonder why some gardens look so amazing? Well, that’s personal! The Personal Garden Shopper Service at Watters Garden Center Before talking with my Personal Garden Shopper, I had no idea which plants…

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Arizona’s famous for our outdoor lifestyle and the season has just begun.  This may surprise you, but we are also famous for the ease of which we have grown our own herbs, right outside,…

By Ken Lain, the mountain gardener This is the time to turn your garden soils, plan crop rotation, and dream while turning the pages of that new seed catalog.  The soil is so easy to work right now that adding…

By Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Many mountain homes have a side yard that is not only long and narrow, but treacherously steep.  A good landscape design for such a layout is difficult at best, but when done well, it…

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener The neighbors’ block party, clubhouse friends who flew in for Christmas, and that September garden party that was a time to remember.  All of these pleasant recollections were stimulated by the gardens and their…

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener As I noted in last week’s article, it has been 29 years since Lisa and I were married.  It was a joyful time for both of us, and our marriage has continued happily since.…

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Happy Anniversary to Lisa, the love of my life. It was July 25, 1987 that we said “I Do”. (“Old time” wedding photos will follow on the Watters Facebook and Instagram pages later in…

By  Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Find your gardens hardiness zone by Zip Code Gardeners have come to rely on USDA Hardiness Zone Maps to tell us what plants will survive locally. The USDA released updated Plant Hardiness Zone Maps…

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener This week’s garden photo is taken in Amsterdam at the entrance of the Van Gogh museum, commemorating the 125th anniversary of the Dutch master’s death.  Guests take cover from the rain as they walk…