Tag: Natives
How to Grow Prickly Pear Cactus
08/16/2023 Ken DavisBy Ken Lain, the mountain gardner Large, beautiful yellow flowers rest on the outer edges of spine-covered pads. The pads often turn a rich purple color in winter and return to a soft blue-gray through the growing season. An excellent…
Read MoreWhy January is the Best Month to Plant Wildflowers
01/26/2023 Ken Davisby Ken Lain, the mountain gardener On the Go Answer – Readers Digest-type Condensed Version of this Article Wildflowers are best planted in winter Most flowers prefer at least 6 six hours of sun per day Hydromulch – blend wildflower…
Read MoreHow to Grow Blanket Flower and Gaillardia
05/15/2020 Ken Davisby Ken Lain, the mountain gardener The perfect mountain perennial with huge fiery flowers on a compact plant. She loves the heat and super drought hardy. You can count on this bloomer to show off all summer long in raised…
Read MoreBest Ground Covers and 9 Places To Plant Them
12/20/2019 Ken Davisby Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Mountain landscapes are difficult for plants, especially if you want to keep them low maintenance. In an arid climate where rock lawns are the norm because growing conditions are challenging, ground- hugging plants are…
Read More40 Waterwise Plants and Natives by Flower Color
04/30/2016 Ken Davisby Ken Lain, the mountain gardener We’ve all seen dreary, low-water landscapes. Though well-intentioned, the only color is gray to gray-green, with plants that look brittle and bone-dry. But water-wise gardens can be vibrant, colorful, and yes, even lush-looking. Although…
Read MorePine Needles Bad for Our Gardens?
11/14/2015 Ken DavisBy Ken Lain, the mountain gardener If you live in a neighborhood where ponderosa pines grow freely, you know about too many pine needles. Pine trees drop lots of needles, especially those 50-foot giants! Gutter guards protect my rain gutters,…
Read MoreTop 10 Indestructible Plants, Go Ahead . . . I Dare You!
06/05/2015 Ken Davisby Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Every garden needs a few plants that can handle whatever abuse we throw their way. That’s not to say we should be needlessly tough on them, but let’s face it, there are places in…
Read MorePlants for Southwest Landscapes
04/25/2015 Ken DavisBy Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Gardeners new to our area often bring with them the plants they loved back home. Admittedly, we have such a mild climate that the variety of plants that do well for us is greater…
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