| Arid Garden |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-609 |
|
|
|
advertisement
|
Q: I was inspired by the desert gardens I saw in Mexico. How can I re-create them in my backyard? A: (Walter Reeves, DIY horticulturist) With the right features in your yard, you can create an arid garden, even in northern climates. Here are some suggestions for techniques to use and plants to select. - One good site for an arid or "desert" garden is adjacent to a concrete wall -- and ideally in a bed between a wall and driveway or patio (figure A). The wall and driveway create a "hot spot," and the garden can take advantage of the dryness and heat resulting from proximity to the concrete surfaces.
- Unless you already live in an arid part of the country, chances are good that the soil where you'll be planting will be predominantly loamy, clay soil, rather than sand or gravel. There are plants native to arid regions, however, that can thrive in that type of soil.
- Purple loosestrife (figure B) is one colorful plant that grows well in dry soil. However, because it is an invasive plant, loosestrife is illegal to plant in some areas of the country. A similar plant that is not invasive is butterfly bush, which makes a suitable substitute for loosestrife.
- Spurge plant has attractive green foliage and a purple stem (figure C), and is very heat-tolerant.
- Lavender plants (figure D) have an attractive bloom and pleasant scent. Lavender won't survive very cold winters, so in northern climates it will need to be replanted every year.
- Scabiosa is a newly popular perennial, and it's colorful blooms (figure E) are particularly attractive to butterflies.
- Tip: With many of these flowering plants, "deadheading" -- i.e., clipping off some of the older blooms -- will encourage new growth and more blooms.
- Agave is a classic plant in desert gardens (figure F). Under the right conditions, this attractive succulent can bear a flower spike that may be as much as 12 feet tall.
- Another popular succulent is sedum. This "hen and chicks" plant is one of the most common succulents used in arid gardens (figure G).
- Monarda -- or bee balm (figure H) -- is another heat-tolerant plant with an attractive bloom.
- Little blue-stem is a drought-tolerant grassy plant that's well suited for the desert garden.
- Kalanchoe has succulent leaves and large masses of flowers (figure I).
- Gazinia (figure J) is another flowering plant that thrives well in dry conditions.
- Plant these plants in loosened soil to allow for ample root-growth.
- Finally, to give the garden a desert look, use gravel mulch to cover the surfaces around the plants. Pea-gravel, thick sand or crushed rock are all materials that you might consider using to provide the look of arid topography in your garden (figure K). Using a gravel mulch, and taking advantage of the heat and dryness created by concrete surfaces, creates a "microclimate" that mimics the climate of the American Southwest.
RESOURCES :
Behind Adobe Walls: The Hidden Homes and Gardens of Sante Fe and Taos
Model: 0811811646
Author: Lisl Dennis
June 1997
Chronicle Publishing Company
Website: www.chroniclebooks.com
Taylor's 50 Best Perennials for Sun: Easy Plants for More Beautiful Gardens
Model: 0395873304
| 
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
