Deane Alban 
Chocolate flower is an evergreen perennial that has fragrant yellow flowers that smell like chocolate. Here’s how to grow and care for this southwest native wildflower. Chocolate flower (Berlandiera lyrata) … Read more
Snail vine is a vigorous vine with charming, fragrant purple flowers that, unsurprisingly, are shaped like snails. Here’s how to plant and care for this Latin American native. Snail vine … Read more
You’ve probably heard that you should put rocks, gravel, or styrofoam peanuts in the bottom of your plant containers to improve drainage or act as filler. But this gardening myth … Read more
Mexican honeysuckle is a popular desert shrub with brilliant orange flowers that, unfortunately, often struggles to look its best. Here’s how to find the perfect “Goldilocks Zone” for this colorful … Read more
‘Leslie Roy’ is a fast-growing mesquite hybrid that offers several improvements over the two parent trees, including being thornless and producing very few seed pods. Here’s everything you need to … Read more
Clusters of vibrant pink flowers and bright green heart-shaped leaves make queen’s wreath vine a show-stopper, especially when in full bloom. Here’s how to plant and care for this Sonoran … Read more
There are a lot of DIY remedies for eliminating insect pests on plants, and one of the most common is spraying with a solution of dish washing liquid. Does dish … Read more
January is the second coldest month, but there are still plenty of things to be done in the desert garden. Here’s a look at what you can plant this month, … Read more
Brittlebush is an iconic desert shrub that’s practically foolproof, even in the most difficult spots in the garden, yet it’s rarely used as a landscape plant. Here’s everything you need … Read more
Totem pole cactus is a one-of-a-kind cactus that can make a real statement in your yard. Unlike other columnar cactus, it has lumps and knobs, but no thorns! Here’s how … Read more
Coral fountain is an aptly named cascading perennial that’s truly sensational when in full bloom. It looks straight out of the tropics, but does surprisingly well in the desert landscape. … Read more
Trailing lantana is an evergreen ground cover that’s blanketed with lavender flowers from spring through winter’s first freeze. In a mild winter, it will bloom nonstop all year. Here’s how … Read more