Not all baby bunnies are cute, especially when they eat a new Euonymus to the ground, or wipe out those pretty pansies and tulips! Jackrabbits are born with a full coat of hair and open eyes, and only spend one day in the nest before beginning to forage. Cottontails are less precocious but may spend their entire lives living and breeding in one suburban backyard. Rabbits gravitate toward their favorite plants throughout the growing season: devouring pansies and tulips in the spring, and snacking … [Read more...] about Identifying Plants Rabbits and Deer Dislike
Watters garden Center
Exploring Plants You Can Eat
Early spring brings a sense of rejuvenation, vitality and renewal; a revitalization that we gardeners see in our plants’ new leaves and blossoms. The season also generates activity in plants that produce edibles, especially those fruit trees that flourish in the higher elevations of Arizona. But there is more to fruit trees than just a bountiful harvest; they bring seasonal interchanges of colors and textures that provide fascinating diversity in our landscapes. Fruit bearers’ spring blooms … [Read more...] about Exploring Plants You Can Eat
Plants that Promote Better Sleep
There is no question that proper sleep hygiene is essential for optimal brain function. Perpetually debated is the precise number of hours we should sleep to feel our very best, a number that varies for mostly genetic reasons. Research has confirmed that there is an active correlative link between sleep impairment and subsequent decline in one’s mental and physical health. Humans who do not get sufficient restorative sleep suffer from a host of problems, including pronounced anxiety, chronic … [Read more...] about Plants that Promote Better Sleep
Plant the Best Fall-Colored Trees Now
Not all trees are created equal when it comes to autumn colors, and this is their season. Autumn is also the ideal planting window for trees and tall shrubs. Increased garden success is achieved when plants are showing their colors. The days are cool and the soil is warm, so plants start with a burst of new root growth. Most properties don’t have many trees. You can count on one hand the number of trees in the average landscape. Trees stand out in any landscape like anchors that bring … [Read more...] about Plant the Best Fall-Colored Trees Now
Creating Privacy with Head-High Hedges
Privacy and hedgerows are not top-of-mind until your neighbor dumps his leftover construction material for all to enjoy at the next backyard BBQ. My favorite is the super-sized motor home parked within feet of the property line that is now a chrome-covered albatross sitting between yards. We spend a lot of time outdoors in Arizona and a little privacy is essential. An unfortunate mistake so many homeowners make is planting a hedge that becomes massive within several years, overgrowing its … [Read more...] about Creating Privacy with Head-High Hedges
Planting the Hardiest Perennials in Local Gardens
Gardening may be one of America’s favorite hobbies, but it does have a downside. Imagine investing dozens of hours and hundreds of dollars redecorating your bedroom, only to have it crumble to ashes in less than a year! That is a good analogy to planting and nurturing a garden that withers away after one season. Fortunately, not all plants will go belly-up each fall/winter. By choosing those vigorous perennial plants that tolerate a wide range of growing conditions, you can be assured that your … [Read more...] about Planting the Hardiest Perennials in Local Gardens
Planting the Hardiest Perennials for Local Gardens
Gardening may be one of America's favorite hobbies, but it does have a downside. Imagine investing dozens of hours and hundreds of dollars redecorating your bedroom, only to have it crumble to ashes in less than a year! That is a good analogy to planting and nurturing a garden that withers away after one season. Fortunately, not all plants will go belly-up each fall/winter. By choosing those vigorous perennial plants that tolerate a wide range of growing conditions, you can be assured that your … [Read more...] about Planting the Hardiest Perennials for Local Gardens
Ladybug Release
The week between Earth Day and Arbor Day is really something special! April is the peak planting season for local gardens. To celebrate these important gardening holidays, Sunday, April 28, Watters Garden Center will host it's annual 'Great Ladybug Release' at 2 pm. Fun for gardeners of all ages, so bring the grandkids! Free for all to attend, with prizes for those that come in costumes Ladybugs will love. This event is an Instagram dream. Ladybugs are the best way to control aphids, scales, … [Read more...] about Ladybug Release
Eight Fragrant Shrubs for Mountain Gardens
What is the most fragrant plant? Which flower has the best smell? What is the most fragrant flower in the world? What is the most fragrant lavender? What is the most fragrant rose? Shrubs have many uses in the landscape, but gardeners who appreciate sweet-smelling plants will be especially drawn to the most fragrant of these shrubs. Whether cold-hardy or tropical, bushes in this group are valued for scenting the air and thereby diversifying the enjoyment of your yard. The blooms on many of … [Read more...] about Eight Fragrant Shrubs for Mountain Gardens
The Secret Garden: Using Plants as a Natural Screen
As the autumn colors drop the last of their leaves, the gardens can feel naked. Without strategically placed evergreens in the yard, it easily feels like prying eyes look right through your home. Not only does your privacy seem to disappear, but that neighbor’s debris pile can be witnessed through winter. The solution to both of these unwanted invasions of privacy is not rocket science. November is an ideal time to plant a wall of living trees to block the messy view and to create the privacy … [Read more...] about The Secret Garden: Using Plants as a Natural Screen