THE THREE Rs OF DESERT GARDENING

 I have been reading Jeff Moore's book. Under the Spell of Succulents. It is a wonderful book, beautifully illustrated and loaded with information.  There is only one problem. Many of the gardens are in California- In my eyes the perfect climate for growing, well____ just about everything. It seems I squandered my 6 years in Southern California growing the wrong thing! Sadly he devotes only two pages to desert gardens. Clearly he knows what will and what won't grow here.

I did learn two major things which seemed to be directed at my new adventure in desert gardening. His mantra of the 3 Rs. Rocks, Restraint and Repetition. Let's see how I am doing. 

Rocks-I had 9. I knew I wanted more, even before I read his book. We have now collected from a local source over 36 decent sized which I have been using to create a rock garden. It may look a little bit currant bun at the moment but I am hoping plants will fill in and soften the look. They are not rocks I would have chosen but this is what we have. The expense of having someone bring in and place larger ones was beyond what we wanted to spend. These broken chunks of granite tend to be rather angular but surely I can soften their edges with plantings. 

 

 I am also thinking of giving them a diluted paint wash to help them blend in. I did that with some limestone ledge stones at my old garden. Then there is the 4" riprack and 1" stone mulch. We rented a UHaul for that job picking up a load at the stone yard. So far two UHaul rentals and two dusty stone yard visits. 

 

Restraint- I have always been known for that. At least from the money angle. I would buy 4" pots and only occasional gallons. But I think Jeff was referring to using a small palette of plants. Maybe I'm not so good at that but hope to manage this better in the desert. The odd large agave may look great as a statement plant but smaller ones look better when they are in groups.

Repetition-I'm been good at repeating some things-namely things that seed themselves or pup. But that was in Austin. I have lots of pups of A.americana and A.weberii but I would like something more exciting. I purchased 3 Agave "Blue glow" of which there were several already planted. I do worry a little that they will not like the full afternoon sun so I will probably protect them with some shade cloth through the first summer. I had hunted around for A. ovatifolia to no avail and then one day we visited Tucson Cactus and Koi and they had several. Sadly they were pock-marked from a hail storm that had passed through the area a few weeks ago. I was just going to buy one but David persuaded me to buy 3 at the discounted price. They are quite small but I know they will grow out of the damage if I treat them well.

                                                    A. ovatifolia "Frosty Blue"

 I had plans to put the second one on the other side of the front planting bed, beneath the large remaining A.weberii. Incidentally when I told a local nursery that these weberii did not have completely smooth edges he told me that almost all of the ones here were a cross between americana and weberii. They could give you a nasty gouge. On the spur of the moment I told David we should take it out. Within minutes I had cut off most of the leaves and he was there to do the final job. Now there was room to plant the A.ovatifolia. 

Of course I read too late his advice about taking out any current planting so as not to have to work around the plants and compromise the design. On the front walkway I couldn't bring myself to do that as the barrel and echinoeereus cactus were about to bloom. They looked too comfortable to mess with. 

 

I worked around them trying to create a drainage swale and mounding on either side, disturbing the cactus as little as possible. He was right of course. He also talked about bringing in soil to create the mounds. We did not. We used what we had. It's just desert sand which is fine for most of the desert plants that grow around us.

 

My garden is now a desert garden and I am surrounded by saguaro and barrel cactus at every turn and discovering the desert is not necessarily the place for all cactus and succulents. Some will withstand the baking summer sun but others demand shade if they are going to survive. I brought with me a large collection of cactus and succulents and herein lies the struggle. Clay pots were perfect for Austin. Not so in the desert. The air is so dry it sucks any moisture out of the pot. I find myself watering more frequently than in Austin. In my former home I would leave them for 6 weeks in the summer, under the shelter of a patio. They quickly responded to a little attention when I came home although they may never have been prize winners, bearing the scars of winter and summer damage. But here they are and I have been doing my best to make them feel at home. Some have been put in the ground. I brought 3 barrel cactus one of which I picked up in a neighborhood concrete wash in a subdivision in Phoenix. At first I thought it was growing in a crack in the concrete but was surprised to find it totally unattached. "I have a home for you" I also brought some agave- A. demettiana, variegata. My neighbor has one so they found a new home in the ground. Also an A. demettiana 'Joe Hoak' I may have to give all some frost protection in winter. I have planted a ladyfinger cactus, Echinocereus pentalophus, in the shade of the ironwood tree. 

I have moved them from one spot to another as the sun moved across the sky finally settling on a place down the North side of the house.  Until I discover the sun has found its way to that spot by the afternoon. So now the only place is under cover along the east facing patio or in the house. 

Most have flowered well this spring but it might be a struggle to keep them happy if we go away.  This cactus asks for little in the way of water or fertilizer and puts on a stunning show of blooms. The blooms last for several days.

                                                 Echinicereus pentalophus

This is not going to be as easy as I thought!