Arizona Color - Who knew!!

There’s color all through nature. You just need to be a little more creative about getting it in such a dry climate.

Purple bushes look like a large sage of some kind.

The only thing I disagree with in the pictures is that nice green lawn. It’s just not natural to the area and the irrigation needed is absurd.

Third and forth seem like a lantana to me, which would do well in the area.

-- Planting Daylilies in Kentucky, zone 6b

Very nice plants GramT.I think it would be awesome to grow giant cactus.Do they have them there?At least you will be able to find colour for your new gardens when you move. :-)

-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more

Bon … Yes they do and some are protected by the State as they are hundreds of years old. I heard (not sure if it is true) that each arm on a Cactus represents 100 years. I kept trying to get photos as we were on the road, but everything came out blurry.

And yes, I can have a colorful garden out there … that was my biggest fear with this move. I have already begun reading about different plants out there. I can grow quite a bit if I strategically place them around the house. I think it will be fun trying this … hmmmm, just remind me that I said this when we finally get out there and I am complaining – hahahaha!!!!

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

Scott, I am in TOTAL agreement with you about grass out there … WHY!!! And honestly, who wants to be mowing it in 115 (F) heat!! Now I do know they use a different type of grass out there, very slow growing and uses very little water … but still ... why???? That pic was taken in Phoenix proper. I had not seen grass growing in yards until we pulled into that area. Surprised the heck out of me.

Sage huh … thanks for the hint … that is one of my favorite bushes that I saw. And also the Boganvia (sp???) vines are gorgeous!!!! Didn’t get pics of them … That orange flowered bush gets quite beautiful. This one was still young …

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

Bougainvillea

Seem to be alot of different colors. Very pretty.

If you’re looking for ideas for plants when you do move, this site has a really nice search that can help.

http://www.bluestoneperennials.com

I did a search for zone 9 (that the right zone?) and ticked “Plants that tolerate a Hot Dry site” and it pulled up some really nice plants.

This may be the purple plant, or at least close to it.

http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/b/bp/PEATS.html

-- Planting Daylilies in Kentucky, zone 6b

OHHHHHH, THANK YOU Scott!!! You are a real sweetheart! Added it to my “favorite” listing on my computer.

I found a good site too. Full of great pics and descriptions on Xeric and Very Xeric plants. Even ordered the catalog so I could just sit and read through it.

http://www.highcountrygardens.com/about/

Yes, I believe we will be in zone 9, when the time comes. This site that I listed above really gave me hope that I could have a beautiful garden and container areas, if I planned correctly and expanded my visions. Learned that there is a lot more variety available to grow out there then I had originally thought. So very excited about that. It will be quite a change (duh) from what I am used to, but I like a good challenge and love to learn about new plants and try to grow them. Heck that is how I began gardening back 34 years ago now. Funny how I am making a circle ... back to the beginning, with learning about the soil, watering (or lack there of), all the different plants, sun/possible afternoon shading of the house … all that stuff.

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

My pleasure, Gram.. Here are a few others.

http://www.gardeninginarizona.com/
http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/index.html
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/azgard/ (down for the moment)
http://www.azgardenclub.org/

So when are you going to list one of your homes? ;)

-- Planting Daylilies in Kentucky, zone 6b

very cool… or hot.. haha
My brother and his wife are in Arizona.
Rick said we could go visit as long as he can go fishing haha :)

Beautiful colours!
I’m glad you have found the gardening inspiration for your next home.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

There are some beautiful cactus to bloom there. We spent quite a bit of time in a local nursery there as well, marvelling at all the gorgeous plants that will grow there, but we can’t keep here.

Surprisingly enough though, both of us suffered from allergies there. We both are sensitive to allergies even here, but there were pollens and mold there that we were not used to.

-- jroot

I was not a Cactus lover at all … but after several visits, I have found a few that I wouldn’t mind growing (or trying to grow – haha!!).

Scott …yah, the home selling has begun … AND, those are AWESOME sites you listed. Added them to my “favorites” listings. Be a great help once we get out there, and of course now to continue reading and learning. THANK YOU so much!!!!

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

I was wondering if that purple plant was indeed PEROVSKIA Atriplicifolia : RUSSIAN SAGE. I have it in my garden as it is hardy to this area, zone 5. It likes the sun. Some people have it growing up to 5 feet tall.

-- jroot

Well it could very well be that Russian Sage. Next time we head West I’ll have to get a close up shot of the bushes. All I know is when we finally get out there, I want a few of these bushes in our yard because they were just beautiful blooming in those surroundings.

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

It looks like luecophylum “Texas Sage” for the first one… it’s hard to tell. The last one looks like Tecomaria orange jubliee

The botanical name for purple sage is Salvia. These are evergreen desert shrubs that flower several times throughout the year. There are three very common forms of purple sage that you’ll see in the Phoenix area.
1. The green cloud variety of the purple sage has very green leaves and very bright purple flowers.
2. The Texas sage variety of the purple sage has green leaves and a lighter purple flower.
3. The thundercloud purple sage has silvery-green leaves with purple flowers, and has a spikier appearance.

I believe the bush I saw is the “Green Cloud” Variety. The Texas Sage has a lighter purple flower than the bushes I saw.

THANK YOU Lulugardengirl, your suggestion lead to a wonderful page full of pics that described all three of the Purple Sages. And yes, the last one is the Orange Jubilee. Again, thanks!! :-)

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

Wow GramT I had no idea it took so long to grow a giant cactus.No wonder everyone doesn’t have them on their front lawns.(lol)

-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more

I didn’t either Bon … nothing like planting a garden for your grandchildren or great grandchildren!! LOL!!!!!

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

The only trouble with that GramT is that familys don’t stay in the same house for generations anymore.

-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more

Along time ago we lived in Kamloops, B.C., and we had “tumbleweeds” that were 3’-4’ tall rolling through the towns in late summer: wild sage bushes that were pulled of the dry soil by the wind. It gets very hot in the summer, the area around there is “desert” like by July and the hills surrounding the towns get kind of brown for lack of water.
Did you see or hear about them while you were in Arizona?

-- Eklectic, Follow my Bliss, South East Ontario 5a

Sounds like an old time western movie “E”!! I know there are tumbleweeds out there, see them driving on the freeways, but none were that big. And last year when I was out there (mid-June through midAugust) the wind always seems to be blowing. Granted the air was hot, but the breeze did help a bit with that.

I imagine you could see tumbleweeds that big if you lived out a bit from the bigger cities/communities. It is a different world out there, that is for sure.

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

Beautiful country, in a different form than we are used to, here in the central / eastern part of the continent.

We did see tumbleweeds there also, and magnificent cactus, and so many differing forms of cactus. There are nurseries which specialize in nothing but cactus. We didn’t see great tumbleweeds crossing the highway though.

What surprised me was the particles in the air, – some of it dust, and some of it pollen. Pollen which my wife and I were not used to.

-- jroot

Yes, jroot, magnificient Cactus indeed … so many types, colors, sizes. I had no idea. My daughter has a Cactus Nursery/Farm across the street from her lovely neighborhood. And I loved driving past it and seeing all the varieties. However, it is where all the wild critters live which made me very nervous about really checking it out in depth. But down the road, a bit further, was a guy who did magnificient iron work. He made the most beautiful yard/house items … and even “life size” animals. I really want to seriously revisit him once we move down there. Would love to purchase a few of his items, especially the gates … magnificient.

Funny you mention pollen … my daughter was developing allergies right before they moved; we found out she is now allergic to quite a bit “outside” here in Michigan. Fortunately she has found great relief in Arizona. Guess it truly just depends on what your allergies are as to how you will react in the different parts of the country.

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

Eklecitc…....I too remember the tumbleweed.When we were kids the farms in this area had quite a few.On a good windy day in the fall they would all go tumbling down the roads and across the fields.We used to love to watch them.Thanks for the memories.

-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more

I am very happy for your daughter to have found a place that gives her relief. As you say, different strokes for different folks. My wife and I cannot live there, mainly because of the allergies.

-- jroot

It is sad that pollen interfers with our lives to that extent isn’t it. I too am thankful our daughter has gotten relief out there cuz she sure would have been miserable here. Good move for her healthwise.

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b