Janet Fabio
Are you a snowbird who wants a worry-free yard when you’re away? Or maybe you travel frequently and you don’t want to spend time wondering if you’ll come home to dead plants because there was no rain while you were globe-trotting or because SaddleBrooke experienced a deep freeze while you were enjoying a tropical beach vacation. Choosing native plants can make the difference between a lot of maintenance or having a more care-free yard.
An even more compelling reason to choose native plants is this recent advice from Firewise: “Use fire-resistant desert plants like agave, ocotillo, and cacti. They retain moisture and resist ignition better than non-natives.” The recent SaddleBrooke Public Affairs Commission program on Water Wise Landscapes also advocated for the use of native plants to reduce water use and the need for fertilizers and pesticides. Using native plants in your yard also helps to support wildlife and attract pollinators.
Want to learn more about native plant options? The Southwest collection in the DesertView Library has a wealth of material for gardeners of all levels, from the avid gardener to those simply seeking a good-looking landscape with the least amount of work. The collection offers more than 50 books on gardening in the desert, plant identification and selection, landscaping ideas, pruning, and more.
The newest addition to the collection is The Southwest Native Plant Primer: 235 Plants for an Earth–Friendly Garden, co-authored by Jack Dash, Gardens Manager at Tohono Chul. This colorful guide includes wildflowers, grasses, vines, cacti, and trees. One interesting chart lists “Introduced Species and their Native Alternatives.” You might be surprised that some plants commonly found in SaddleBrooke are not native to this area. In addition to the plant profiles, the book provides practical landscaping tips.
Other books in the Southwest collection offer helpful information on low water use gardening and selecting cacti and succulents. Look for titles like Agaves: Living Sculptures for Landscapes and Containers or Cacti and Succulents Handbook. The Arizona Plant Lady, Noelle Johnson, has two recent books that are very helpful: The Water-Smart Garden and Dry Climate Gardening. Additional titles of interest include Landscaping with Native Plants of the Southwest, Native Plants for Southwestern Landscapes: Photos and Descriptions, The Colorful Dry Garden, and Xeriscape Plant Guide.
Established succulent plants can be very hardy, and they’re great for pots. Be inspired by a multitude of creative ideas in two books by award-winning gardening author Debra Lee Baldwin: Succulent Container Gardens and Designing with Succulents.
Stop by the DesertView Library to find books to help you transition to using more native plants, as well as for information on all aspects of gardening in the desert. The libraries are free to all SaddleBrooke residents. It’s quick and easy to register to borrow books when you stop in at either the DesertView Library or the SaddleBrooke One Library. The library website sblibraries.com provides an easy link to the online library catalog to reserve books of interest and to learn more about your SaddleBrooke Community Libraries.