Plants for Fall Color

Plants for Fall Color

by | Aug 31, 2026 | Fall, Home Page, Planting, Xeriscape

Fall blooming plants and changing leaves can be just as exciting as the bright colors of spring and summer flowers. Fall is also an excellent time for planting: Temperatures begin dropping, making it easier for young plants to become established, and the cooler weather creates a more enjoyable time for gardeners to work outside.

 

Here are five great flowering options that offer a range of colors:

You don’t have to choose between blooms and red leaf color. Dwarf plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides) is a groundcover with bright blue summer and fall blossoms, spectacular red leaf color in late fall, interesting seedheads and excellent shade tolerance.

 

Many ornamental grasses have interesting seed heads in fall bringing soft colors and beautiful texture to autumn landscapes.

  • The many species of muhly grasses (Muhlenbergia spp.) are especially easy to grow and have lovely seed heads. You really can’t go wrong with a muhly grass: They are tough and add amazing texture and contrast to any landscape.
  • Pink muhly (M. capillaris) tolerates heat and drought and is covered in mounds of stunning delicate pink seed heads in fall.
  • Autumn glow muhly (M. lindheimeri) is a larger grass with spikes of tan flowers in fall.
  • Bull grass (M. emersleyi) and deer grass (M. rigens) are medium sized ornamental grasses with spikes of white or light tan flowers.
  • The blades of little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), a locally native grass, turn a beautiful copper color in fall.

 

If you’re looking for classic autumn leaf color, several deciduous trees and shrubs offer reliably impressive fall color.

  • Many oak trees do well in Albuquerque, including bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa), Texas red oak (Quercus buckleyi) and Chisos red oak (Quercus gravesii). Oak trees also provide excellent habitat for birds and butterflies; in fact, the caterpillars of many butterflies rely on oak trees.
  • Red push pistache (Pistacia × ‘Red Push’) is a hybrid tree selected for its almost neon fall color. You can also plant standard Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis), which is a bit more cold hardy, though fall color can vary greatly from tree to tree. Visit a nursery in fall, when pistache leaves are turning color, to see the color of a particular tree before selecting one to bring home.
  • Three leaf sumac (Rhus trilobata) is a medium to large sized shrub. It is locally native, grows in all soil types and does well in sun or shade. In fall, its leaves turn beautiful shades of yellow, orange and red. Autumn amber sumac is a groundcover cultivar of three leaf sumac and rarely grows taller than six inches and spreads up to ten feet. Gro low sumac (Rhus aromatica ‘Gro Low’) is a Midwestern sumac that grows up to 3 feet tall and spreads up to 6 feet wide. Like three leaf sumac, its leaves turn fiery shades in fall.

 

And don’t forget an evergreen backdrop for all this fall color. The warm oranges and reds of sumacs, buckwheat, oaks and little bluestem are especially striking when paired with the silvery blue gray plants that do so well in Albuquerque, such as agave, artemisia, chamisa and Rocky Mountain juniper.

Selecting a mix of colorful blossoms, autumn leaf color, soft textures and contrasting blues and grays for your garden this fall will make your landscape a highlight of the season.

 

Learn More Here:

Ornamental Grasses and How and When to Use Them

New and Underutilized Plants for 2026

Climate Ready Landscapes!

Author: Tess Houle, ASLA Landscape Architect with Pland Collaborative. Photos by Wes Brittenham, and Tess Houle Have a question about the article or anything else? AskAnExpert@abcwua.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Choose Vines for Fast Shade, Living Screens and Pollinator Habitat.

Choose Vines for Fast Shade, Living Screens and Pollinator Habitat.

by | Aug 31, 2026 | Home Page, Outdoor Living, Pollinators and Wildlife, Vines, Winter, Xeriscape

We recently spoke with Judith Phillips, a local garden writer and landscape designer, about why vines are so useful in Southwest landscapes and how homeowners can use them successfully.

Vines can feel intimidating because many grow quickly and can become large or unruly. But Phillips points out that they solve landscape challenges where other plant types may not work. Vines create fast shade, screen narrow spaces, add winter interest and provide food and habitat for pollinators.

Below are suggestions of vine species for each of these four landscape scenarios.

 

CREATE FAST SHADE

When you don’t have the time or space needed to grow shade trees, but you can’t live comfortably outdoors in the blistering sun, building an arbor and planting a vine to provide a cool leafy canopy may be the solution.

Phillips notes that vines can create shade faster than a tree. Once established, many vines, such as grapes, can have individual canes that grow as much as 10 feet a year, allowing them to quickly climb up and over a pergola or other structure. Because many vines are naturally riparian, an established large woody vine may use about as much water as a medium-sized tree. Their fast growth also means they require regular guidance and pruning, but the reward is a comfortable, inviting outdoor space.

Open lattice ramadas, arbors and pergolas all work well for vines. Wood is commonly used for structures because it is simple and easy to build with, but in Albuquerque’s climate, steel is often ideal because it is strong, long-lasting, low maintenance and resists UV damage.

Vines can be guided around structures, fences and trellises by gently weaving stems or attaching them with twist ties, string or twine through chain-link fencing or welded wire mesh, sometimes called “hog panel.” Remove ties once the vine has grown into place.

Lady Banks’ rose growing on pergola providing shade to seating area.

 

Some great species to create shade on an arbor are Lady Banks’ rose, wisteria and canyon grapevine.

Lady Banks’ rose (Rosa banksiae): Rarely do you find a plant that is fast growing, evergreen and long-lived. Lady Banks’ rose is all those things, and it produces a beautiful if brief show of flowers in spring. And it uses surprisingly little water and grows well in sun or shade. This plant becomes quite large and, unlike most roses, blooms on old wood. If it grows too large, guide it around the structure or prune away unwanted growth; it adapts well to heavy pruning. Lady Banks’ is thornless and has incredible show stopping spring blooms.

Lady Banks’ on metal trellis.

Lady Banks Rose blooming on chain link fence.

 

Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis): The pendulous, sweet-scented lavender flowers of this vine are some of the first to bloom in the spring. Bright green leaves follow shortly thereafter, filling the plant and creating lots of dappled shade below. Once the flowers fade, the leaves fill in to provide dense shade in the summer. Expect woody stems over time and train the vine strategically as it develops. Wisteria grows well in sun, shade and part shade.

Close up of Wisteria Trunk by Hunter Ten Broeck

Wisteria blooms hanging from a pergola.

Grapes, multiple varieties: New Mexico is one of the oldest grape growing regions in North America, with plants brought to the state by Spanish colonialists and planting records dating back to 1652. Grapes prefer consistent moisture during their first year of establishment and grow best in full sun. The vines are fast growing and long-lived. Beautiful bright leaves create dense shade, and the fruit is delicious Grapes are deciduous so be prepared for a sculptural woody vista throughout the winter months. Late winter, before the last frost, is the best time to train and prune them. Some varieties to try are Himrod, an early ripening seedless white table grape; Red Flame, a seedless red table grape; Canadice, a cold hardy seedless red table grape known for disease resistance; and the unique Flambeau, a seedless pink table grape with strawberry sweetness. Another the Canyon grape, has beautiful fall color and grapes are loved by wildlife.

Grape vine growing on trellis at a home in the North Valley of Albuquerque.

 

 

 

SCREEN NARROW SPACES

Narrow spaces, such as side yards, can be difficult to plant because shrubs may become too wide before they provide enough height to provide screening. Vines trained on a trellis against a wall can fill vertical space without overwhelming the walkway and adjacent space.

Sun exposure in these narrow spaces affects which vines will do the best, explains Phillips. The west and south facing sides of the property receive the hottest afternoon sun, while the north facing side is typically cooler because of the shade, and the east facing side receives morning light.

Lady Banks’ rose growing on metal trellis attached to block wall on side of the house.

 

For southern and western exposures, Phillips suggests using passionflower vine and silver lace vine.

Passionflower vine (Passiflora caerulea): Stunning dark blue and ivory flowers appear in the summer flocked with butterflies. This vine grows well in heat but will freeze to the ground in winter. It will regrow from root-sprouts in the spring and climb again using tendrils.

A single Bluecrown Passiflora flower, also known as Passilfora Caerulea, an evergreen tendril climbing vine.

 

Silver lace vine (Fallopia baldschuanica): This is one of the most xeric and heat tolerant of the vines as well as a good pollinator that can smell like lilacs when blooming. Because it can become a tangle of spaghetti-like twigs, Phillips recommends cutting it to the ground every few years so that it will return with great exuberance in the spring.

Silverlace vine in bloom.

 

 

For shadier locations, she recommends using Carolina jessamine and Algerian ivy.

Carolina Jessamine (Glesemium sempervirens): This vine performs best in shade. It is not particular about soil and produces beautiful yellow flowers in early spring while retaining winter color. Note that it is toxic to humans, pets and livestock if ingested, even in small amounts. Prune one fourth of the vine’s mass every three years to keep it from getting too woody and to encourage vigorous plant growth.

Carolina Jessamine

Carolina jessamine (from internet, not great)

 

Algerian ivy (Hedera canariensis): This ivy climbs walls with clasping roots and provides evergreen color. It does best on north or northeast facing walls. Its large, bright green leaves resemble English ivy. The needlepoint dwarf variety is a smaller option that also performs well.

Ivy climbing up the side of a home.

 

ADD WINTER INTERST

Many vines fade or freeze back in winter, but some continue to add structure, color or texture.  Phillips recommends Lady Banks’ rose and Algerian ivy for evergreen color along with wisteria for its sculptural woody branches.

Wisteria seed pods in winter.

 

Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides): This vine has dark green foliage, fragrant spring flowers and smooth stems. When trained onto a trellis, it forms a dense cover. It grows well in partial shade, is a medium water user and is adapted to a wide range of soils. The sweet, pinwheel-shaped white flowers produce nectar for pollinators.

Star jasmine growing on a fence.

 

 

 

PROVIDE FOOD AND HABITAT FOR POLLINATORS

Several vines already mentioned ­ — including wisteria, star jasmine, Carolina jessamine, silver lace vine and passionflower — support pollinators.

Wisteria blossom.

 

 

Climbing milkweed (Funastrum cynanchoides): This New Mexico native is one of Phillips new favorites. It dies back completely in winter but grows vigorously in spring, forming tangled curtains across fences, boulders and shrubs. It prefers heavier soils such as clay rather than

Climbing Milkweed, Funastrum cynanchoides var. hartwegii

 

Silkvine (Periploca graeca): This deciduous vine can grow three feet or more in a year and sports glossy dark green leaves and dark maroon spring flowers. It’s fast growing and loves to climb up ramadas, wire fencing and trellises. On a pergola, it provides dense shade in the summer then loses its leaves in winter, letting the sun penetrate through the sculptural coiled stems. It tolerates both clay and sandy soil. Brought here by the earliest colonizers from the Valencia region of Spain, it’s found along the historic stagecoach routes of the Camino de Real.

Silkvine flower by Hunter Ten Broeck

 

Western virgin’s bower (Clematis ligusticifolia): Also known as old man’s beard, this vine is fast growing where water is available and does well on north and east sides. Native to New Mexico, it can be found climbing over small trees and shrubs in the Jemez Mountains. Butterflies adore the fragrant white blooms, and attractive seed heads — one of the best parts of this plant — provide winter interest.

Clematis flower by Hunter Ten Broeck

 

Locally familiar trumpet vine and honeysuckle are not included here because Phillips is using them less often in home landscapes. Orange trumpet vine can root aggressively and become difficult to manage. Instead, Phillips has been using crossvine, a related species that she finds easier to live with and more evergreen, making it more attractive through winter. Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens), including the Major Wheeler variety, can be temperamental, especially when it experiences leaf loss during late, hot summer months. Even so, both trumpet vine and honeysuckle are established local favorites and can still find homes in the right locations.

Whether used for shade, screening, winter structure or pollinator support, vines can bring beauty and function to places where other plants may struggle. With the right species, sturdy support, thoughtful placement and regular training, they can become some of the most versatile and rewarding plants in a Southwestern garden.

 

 

 

Learn More Here:

Vines for New Mexico

How to Build a Trellis

Creating Living Shade with Vines

 

Interview with Judith Phillips, owner of Design Oasis and a landscape designer and garden writer with 30 years of experience designing arid-adapted and native gardens in the high desert. Have a question about the article or anything else? AskAnExpert@abcwua.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walk the Line: A mid-summer check of your irrigation system

Walk the Line: A mid-summer check of your irrigation system

by | Jul 31, 2026 | Do It Yourself (DIY), Maintenance, Summer, Water Conservation, Watering and Irrigation, Xeriscape

Up to 50% of outdoor water use is wasted due to lack of service. In just 15 minutes, a broken sprinkler could waste about 225 gallons of water.  To put that in perspective, that’s more than the daily water needs for 3 Albuquerque homes.

If that broken sprinkler is set to run in the middle of the night, it could easily go a full week unnoticed, which would end up wasting 1575 gallons of water. That’s as much water as most Albuquerque residents use over an entire month during the winter. What if your leak goes unnoticed until you receive your next water bill? There goes 6300 gallons. If you’re like many of our customers and don’t pay much attention to your water bill due to auto payments, that broken sprinkler could run for an entire irrigation season unnoticed, wasting over 50,000 gallons of water. This one broken sprinkler can waste more water than what it takes to supply a home for a year. Consider the amount of water wasted citywide by that broken sprinkler along with all the other broken sprinklers, leaky pipes, and poorly programmed systems, and you can understand why it’s important for all of us to promptly address water waste issues in our landscapes.

Make the time to “walk the line”. While your system is running, walk the perimeter of your property and check your system. Do this a minimum of once a month for sprinkler systems. If you have a drip system, check it more often as they’re more susceptible to damage.  If your system is over 20 years keep an eye on it as components are going to fail more frequently on older systems.

When you walk the line, it’s important to use all your senses, not just your eyes.  Pay attention to the feel of the surface you’re walking on. If you feel a squishy spot below your feet, you probably have a subsurface leak.  Also, listen, your brain is remarkably good at picking out sounds that are out of place, and can lead you to a leak.

 

Monthly Walk the Line Checks:

Leaks:

Sprinkler System Leaks: Quickly catching leaks will save plants and money. A broken sprinkler head is easy to identify.  Less easy to see and often overlooked is a cracked pop-up spray nozzle (see photo). It’s important to know how your sprinklers look when they’re distributing water as intended, so if one starts spraying water differently from the rest, notice it and inspect it more.

Leaks from sprinkler head and cracked nozzle.

 

The good news is that replacing sprinkler heads and nozzles is easy. All you have to do is unscrew the old one to remove it and then screw in the new one. Just remember to replace them with the exact same brand part and model. Putting in the wrong part can result in distributing the wrong amount of water on your turf. This will cause brown spots either from your grass dying because it’s not getting enough water or from fungus because it’s getting too much. Unfortunately, most homeowners’ responses to brown spots is to apply more water. But remember, symptoms of over and under watering can look similar.

Make your life easy and keep the correct spare parts for your system on hand.  If you’re uncertain, consider taking what you have to your local irrigation supply store for help with finding the right match.

When you purchase your new sprinkler parts, ask about high efficiency nozzles and pressure regulating spray bodies to upgrade your system.  We offer Irrigation Efficiency Rebates for this equipment. However, do not mix and match traditional spray sprinklers with newer high efficiency options, they do not deliver water at the same rate. So, if you replace one sprinkler with an upgrade, you need to also upgrade at least the rest of the sprinklers in that zone and then make sure you adjust your sprinkler run time for the new rate at which water is applied with efficient nozzles.

Drip System Leaks:

If you have a drip system we recommend that you walk the line more often. Drip systems are easy to install and maintain, but they’re also easily damaged. One of the more common problems we see is cracked or punctured polyline tubing.

This is an inexpensive and easy fix. A small hole can be patched by inserting a “goof plug”. And a larger hole or crack can be repaired with a repair coupling, just make a clean cut and connect the two pieces with the correct size coupling. It’s a good idea to always keep goof plugs and the right sized couplings on hand if you have a drip system. A tackle box can be useful for all the parts. After the repair, run the system and observe the zone running to make sure the repair was successful and that you don't have other leaks.

 

Another common issue with drip systems is missing emitters. This is also an easy and inexpensive fix. You just need to pop on a new emitter with a replacement that delivers water at the same rate as the old one.

If you are frequently loosing emitters it's highly likely that the pressure in your drip zone needs to be reduced.  Each drip valve should have a pressure reducer installed to match the pressure the parts were designed for (15-30psi). If yours doesn’t, consider installing one ASAP. Hold on to your receipt so you can apply for our irrigation efficiency rebate for pressure reduction within 90 days of the purchase or service.

 

Valve Assembly Leaks:

The picture of the left shows a valve box filled with water due to valve assembly leaks and the picture on the right shows a backflow preventer leaking due to an old or broken washer.

When you’re walking the line turn on the system then start at the valve assembly. This is where the whole irrigation system begins. It includes a valve (which is usually inside a valve box under a green or brown plastic cover) and a backflow preventer. The valve opens to turn on the water supply to the irrigation system and you should not see water in the valve box. Leaks often start gradually and they may not be immediately obvious so it’s a good idea to open the lid and look for water in the valve box when you’re doing your monthly system inspection. The valve assembly needs to include a backflow preventor. The backflow preventer is what prevents contaminated water from your landscape from siphoning back into your home’s water supply.

Valve box and backflow preventers.

 

If you are uncertain of whether or not you have a backflow preventer or you can’t locate your valves, you can always reach out to us through our “Ask an Expert” email us at AskAnExpert@abcwua.org

 

Other Water Leak Clues:

Even when your system isn’t running, there are clues you can look out for that can alert you to leaks and broken sprinklers. If you see ponds in your turf or in the street in front of your house, you might have leak.  Other clues to look out for are things like algae growing on the sidewalk, or popped off sprinkler heads lying in the grass.

Another great visible leak clue is sediment flow.  When water flows, it moves soil with it. So, if you see sediment around a sprinkler head like in the picture at right, or flowing across the sidewalk like in the top center, it’s a good sign that there is a leak below the surface.

 

Finally, one of the best clues you have is your water bill.  If you notice an unusual jump in your bill, it’s a good idea to check your irrigation system for leaks. There is also a free online water use tracking tool we offer called HomeConnect, which allows users to view nearly real time data on their water use. With HomeConnect, you can view your water use down to the hour which allows you to familiarize yourself with your daily water use patterns so you can catch abnormal usage before it drives up your water bill. Set your water use thresholds so you can get alerts via email or text if your use goes above a set limit, this can also help avoid property damage at a rental or if you’re out of town.

 

Sprinkler Aim: Check for Efficient Alignment, Proper Throw, Consistency

 

When you’re walking the line on your sprinkler system, check that your heads are spraying water onto the grass not pavement or other areas that don't need water.  If you see overspray, you can usually fix it pretty easily by adjusting the throw radius.  How you do this will depend on the type and brand of sprinkler you have. Some sprinkler nozzles require a special adjustment tool, so if you need one, make sure you have it handy when you walk the line.

 

Now with some grass it’s impossible to avoid overspray, like narrow strips next to pavement like you see here. These are fantastic opportunities for a Desert Friendly Xeriscape Conversion. This rebate gives customers $3 per square foot for transforming their unwanted or inefficient grass to a healthier xeriscape that contains plants, trees, mulch and drip irrigation.

Another important aspect of checking your aim is looking for overflow. If you see water seeping off the grass, that tells you that the water isn’t soaking into the soil anymore, and no more water should be applied. This can usually be fixed by cutting back the time on your irrigation controller. Now if your grass needs more water than what can be applied before it starts running off, you can program your controller to a “cycle and soak” pattern. To determine the run times run your sprinklers until you see water is about to overflow. Then turn the sprinklers off, let it soak in for about half an hour, and run it again to meet your turf irrigation requirements. This is an excellent practice to help your grass develop a healthy and more drought tolerant root system, and it ensures that all of the water you’re paying for is benefiting your grass instead of being wasted in the street (which can result in a fine). Report Water Waste

Another solution for overflow is to replace all your spray nozzles with high efficiency rotating sprinkler nozzles, which we offer a rebate for. These nozzles apply water at a slower rate than traditional nozzles, giving water time to infiltrate to the root zone.

 

You should also make sure your sprinklers haven’t sunk or tilted.  Take a close look and make sure that the outer radius of your sprinkler is throwing to the head of its neighbor what we call head to head coverage.  And make sure that all the sprinkler throw patterns look consistent. The even distribution of water on your turf will help you avoid brown spots and uneven growth.

 

It’s very difficult to grow turf on a hill, the top can receive 2x as much water as the bottom. High efficiency nozzles and cycle and soak can help but, you’ve got another excellent candidate for a Desert Friendly Xeriscape Conversion rebate.

 

 

 

Clogs:

Automatic valves, drip emitter, end cap, basket filter.

 

Clogs in the system can be another cause of water waste. When sediment and debris collect in your system, water doesn’t get to the plants. And what do we tend to do when we see the plants struggle? Turn up the run times. That’s not going to help your plants.

 

If you have a drip system, before you turn it on for your monthly check, take one minute and open the valve box cover, unscrew the filter, which you can see in the picture up top, and clear out any debris you find. If you don’t see a filter, it's a good idea to get one installed. Once you turn the system on, inspect your emitters to make sure water is flowing as it should and clear any clogs that you identify. On the green-topped emitter pictured on the bottom left, this is easily done by rotating the flag and removing it from the main body of the emitter, place your finger over the hole to flush it (if the system is running) and replace the flag. Other types of emitters need to be replaced if clogged. It’s also a good idea to flush your line during your monthly check, which is done by removing the end cap while the system is running. If you don’t have an end cap, they are super easy to install and we recommend installing one to make maintenance easier.

 

To identify clogs in a sprinkler system, look for sputtering sprinklers.  If you look closer and don’t see a cracked nozzle, you probably have a clogged filter basket. To fix this, simply turn off the system, unscrew the nozzle, pull out the basket filter and wash out the debris.

 

 

Controller:

Controller

Our monthly service tip is to click through your controller settings on your timer. With this you’re looking out for a couple of things.

 

First, make sure that your settings haven’t unexpectedly changed as power surges and weather events can disrupt your controller's programming. If you’ve installed a fresh backup battery at the start of the season, which we recommend, you shouldn’t have to worry about a power failure wiping out your programming.

 

Another issue we come across is mystery programming. Controller programming is often not intuitive and sometimes well-intentioned people accidentally program a system to run the same zone multiple times, which ends up wasting water. If you have questions about programming your controller, email AskAnExpert@abcwua.org.

 

Most importantly, check that your controller is set appropriately for the season. You should not be watering the same in October as you were in June. If you need guidance on watering schedules, check out our Water by the Season charts.

Now if making regular adjustments isn’t something you’d realistically do, you can purchase a Smart Controller which will figure it all out for you. These are wifi enabled devices that will calculate how much water your landscape needs based on local weather conditions and make the necessary adjustments for you. We've calculated that if everybody in our service area adjusted their sprinklers for the seasons we would easily meet our water conservation goals. We’ll give you 25% off up to $100 rebate back on your water bill for installing one.

Check out our Irrigation Efficiency Guide.

 

 

Best Practices and Common Mistakes:

A quick note about your mid-summer check. Make sure you’re adjusting for plant growth. If you have a drip system, move your emitters to the edge of the plant’s root ball, or drip line. You want to avoid the situation where the emitter is placing water directly onto the trunk of established trees and plants.

 

With sprinkler systems, maintain the vegetation so it doesn’t interfere with the streams of water. Trim back plants for sprinkler clearance. And when it comes to grass height if the grass is too tall it will block the sprinkler. If it’s too low, your grass doesn't shade its roots and can dry out quickly making it susceptible to drought stress. Aim for grass height between 3-4” Check vegetation around irrigation.

If you suspect you’ve got a problem with your irrigation system and you’d like help troubleshooting it, you can always contact us through “AskanExpert” and we can walk you through it or even come out to your property for an irrigation consultation. We want to help you save water and have a healthy landscape, so please don’t hesitate to reach out!

 

Learn More Here:

 

Irrigation 101 Tutorials

Improving Irrigation Efficiency Can Be Affordable

Drip Irrigation Maintenance Checklist

3 Steps to Landscape Success Webinar

 Irrigation Efficiency Guide

Residential Irrigation Rebates Page

Have a question about the article? Email us at AskanExpert@abcwua.org

Mountain Design Template for Fall

Mountain Design Template for Fall

by | Sep 30, 2025 | Blog, Design, Planting Tips, Xeriscape

All good things start with a solid plan. Developing a landscape plan saves you not only time and money but also makes it more likely you’ll end up with a beautiful yard. A few generous local landscape architects donated their time and put together some design templates for a typical front yard for our 505Outside subscribers. This month, we’re sharing a mountain-inspired landscape.

The example landscape template below is for a north or east facing yard and creates the effect of a Rocky Mountain forest while using heat and drought tolerant plants that grow well in town. Take a look and get inspired to recreate this in your own yard.

Shade Tree

Japanese Pagoda, Styphnolobium syn Sophora japonicum

Evergreen Tree

Blue Atlas Cedar, Cedrus atlantica

Rocky Mountain Juniper (female), Juniperus scopulorum

Deodar Cedar, Cedrus deodara

Small/Flowering Tree

Russian Hawthorn, Crateagus ambigua

Large Plant

Western Sand Cherry, Prunus besseyi

Littleleaf Mountain Mahogany, Cercocarpus ledifolius

Medium Plant

Three leaf sumac, Rhus trilobata

Leadplant, Amorpha canescens

Snowberry, Symphoricarpos albus

Small Plant

Common yarrow (millefolium)

Rocky Mountain penstemon

Blue Flax

Groundcovers (less than 2' tall, spreading more than 3'wide)

Panchito manzanita, Arctostaphylos x coloradensis 'Panchito'

Snow-in-summer, Cerastium tomentosum

Golden columbine, Aquilegia chrysantha

June grass, Koeleria macrantha

Vine

Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Clematis, Clematis ligusticifolia

Learn more here:

Lucious Landscape Design Template

High Desert Landscape Design Template

Desert Friendly Design Templates

Have a question about the article? AskAnExpert@abcwua.org

 

I’ve Xeriscaped My Yard, Now What?

I’ve Xeriscaped My Yard, Now What?

by | Jun 30, 2025 | Blog, Design, Maintenance, Water Conservation, Watering and Irrigation, Xeriscape

Your new xeric plants are in, and everything is looking good. What do you need to do to keep it that way? Start by looking at your irrigation controller. It may be programmed to apply water too frequently and/or for too long in order to get the plants started. If you hired a contractor, they may have set the controller to water every day because it’s easier than getting a call about a plant that doesn’t look great.

Many desert-friendly plants and trees evolved to survive on very little precipitation but also to make the most of abundant rainfall when it does happen. They’ll store the water in their roots or grow larger (and produce more seed for dry years) than they would with only adequate water. A xeriscaped yard doesn’t automatically “save” water — it is up to the homeowner to do the actual water saving by adjusting their irrigation controller. My dog would be “happier” if I fed her as much as she wanted, but it’s wasteful (among other things) to do so. Watering your desert-friendly plants too much may cause them to outgrow the space they were designed for, which might mean pruning them more than they need so they don’t grow against the house or over a path or outcompete other plants. Overwatering also creates lush, tender growth that is more attractive to pests and susceptible to frost damage.

A recent study in Arizona found that xeriscaped yards didn’t have reduced water usage because the homeowners applied the same amount of water as they would for a traditional yard with a lawn and non-natives.   

Here are steps you can take to make sure you’re watering correctly for your new landscape and keeping your plants healthy:

  • Reduce the number of emitters if needed: The best way to do this is by cutting off the drip emitter and installing a “goof” plug in the end of the ¼ inch tubing. This is preferable to trying to pull the ¼” coupler out from the larger line, which creates a larger hole that can’t be easily plugged.
  • Check your irrigation controller: You’ll want to keep the soil moist around the newly installed perennials, shrubs and trees for the first week, and that might mean watering every day if it’s above 90 degrees. After the first week, switch to watering every other day. Then on week three, switch to twice a week. Exceptions would be for cacti, which I would soak once when planting and then water once a week for the first month before tapering off to once or twice a month until established. (Perennials / grasses - 8-10 weeks, Shrubs - 1 year, Trees - 1-3 years.)
  • Check that drip emitters are working properly, especially if a plant looks wilted: Drip emitters often get clogged after a repair is made in the larger ½” or ¾” poly tubing. If you’re using “flag”-shaped emitters and one is not flowing, you’ll want to grasp the body of the emitter while you turn the top “flag” shape counterclockwise 90 degrees to allow the top to separate from the rest. You should do this while the zone is running so that you can see if any emitters aren’t working and so that the water pressure can clear the clog. Once you’ve twisted off the top, you should have a strong flowing stream of water coming out. Hold your finger over the water stream, forcing it into the drip outlet, which clears the clog. 

If you’re using “button”-shaped emitters and one is clogged, you’ll need to cut it off and replace it. Don’t try to pull it off the ¼” tubing, just cut it off and plug in a new one so that the barbed insert has fresh (not stretched out) tubing to fit into.

  • Keep up with plant growth: As your desert-friendly plants grow larger, you can move the emitters farther away from the base of the plant and add new ones if needed; larger plants require more water. There are several ways to do this. You can poke a new hole in the nearby larger poly tubing, insert a ¼” coupler, run an additional ¼” line to the plant and add an emitter. However, if the main poly line is more than a couple of feet away, install a ¼” “T” in the spaghetti tubing and go from there. It saves time and means fewer holes in the main poly line. Remember, when installing ¼” couplers into the main poly, always poke the hole in the side, not the top; that way if you step on them by accident, they won’t break off. Also, if your plants are on a slope, the emitter should be on the uphill side, so water flowing downhill will cover more of the root zone. Check that water wells are still in place and holding water around the plant.
  • Inspect your trees: Check the leaves for any insect damage and the underside of leaves for insect infestations. Also make sure the mulch or gravel isn’t covering up any of the tree trunk above the root flare, which traps moisture that can cause decay or rot. Particularly in fruit trees, this can also allow detrimental insects access to the trunk where they could bore into it.
  • Check the soil around the base of your plants: Often during initial watering, the soil will settle into the planting hole and can expose the root ball, which causes it to dry out quickly. If you observe or suspect this, kneel in front of the plants, move the mulch out of the way and scrape the surrounding soil back around the plant to cover up the root ball. Then replace the mulch and reposition the drip emitter as necessary.
  • Learn the common or scientific names of your plants: If you don’t have a list, plant tags or a detailed landscape plan, some newer smart phones have a plant identifier built into the camera app (no need to remember the app store password and download another app).  The closer you can get to the plant — showing leaves, branch shapes and flowers (if any) — the better the app will work. The phone (as we all know) can be wrong, but it will give you a place to start. Alternatively, send an email with photos to askanexpert@abcwua.org and we can help you identify

Once you know the plant names you can look them up in our xeriscape guide to reacquaint yourself with their water needs and mature sizes. Need help remembering the plant names? Often the plants themselves can tell you. Is it a catmint? Rub the leaves and smell the minty aroma. Turpentine bush? Lemony pine smell, for sure. Maybe it’s the shape of the leaves. Fernbush? Examine the leaves closely and see how they resemble an actual fern from a rainier climate.

Learn more here:

Easy Pollinator Gardening 

Xeriscape Conversions on the West Side that Use Wood Chip Mulch

DIY Xeriscape Conversions that Use Wood Chip Mulch

Author: Carl Christensen, Xeriscape Inspector. Have a question about the article? AskAnExpert@abcwua.org