Designing Shade the Right Way: Trees, Shade Sails and Pergolas for a Comfortable Yard
Designing Shade the Right Way: Trees, Shade Sails and Pergolas for a Comfortable Yard Creating shade in a landscape is about far more than escaping the summer heat. The right shade strategy can reduce energy costs, maximize moisture absorption of plants, improve…
Residential Landscape Design Trends for 2026
Local landscape architect Sara Zahm shares what she sees as trends coming to residential landscapes in Albuquerque. As we move into 2026, I’m seeing a meaningful shift in how homeowners are approaching their outdoor spaces. Many previously popular landscape…
Common Planting Design Mistakes
1. Too many different plants spread out like polka dots Often when homeowners begin to design their yard, they get excited by the variety of plants in our Xeriscape Guide. Similarly, going to a well-stocked nursery in the spring can be like going to a candy store —…
Mountain Design Template for Fall
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…
I’ve Xeriscaped My Yard, Now What?
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…
High Desert Landscape Design Template
All good things start with a solid plan. Developing a landscape plan saves you not only time and money, but it is more likely to result in a beautiful yard. A few generous local landscape architects donated their time and put together some landscape design templates…
Lucious Landscape Design Template
A lot goes into designing a landscape, hence there’s an entire profession called landscape architecture devoted to designing outdoor spaces. A few generous local landscape architects donated their time and put together some Landscape Design templates of a typical…
Xeriscape Conversions that use Wood Chip Mulch
Desert friendly xeriscapes are a great way to replace high-water-use turf grass with something beautiful, low-water-use and wildlife-friendly. Many Albuquerque area homeowners are taking their conversion projects a step further and choosing wood chip mulch over gravel…
A Valuable Bosque Understory Shrub: Clove Currants for the Birds, Bees, Butterflies and Foragers
When I mention black currants while talking fruit trees and shrubs with people in Albuquerque, I have come to expect that we are often starting the conversation thinking about different things. Most commonly, people have experienced or heard about the European black…
Food Forests, a Prehistoric Agroecosystem for your Backyard
Food forests and edible landscapes have been around for a very long time. They are what helped ancient humans survive and thrive. Hunter-gatherers likely did not expend precious energy by wandering aimlessly, hoping to find sustenance, but rather they were able to…