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…
Celebrating Albuquerque’s Champion Trees
From the leafy corridors along the Rio Grande to the resilient specimens lining our streets and parks, trees are much more than just scenery — they are essential to our health, happiness and sense of place. Residents and visitors alike have come to appreciate, love…
Great Natural Areas to Visit This Fall for Respite and Inspiration
In the heart of Albuquerque, the Rio Grande Bosque includes 4,300 acres of protected cottonwood gallery forest. It’s a great natural space to find inspiration for your own landscape. The bosque is just one of many beautiful open space areas in the greater Albuquerque…
Great Natural Areas to Visit This Spring for Respite and Inspiration
Natural areas and community gardens are great places to find inspiration for your landscape. We often look to neighbors’ yards, books, magazines or plant nurseries to get ideas, but those aren’t the only options. The greater Albuquerque area is home to beautiful open…
Great Natural Areas to Visit This Winter for Respite and Inspiration
Inspiration for your yard can come from a multitude of places — neighbors’ yards, books, magazines or visits to plant nurseries and botanic gardens — but it can also come from experiencing nature. The greater Albuquerque area is surrounded by beautiful open space…
Learn About the City of Albuquerque’s New Sustainability Office!
Have you wondered what the City of Albuquerque is doing to support sustainability? The Sustainability Office is leading the city government’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while growing our economy and protecting residents’ health. What does the…
Local Desert Friendly Landscapes Reveal
Congrats to the ten winners of our first annual Water Authority Desert Friendly Landscape Contest! Thank you for sharing your beautiful gardens with us. They will be an inspiration for others to make the switch to desert-friendly landscapes. A transformation from an…
Great Books to Read
Now that the weather is colder, curl up with a book and learn more about our global and local water resources. Here are a few of my favorites to get you started. If you’ve got a water book to recommend for future newsletters, please email me at kyuhas@abcwua.org For a…
Water harvesting for residential landscapes
505Outside sat down with local landscape contractor Hunter Ten Broeck, owner of WaterWise Landscapes Incorporated, to chat about Water Harvesting in Albuquerque. There are two categories of water harvesting techniques: passive water harvesting and active water…