Recipe for a High Desert Meadow
Being someone so immersed in planting design in my daily life and someone who is so plainly in love with plants, both wild and cultivated, it can be difficult to narrow my focus and play favorites. I owe this relationship with plants unequivocally to my grandmother…
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…
Kaleidoscape: Vivid Blooms Create a Rainbow of Color
Color has a more dramatic impact in a garden if plants with strong flower colors are juxtaposed against one another. In this Kaleidoscape design by Judith Phillips, the blue-purple blooms of dwarf butterfly bush, desert sage, catmint, lavender and vitex are contrasted…
Loungescape: A Strikingly Beautiful and Low Maintenance Yard
A lot goes into creating a landscape plan, and it helps to have some expert help. Local landscape architect George Radnovich, FASLA, created this design for those opting for a low maintenance yard. You can follow his design right down to each individual plant or…
Hotscape: An Attractive Native Landscape that Loves Heat and Full Sun
A lot goes into creating a landscape plan, and it helps to have some expert help. Landscape architects specialize in designing outdoor spaces. Today, we’re sharing a plan particularly suited to our climate by New Mexico landscape designer David Cristiani. You can…
Greenscape Landscape Plan: Evergreen Plants Provide an Ever-Beautiful Front Yard
Creating a landscape plan is a complicated endeavor. Luckily for home gardeners, landscape architects specialize in designing outdoor spaces. Today, we’re sharing a unique plan by New Mexico landscape designer David Cristiani to give you some inspiration and ideas for…
Wildscape Landscape Plan: A Celebration of Wildlife in Your Landscape
A lot goes into designing a landscape; hence, there’s an entire profession called landscape architecture devoted to designing outdoor spaces. We won’t be able to make you a landscape architect today, but we’re sharing a unique landscape plan designed by New Mexico…
Coolscape Landscape Plan: A Cool and Calming Southwestern Oasis
A lot goes into designing a landscape, hence there’s an entire profession called landscape architecture devoted to designing outdoor spaces. We won’t be able to make you a landscape architect today, but we’re sharing a unique landscape plan designed by landscape…
Cultivating Inner and Outer Climate Resilience
It’s been a rough few months in the 505. We’re having a challenging gardening season, to say the least. Dry. Hot. Intense. The unraveling of our climate has been on full display. Whether you’re choosing more adaptive plants and creating habitat or beginning your…
DIY Xeriscape Conversions that Use Wood Chip Mulch
As Albuquerque area homeowners convert their high-water-use turf grass to desert friendly xeriscapes, many are opting for wood chip mulch rather than gravel or other aggregate, which can be hot and allow weeds to pop up. The Water Authority checked in on two…