12.23.2011 - I've lived in the desert for over 8 years now and when I first started working in my arid garden I made mistakes. Lots of mistakes! Tired of having moments of silence for plants I've destroyed I hit the books and it wasn't long before I had this whole desert gardening thing down. To save winterers and desert garden novices oodles of time I've created the Ten Desert Gardening Commandments. By adhering to these simple rules you are sure to save yourself hours of unnecessary work and hundreds of dollars in destroyed plants.

Without further ado here it is, the Ten Desert Gardening Commandments:
1. Thou shalt not take gorgeous desert shrubs and butcher them into little balls or squares. In addition, do not over prune your palm trees, it makes them weak and more susceptible to rot.

2. Thou shalt not be succumbed to the promising beauty of delicate plants such as camellias and mandevilla sold at big box stores, for they are not meant to grow in our harsh desert conditions.

3. Digging shallow holes for plants only means you will most likely be replacing them after the first summer.

4. Thou shalt not place thy watering emitters up against the tree trunk, always follow the canopy of the tree.

5. Water is sacred to us and our plants. Water infrequently, but deep. Let the system run for several hours infrequently, rather than 30 minutes every day.

6. Thou shalt respect thy neighbor by pruning thick trees during monsoon so they don't blow over and land on top of their house.

7. Thou shalt never feed wildlife, no matter how cute they are, as it messes with their entire habitat and in the end will do more harm than good. Not to mention you don't want them to tell all their friends!

8. Thou shalt consider mature sizes of plants when planning out the garden. Canary Island Date Palms look ridiculous in 6,000 square foot lots.

9. Thou shalt not prune thy desert plants between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day. When you prune you are basically taking away another layer of frost protection for the plant.

10. Use caution when dust storm warnings are issued. Working in the garden during a dust storm is not only unpleasant, it is extremely dangerous. Breathing in the dust can cause valley fever which has no cure. Pets are even more affected and it can be lethal so keep your furry ones indoors until the storm has passed.

12.13.2011 - It's going on the 28th hour of rain out here in the desert and already people are complaining. Rather than get grumpy because you can't sip your latte out in the sunshine, let's remember that we desperately need this rain! Here are just a few examples of what this fantastic storm is doing for the valley:

- It cleans off your patio and driveway marks
- You can turn off your irrigation systems for at least a month now
- Remember how you wanted to wash the dust storm residue off those second floor windows? Done!
- In March, while you are driving around the desert, take a look at the mountain sides. See all that marvelous color? That's the wildflowers thanking you for this big, needed drink.
- Tomorrow when the rain clears you will finally be able to breathe again. No more dusty air.
- Dust storm, schmust storm.
- Those rabbits and other ground critters that have been digging around your cactus and palms for the last several months finally can go back to their old watering hole.

Make some hot chocolate, pull out your plant catalogs, sit by the fire and enjoy this rare desert event.

10.18.2011 - After one of the driest, hottest Southwest monsoon seasons on record it is so nice to enjoy the treat that is October in the desert. We have all endured brutal 110+ degree cloudless days, humidity-swept afternoons eagerly hoping for rain but nothing arrives and last but certainly not the least obnoxious...those pesky desert dust storms. October brings us cool, crisp mornings that are still nice enough to enjoy a 7 a.m. coffee outside in our flip flops, but not hot enough that we all take cover by 10 a.m.! The end of the day brings us amazing sunsets and near-perfect early evening temperatures that are so pleasant we all think about turning patios into our own private al fresco dining areas. And yes, those mosquitoes everyone back east complains about...they aren't even here yet either!

We aren't the only things out in the desert celebrating the beauty of October. Take a look around your garden. Suddenly, things that look like they were hiding over the summer have become the show-offs of your yard. Peruvian apple cactus are all in bloom now, with 7 inch wide glorious blooms that peek out in the early morning. Hibiscus blooms pop out much more than last month. Sage bushes are loaded with brilliant purple, pink or blue blooms. How about those citrus trees? The ones we all worry about in August. They tend to burn up, curl up and lose leaves in the hottest parts of the year, but these nice night time temperatures causes most of them to make up for all that leaf damage. I have six citrus trees in my backyard and they have all grown by a good 15-20% in the past few weeks.

Many agave and yucca that don't grow too much in the summer show impressive growth this month as well. Desert trees throw out a few blooms now too, thinking it is spring time. Ocotillo are green with fresh leaves. Almost everywhere we look things are celebrating one of the most beautiful times of year out here in the oftentimes unforgiving desert. No matter how busy you are, set aside some time to simply sit outdoors and enjoy the show.

09.26.2011 - Late September marks the end of monsoon season here in the Southwest and while the last few days looked promising, hardly any rain fell for most of the Valley. My handy rain gauge displayed 0.00 inches of rain which was a common occurrence for cities like Tempe, Avondale and North Phoenix. On the other hand, some parts of Arizona had incredible storms, including many flood warnings up in the high country. In addition, 2011 was a record for fire season. In this year alone over 1 million acres of forest in Arizona burned to a crisp. Any sort of measurable rainfall in the northeast portion of the state led to flooding and mudslides.

This was the first monsoon season in 7 years that didn't destroy at least part of our yard. In 2010 a microburst knocked over one of our palo verde trees and dropped 2 inches of rain in 40 minutes. The pool had to be partially pumped out, washes overflowed and we had a bit of minor flooding. This year, the best we had was a hearty 5 minute soak which quickly cleared out. A 55 mile per hour wind gust ripped a neighbor's large Chilean mesquite right from its trunk. It caught the wind like an umbrella and flew about 10 feet into our driveway. Thankfully there was no structural damage but we know how upsetting it can be to the homeowner that loses a beautiful, mature tree.

The big story this year was the dust. The enormous Phoenix dust storm in early July made world headlines, shut down the airport, closed streets and wreaked havoc for those of us with pools. Cleaning piles of sludge out of your swimming pool in 115 degree heat the day after is something most of us could live without.

As a result of the very dry monsoon season (which is when we typically get at least a third of our annual rainfall, sometimes more) the area never had a chance to enjoy some cool, post rain temps that we all look forward to so much! In August there is nothing better than a late afternoon soak that results in low 80s temperatures for the rest of the evening. That's patio weather!

08.1.2011 - Lantana can be found in almost every single desert landscape. They are one of the hardiest plants to grow in hot, dry, arid climates. Do you have an area with reflective heat? Need a plant that won't become a buffet for rabbits and squirrels? Are you looking for a plant that can survive on minimal water? If so, lantanas are the answer.

There are literally dozens of lantana varieties. You can get them for a couple of dollars at any home improvement store or garden center. They come in every color of the rainbow and some bushes have several colors on each flower.

We all know you can cut back your lantana to the ground once the threat of frost has passed, but how can you get your lantana to look their best in 110 degree temperatures? It's pretty easy!

Once your lantana bush has bloomed in the summer, go ahead and cut it back. Prune it to shape, remove any dried out or frizzled branches and that's it! When you prune, do not cut them back to the ground like you do in the winter. Lantana do not grow during the winter months and by pruning in late February or early March you are getting the plant ready for its spring season takeoff. Pruning to the ground in the summer will most likely lead to severe sunburn and possibly plant death.

How much do you prune? Cut back anywhere from 3 inches to 8 or 9 inches. As a rule of thumb it's safe to prune around a third of the plant. Water thoroughly and leave it alone. Too much water will cause the lantana plant to rot or fail to bloom again. By trimming the lantana in the summer within a couple of weeks you will see fresh new blooms. Pruning encourages plant growth and prevents the lantana from becoming too leggy.

Lastly, be careful when you are pruning lantana around your pets. Double check that you've discarded all parts of the plant, including the berries. They are poisonous to dogs. The berries are silver and over time they turn a dark blue black color.

08.04.2011 - It's about time! Finally, an antidote for scorpion stings has been approved by the FDA. It was developed in Mexico, where over a quarter of a million scorpion stings are reported every single year.

In most adults scorpion stings are terribly painful and the symptoms last about 24 hours. In children it can be deadly. Small children injured by scorpion stings can have pain, difficulty breathing and even temporary blindness. If your child is showing severe signs of trouble as a result of a scorpion sting take him or her to the hospital immediately. Currently only certain hospitals carried experimental antidotes. With this new approval, the antidote (called Anascorp) can soon be available everywhere. In the test studies when children were treated with the scorpion antidote their painful and dangerous symptoms usually disappeared within a few hours. This is wonderful news for those of us living in scorpion country!

Additional details can be found here.

It's great to see progress being made on treating something that almost all of us gardeners have had to deal with while living in the desert!

06.29.2011 - So I logged in to check the weather today and ta-da: the dew point is 56 degrees, one more than we need to start day one of monsoon here in Arizona.

We need three straight days with a dew point of 55 degrees or higher.

We shall see.

On an odd unrelated note, why do they allow fireworks to be purchased out of shady vans and in parking lots? You can't use fireworks in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Peoria, Paradise Valley and nearly everywhere else (except Glendale on private property and Gilbert on certain holidays) so why is it legal to even sell them?

In a state that is still fighting the biggest fire in Arizona history (over half a million acres) why do we allow the use of fireworks? This seems completely nuts.

My rant is over. I'll blame it on the heat. ;)

06.26.2011 - As the temperatures creep into the 110+ range and we all head for the cool indoors remember there are a lot of your four legged neighbors who have to survive, too. Monsoon hasn't hit yet (yes, I know, official monsoon start is June 15, but us old-school weather nerds know it's not really here quite yet!) and water is very limited. Sure they try to get it from things like cactus, agaves and other desert plants but a lot of animals, from rabbits to javelina to lizards will go for things that look good in your garden.

I lost an entire crop of radishes to a very hungry (and enormous!) lizard. I hope he enjoyed them, they sure did look healthy before he snuck into the garden and chowed down. Rabbits will even eat through the thorny cactus. They seem to particularly enjoy cow's tongue cactus and other smooth prickly pear varieties. Lizards dig, dig, dig until they find a moist environment. Usually in my yard this is up against rocky areas, boulders and near shady walls. Snakes don't really have the ability to dig, they are more likely to 'steal' an already-dug hole left by a lizard, rodent or other critter.

I've almost convinced myself I spotted an ocelot one humid morning last summer, but it was probably just another bobcat. A girl can dream!

To me the most amazing creatures in the summer desert are the coyotes. I see them weekly, wandering up the mountainsides, through washes and even crossing the road to a less-developed area. They sure do look warn out this time of year and I can't help but think of them when we finally get our first good summer rainfall.

Remember, coyotes don't really want anything to do with humans, but they will get defensive if they feel they are being crowded, attacked or provoked. Leave them be and never, NEVER feed them. If you feed a coyote you will have a very hard time getting rid of him...and all of his pals. Trying to domesticate a coyote is very dangerous. If you feel a coyote is getting too close to your yard or your pets, try to leave their food indoors. Keep your animals in your sight. If a coyote tries to approach, make loud noises. Clapping, jumping, yelling and if needed tossing rocks in the coyote's direction usually sends it running the other way. A blast from the garden hose works too.

Use common sense and we can all enjoy living in this diverse desert together.

As the temperatures really start to heat up and our season changes from 'pretty warm' to 'scorching hot' you might think you missed the growing season for your veggie garden. That's not really the case. You can still plant cucumber, pumpkin (will be ready in the fall), eggplant, melons and herbs. As I type this in mid-June I have a very healthy raised garden that's doing quite well. Herbs such as basil, oregano, sage and rosemary are still as healthy as ever, growing like crazy in full sun. The important thing is to keep your bed hydrated. Many of these plants can tolerate the heat if the roots are kept cool.

Tomatoes are a bit fickle in super heat but all hope is not lost. One month ago I planted a tiny tomato plant and today it is 4 feet wide by 4 feet tall, loaded with blooms. Birds and insects are going to love those tomatoes so make sure you protect them, either by planting things that critters hate nearby or putting up a fence made of mesh or wire. Chicken wire works well. Again, remember to hydrate!

One of the most impressive specimen growing in the summer desert season are sunflowers. There are dozens of varieties and they perform incredibly in our strong desert sun. The sunflower seeds attract birds which in turn helps the rest of your garden. Birds eat many of the insects that partner up to destroy crops and flowers.

Grab a few seeds or tiny plants and give summer gardening in the desert a try. With ample water and afternoon shade (if possible although not mandatory) you will be pretty surprised by the results!

It has been a very busy spring and seed harvesting is still happening at a rapid pace. Every day something else is ready to be plucked, pulled, primped and picked, then cleaned and packaged. Desert seeds last a long time provided you store them in a cool, dry place. Visit our sister site Sherizona.com to see what's just arrived!

In the next few weeks you'll find a new set of tutorials and helpful desert planting information. I've documented how to deal with pesky desert roots that get stuck in pipes, how to grow a lush, producing herb and vegetable garden in our harsh environment and even paid a visit to a nearby cactus farm to see what really goes on behind the scenes. Keep en eye out and in the meantime, happy planting.

In honor of Earth Day this Saturday, April 23 2011 Lowes is giving away a free tree to each customer! The trees are region specific so you won't have to worry about getting a free tree that won't grow out here in the desert. For those of you reading this in Vermont or Florida or Oregon don't worry, this free tree promotion is nation-wide!

I'd show up early for this one because the trees are available only while supplies last (no rainchecks).

Update Saturday, April 23: I went to Lowes in Phoenix and the free tree is a cardboard palm (zamia furfuracea), which needs semi moist soil to thrive. So much for region-specific! I planted it and the tree promptly died three days later. I ruined the environment more by driving to Lowes to get my free (soon to be dead) tree than I would have if I'd just stayed home and had a coffee on the patio. Such is life. :)

After a wild and crazy winter season March is finally here. I've written an in-depth article about what to do with your frost burned desert plants. Now let's talk about citrus.

If you live in a region that had a few cold snaps you are probably wondering if your citrus trees are alive. The older ones tolerate brief periods of frost much better than younger trees, but hope is not lost. Signs of frost burn include brown, curling leaves, pale, crunchy leaves and general leaf loss.

Rather than rip out a tree that might appear dead, give it a chance and see what happens. You can now cut off any broken, frozen or dead branches. March is the month citrus starts to really take off. Inspect your plant, do you see any tiny green buds? How about small, purple or white flowers? If the answer is yes your tree is just fine. If not, don't lose hope. Fertilize your citrus during this month. You can even foliar feed your orange trees, grapefruit trees, limes, lemons and tangerines. If it is late spring and the citrus still has no signs of growth, it probably didn't make it.

02.08.2011 - I have had a few people ask me about coconut palms in the Arizona/Nevada area. Do coconut palms grow in the desert? My answer is yes and no.

On one hand the coconut palm really needs warm temperatures. It thrives when the average daily high is over 70 degrees. While this is fine during many of the months in Arizona/Nevada/Southern California we do have colder winters. Think Hawaii, where it is warm and moist all year round. That is a perfect climate for coconut palms. Anything under 30 degrees is disaster for coconut palms. Add to it the days when the humidity can be as low as 5% and you'll end up with a very, very thirsty palm tree.

The other obstacle is the summer. While coconut palms can withstand even 100 MPH wind gusts they will do very poorly with burning hot, dry wind. Take a walk around your neighborhood and check out some of the queen palms your neighbors have. Many of them just look rather ragged. A queen palm is much more tolerant of our desert conditions than a coconut palm. That should give you an example of how much the coconut palm would suffer here.

If you, like me, are just too stubborn to look for an alternative (consider date palms, palmettos or even the pindo palm...much better suited for growing in the desert) here are my suggestions for attempting to grow a coconut palm in the desert:

1. Try to start it out in a pot so you can move the palm based on the season.
2. Fill the pot with at least 40% sand. The coconut palm loves moist, gritty soil.
3. In the winter, protect the palm from frost. Try to give it as much sun exposure as possible during the winter months.
4. In the summer, protect this palm from the hot, damaging winds, or you will have fronds that look like they've been in the deep fryer.
5. Palm fertilizer applied a couple of times a year will give it a bit of a boost.
6. Only prune dead/damaged/diseased fronds. Otherwise, leave them be. They help the palm get the nutrients it needs to thrive.

The key is you can grow just about anything in the desert provided you are willing to relocate it, protect it and pay a lot of attention to it. I've even managed to grow a Rainbow Eucalyptus here! If you aren't willing to make this a big project consider some other palm trees that love the desert conditions.

3.1.2011 - Updated: You can now begin to prune back the plants in Zone 9b, from the Southern California deserts to the Sonoran desert in Arizona. You'll start to notice little buds on everything from lantana to orange bells and even your citrus.

1.26.2011 - The New Year brought along good cheer and bitter cold temperatures across the California, Arizona and Nevada desert floor. We had rain followed by wind and cold. Temps in the Phoenix area dipped into the upper 20s and many of us are left with a yard full of frost burned palms, crunchy lantana and frozen bougainvillea.

I'm here to tell you it isn't as bad as it looks!

The lantana (front) sage bush (right) and pygmy date palm (center) all have frost damage, which will be trimmed away in March.

Let's get the bad news out of the way. If you've planted anything in the past 12 months and it looks dead, it just might be. It didn't have a lot of time to develop deep roots so be prepared to replace it. HOWEVER...wait until the end of March before you pull it out, as it could possibly grow back. Read below.

For established trees and plants, chances are the majority of what looks bad will come right back once it warms up. While a plant such as a lantana might be cold hardy to around 30 degrees, the roots themselves can take much colder temps before they die off.

In a few weeks it will be safe to start hard pruning. By hard pruning I mean cut off all of the frost burned stems/branches/damaged parts. Some things you can even cut back to the ground. In six to eight weeks you will notice it starting to grow back and by the summertime you won't even be able to tell we had a hard winter.

Feb 2, 2011 - I cannot stress enough the importance of waiting a little longer to trim these things. If we get a cold snap in early February and the frost comes again if you've hard pruned you could completely kill your desert plant. Play it safe and leave your shrubs/plants/palms alone until the temps creep up.

Here are a few pointers for many of the common desert plants:

Bougainvillea and Torch Glow
These probably don't look so hot right now. All of the bougainvillea in my yard looks like someone put them in the freezer. The roots of a bougainvillea are tremendous. Cut off all damaged canes or any branches that have all the leaves killed off. If the entire plant looks frozen, trim it like you would a rose bush. Trim all the peripheral branches/twigs off and leave a few larger branches. It will grow back very quickly once it warms up, but be very careful NOT to trim back anywhere that looks like it is growing/unharmed. You want to keep as much of the living stems as possible.

Hibiscus
Typically established hibiscus are pretty hardy but every once in a while the cold snap will cause your plant to lose its leaves. Trim this only to shape. It will start to grow back around April.

Sage Bushes
Frost tends to turn parts of the sage bushes brown. The leaves will drop. You can selectively trim off the frost burned branches, otherwise just trim to shape.

Lantana
It is often said you can't kill a lantana! While this isn't completely true lantana will most likely return. Every late winter I cut all of our lantana back to a couple of inches off the ground. This may seem harsh but believe me, these frost bitten lantana will grow back. This is called a 'hard prune'. Hard pruning your lantana will also allow it to grow in thick and full, eliminating that leggy look lantana often develop. If you just planted your lantana within the last 12 months there is less of a chance it will make it, but keep it in anyway and see what happens when it warms up.

Ficus
The poor, poor ficus in the desert! It seems these big, marvelous guys just can't get a break. Frost will burn the ficus in patches, you'll notice a big patch of brown, dead leaves while the rest of the tree looks untouched. Trim off the dead and leave the rest alone, it will recover.

Agave
Many of the agave in your yard might look grey and wrinkly. Some of mine have turned yellow, brown and shriveled up. Leave it alone until it warms up. Chances are the entire agave isn't dead and new growth will emerge in the spring/late summer. At that point you can trim off the dead/frosted parts with a clean, sharp knife or clippers.

Cactus
If your cactus is damaged from the frost the tip or sides will turn from green to purple or black. If it's purple, leave it alone. Chances are it will come back. If it is black, chop off the tip where it's black. Yes, I am telling you to decapitate your cactus. The black means it is dead in that part and if you do not remove the dead it will rot and eventually kill the entire cactus. Chop off the black and in a few months it will start to sprout a few new pups off the chopped part, leaving you with a unique looking specimen. Do this on a warm, sunny day, the later in the season the better. If the cactus is jointed (like cholla, prickly pear, etc) you can cut at the joint as much as you need.

Yucca and Aloe
Remove any wilted arms/leaflets about an inch from the center of the plant. It will harden up around the cut part and continue growing on its merry little way.

Ornamental Grasses
These probably have turned into straw. Hard prune down to about 4 inches. They will grow back fuller and healthier than the year before.

Yellow Bells, Honeysuckle, Bird of Paradise, Fairy Dusters and Orange Bells
These two are semi-dormant during the winter anyway, you can remove the frost bitten stems and prune to shape. If it's really damaged, cut it back to about a foot from the ground.

Oleander
If you have frost damage on oleander you really got hit hard, because they are usually the last to show signs of damage. Remove the dead/damaged parts and prune to shape. Always wear gloves, as all parts of the oleander are poisonous!

Palm Trees
If the bud of the palm tree is healthy then your palm is fine. Cut off the dead frond or the damage only, do not cut more than you absolutely have to. Palms need these green fronds to photosynthesize, which gives them the ingredients they need to be healthy.

Remember don't start hard pruning until it's warmer, mid-March is advised. You'll be surprised by what mysteriously grows back and if it doesn't, it's at least warm enough to start replacing what didn't make it.

1.25.2011 - The end of January usually means a few degrees warmer and less chance of frost, and with that comes a few awakenings in your desert yard. This week the Lilac Vine (Hardenbergia violaceae) is starting to develop its gorgeous clusters of violet flowers.

The tiny stalks of violet flowers are beginning to form. In 2 weeks this entire plant will be purple.

The lilac vine is an excellent source for a trellis or arbor. Plant one on each corner of a pergola and in a year's time the roof will be heavily shaded with this stunning plant.

It is hardy to 25 degrees and depending on the variety the flowering season can start anywhere from January through April.

This was a tiny vine planted 3 years ago. As you can see it grows vigorously and can tolerate full summer sun.

1.24.2011 - It's that time of year again, the oleanders that make up much of the desert landscape are starting to grow and bud, but some of you are noticing something odd: little, yellow dots on the leaves, buds and pods. These yellow dots are bugs, aphids actually. The oleander aphid is typically found in warm climates like Arizona, California and Florida. They are a golden yellow with tiny black legs and some have wings. Entire colonies can be found on an oleander plant, which tends to really creep out some newcomers to the region!

Rather than overwhelm you with scientific jargon about mating habits and genetic disposition I'll let you in on the important stuff:

- Oleander aphids can also be found on citrus and milkweeds.
- The aphids eat the sap from the host plant and oleanders have lots of it. The sap is extremely poisonous to humans and pets (including horses) so be careful when handling clippings, seeds and flowers.
- For the most part, the damage these little pests create is aesthetic, but large colonies can stunt the plant's growth in spots. It is best to try to get rid of the colonies as you see them.

Oleander aphids love the tender new shoots, so start there first for getting rid of them. Insecticidal soaps are effective but if you prefer something more natural, just a bit of dish soap and water in a spray bottle should do the trick. Spray down the infected plant generously and leave the soapy water on for an hour. Spray it off with a strong blast from your hose. Check back in a few days and if there are still aphids, repeat the process. In my own yard 80% of the aphids are gone by the first process and all are eliminated by the second spray a week later.

Roses are some of the most beautiful plants mother nature can offer up. It seems as if everyone wants to grow them, but can they grow in our harsh desert environment? You bet.

While it is a bit of a challenge, growing roses in the desert is indeed possible. There are a few things you'll need to keep in mind. On your first attempt you've probably noticed roses puff out into fluffy balls because of the heat. During a cold snap the edges of the petals turn black. Colors aren't as vibrant and the wonderful scent is barely there. Do not give up, let's just call your first experience a practice run.

Keep in mind that roses don't just grow on their own out here, so you will have to adapt a few things to make them more comfortable.

First, figure out where in your yard you want to grow the roses. The best place to plant them is on the north or east side of a building, where they will get morning sun but be protected from intense afternoon heat. Do not plant roses under shade trees, they will stretch out looking for sun and you'll end up with leggy, unproductive plants. Try to keep the roses where a cold wind won't get to them.

Generally speaking roses in the desert bloom from late September until mid-December, when the cold hits them and tests their durability. If at all possible, protect your roses from frost with blankets or by keeping them in planters that can be moved to a warmer area during freeze warnings. The roses will resume their growth when the cold snap ends, usually around the end of January until about May, when the heat will prove to be just too much.

Not all roses are alike. Most modern varieties come from Europe and were developed with a cooler climate in mind. Today it appears there is a burst of new roses created just for desert gardens. These varieties are much more tolerant of our soil and heat.

Roses require a lot of water. The soil needs to be kept moist because the roses have shallow roots. Organic mulch helps keep the moisture near the surface, but if you have winter blooming roses skip the mulch. The surface will be warmer and protect against frost damage.

Next, you need to enrich your soil. Scatter ammonium sulphate around the bush and water deeply.

Prune the bushes in late August and early January. Do not prune heavily like they do in cooler parts of the country. Only about a third of the bush should be trimmed back at this time. Remove old, woody canes at ground level. Many folks like to remove all of the green leaves from the plant when pruning but I'd advise against this, by leaving some of the leaves you allow it to absorb nutrients and help the plant become healthier.

See a complete list along with colorful photos of roses that will grow in the desert here.

12.16.2010 - Bougainvillea (pronounced BOO-GAN-VEE-YAH) can be found everywhere in the desert landscape and there's good reason for it. These bushes grow like crazy and summer heat doesn't bother them in the least. I have these guys growing up a very hot south-facing wall that gets full sun all summer and it looks gorgeous. They are a fast-growing vine that thrives with very little water.

Bougainvillea are available as a vine or a bush. They also grow in tall, spikey rods called "Torch Glow".

Winter isn't kind to the boungainvillea and when frost hits much of your unprotected plant could die off. Fortunately unless you just planted it the roots will still remain strong and intact, which means your plant will grow back quickly when it warms up. If your bougainvillea has frost damage, leave it alone. When the weather warms up you can trim it back significantly, but not until you start to notice a bit of new growth.

I wouldn't suggest growing these near water features. While it looks beautiful unless you want to skim out your pond or pool a couple of times a day plant them a bit away. The fuschia bracts (no, they aren't the flower) fall off constantly creating a layer of pink on the ground. It actually looks quite elegant in the right area.

Bougainvillea are available in a variety of colors, from reds to oranges to gold to white.

Thunderbird Park is a 1,185 acre park located in the Hedgpeth Hills of North Glendale, Arizona. The hills were named after Robert Hedgpeth, an early homesteader in the region. The park itself was named after the WWII pilot training facility a few mouths south of the park.

There are 15 miles of well-outlined desert trails in Thunderbird Park. Access can be obtained from 67th Avenue and Patrick or Pinnacle Peak road near 55th Avenue. Paved lots, horse areas, an amphitheater, picnic areas and restrooms are at the park.

Click the image for a large version of this map of Thunderbird Park's trails

The views from the top of many of the hills are quite remarkable. You can see all of the mountain ranges located on the outskirts of Phoenix, as well as downtown, uptown, the football stadium, White Tank Mountains and more.

Hiking is allowed between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. The trails are fairly easy, nowhere near as challenging as other trails in the area, including Camelback Mountain. They range from easy to moderate and gradually climb up and down the rolling hills. There are a lot of dogs on these trails but they are required to be on a leash. On gorgeous days the trails are fairly busy but not unpleasant. The best part about these trails are the hidden water features, which usually have some very photogenic wildlife nearby. It is not uncommon to stumble across a bobcat, squirrel, lizard (tons of lizards!), birds and even rattlesnakes on the trail. Use common sense when it comes to wildlife!

Within the gently swooping hills there are a ton of native desert plants. Saguaros are everywhere. Cholla hug the curves of the hillsides. Horse crippler cactus are scattered about. After a rain the creosote growing along the trail unleash a potent and unique scent. In the springtime you can watch the wildflowers blooming and a variety of desert plants flowering. Many of the plants spawned from wind-blown seeds that came from the neighboring yards in Arrowhead Ranch.

Photos of Thunderbird Park in Glendale Arizona