Help! I’m New to this

Maybe you just moved here from anther place. Maybe you just bought your first home and you have never landscaped or gardened before. Dealing with plants in Arizona is very different than most places. We live in an arid climate which poses many challenges. But our climate also has mild winters which means we can grow a lot of things that many people cannot. Our yards are wildlife corridors and we want to encourage you to landscape and garden in a wildlife friendly way. We encourage you to plant native plants in your landscape—we aim for 80% native to the southwest USA and Mexico—basically plants that the pollinators recognize and use: plants that are nectar rich, are larval host for butterflies and moths, are great habitat plants, provide nesting material for birds, etc.

The other 20% should be plants you use: edible plants or botanical curiosities that have meaning to you. Or, maybe you have a rose plant that your grandmother gave you. You don’t have to be extreme about planting native, as long as you avoid plants that are noxious pests that invade the wild areas.

We have a whole page on our website dedicated to giving you information about various topics. Click here to browse topics.

How do I start?

plant the water

When planning your landscape, you will plant the water first. What does that mean? It means grade your land such that when it rains, the water goes away from human structures like patios and buildings, and goes toward where your plants will reside. In other climates, people plant on mounds because water can collect for long periods of time and drown trees and shrubs. But in Arizona, water is more rare, and we aim at collecting our rainwater and using it for plants.

plant the sun

It may sound counterintuitive, but shade can be the most difficult element to deal with. Even in the desert, plants want sun. So plan the shade where you WANT it. Aim the shade at the human zones—the houses and patios where the shade is welcome. But make sure you leave sunny spots for your flowering plants that will need full sun to bloom and provide for wildlife. Your vegetable and herb garden will also want sun, and you don’t want to cast too much shade on that area as well.

planting the plants

First of all, go over our planting instructions. Plant the big stuff first: the trees, then the large screening shrubs, and on down to the small things. Remember that not all plants are available at all times, so you may have to save a spot for that special tree you really want. Nurseries do their best to provide the species you want, but demand is never predictable, and seasons determine when we can propagate various species. Sometimes seed of a particular species is difficult to come by. But whatever the reason, if the plant you want is not available, don’t worry, you can plant ANY TIME OF YEAR. But every time of year has its considerations. Summer planting is more time consuming, since you often need to pay attention to a new planting daily—especially with watering. In the winter you can plant too, but you might have to protect plants from frost.

join communities

There are many groups on social media discussing landscaping, gardening, wildscaping, etc (be aware that not all information you get on social media is good information). You can learn a lot by joining programs like Tucson Audubon’s Habitat at Home. Or join the Arizona Native Plant Society and start learning about our native flora. If you wanna get some ideas about how to landscape with our native plants, which are very different than many other places in the world, start visiting public gardens that make great examples of native plant usage. We most highly recommend the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum and Tohono Chul for great examples of native landscaping.

If you need a list of recommended landscapers, consultants, and arborists, go to our community links page. On that page is also a list of plant societies and organizations focussed on plants and natural history of our region.

Can i grow vegetables and herbs?

Yes! The seasons here are very different than elsewhere. There is always something you can grow, whether it’s the coldest time of year, or the hottest. Here is where to start for more information about growing domestic edible crops in Arizona.