Oasis Garden 1

Common name:Mexican or Texas Needle Grass
Botanical name:Nassella tenuissima

The Mexican Fan Grass is a beautiful, fine, airy grass that is emerald green in color. It has many soft yellow-beige flower stalks in the spring. This grass grows 1' x 2' and is drought tolerant.

Common name:Mountain Agave
Botanical name:Agave montana

This medium-sized artichoke-like agave reaches a mature size of 3' x 5'. Leaves are glossy green to light green, with large teeth and a terminal spine. Highly toothed leaf margins leave distinctive prints on other leaves. Very tolerant of cold, heat, drought , and poor soils. Can be planted in full sun,although partial shade is best in the low desert. Native to NE Mexico.

Common name:Catmint
Botanical name:Nepeta X faassenii

Nepeta faassenii makes soft, gray green, undulating mounds that are 1.5' high when blooming. The small leaves are attractive to cats. This perennial has lavender blue flowers in late spring and early summer.

Soils and Compost:

Practice grass-cycling by leaving short grass clippings on lawns after mowing, so that nutrients and organic matter are returned to the soil.

Water Saving Tip:

As the weather gets hotter avoid the temptation to increase run times.

Instead, schedule more start times with one to two hours in between to allow the water from the previous session to soak in before watering again.

Integrated Pest Management:

Develop healthy soil for plants that are vigorous and naturally pest-resistant.