Organ Mountain Vista Garden 3

Common name:Dwarf Orange Bulbine
Botanical name:Bulbine frutescens 'Hallmark'

Compact variation of yellow bulbine. Plant grows to about 1' tall by 1-2' wide. Orange flowers bloom almost all year long. Plants stay evergreen, but will freeze to the ground in the event of serious frost. Frost-damaged plants will regrow in spring. Delicate coppery orange flowers with fluffy yellow centers are on tall spikes that rise above the foliage.

Common name:Santa Rita Prickly Pear
Botanical name:Opuntia violacea 'Santa Rita'

Shrublike cactus grows at a moderate rate to 4' x 5'. Pads are green-purple turning more purple with cold or dry weather. Small tan spines line the pads. Striking yellow flowers appear on the tips of pads in the spring. Accepts reflected heat. Native to the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts.

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:

Different areas of your landscape have different water requirements.

Shrubs need much less water than lawns and drip systems should never be scheduled on the same program with lawns.

Establish separate watering schedules for those areas.

Integrated Pest Management:

Drip and other smart irrigation delivers water directly to roots, allowing no excess water for weeds.