Common name:Arizona or Velvet Ash
Botanical name:Fraxinus velutina
This rounded tree will grow 30'-50' tall and has glossy, bright green leaves that turn yellow and gold in the fall. The leaves are soft and velvety, and the trunk is slender and gray. This tree is hardy to about -10 degrees F. This deciduous tree is heat tolerant and needs a moderate amount of water.
Common name:Prairie Buffalo Grass
Botanical name:Buchloe dactyloides 'Prairie'
This perennial shortgrass grows 2-5" high and 6-12' wide. The rounded, hollow stems have gray/green curly leaves that are 1/10" wide and 2" long. This grass is very drought-resistant and turns tan in winter and lavender in autumn.
Common name:Italian Cypress
Botanical name:Cupressus sempervirens
Native to southern Europe, western Asia. With its narrow columnar habit of growth, this evergreen forms tall, dark green columns 40' to 60' in height. Leaves are dark green and scalelike. Can reach 3' to 10' wide. Does best in full sun. Established plants need little water. Tolerates most soil types as long as it's well draining. A fast growing tree that generally does not require pruning or maintenance. Dry conditions of the Southwest can cause problems with spider mites in early spring. If tree appears 'dusty', washing the tree down with a jet of water can help. This washing needs to be repeated five days later to control mites.
Designer: Sabina Munoz
Photographer: GardenSoft
Practice grass-cycling by leaving short grass clippings on lawns after mowing, so that nutrients and organic matter are returned to the soil.
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.
Drip and other smart irrigation delivers water directly to roots, allowing no excess water for weeds.
