Nature's Freebies

It’s a win-win! Conservation brings design value to a landscape and takes advantage of nature’s freebies.

Start a garden around what’s already there. If you’re new to desert plants, wait before ripping out existing scrub. Because of dormancy things might appear completely dead only to burst into bloom when least expected and most needed. Many of our scruffiest natives shine in the heat of summer when all else is drooping. Design a planned garden around existing natural plants and include them in a scape to provide structure and maturity. Cat’s Claw acacia, creosotes, Mojave yuccas, and chollas can all be shaped into beautiful landscape centerpieces. Need fast screening? Creosotes quickly transform into lush monsters with only the tiniest bit of supplemental watering or spraying.
Feather the edges of a tended garden into the landscape beyond. There are times when prickly desert plants create hazards and we can’t avoid removing them from their spots. Instead of disposal, plant them into the outer edges of garden beds and visually connect to the landscape beyond as a way to make a yard feel more expansive. Native plants are happiest where they’ve seeded and follow-up care is needed after relocation.
Biodiversity = pest management = good design. Introducing a wide variety of plant types creates year-round visual interest by combining contrasting shapes, heights, foliage colors, and bloom times. Keep in mind that different pollinators “see” color differently and a varied palette will introduce a broader tapestry of wildlife into your garden. Having biodiverse plant material also means that the garden will host more types of beneficial organisms to help manage pests. Boulder groupings, mounding plants, and hollow logs can be aesthetically arranged to provide habitat for native bees as well as for lizards and birds who excel at insect control. Always offer a small amount of water.
Select plants for staggered bloom times. A well planned landscape can have flowers throughout all seasons except for short periods in winter when plants are busy developing root systems. Extend the flowering season of many blooming plants by deadheading (cutting spent or tired blooms). Many plants respond by flowering a second or third time. Rather than throwing out dried deadhead material try scattering in the yard and nature might surprise you with new plants from the seeds. Staggering blooms creates a steady source of food for your eyes and for pollinators.
Cleared land is much harder to garden. Don’t create more work for yourself. Tractors can scar a huge area in minutes but restoring disturbed soil with healthy plants can take decades. Clearing removes the desert’s fragile biocrust which nourishes plants and acts as a seed bank for wildflowers and natives. It creates a compressed soil structure that’s hard to dig and difficult to water. Roots can’t spread through compacted earth and trees are more likely to topple. To save yourself headache later define garden areas and equipment access routes before grading by using marking paint or setting clear parameters on a site sketch. Any additional costs due to extra effort will be rewarded by lower landscaping costs, happier plants, and more efficient water use.
Leave it be, and the desert will reduce carbon emissions for free. Through a gas exchange process plants take in carbon and release breathable oxygen. The carbon is then deposited into soil where it’s stored or sequestered. Since desert plants live for hundreds, even thousands of years, imagine the enormous amounts locked safely underground in the carbon sink known as the Mojave. Removing plants and disturbing ground releases this long history of sequestration instead of keeping carbon in its place.
Invasive weeds buzzkill a beautiful garden and require work. Invasives outcompete garden plants by robbing them of water and nutrients. They’ve mastered the art of spreading seed and would love to make your next year’s weeding chores even harder. In addition to making a garden look messy, invasives threaten your home as the number one wildfire fuel in rural areas. Since they’re the first plants to colonize disturbed areas, take a pause before using a heavy hand to clear weeds for fire safety. Learn to identify invasives and get ‘em while they’re green. Once dry, they’ll already have set seed and you’ll be helping them spread. Sound like a lot of work? It’s just for a few years of diligent work. After that, wildflowers will restore their rightful place in your garden and make it even more magical.