Hi, Desert Gardener,
I hope you were able to do a little gardening this week since we had a few days of perfect gardening weather -- cooler temps, some cloud cover, and even a few sprinkles!
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This week I'm featuring two plants that are common in my neighborhood, and they may be in yours, too. One I recommend and the other is a warning.
The first is a shrub that is currently covered with beautiful pink flowers that looks much like an azalea. If youβve lived elsewhere in the US, particularly along one of the coasts, you may miss the sight of flowering azaleas in the spring. Indian hawthorne makes a decent azalea alternative.
The second plant I'm featuring is a tree that can be "problematic" especially when not given the right care -- willow acacia. My neighbor lost one from a recent wind gust. This tree was a "big bowl of wrong". It was planted by the builder in a "too small" front yard and was improperly staked. The homeowner made things worse by improper watering and butchering pruning it himself. The result was a top heavy, poorly anchored tree that, at 3 years old, had already outgrown its space. I don't recommend planting these trees, but if you already have one, there are steps you can take to mitigate these problems.
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In this week's newsletter, we cover:
- Featured plant: Indian hawthorne
- Featured plant: Willow acacia
- See the world's largest rose plant
- What to do in the garden in April
- and more!
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