Most, if not all, landscaping plants in arid environments require supplemental water to survive and thrive. So, making sure that drip emitters or bubblers are properly located near plants and that the irrigation system functions properly are essential tasks for landscape managers. But there’s more to it than that.

Have you ever strolled by plants and noticed something’s been munching on the leaves? Or maybe there’s a mysterious brown spot in a tree that seemed to develop overnight? Sometimes plant pests come and go in a matter of days, but their damage may linger for months after they’ve moved to a new green ‘residence’. Fortunately, our dry desert conditions don’t make for an overly welcoming environment for arthropod ‘friends’ to reside. However, during mild times of the year, a few critters may be lurking in our landscape. Here are a few to watch out for in the coming months.

Right Plant, Right Place… We can’t say it enough. Who is making the decision to plant the wrong plant for the site, or shall we say the ‘right plant,’ just in the wrong place? When plant material is allowed to grow, bloom, and thrive in its space it has lower maintenance and water requirements.

Color in the landscape often means any color other than green, though green is a color too. The color of a plant results from light acting on its leaves, flowers, fruit, bark, and seeds. Colors are warm (reds, yellows, oranges, etc.) or cool (blues, greens, purples, etc.), depending on their hue. Hue is the name of a color such as red, blue, orange, and so forth. Cool colors are receding, not as conspicuous as warm colors are bright, inviting, and lively.

Aloes make beautiful additions to gardens due to their bold architectural forms, vibrantly colored flowers, and ability to attract hummingbirds. They offer some of the best colors for Arizona gardens with their impressive and long-lasting flowers shown during late winter and spring.