New Forsythia Discovered for 2024 Gardens

03/15/2024 Ken Davis

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener A unique plant explicitly grown for this weekend’s Spring Open House is SpringShine Forsythia. Gardeners will drool over this 2024 introduction. Better than your grandfather’s forsythia. Springshine delivers years of instant cheer to your…

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Spring To Do List for Better Gardens

02/22/2024 Ken Davis

By Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Serious gardeners are in the garden on the first warm day of spring. While there is no harm in cleaning up fallen branches and debris, wait until the soil is no longer wet enough…

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Gardening for Newcomers to Mountain Landscapes

02/07/2024 Ken Davis

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener High altitude gardening is different from gardening at lower elevations.  Combine our altitude with Arizona’s dry climate, bright air, and ever-present mountain winds, and you pretty much can forget what you learned from gardening…

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Holiday Evergreens That Hide the Neighbors

12/07/2023 Ken Davis

By Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Now is the time to plant privacy screens for maximum growth and seclusion in spring. Without strategically placed evergreens in the yard, it can feel as if prying eyes are looking right into your…

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Top 10 Shrubs for a Brighter Autumn Landscape

10/18/2023 Ken Davis

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener  Mountain landscapes are famous for their autumn colors. This month’s column is merely a list of the best-colored plants you’ll find to plant in your backyard. There are more choices, especially if you include…

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Make Sense of Autumn Fall Fertilizer Labels

10/04/2023 Ken Davis

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener When walking down the fertilizer aisle at Watters Garden Center or any home improvement store, you can’t help but notice the dizzying array of plant foods: bags, bottles, powders, granules, sprays, and concentrates. You…

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Your End-of-Summer Garden To-Do List

09/13/2023 Ken Davis

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Gardening is a year-round hobby, each month providing a new opportunity to cultivate your land and forest success. Gardeners are at the harvest season’s peak and relish in the bounty of their vegetable and…

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Pretty Ground Covers That Love Summer Heat

08/01/2023 Ken Davis

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Groundcover for the mountains of Arizona needs to be tough, like the sun, take wind, adapt to hard soil, and still thrive. In the yard, surrounded by rock is not for every plant, but…

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7 Flowers That Attract Monarch Butterflies

07/26/2023 Ken Davis

By Ken Lain, the mountain gardener How to attract more butterflies into the gardens was this week’s most-asked question from friends, family, and garden center customers.  Because butterflies have their favorite foods, the answer is the same whether you are…

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12 Low-Maintenance Landscape Tips & Tricks

07/19/2023 Ken Davis

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Every landscape needs some upkeep. Many are labors of love for the outdoors, nature, and all plants that grow in the yard. Water by hand and mowing take up large amounts of time and…

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