Ideas for Outdoor Family Play

We're all spending a LOT more time at home these days due to COVID-19. Local playgrounds are a no go due to limiting the spread of the virus and many of us are finding refuge in our yards. Your yard may leave you feeling a bit overwhelmed right now because it's not really landscaped or your excited … [Read more...]

Countdown to Spring Event 2020

It’s that time of year again, time to begin thinking about SPRING! Every year at this time I teach homeowners how to prepare their yards for Spring! ARE YOU READY TO GET STARTED? As you know, I strive to keep gardening and yard work to a minimal (whose got time for yard work?) and I believe that in … [Read more...]

Help, My Trees Need Pruning

The winter is best time of year to prune trees, learn how to choose the best professional to prune your trees. This isn't an every year kind of thing but keep reading to learn more. I wrote this article originally for the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority over on 505Outside.com. … [Read more...]

January Dreaming

With the new decade upon us, many people are thinking about starting afresh and reflecting back on the last 10 years. I'm sort of on that tract but just a few weeks behind on fully diving into it all. I did manage to pull together some fun blog posts to start the year off right. As I do every … [Read more...]

Gifts for the Plant Nerd

Every year I pull together a fun plant gift for my kiddos teachers, we're going on 8 years and counting. Some teachers we've had multiple times. I sure hope their not getting tired of our plant gifts. This year, we re-potted spider plants into little terracotta pots that I found at the thrift … [Read more...]

Leaves for the Landscape

Let falling leaves lie. The leaves that fall on the dirt, grass, or planting beds. Just leave them be and only rake up the ones on the concrete sidewalks and patios. {not up for raking, then grab a blower and blow them away}. Alright, perhaps you have a little bit more time on your hands, in … [Read more...]

Fall Maintenance for Albuquerque Landscapes

This article was originally posted for 505Outside.com, it is being re-published here for your use. I had the pleasure of interviewing Wes Brittenham for this article, check out how much fun we had. Getting a Tour of Los Poblanos with Wes! 505Outside sat down with local landscape expert Wes … [Read more...]

Backyard Wildlife Sanctuaries

Our Land: Backyard Wildlife Sanctuaries: I was so excited to be asked to share my backyard for a feature with Our Land, a regular segment on New Mexico PBS. In this month’s installment of Our Land, correspondent Laura Paskus takes viewers along as she examines the effort to build a network of … [Read more...]

What are high efficiency rotary nozzles and why should you use them in your lawn?

Grass lawns in the greater Albuquerque area require supplemental irrigation in order to survive our high desert climate. Most residential landscapes are watered by pop up spray heads with conventional nozzles, as pictured below. Pop up spray head This article was originally published on … [Read more...]

Creating Living Shade with Vines

This article was originally posted for 505Outside.com, it is being re-published here for your use. While it is fantastic living in the Southwest where the sun shines over 310 days a year, sometimes landscapes and homeowners alike crave shade. Large trees provide great shade but may take a long … [Read more...]