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07-31-2008, 10:22 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Zone: 9a
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 104
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Arizona "native" back yard
Ross, I hope you see this thread. I too am a big fan of a “naturalized” yard. I used to live in Chicago, and for a time also had a home in Beverly Shores, Indiana (50 miles from Chicago, on Lake Michigan). Similar climates, and I recognize all the plants in your pictures. For decades now, I’ve been landscaping with native and “near-native” plants. If I had a house with grass, it got torn out immediately (sorry grass-lovers).
In Tucson AZ now, for the last 10 years, and here is how I “went native” with my yard there. Mostly Sonoran Desert native plants, with some from Chihuahuan desert. With cactus I ranged further afield, and in addition to many native varieties, there are many from around the world, and various hybrids also. Everything is at least desert vegetation, and very low (or NO) water demands outside of normal precipitation.
Here are pictures of the yard itself, and I’ll post some cactus bloom pictures in a separate post. The last 2 pictures . . . yes it sometimes snows in southern Arizona. The last one is taken from the front of my house. As you can see it is a pretty “average” neighborhood (well . . . the mountains are nice, otherwise nothing extraordinary), but I HAVE tried to make my back yard unique. By the way, this is a HEAVY snow for Tucson.
Ed
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08-01-2008, 01:28 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Zone: 3a
Location: winnipeg
Posts: 1,174
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i love you,re landscaping. also loke that blueish looking cactus in the fourth picture.
could you please sent me that round boulder to canada?
ups?
__________________
a man with one watch, knows what time it is.
a man with two is never quite sure.[/quote]
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08-01-2008, 05:29 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Zone: 5a
Location: Quebec, Canada
Age: 43
Posts: 2,851
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Man that white stuff just shows up everywhere eh?! 
Really enjoyed your back yard Ed. Thanks for the view.
LOL Snow.
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Gloria
"If you don't ask, you'll never learn"
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08-01-2008, 09:46 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Zone: 11
Location: Puerto Rico
Age: 38
Posts: 2,155
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What an amazingly beautiful place you have there Ed.
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Wanda
Orchids are like potato chips...you can't have just one.
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08-01-2008, 10:36 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Zone: 8a
Location: East Texas
Age: 31
Posts: 1,384
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Very cool Ed. Looks like a special place. How do you keep it weeded?
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~Royal
Banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies. - Thomas Jefferson
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08-01-2008, 10:46 AM
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Roots are good
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Zone: 5a
Location: Cadillac, Michigan, USA
Posts: 8,252
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Outstanding, Ed. I've been to Tucson in fall (great time to go) and I can recognize lots of the cacti from trips to the Desert Museum over the hill. Great job!
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Ross
http://orchids-ross.blogspot.com/
I don't do most Dendros or large, "floofy orchids". For me it's minis (like Angraecoides), Masdies, Paphs, and others that crept in somewhere along the line. See my orchid list for complete collection (usually not current.)
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08-01-2008, 05:08 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Zone: 9a
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 104
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Weeding
Quote:
Originally Posted by RoyalOrchids
Very cool Ed. Looks like a special place. How do you keep it weeded?
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It's really not much effort. Whenever we are out there (often) we just pull what we see. ALWAYS try to catch them BEFORE they seed. They only come out aggressively during the summer monsoon season, and they are easy to pull then, the ground generally being wet. If we keep after it a little at a time, they never get out of control.
Ed |
08-01-2008, 05:22 PM
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Roots are good
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Zone: 5a
Location: Cadillac, Michigan, USA
Posts: 8,252
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EdinAZ
If we keep after it a little at a time, they never get out of control.
Ed
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That's the same for northern wild gardens as well. 1 or 2 shots in spring for us pretty well does it. For you it's summer, right?
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Ross
http://orchids-ross.blogspot.com/
I don't do most Dendros or large, "floofy orchids". For me it's minis (like Angraecoides), Masdies, Paphs, and others that crept in somewhere along the line. See my orchid list for complete collection (usually not current.)
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08-04-2008, 04:41 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Zone: 9b
Location: Orlando, FL
Age: 24
Posts: 704
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I must admit I am jealous...weeding is a constant task here. At least 6 times in summer to keep up a neat looking bed.
Do you miss not growing the same plants as your other homes in differnet growing areas? I know I would miss all my tropicals...
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08-04-2008, 07:12 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Zone: 9a
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 104
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Do I miss them ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by JennS
I must admit I am jealous...weeding is a constant task here. At least 6 times in summer to keep up a neat looking bed.
Do you miss not growing the same plants as your other homes in differnet growing areas? I know I would miss all my tropicals...
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Yes I do miss many of the midwest/temperate zone plants that I used to grow. Ross' posting of his wild garden area was a nostalgia trip for me. I used to have almost all of the same plants.
I still have a home in Chicago, but it's a condo in the city, 8th floor and no balcony, so no gardening there. Nevertheless, I really enjoy seeing the midwest landscape whenever we visit there (often!) and I go to the wildflower gardens in Lincoln park, the Chicago Botanic Gardens, etc. to get my "fix".
Ed |
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