Tim Norris
Here's everything we talked about
Thanks for having us out, Tim. Everything is laid out below in the order we walked the yard, and every plant suggestion has its own card so you can see what it looks like and why it fits that spot.
Courtyard Tree and Ground Cover
Small treeLow maintenanceThis is going to be your courtyard, so the tree here needs to stay on the smaller side, be low maintenance, and not drop a ton of leaves. Desert willow, cascalote, vitex and Texas olive all fit that, and each one has its own personality, so pick the look you like best.
A few things to know when choosing. Desert willow and vitex lose their leaves in winter, which lets sun into the courtyard when you want it, and the leaves are small and easy to clean up. Cascalote and Texas olive stay mostly evergreen. Texas olive does drop its small fruit, so keep it a little off any patio surface you want to keep clean. Go with a 15 gallon tree. Smaller trees root in faster and end up healthier long term.
Ground cover around the tree
You liked the idea of yellow dot around the tree, which is a great choice. It fills in fast with bright yellow flowers. I've added a few other ground covers below too. Keep any ground cover and mulch about a foot back from the trunk.
You can't fit all of these, so pick your favorites and mix a few together.
Desert Willow
Native tree about 15 to 25 feet with orchid-like pink and purple flowers all summer that hummingbirds love. Light, airy canopy. Loses its small leaves in winter.
Cascalote
Small tree about 15 to 20 feet with dark green leaves and spikes of bright yellow flowers in late fall and winter, when not much else is blooming. Mostly evergreen.
Vitex
Multi-trunk tree about 15 to 20 feet with fragrant purple flower spikes all summer that bees and butterflies love. Loses its leaves in winter.
Texas Olive
Evergreen tree about 15 to 25 feet with big white flowers on and off spring through fall. Drops small fruit, so keep it a little off the patio.
Yellow Dot
Fast spreading ground cover covered in small yellow daisy-like flowers most of the year. Does great with some shade from the tree.
Damianita
Low, fragrant mound about 1 to 2 feet tall covered in golden daisies in spring and fall.
Trailing Indigo Bush
Low, spreading silvery ground cover with purple flowers in spring.
Yellow Emu Bush (Outback Sunrise)
Low, spreading ground cover with bright yellow flowers in late winter and spring. Tough in hot spots.
Myoporum
Fast spreading, bright green carpet only a few inches tall with tiny white flowers in spring.
Angelita Daisy
Small mounds of bright yellow daisies almost year round, about 1 foot tall.
Planting a new tree
- Dig wide, not deep: make the hole 2 to 3 times as wide as the root ball but only as deep as the root ball, so it sits on solid soil and doesn't sink.
- Find the root flare first: brush soil off the top of the root ball until you see where the trunk flares out. That should sit at or slightly above grade. Nursery trees are often potted too deep.
- Backfill: use the native soil you dug out with just a tiny bit of compost. Water as you go to settle it.
- Top it off: lay compost on top of the soil, then mulch over the compost. Don't work it in, and keep mulch a foot back from the trunk.
Watering it in
The biggest thing is not letting the root ball dry out. It dries faster than the soil around it, so roots can be thirsty even when the ground looks damp. Water deep, and stretch out the time between waterings as it settles in:
- Weeks 1 to 2: every 2 to 3 days
- Weeks 3 to 4: every 4 to 6 days
- Weeks 5 to 6: every 6 to 8 days
- Weeks 7 to 8: every 8 to 12 days
- Each watering should soak 24 to 36 inches down. A soil probe or long screwdriver is an easy way to check.
- Don't skip a watering just because it rained. Our rain rarely soaks in deep enough.
Ficus: Root Flare Excavation
Existing ficusDIY friendlyThe ficus already planted in the courtyard need their root flares opened up. The root flare is where the trunk widens out into the roots, and it should sit at or just above the soil. When it's buried, the bark stays wet, it invites rot, and roots can start growing up and around the trunk, choking the tree off over time. Ficus are especially prone to this, so it's worth getting done now, before the courtyard plantings go in around them.
The video below shows why an exposed root flare matters, with real examples of what buried flares and girdling roots look like.
Video not loading? Watch it on YouTube.
How to dig them out
- Work gently around the base of each tree. Don't go in aggressive with a shovel, or you'll damage the roots you're trying to expose.
- A strong stream of water from a hose works great for blasting the dirt away without hurting the bark or the roots.
- Keep going until you can see the trunk flare out into the main roots. That's your target grade.
- Look for any roots growing up and over the flare or wrapping around the trunk.
- As you dig them out, post pictures in the Garden Nerd Club. I'll look at them and walk you through it, including whether any roots need to be cut and how to do it. If you'd rather we handle it, we do root flare work too.
- Once they're open, leave the flares exposed. When you add ground cover and mulch, keep it at least a foot back from the trunks.
Patio Containers
ContainersSeasonal colorOver here is where you're planning a little patio sitting area with some containers. A great combo is fire sticks with elephant food spilling out at the bottom. The tall orange-red stems of the fire sticks with the trailing green of the elephant food looks great and takes the heat.
For seasonal color, A&P Nursery always has a great selection of flowers. Swap pots twice a year: cool season flowers go in around October to November and last until it heats up in spring, and warm season flowers go in around April to May.
A few tips for pots in hot sun: go big, since larger pots hold moisture and keep roots cooler. Light colored or glazed ceramic pots stay cooler than dark ones. Use a quality potting mix with a little compost, make sure there's a drainage hole, and top-dress with worm castings every few months. A drip line to the pots makes summer much easier.
Fire Sticks (Pencil Cactus)
Upright succulent with pencil-thin stems that turn bright orange-red in cooler weather. Takes full sun and very little water. Cover it on hard frost nights. The sap is irritating, so wear gloves when handling.
Elephant Food
Succulent with small round leaves on red stems that spills over the edge of a pot. Takes full sun and heat and very little water.
Purple Heart
Deep purple leaves that trail over the edge of a pot with small pink flowers.
Bougainvillea
Bright color most of the year and stays manageable in a pot. Loves the sun.
Vinca
Summer annual that thrives in heat with pink, white or red flowers.
Cool Season Flowers
Petunias, snapdragons, pansies, violas, alyssum, calendula and geraniums all do great in pots through our cool season.
Warm Season Flowers
Vinca, zinnias, portulaca (moss rose), lantana and pentas handle summer heat in containers.
Covering the Back Walls
Wall coverageFor nowYou're building a guest house and garage back here, which we'll address in the future. For now, these walls can be covered with shrubs that fill in fast and look good. Hopseed, Arizona rosewood, orange jubilee and yellow bells are all great options.
Hopseed and rosewood are evergreen screens that give you green coverage year round. Orange jubilee and yellow bells add a lot of color and hummingbirds, but they get big and freeze back a bit in a cold winter. Mixing a screen with a flowering shrub gives you both. Keep in mind where construction will happen so you're not planting where equipment needs to go.
You can't fit all of these, so pick your favorites and mix a few together.
Hopseed
Fast growing evergreen about 10 to 15 feet tall with a soft, airy look. Takes full sun and less water than plants that aren't desert adapted. Space 4 to 6 feet apart.
Arizona Rosewood
Dense, dark green shrub about 10 to 15 feet tall that stays full top to bottom. White flowers in spring. Space 6 to 8 feet apart.
Orange Jubilee
Fast growing shrub with orange trumpet flowers spring through fall, about 10 to 15 feet tall and wide. Loves heat. Space 6 to 8 feet apart.
Yellow Bells
Bright yellow trumpet flowers spring through fall, about 6 to 10 feet tall. Hummingbirds love it. Space about 6 feet apart.
Planting shrubs
- Dig the hole about twice as wide as the pot and the same depth, so the plant sits at the same level it was in the pot.
- Backfill with the native soil and just a tiny bit of compost, watering as you go to settle it.
- Lay compost on top of the soil, then mulch over the compost. Don't work it in.
- Water deeply every 2 to 3 days for the first couple of weeks, then gradually stretch it out over the next two months. Don't let the root ball dry out.
Pots Along the West Fence
West facingFull afternoon sunThis fence gets blasted with western afternoon sun, so anything in pots here needs to be very desert adapted. Desert milkweed with elephant food spilling out over the edge is a great combo for this spot. Here are a few other plants that handle pots in full afternoon sun.
A few tips for pots in hot sun: go big, since larger pots hold moisture and keep roots cooler. Light colored or glazed ceramic pots stay cooler than dark ones. Use a quality potting mix with a little compost, make sure there's a drainage hole, and top-dress with worm castings every few months. A drip line to the pots makes summer much easier.
You can't fit all of these, so pick your favorites and mix a few together.
Desert Milkweed
Upright, rush-like native about 3 to 4 feet tall with pale yellow flowers. Host plant for monarch and queen butterflies, and handles the heat in a pot.
Elephant Food
Succulent with small round leaves on red stems that spills over the edge of a pot. Takes full sun and heat and very little water.
Fire Sticks (Pencil Cactus)
Pencil-thin stems that turn orange-red in cooler weather. Very little water.
Red Yucca
Grass-like clumps with tall coral flower spikes hummingbirds love. Handles reflected heat.
Perry's Agave
Blue-gray agave with a clean, sculptural shape. Great single statement pot.
Golden Barrel Cactus
Round golden barrel cactus that looks great in a wide, low pot.
Totem Pole Cactus
Smooth, knobby green columns with no spines. Tall and sculptural in a big pot.
Yellow Emu Bush (Outback Sunrise)
Low, spreading plant with yellow flowers in late winter and spring that drapes over the edge.
Hopseed Along the Fence
Screening3 to 4 feet apartDown this fence, hopseed would work very well. It grows fast, stays evergreen, takes our sun, and makes a soft, full screen that looks natural. Space them about 3 to 4 feet apart. That's tighter than usual, so they'll grow together into a solid screen faster. Go with 5 gallon plants. They root in quickly and catch up to bigger plants fast.
Let it grow into its natural shape rather than shearing it flat, and it will stay full all the way to the ground. If it needs shaping, thin it by cutting individual branches back to where they meet a larger branch. I've added a few other screening options below too.
Hopseed
Fast growing evergreen screen about 10 to 15 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide. Takes full sun and less water than plants that aren't desert adapted.
Arizona Rosewood
Dense, dark green screen about 10 to 15 feet tall. A little slower than hopseed but very full from top to bottom.
Twisted Myrtle
Evergreen shrub with small, twisted leaves and fragrant white flowers. Stays a bit more compact, about 6 to 8 feet tall.
Planting shrubs
- Dig the hole about twice as wide as the pot and the same depth, so the plant sits at the same level it was in the pot.
- Backfill with the native soil and just a tiny bit of compost, watering as you go to settle it.
- Lay compost on top of the soil, then mulch over the compost. Don't work it in.
- Water deeply every 2 to 3 days for the first couple of weeks, then gradually stretch it out over the next two months. Don't let the root ball dry out.
West-Facing Wall of the House
West facingAfternoon sunRight up against the house here faces west and gets blasted with afternoon sun. Mexican bird of paradise would work great here, and you liked that idea. It thrives in exactly this kind of heat and puts on a long show of flowers. Here are a few other options that love the same conditions.
Plant them about 2 to 3 feet out from the wall so they have room to grow and the water isn't right against the foundation.
You can't fit all of these, so pick your favorites and mix a few together.
Mexican Bird of Paradise
Also called red bird of paradise. Fast growing shrub about 6 to 8 feet tall with fiery red-orange flowers all summer. Loves reflected heat off a west wall and takes less water than plants that aren't desert adapted. It can die back in a cold winter and comes back strong in spring. Cut it back in late winter to keep it full.
Texas Sage
Silvery shrub about 5 to 6 feet tall with purple flowers after summer rains. Handles the hottest walls.
Baja Fairy Duster
Red powder puff flowers most of the year that hummingbirds love, about 4 to 5 feet tall.
Chuparosa
Native shrub about 3 to 4 feet tall with red tubular flowers in winter and spring. A good lower option under windows.
Planting shrubs
- Dig the hole about twice as wide as the pot and the same depth, so the plant sits at the same level it was in the pot.
- Backfill with the native soil and just a tiny bit of compost, watering as you go to settle it.
- Lay compost on top of the soil, then mulch over the compost. Don't work it in.
- Water deeply every 2 to 3 days for the first couple of weeks, then gradually stretch it out over the next two months. Don't let the root ball dry out.
Front Walkway and Fence Hedge
West facingLow hedge + privacyAlong the front walkway, a low growing hedge would look great, and dwarf myrtle is a perfect fit. It stays compact, has fine evergreen leaves and fragrant white flowers, and can be kept low without shearing. Space dwarf myrtle about 3 feet apart.
Then extend the hedge all the way along the fence in front of the house, which also faces west. There, go with twisted myrtle, which gets a little taller and gives you some privacy while matching the look of the dwarf myrtle. Space twisted myrtle about 4 feet apart.
Let both grow into a natural shape. If they need shaping, thin them by cutting individual branches back rather than shearing them flat.
Dwarf Myrtle
Compact, fine-leaved evergreen that stays around 3 to 4 feet with fragrant white flowers. Clean and tidy along a walkway.
Twisted Myrtle
Evergreen with small, twisted leaves and white flowers, growing about 6 to 8 feet tall. Matches the dwarf myrtle and adds privacy.
Little Ollie (Dwarf Olive)
Dense, silvery green evergreen shrub about 4 to 6 feet that doesn't fruit. Very tough in western sun.
Planting shrubs
- Dig the hole about twice as wide as the pot and the same depth, so the plant sits at the same level it was in the pot.
- Backfill with the native soil and just a tiny bit of compost, watering as you go to settle it.
- Lay compost on top of the soil, then mulch over the compost. Don't work it in.
- Water deeply every 2 to 3 days for the first couple of weeks, then gradually stretch it out over the next two months. Don't let the root ball dry out.
Red Push Pistache Shade Trees
Shade1 to 2 treesHere in the front, one or two red push pistache trees would fill in and give you real shade. It's one of my favorite shade trees for the Valley. It handles our heat well, has a nice rounded canopy, and gets great red and orange fall color, which is rare here.
- Size: about 25 to 35 feet tall and wide at maturity. If you plant two, space them at least 20 to 25 feet apart so the canopies can spread.
- Placement: keep it at least 10 to 15 feet off the house, the walkway and any sidewalk so the roots and canopy have room.
- Leaves: it's deciduous, so it drops its leaves in late fall after the color show. That lets winter sun in and gives you shade in summer when you need it.
- Size to buy: go with a 15 gallon tree. Smaller trees root in faster and end up healthier long term than big boxed trees.
- Pruning: very little needed. Remove any crossing or rubbing branches while it's young to set good structure, and otherwise let it grow into its natural shape.
- Watering long term: once established, water deep and infrequently, soaking 2 to 3 feet down, and move the water out toward the edge of the canopy as it grows.
Carob is another great shade tree option if you'd like something evergreen.
Red Push Pistache
Fast to moderate growing shade tree with a rounded canopy and glossy leaves that push out red in spring, then turn brilliant red and orange in late fall before dropping.
Carob
Evergreen shade tree with a full, rounded canopy of glossy leaves, about 25 to 35 feet. Dense shade year round.
Planting a new tree
- Dig wide, not deep: make the hole 2 to 3 times as wide as the root ball but only as deep as the root ball, so it sits on solid soil and doesn't sink.
- Find the root flare first: brush soil off the top of the root ball until you see where the trunk flares out. That should sit at or slightly above grade. Nursery trees are often potted too deep.
- Backfill: use the native soil you dug out with just a tiny bit of compost. Water as you go to settle it.
- Top it off: lay compost on top of the soil, then mulch over the compost. Don't work it in, and keep mulch a foot back from the trunk.
Watering it in
The biggest thing is not letting the root ball dry out. It dries faster than the soil around it, so roots can be thirsty even when the ground looks damp. Water deep, and stretch out the time between waterings as it settles in:
- Weeks 1 to 2: every 2 to 3 days
- Weeks 3 to 4: every 4 to 6 days
- Weeks 5 to 6: every 6 to 8 days
- Weeks 7 to 8: every 8 to 12 days
- Each watering should soak 24 to 36 inches down. A soil probe or long screwdriver is an easy way to check.
- Don't skip a watering just because it rained. Our rain rarely soaks in deep enough.
If the front irrigation needs to be reworked for the new trees and hedge, call Garrett at 480-678-9121.
Feeding the Whole Yard
Feeding the soil is what gets new plantings established fast and keeps them thriving. Healthy soil biology is what makes nutrients available to plants, holds water longer, and keeps roots strong through the summer. Here's how to do it yourself:
- Compost: spread compost generously around the drip line of the trees (out under the edge of the canopy, where the feeder roots are) and closer in around shrubs. I recommend Arizona Worm Farm.
- Worm castings: add worm castings every quarter. They're packed with biology and gentle enough to use around everything.
- Organic fertilizer: feed monthly with a good organic fertilizer that's high in fulvic acid. The ones I use are from Catalyst: Jenner 8, Organic Nitro Jen, and their kelp fertilizer. You can find them here (click Products, then Home and Garden).
Jenner 8
Organic fertilizer high in fulvic acid that feeds the soil biology and the plant at the same time.
Organic Nitro Jen
Organic nitrogen to push healthy green growth, especially useful for new plantings getting established.
Kelp Fertilizer
Trace minerals and natural growth compounds that help plants handle heat and stress.
Monthly Fertilizing Program
- Monthly liquid organic feeding for the whole landscape
- Compost applied three times a year
- A recap video after every visit so you know what we did and what we saw
Where to go from here
You can take this write-up and do as much of it yourself as you want. As a consult client, you're already in the Garden Nerd Club, so you have direct access to me there. Post photos, ask questions, and I'll help you along the way.
When you're ready to plant, we do planting too. If you'd like, I can put together a planting proposal for any or all of these areas whenever the timing works for you. Just text me.
For anything irrigation related, call Garrett at 480-678-9121.
You can see more about our planting services at thegardennerd.org.
Everything in one spot
Thanks again, Tim
It was great walking the yard with you. Reach out anytime in the Garden Nerd Club, and follow along for more tips.
