It's been a surprisingly dry winter for the Sierra and Great Basin. So dry, in fact, that gardeners needed to compensate for lact of rain and snow by watering their trees, perennials and lawns from time to time during the cold winter months. But if your watering efforts were too little, too late, damage and die back, especially with plants that are strangers to the desert to begin with, are probably the inevitable results.

Some plants will survive and recover. Some will die. As the soil begins to warm with night temperatures rising, the damage will become more evident. Many drought tolerant plants -- the yucca, agave, hardy cacti and others -- will probably be just fine. Plants with deeper root systems might send up their new spring growth like nothing strange happened at all. Time will tell.

If you keep a gardening journal with maps for locating and tracking your plants, it will be easier to tell what's been lost. Whatever the case, this is the time of year to work on preparing and improving the soil for the typically hot, dry growing season to come. If there was little water in the winter, we can most definitely expect more of the same for summer.

Right now, though, as the lack of water continues, it's important to add moisture to your soil, especially for your large trees and shrubs, as well as your less drought tolerant perennials. For large trees and shrubs, twice a month, slowly soak the dripline areas (away from the trunk toward the outer edges of their branches), at least to a depth of 8 inches. Do this slowly so that the water does not run off, but rather soaks in.

Xeriscaping involves a different kind of maintenance. During the summer, while some of you poor suckers are pushing a loud, smoggy lawnmower back and forth every week. Pouring fertilizers, pesticides and water onto your outdoor, hopefully not wall to wall carpet, I'm doing next to nothing but the occasional cutting back of a spent plant and pulling a weed here and there. My rule of thumb is not to cut anything back unless I don't like looking at it. I'm rewarded in the winter with a lot of interest. The Coneflowers in the picture are one of the best for winter interest. My work starts when the snow melts. I will start cutting back select things that no longer hold appeal. If you want to get a lot done in one day use a hedge trimmer. They make quick work out of ornamental grasses, russian sage and lavender to name a few. There are many advantages to this method. I get to work in forty degree weather rather than ninety and I get my yoga workout reaching and twisting as I prune to name a couple. If you have been reading this blog you have a pretty good idea what I'm going to do after this laborious process. Thats right, I'm finding a sunny spot to soak up some rays and catch a well deserved nap.

In designing your landscape don't forget to think about a winter sunbathing spot. You will probably need more than one so you can move from your morning recliner to your afternoon recliner as the sun moves. Your spot needs to be against a south wall or fence for good heat radiation. Get your down jacket and your baseball cap or visor to keep the sun out of your eyes. Settle in to your recliner, wooden bench or even a dry patch of decomposed granite and enjoy a good nap. Importantly, make these places private. This is a peaceful refuge, a holy place for religious experiences, a place for soothing hangovers and hiding from family responsibilities. Also if your neighbor sees you stretched out on the ground they may think you are dead or injured and you don't want to wake up to some dude administering CPR on you.