Drycreek Blog

Cactus Flowers Are Abundant This Season

2012-05-29T18:39:00-04:00

Cactus flowers seem to be blooming earlier than usual this year, and ever so abundant!

The Claret Cup Hedge Hog bloomed in mid-May this season, and now the Beaver Tail is in full swing. In stock are several species with many flower buds on each plant, yellows, pinks, cream-salmon, chrome-orange, green, the colors are spectacular and lure the garden visitors into the mythical desert wonderland that is easy to create with these cold hardy, drought resistant, carefree cactus wonders.

The yuccas, too, are blooming earlier and more abundantly this year. Some plants have over twenty stems rising. Plant them in proximity to create the mythology of the desert right in your own yard.

Currently Dry Creek has a limited supply of many different cold hardy cacti in stock. They grow well in containers, too.

The Beauty of Cactus Flowers

2012-05-16T13:54:00-04:00

This little Hedge Hog, from Dry Creek Garden Nursery, has been in the ground for eight years. It's a small variety that grows slowly but surely from year to year. The flowers are smaller and more subtle than many Hedge Hog varieties, and is a strange copper yellow green color.

Another cactus that has similar springtime flowers is the Green Pitaya (Echinocereus viridiflorus). The cactus stays small, growing to a height of two to three inches, eventually filling a space between six and twelve inches. This cactus, like most, enjoys very hot, dry conditions in full sun in poor, well draining soils. In other words, it is very easy to care for and conducive to our region of the world.

Currently Dry Creek has a limited supply of Green Pitaya and other cold hardy cacti in stock. This is the time to buy, too, as the cactus sell fast and the blooming season has just begun.

Cactus Blooming Season Is Here

2012-05-15T17:57:00-04:00

Since we've been having warmer than "normal" temperatures this spring, the cactus flowers have started blooming a bit earlier than usual. The deep red Claret Cup blooms are already almost over while the bright orange Hedge Hog flowers are now in full force. And, these beautiful pink Beaver Tail flowers are just beginning.

For cactus enthusiasts, the blooming season of late spring and early summer is the best time of the year. The flowers are incredibly beautiful and as they open in the early morning, they seem to conjure up the reasons why we love living in the desert: hot days, warm nights, perfect clouds, clear night skies. Live seems hopeful, even fantastic, when the cactus flowers are blooming.

While The Weather Is Erratic

2012-04-03T17:22:00-04:00

It's always exciting this time of year to take some day hikes around our area to catch a glimpse of the native perennials reemerging for the next growing season. Right now is a good time because the non-native, incredibly invasive Cheat Grass has not yet sprouted. The green that is emerging are the indigenous plants, for the most part, and because the Cheat Grass is still brown, the emerging plants are easy to see.

There's not a lot of snow on Peavine this spring (the photo is one of the lesser peaks on the way to the summit). But more snow is predicted for later this week, so perhaps soon the mountain will look more like itself for this time of year.

It's beautiful out, so take a hike, then stop by the Nursery to see what's arrived for planting this week.

Happy April!

Anticipating the Coming Growing Season

2012-02-24T15:17:00-04:00

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.

Blue Geranium Blooming

2011-06-16T23:38:51-04:00

Geraniums are very popular plants, but here in the high desert most types you find in local nurseries and garden centers are grown as annuals or indoor plants. Not so with this hardy Blue Geranium. This interesting low to medium high growing ground cover is cold hardy, will grow outside even in bright sun and come back to make you happy with its interesting foliage and true blue flowers that bloom all summer. Deadhead for an extended bloom.

This plant works well as a medium high border plant in sun or dappled shade. You can also grow them in containers, or as pictured here, in full sun in a xeric rock garden setting. They are drought tolerant, enjoy average, well-drained soil.

The Blue Geranium is a Drycreek favorite, but the nursery also sometimes carries hardy geraniums in other colors, too, like pink, purple, magenta and white.

Penstemon Blooming

2011-06-12T17:58:40-04:00

It seems that after the biggest rain day in June in over ninety years, the penstemon are reacting in mass with abundant flowers.

There are almost three hundred species of penstemon (Plantaginaceae and/or Scrophulariaceae family). Also called beardtongue, penstemon vary greatly, with many shapes and sizes with flowers in a wide range of colors: blue, magenta, orange, pink, purple, red, white and even yellow. Foliage is varied, too, some with broad bright green leaves, others with delicate gray green, still others with almost blue leaves. Some types are tall, up to almost two feet; others are quite small, reaching only six or eight inches in height. Honeybees and hummingbirds are attracted to the flowers.

Nevada is a penstemon paradise. Several types are native to the area and thrive on dry air and dry soil. They are perfect for xeric landscaping plans as well as sun drenched rock and container gardens. Many types, including European hybrids flourish here with little care and little watering. Give them full sun and well drained average soil and they'll be on their way to making June a bright and colorful month year after year.

Traditionally, Native American cultures used penstemon as a medicinal plant. The plant is beloved by many. There is even a Penstemon Society for true penstemon enthusiasts.

Penstemon is one of Drycreek's favorite and most popular perennials. Each year you can find many different types available.

Hedgehog Cactus Blooming

2011-06-11T20:49:00-04:00

These last few days of perfect springtime weather has the Hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus) excited for blooms. This little gem (pictured) lives in a very sandy, well-drained south facing rock garden in downtown Reno. It's been living here for almost a decade. It usually blooms each year around the first of June, but this year it's a about a week and a half late. You can guess why.

Drycreek has a great selection of cold hardy cacti this year. These little hedgehogs usually go very quickly. They require no maintenance after becoming established and each spring the flowers are definitely something to look forward to. Hedgehog cactus plants are great for displaying in containers, and because they are slow growers, you can start out with a small sized pot. Just make sure they get full sun and a well-draining sandy soil. Most hedgehog cactus plants tend to stay very compact with their stems growing no more than a foot high. If you're lucky enough to live a long life with this cactus as your companion, you will get to see your little cactus develop into a fully mature mound consisting of many stems and many amazing flowers from year to year.

For potting cacti, it's easy to create a good soil match without having to purchase expensive mixes from the big box stores. All you need is some regular potting soil and some pumice. Mix the two with a ratio of about one third pumice to two thirds potting soil. Doing it yourself can save a lot of money, especially if growing cacti becomes a hobby.

To say the least, the Hedgehog cactus is a spectacular addition to any xeric landscaping plan.

Yucca Flower Stalks Emerging

2011-05-26T10:43:00-04:00

This Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora), a member of the Agave Family, has been living in downtown Reno for five or six years. It commands a warm and sunny south facing spot, which it loves. Each spring it sends up several flower stalks that rise up above the leaves by at least two feet. Sometimes there are as many as ten flower stalks; other years less than half that amount.

Red Yucca is a hardy, drought tolerant, carefree evergreen perennial that's perfect for desert themed xeric landscapes and large rock gardens. The plant grows somewhat slowly, and will eventually become shrub-like, reaching a spread of up to five or six feet wide and three feet high.

In well drained soil, give your yucca a good occasional watering to encourage blooms. If your plant receives regular blasts of Nevada's drying winds, it will appreciate a drip line or weekly watering during the summer. The long lasting bright pink flowers are a major attraction to hummingbirds and the tall flower stalks make it easy to see when the hummingbirds make their rounds. Honeybees are also a frequent visitor. The flowers themselves last most of the summer, developing pods of flat black seeds that can be sprouted.

As the single plant spreads out, suckers will appear around the base that can be separated and planted elsewhere. You can propagate from seeds, too, although it will be several years before you'll be seeing flower stalks emerging.

Drycreek carries several varieties of yucca.

Jupiter's Beard In Bloom

2011-05-20T14:21:02-04:00

Jupiter's Beard (Centranthus ruber), also called Red Valerian, is a carefree hardy perennial that blooms profusely this time of year. The beautiful magenta flowers are incredibly long lasting with tall stems suitable for cutting. In the garden, the flowers attract honey bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. In some parts of the world, this plant can be somewhat intrusive, but it's not much to worry about here in the high desert. Seedlings are easy to remove. Drought and heat tolerant, this is a good xeriscaping choice for dry areas that call for a field of color as Jupiter's Beard pretty much takes care of itself once established. It works well, too, as a single accent, as this photo suggests. It can also easily be grown in containers. If deadheaded, the plant will bloom pretty much the entire summer.

According to Wikipedia, both the roots and the leaves are edible.

New Growth On Local Manzanita

2011-05-16T17:08:45-04:00

There are over one hundred different Manzanita (Arctostaphylos) species. California seems to be the Manzanita capital of the world, as there are at least sixty-nine varieties native to the state. Several types have naturalized in Nevada, including Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), Pointleaf Manzanita (Arctostaphylos pungens), Pringle Manzanita (Arctostaphylos pringlei), Greenleaf Manzanita (Arctostaphylos patula), and Pinemat Manzanita (Arctostaphylos nevadensis).

The distinguising features of most Manzanita are their beautiful soft evergreen leaves, their amazing slick red bark, and their light pink flower clusters in late winter, early spring. The plant is incredibly drought tolerant and comes in a variety of shapes for different uses. The Manzanita featured in the photo is a bush type and a bit of a challenge to grow in the lower elevations (but who doesn't enjoy a challenge?), but perhaps the favorite for local xeriscaping projects is the Kinnikinnick. Also called Bearberry, Kinnikinnick is a low growing, creeping evergreen ground cover with beautiful deep green leaves and whitish pink flowers in the early spring.

The USDA characterizes Kinnikinnick as long-lived and very cold hardy. The plant requires little maintenance once established, but demands well drained, normally dry, course, sandy soils. It will grow in full sun, but also grows well under the broken shade of conifer trees. It's a very special plant, indeed. Drycreek has a limited supply of Kinnikinnick this spring.

Desert Globemallow In Bloom

2011-05-15T00:00:00-04:00

The Desert Globemallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) is a native wildflower in Nevada, Arizona, California and Utah. This rapid growing perennial subshrub has longlasting orange flowers on tall stems. The plant is heat, drought and even fire tolerant. It will grow well in a variety of soil types, including poor sandy and poor rocky.

Even though the Desert Globemallow isn't normally considered to be a typical nursery stock plant, leave it to Drycreek Garden Company to locate a small supply for those interested in xeriscaping with native and naturalized plants. They are great, also, for rock wildflower gardens. The nursery usually offers two or three varieties so gardeners have a choice between orange, pink or white flowers. The springtime blooming season is fairly long. If given space, the plant will grow into a nice round mound with an abundance of flower covered stems in the spring. This plant can be quite spectacular after a moist winter, so keep your eyes peeled.

Claret Cup Hedge Hog Cactus In Bloom

2011-05-14T11:09:00-04:00

One of the greatest experiences for desert tourists is to see native and naturalized cactus in bloom. Many cacti species produce flowers that rival even orchids in color and beauty. This Claret Cup Hedge Hog cactus has about a dozen flowers this year. They began opening this week. The Claret Cup flowers are surprisingly long lasting, staying open and crisp looking for close to two weeks. The cactus in the foreground of the photo is a different type of Hedge Hog and will have long trumpet-like pink flowers, probably in early June. The tiny hedge hog in the lower left corner of the photo will have bright pink trumpets in late June.

For many gardeners, especially those migrating to the desert from more verdant regions, the discovery of cactus growing is an exciting addition to the hobby. But, newcomers are often surprised and gravely disappointed to find that most cacti purchased from most big box gardening centers are not hardy for this area. For many hot house cacti, not only is the winter too severe, but even the summer sun can do major damage. Not so with hardy varieties. Drycreek is the best nursery in northern Nevada for finding cactus plants that can grow in our climate. All their cacti are winter hardy and the nursery has a fine selection this spring.

Bitterbrush In Bloom

2011-05-13T13:15:00-04:00

Bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata), also known as Antelope Bitterbrush and Buckbrush, joins Big Sage and Rabbitbrush as an essential species for the Great Basin desert. Many animals, both native and introduced, depend upon Bitterbrush for survival. The plant's range is vast, extending beyond Nevada to Arizona, California, Colorado Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and even to northern British Columbia. As with many blooming perennials this year, the local plants seem to have enjoyed this past winter's moisture. Many plants are completely loaded with flowers.

Drycreek tries to carry bitterbrush for those interested in xeriscaping with native and naturalized plants. The quantities are usually small and sell out fast. The nursery also carries a plant with similar features, the Cliff Rose. Both plants are very attractive, take very little care, accept poor sandy soil and are drought tolerant. They love full sun and will grow into a full sized shrub over a few seasons, typically three or four feet high. Bitterbrush is a good choice for controlling erosion on land that's been disturbed from recent construction.

Pasque Flower

2011-05-02T12:51:00-04:00

Springtime is when you'll see the beautiful Pasque Flower in bloom. Due to the timing and perhaps the color of its blooms, the Pasque Flower is sometimes called the Easter Flower. The name, pasque, means Easter, perhaps due to the timing and color of its flower. They are also sometimes referred to as campana, which might refer to way the flower resembles a church bell. Other common names include the Meadow Anemone, the Prairie Crocus and the Wind Flower. This cold hardy, low growing deciduous perennial is a native wildflower to the United States and Canada and can be seen in the wild growing in meadows and prairies and on southern alpine slopes of mountains from the Sierra to the Alaskan tundra.

As a welcome sign of spring, every party of this plant is interesting. The leaves are feathery, the nodding flowers come in bright purple, white, pink, lavender and deep maroon. The seed heads resemble the strange plumed heads of exotic birds.

The plant is drought tolerant, perfect for xeriscaping and rock gardens preferring a well drained, sandy or normal soil with southern or western exposure. At present, Drycreek has Pasque Flowers in four inch pots with flower stems ready to bloom.

Apparently the Pasque Flower was used extensively by Native American cultures for centuries, but takes skill and knowledge on how to utilize its powerful medicinal properties. For those without such Shamanistic abilities, the plant should be considered toxic, so don't eat it. It is also the state flower of South Dakota.

Yucca Rostrata

2011-04-29T12:26:31-04:00

Sometimes called Beaked Yucca, Big Bend Yucca, Silver Yucca and Nordstrum's Yucca, Rostrata is a hardy evergreen, trunk-growing tree-like yucca that will take the dryness, the heat, the winter, the rocky soil and the occasional summer downpour. They establish themselves quickly and look spectacular reflecting light from the desert sun. Over its life span, the Rostrata can reach fifteen feet with multiple three foot wide, silver-green heads. The dead leaves remain on the plant, sheltering the trunk as it grows. The clustered white flowers, too, are stunning, emerging in late spring and early summer, reaching up to the sky on tall stems.

Rostrata roots very easily. Water regularly until established. This will help the plant extend roots deep enough to help it resist strong winds. Once established, watering should be very light. Feed the plant with an organic general purpose fertilizer in the spring.

This plant was utilized extensively by native cultures; the flowers for food, the spines for many uses including baskets, clothing and soap. The flower pedals are said to be quite tasty if harvested at the right time and great in salads. The fruit, if allowed to mature, can be used to make soups and other interesting dishes.

This spring Drycreek has a new crop of Rostrata in several sizes, as well as many other types of hardy Yucca.

A Ground Cover That Looks Right At Home

2011-04-24T11:07:16-04:00

Kinnikinick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), also called Pinemat Manzanita, Bearberry, Mealberry, Hog Cranberry and Sandberry is a beautiful low-growing evergreen shrub which grows well in sandy or rocky soil. In the spring, established plants send forth delicate light pink, bell-like flower clusters. The flowers and fruit attract local song birds.

This slow growing ground cover helps with erosion control on areas that have been disturbed by construction and clearing. It forms a beautiful dense, slowly spreading cover usually about a half foot high. A mature plant can cover as much as 10 feet in diameter. The leaves are a beautiful deep waxy green. The plant will cascade over rock walls and take some partial shade, especially in the hottest part of the day.

Drycreek recently received a shipment of Kinnikinick in one gallon containers which make it easier to transplant and establish. These plants are disease resistant and tend to flower and fruit well in our area. Once established, Kinnikinick requires very little maintenance. Feed it a good, balanced fertilizer in the spring for faster growth.

What's Better Than A Springtime Rain In The Desert?

2011-04-23T13:21:00-04:00

The Museum of Paleontology at the University of California confirms what we high desert dwellers already feel in our bones, especially in winter and early spring: the Great Basin desert is different than most deserts in that the Great Basin desert exists at a much higher altitude than the "hot and dry" deserts of the southwestern United States and Mexico. The Great Basin is thus considered to be a semiarid, nearctic "cold desert" with limited snow and rainfall caused by the wall of mountains we call the Sierra Nevada. Each winter the Sierra gathers most of the moisture coming from the Pacific causing the famous "rain shadow" that keeps the eastern lee side of the mountains so much drier.

It seems this rain shadow makes all the difference. The plants, the animals and insects have evolved to match the lower levels of moisture held back by the high mountains. Even the people have adapted. You can see it in how gardeners here react to a spring rain. On the coastline of northern California, gardeners long for and rejoice at the arrival of sunny days in the spring, hoping that the sun will warm and dry the soggy ground enough to sprout the seeds and energize the stock. Gardeners here long for and rejoice at the arrival of clouds with drenching rain to soak the soil enough to sprout the seeds and give drip lines, watering cans and garden hoses a day off.

This week we have a forecast of chance of rain and this morning rain is actually making it to the ground. What a perfect time to turn the soil, scatter the wildflower seed mixes and initiate springtime planting. It's so rare that we find this chance to actually get our heads wet! Even if the rain is only symbolic, it still makes us feel good, psychologically replenished. Of course, we can't forget that we're in the desert, that our lives are intertwined with this ancient xeriscape. We know it's the subsequent dryness that we can actually rely upon. And as this photo of hardy alyssum shows, the rain we received overnight didn't really soak the ground.

The Desert Peach

2011-04-21T13:14:00-04:00

Desert Peach (Prunus andersonii) is good choice for local xeric landscaping as it is a desert indigenous perennial for eastern California and western and central Nevada as far east as Eureka and Nye counties, and therefore completely adjusted to our climate. This slow growing deciduous perennial shrub belongs to the rose family and is actually related to the peach, cherry and almond trees we use as food producers. Although Native American populations considered the plant as medicinal, they also utilized the fruit as food and the twigs and leaves as tea, but for gardening and landscaping purposes, the plant is now mostly considered an ornamental.

Also called the Wild Almond, this lovely plant enjoys the full intensity of the desert sun. According to the United States Forest Service, the plant is "morphologically and physiologically adapted to drought conditions," which means it will accept low to moderate amounts of moisture to stay happy and healthy. The USDA also notes that the Desert Peach is a good choice for revegetation on disturbed land within its historical range. This makes the Desert Peach a good choice for rehabilitating local home sites that were cleared during construction.

Drycreek now has Desert Peach in stock in one gallon containers, making it easy to transplant. The plants have flower buds emerging for this year's springtime bloom. The wide flowers attract honeybees for pollination.

Exciting Cold Hardy Cactus

2011-04-20T13:38:00-04:00

Gardeners find huge disappointments when buying cacti from the local big box gardening stores because most of the cacti sold there are green house varieties that can't take our weather. People are shocked and saddened when the cactus shrivel and die at the first hint of frost. Not so at Drycreek Garden Company. All of Drycreek's cactus plants are cold hardy varieties.

This spring, John Strickland, the co-owner of Drycreek, took a special road trip to a cactus specialist who grows cold hardy cacti in Colorado. Wearing a good pair of leather gardening gloves, John hand picked this year's selection, making sure the nursery would have the best selection possible for northern Nevada gardeners. In stock right now are at least ten exciting cold hardy varieties.

Gardeners either love cactus or they hate them, but if they love them, they love them a lot. Besides the interesting flesh, the flowers tend to be over-the-top spectacular, from the bright red, long lasting Claret Cup, to the hot pink, lemon yellow and salmon colored Beaver Tail, to the deep purple and magenta Cholla.

All of the cactus John collected this spring are perfect for rock gardens and other xeric uses. They love full sun, take little water and sit there looking pretty simply left alone. They also grow well in containers. Each year, since many of the flowers, once ready, open so quickly, it's fun to set up a tripod for some armature time lapse photography.

Hardy Euphorbias

2011-04-11T14:43:10-04:00

The Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) pictured here lives in the old southwest section of Reno. It's been in the ground for several years, but has been severely cut back numerous times to keep it small and beautiful. This Euphorbia is a flowering evergreen perennial, although if the winter is especially tough, the heavy snow can deform the stems. But no worry, since the root system is cold hardy, if the plant turns ugly or in any way unruly, all that needs to be done is to cut it back. Soon, the plant will send out new, beautiful, relatively fast growing stems and leaves for the next season. The flowers are strange, wonderful and long lasting. See a closeup of its flowers here.

The cold hardy Euphorbias for our area tend to be drought resistant, but they do enjoy regular watering. Make sure to plant them in well drained soil as they don't like to sit in water or ice.

Drycreek carries several varieties of Euphorbia, good for xeric landscaping, rock gardens and regular gardening, including the popular Donkey Tail, the Martini, the Myrsinites, the Purpurea and the Rigida which is a large version of the Donkey Tail.

The Drycreek Web site has a page dedicated to the Euphorbia.

Tulips and Rock Gardens

2011-04-09T00:00:00-04:00

Everyone knows springtime bulbs are great for mass plantings in beds and borders, but they work great in less conventional areas of your garden as well. Perhaps you don't associate tulips, daffodils, crocus, hyacinths and other flowering bulbs with rock gardens, but in the high desert, you get to see these springtime flowers poking their leaves and flower stems up between the rocks of xeric gardens quite often. And they look great.

If you have not thought of this, plan for next spring by planting springtime bulbs in the crevices between the rocks of your rock garden about six inches deep. Give them full sun and well drained soil. The rocks will act as a ground cover over the winter, giving the bulbs their needed moisture.

Once the flowers are spent and the leaves begin to brown, you can cut them back to the ground and fill the space by planting some shallow rooted sedum above the deeper bulbs.

If you haven't tried this before, write it as a plan for your fall gardening projects.

Claret Cup Cactus Flower Buds Emerging

2011-04-08T14:25:00-04:00

It's exciting to see that this beautiful Claret Cup Hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus) has more than a dozen buds emerging this spring. The long lasting, rich scarlet flowers will reach up from the spines, creating an incredible splash of color, usually in late April, lasting well into May and sometimes into June. The bright red flower is a major attraction for local hummingbirds. In fact, hummingbirds are its primary pollinator.

This plant will grow about six inches high, widening into ever greater clusters. It loves to wedge itself between rocks that catch the occasional desert rain. A cluster of five stems is usually considered to be mature, although old growth plants in the wild can have hundreds of stems in a single cluster.

Native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, the Claret Cup is easy to grow. Just be sure to give it a well drained space with lots of sun, although, studies of the plant indicate it can take some afternoon shade. The plant pictured receives splintered afternoon shade from its neighboring red yucca.

This is truly an outstanding cactus. With a good pair of leather gloves, you can divide the stems for propagation. Each year Drycreek offers a nice variety of hardy cacti, including the Claret Cup.

The Yarrow Returns

2011-04-07T13:46:00-04:00

Yarrow is extremely easy to grow and will tolerate a variety of soil textures. Good for xeric landscaping, yarrow takes little water once established with a medium high tolerance to temporary drought conditions. All varieties like full sun and will withstand cold temperatures well below what is experienced in the basin and range environments. Soil conditions can vary, just be sure to provide a well drained space.

There are many types of yarrow, including dwarf types. The one pictured here produces yellow topped flowers on tall stems that are good for cutting and drying. Butterflies and honeybees love this plant. Other colors include white, pink, deep pink and crimson red. The foliage tends to be more fragrant than the flowers.

Yarrow works well as a ground cover in xeric landscaping and in rock gardens. The plants can be divided for propagation and will naturalize if helped along. They do very well in containers, too. Harvest the dried flower stems in late autumn for consulting the I Ching. You can leave the stems standing for catching the snow in deep winter.

Early Blooming and Carefree Phlox

2011-04-06T14:03:18-04:00

Local early spring flowers include Phlox. Phlox longifolia is a native Nevada wildflower which can be found growing in the high desert as well as the High Sierra.. One of over sixty species, this low growing ground cover adorns itself with an eye catching splash of springtime color. The small flowers come in several colors, including bright red, pure white, sky blue, hot pink and lavender. There are even variegated varieties. If you mix them in mass, this time of year will bring abundant color to your garden.

The plants are basically care free. Give them full sun and well drained soil and they will return year after year. In late spring, after the blooms have faded, you can cut back the foliage. This will promote a thicker patch of green for the summer. At this time, too, you can divide the plants for a wider distribution.

A good choice for xeric landscaping, Phlox does very well in rock gardens and on south facing slopes. This plant also attracts butterflies and honeybees.

'Autumn Joy' Sedum

2011-04-03T12:32:00-04:00

Early to rise out of the cold hard earth, this sedum (Hylotelephium spectabile - formerly called Sedum spectabile) will grow to about 15 inches, producing a crown of abundant purplish pink flowers for autumn color. The flowers can be left to dry on their stems for winter interest, then the entire plant cut to the ground to allow for its reemergence in early spring.

Trouble free for years and years, this plant, like most sedum, is very easy to grow. Our climate is perfect since it thrives in heat and sun, little water and average to poor soil. Just make sure its roots don't sit in water. It's easy to propagate, too. Occasionally it will reproduce itself by seed, but you can easily divide the clumps or simply break off stems and replant them. Usually the stems will root themselves before long.

Many sedum are grown for their leaves more than their flowers, but this sedum has beautiful, showy flowers that open and mature in the fall. In mid-summer the plant will begin to develop a crown of flower buds, emerging first as the same color as the foliage, but they will eventually open and change to their crimson pink. Such a delight!

Hummingbirds, honeybees and butterflies are attracted to this plant. A good choice for many of your xeric landscaping needs, gardeners often use them as border plants, but they are also well suited as a specimen plant for ornamental accent in rock and cacti gardens, and as a potted plant.

Cold Hardy Perennial Sedum

2011-03-30T14:37:00-04:00

This beautiful purple-blue sedum lives in a ceramic pot on a west facing patio deck in downtown Reno. It dies back to the ground each year and begins to emerge again, usually in early March. The color of its leaves is only one of its attention grabbing attributes. As the growing season unfolds, it grows into a think cover, stems reaching up, out and over the rim of the container, cascading down, contrasting with the color and texture of everything around it.

Perennial and annual sedum varieties are popular here in the desert. They are amazingly easy to grow, easy to propagate and a good choice for rock gardens and xeric landscapes. Many have interesting flowers that add autumn color and winter texture. Coming in many colors, shapes and sizes, common names like Autumn Joy, Chocolate Ball, Dragon's Blood and Purple Emperor gives some suggestion as to how this succulent can contribute to your garden's Western aesthetic.

Each year, Drycreek offers a wide variety of perennial sedum.

The Lovely and Talented Yucca

2011-03-29T16:33:06-04:00

There has been local song bird action around this Perry's Agave and Hairy Yucca. It seems the Kinglets and other small birds like to snip the filaments for nest making.

Both of these pictured plants are cold hardy for our area (approximately zones 5 - 9). The yucca will grow to about twenty inches high with an almost three foot spread. The agave will grow to about 9 inches high. Both are beautiful plants and are great for rock gardens and other types of xeric landscaping.

The flower pedals of many different types of yucca are edible and some are considered to be delicious (no guarantees...). You can try putting freshly picked flower pedals into your summer salads. You can find recipes that call for harvesting the entire flower stalk as it emerges in late spring, early summer. The tips resemble the look of asparagus tips, but you won't get to see the flower stem bloom with this technique. Many types have long lasting flowers, some extending into late summer.

Apparently, especially in earlier times, many native American tribes utilized the yucca for food and for weaving, making baskets, weapons and clothing and also for making soap (hence the common name, Soapweed). Many Yucca types are incredibly easy to care for. Most do not uglify during the winter. They are natural born bird feeders and they will make your garden landscape look like you know and love the environment within which you live.

The Joshua Tree

2011-03-28T10:35:00-04:00

Joshua Trees are able to endure what humans would consider to be extremely harsh conditions. And yet, places and conditions humans consider to be sublime, Joshua Trees would find uncomfortable, unlivable. In their homeland, in the winter, the Joshua Tree easily endures subfreezing cold, snow covered, hard packed and rocky soil. But what they don't like is shade and they will die fairly fast if their roots stand in water.

This plant is a favorite of many, but it is truly a plant for adults. Adults Only. Their sharp dagger like leaves are unforgiving. The inevitable winner in any chance encounter, the spines can easily harm you. They can easily draw blood.

It's a good rule to be smart and respectful of the Joshua Tree. It is a fantastic plant that demands a well drained spot in the sun. It needs room to grow away from foot traffic and well away from kids and clumsy adults.

You can avoid the danger and still have the beauty and interest. We usually stock several hardy Yucca varieties that are much more child and clumsy person friendly and can safely and softly satisfy the Joshua Tree aesthetic. Many are also prolific producers of fantastic, long lasting, hummingbird loving flowers. We do occasionally stock Yucca brevifolia, but don't pass up varieties that are just as desert wonderful and not nearly as mean.

Lemon Yellow Cactus Flower

2010-07-15T13:18:00-04:00

This beautiful Prickly Pear cactus flower opened yesterday with such a rich lemon yellow. The plant has several more unopened buds, so we're in for a visual treat over the coming days.

There are several types of Opuntia, some of which are indigenous to the Great Basin Desert. Beavertail (Opuntia basilaris), the Porcupine Prickly Pear (Opuntia erinacea), the Smooth Prickly Pear (Opuntia humifusa), the Plains Prickly Pear (Opuntia polycantha), and the Brown-Spinded Prickly Pear (Opuntia phaeacantha) are such wonders to be found in the Great Basin. In the wild, different species have adapted to different elevations of the Basin and Range.

Opuntia is easy to grow in the ground, rock gardens and in containers. Give them full sun with well draining, course soil that dries out between watering. An advantage to growing them in containers is that they can be moved about. This is especially advantageous when the blooming season arrives, as they can become a temporary center of attention.