Design ideas for a southwestern landscaping in Phoenix.

Photo: lostinfog, via Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic Cleome serrulata / Rocky Mountain Beeplant

Seen here in the foreground is Chastetree, or Vitex, (Vitex agnus-castus). If you are missing lilacs, try this standout shurb/ small tree. We used mostly vibrant hot colors in this landscape and the cool bluish purple of Vitex contrasts nicely with the other, brighter landscape plants. It can be planted wherever a smaller tree might enhance the landscape, even in a planter! The compound leaves and gray bark also make this plant a beautiful addition to a shrubbery border. The wide variety of chastetree cultivars offer a choice in flower color. 'Silver Spire' and 'Alba' have white flowers while 'Rosea' has pink flowers. 'Shoal Creek' boasts show-stopping purple blooms while 'Purpurea' cultivars have delicate lilac flowers. This large, deciduous flowering shrub or small tree is found in gardens across the country. It puts on a show from late spring through fall with its beautiful bluish-purple flowers clustered along tall spikes. The curious name, "chastetree" finds its roots in a Roman book, Naturalis Historia. This early natural history text was written in the first century AD. The author was Pliny the Elder, a noted naturalist, writer, and military commander of the early Roman empire. He notes that women in Athens kept branches of the tree under their beds during the feast of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, grain, and fertility. These young women believe the leaves of the plant would help them remain pure, thus the "chastetree". Pliny also notes the origin of another of this plant's names: vitex. The name vitex comes from the Latin vieo, meaning to weave. Pliny believed this name was connected to the tree's use in Roman basket weaving.

Photo of a southwestern landscaping in Phoenix.

Design ideas for a southwestern landscaping in Phoenix.

Chionanthus virginicus / fringe tree The High Line Park Photo: Kristine Paulus, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-2.0 Generic

Photo: Susan J. Tweit shot earlier this month at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas, in a native Hill Country prairie. The cacti are prickly pears (Opuntia species), and the wildflowers include Texas indian paintbrush (Castilleja indivisa, the pinky-red ones), Hill country rain lily (the white ones, Cooperia pedunculata), and a native yellow composite (Asteraceae) I didn’t identify.

Inspiration for a mid-sized tropical drought-tolerant and full sun backyard concrete paver landscaping in San Diego.

Lovely plant combination of Loropetalum and Coleonema (Breath of Heaven). These are two great plant combinations that don't need a lot of water and provide nice leaf color and textures throughout the seasons. Located in a Sleepy Hollow/San Anselmo garden in northern California. Other plants n this garden include Phormiums, native Penstemon, Snow in Summer, Lambs Ears and other colorful plants that create a beautiful low-water tapestry of groupings. Photo and Design: © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

Stunning, deep red, new growth from spring until fall accentuates the evergreen leaves of this nandina. Flirt™ holds it's superior red color through the summer, unlike similar varieties. Space 2' apart for groundcover or low hedge. Perfect in mixed beds and containers. Features Feature/Bloom Wine red young foliage spring to fall Evergreen or Deciduous evergreen USDA Zones Hardy to -10°F USDA 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Sunset Zones 3-33 Special Features Year-round interest, easy care, dwarf, water-wise Landscape Use Border, container, firescaping/fire wise, mass planting Exposure Full sun to part shade Bloom Season None Dimension 1-2 ft H x 1.5-2 ft W Growth Rate Slow to moderate Plant Type evergreen About the Collection Brought to you by the authority on Western gardening, the Sunset Western Garden Collection is an exclusive plant collection of top performing plants for the Western Gardener.

Example of a southwest home design design in Phoenix

Hawkeye Landscape Design We began this project with the idea of making a friendly entryway and social area under the Mulberry tree which provides much needed shade in this hot, mountainous area. The 'red fescue' meadow grass has a cooling effect and the agaves reduce the need for excess water and maintenance. The backyard has a covered dining area with a corner lounge and fireplace. The large barbecue offers a cantilevered counter for entertaining. The waterfall into the pool is surrounded with bamboo and plantings that emulate the hillside beyond the property. The permeable paving and mix of Vitex and Olive trees provide shade for smaller seating areas to enjoy the variety of succulents throughout the garden

James T. Menge
Inspiration for a tropical landscaping in Jacksonville.

putneypics
Photo of a traditional landscaping in Boston.

Kalmia latifolia 'Olympic Fire' - Pink late spring flowering Mountain Laurel - evergreen shrub
Inspiration for a shade landscaping in Bridgeport for spring.

Malia Zoe
This is an example of a mediterranean landscaping in Los Angeles.

Courtesy Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder Wild type of Hydrangea arborescens. Note the flowers are smaller and essentially all of them are fertile, there may be one a few of the large sterile florets in this image.