[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[Mark Di Lucido]

Jackie

There are many plant choices for the situation you describe--which choice is
most appropriate depends on your garden's 'look', how much maintenance and
clean-up you are willing to perform, how much water you want to pay for,
whether you mind visits from bees and butterflys, and how patient you are.
Also, do you want to exclude all plants that might suffer frost damage?
Bougainvillea is an excellent choice for west facing walls that receive full
sun but it obviously suffers frost damage.  Do you exclude it on the off
chance we may have another killing frost in say, 10 years?  

As you research what plants you think will work in your situation, it is
helpful to use plant botanical names.  For example, if by lemon bottlebrush
you mean Callistemon citrinus, then you will get a plant that can be pruned
to tree form.  If however, you purchase Callistmon citrinus 'Jeffers', you
will end up with a shrub that won't grow taller than 6'.  I assume by Queen
vine you mean Queen's wreath (Antigonon leptopus).  I grew these at my house
in Scottsdale and loved them.  Their spectacular summer beauty more than
made up for their winter bareness.  They did attract an occasional bee (and
butterfly) and because they use tendrils to climb you'll have to provide
support on your block wall.
 
Look in, "Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert", an excellent publication
(used to be free) with great photos and cultural requirement descriptions
for appropriate choices.  It's available at most municipality water
conservation offices.  The plants listed therein comply with the Arizona
Department of Water Resources "Drought Tolerant/Low Water Use Plant List"
for the Phoenix Active Management Area.
  
Other plants that might fit your 'higher' requirement include Pyracantha
(hedge); Bamboo; Citrus-Sour Orange (hedge); and Feijoa sellowiana-Pineapple
Guava. 

Good luck

Mark D.
(Not a Master Gardener)

-----Original Message-----
From: arid_gardener-bounces at CALS.arizona.edu
[mailto:arid_gardener-bounces at CALS.arizona.edu] On Behalf Of
jsullivan_20 at yahoo.com
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2007 2:56 PM
To: arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu
Subject: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page


Jackie Sullivan
85233
jsullivan_20 at yahoo.com

I have 20 of west facing block wall that I want to plant.  It's a walkway
back to my garden so I only have about a 3-4 foot wide area that I want the
plants in.  I tried lantana last year and another plant called orange
blossem ?? I tore those out because they died in the frost eventhough I
covered them.  I want something that will sustain the frost AND take the
west sun and reflective heat from a block wall.  I've heard that the silver
bush morning glory is good for something low.  I also want something higher.
It's a 6 foot block wall.  Would a lemon bottle brush or crimson bottle
brush be okay there?  I also heard they could be pruned into a tree.
Something evergreen is what I'm after.  I'm not crazy about cats claw.  I've
heard about a Queen (something) vine that does well in heat, does it die in
the winter though?  Please help.  I know this is a lot of info that I'm
after, but I really want to get my garden back.  
Thanks so much,
Jackie


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