Landscaping with Native Plants of the Southwest

by George Oxford Miller

Overview

As the world heats up and we become more and more conscious of our place in the natural scheme, the appeal of the native plants of the Southwest becomes ever more compelling for gardeners. In addition to providing year-round beauty with relatively little maintenance, landscaping with native plants contributes to the repair of the natural ecosystem and brings us closer to our environment—and the array of native plant material available to the Southwestern gardener is diverse and spectacular, providing seemingly endless opportunities for creative and attractive landscapes.

In Landscaping with Native Plants of the Southwest, George Oxford Miller provides the definitive guide to choosing the best of the best among the native plants of Arizona and New Mexico. Covering wildflowers, shrubs, trees, vines, groundcovers, and cacti, this comprehensive, richly illustrated book selects the species whose ornamental qualities, growth habit, adaptability, maintenance needs, and beauty add up to the highest landscape value. The illustrations, maps, and charts provide guidelines for species selection and planting, ongoing maintenance, landscape design, and water and energy conservation. In-depth plant profiles describe the habitat requirements for more than 350 native plant species, subspecies, and varieties, with lush photographs illustrating how each plant looks and responds to landscape conditions.

As the interest in native-plant landscaping and xeriscaping continues to grow, this book will find a place on the shelf of every gardener and landscaper in the region—or of anybody interested in recreating the beauty of the Southwest in a hot, dry corner of the yard.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780760329689
Publisher:	Harvard Common Press, The
Publication date:	03/15/2007
Edition description:	First
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	549,550
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Environmental photojournalist George Oxford Miller is writer, photographer, and third-generation nurseryman. He is well known for his many magazine articles, books, and photography on the plants and animals of Texas and the Southwest. His work has appeared in periodicals such as Living Bird, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and Wildlife Conservation and in publications of the National Wildlife Federation and the Sierra Club. He is author or co-author of several books, including Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas, A Field Guide to Wildlife of Texas and the Southwest, and The Ozarks: The People, the Mountains, the Magic. Miller resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Table of Contents

Contents

Acknowledgments 5

An Introduction to Landscaping with Native Plants of the Southwest                                                   6

Why Use Native Plants                                                                                                                    8

Landscape Zones                                                                                                                             14

The ABCs of Native Plant Landscaping                                                                                            18

Maintaining Your Landscape                                                                                                            26

Landscaping for Energy and Water Conservation, and Xeriscaping                                                     32

Landscaping with Groundcovers                                                                                                       38

Landscaping with Vines                                                                                                                   42

Landscaping with Cacti                                                                                                                    44

Landscaping with Wildflowers                                                                                                          46

Landscaping to Attract Wildlife                                                                                                         50

Native Plant Profiles

            Trees                                                                                                                                  58

            Shrubs and Small Trees                                                                                                        80

            Wildflowers                                                                                                                         123

            Vines                                                                                                                                  153

            Groundcovers                                                                                                                      157

            Cacti                                                                                                                                   166

Appendix 1: Colorscaping with Flowering Trees, Shrubs, and Vines                                                     178

Appendix 2: Plants with Evergreen, Semi-Evergreen, or Persistent Leaves                                          182

Glossary of Terms                                                                                                                           184

Useful Organizations and Demonstration Gardens                                                                              185

Bibliography                      𧆾

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Sirreadalot.org, April 2007

“This is a comprehensive and definitive guide … helps readers analyze their yards and decide which plants match their specific habitats. As the interest in native-plant landscaping and xeriscaping continues to grow, this reference volume, complete with stunning photographs, will find a place on the shelf of every gardener and landscaper in the region – or of anybody interested in recreating the beauty of the Southwest in a hot, dry corner of the yard.”
                                                       

New Mexico Magazine, January 2008

“A handy, informative book … and an indispensable tool.”

 

Sunday Journal (Albuquerque, NM), May 13, 207

“What makes his book special is the way it’s organized.”

Phoenix Home & Garden,  September 2007

“Packed with tips on how to grow plants in the desert Southwest.”

Editorial Reviews

This is a comprehensive and definitive guide … helps readers analyze their yards and decide which plants match their specific habitats. As the interest in native-plant landscaping and xeriscaping continues to grow, this reference volume, complete with stunning photographs, will find a place on the shelf of every gardener and landscaper in the region – or of anybody interested in recreating the beauty of the Southwest in a hot, dry corner of the yard.” - Sirreadalot.org

“A handy, informative book … and an indispensable tool.” - New Mexico Magazine

“What makes his book special is the way it’s organized.” - Sunday Journal

“Packed with tips on how to grow plants in the desert Southwest.” - Phoenix Home Garden

From the Publisher