by Carol Chicci A ladybird beetle eating aphids on a rose bud. Photo by Dave Chicci. Rose pests arrive early, about the end of April, when we are occupied with planning our gardens. By that time thrips and aphids are already on some of the rose varieties in both my garden and in the Olivia White Hospice Garden. Thrips, especially, are very destructive, so you must act quickly to control them. The common thrips in our region is the Western Flower Thrips. Thrips (which is both

By Laura Huenneke Gina Goeghan, nursery manager at The Arboretum, shepherds hundreds of native plants from early life in the greenhouse to suitable size for sale and planting in home gardens. Photo courtesy of Gina Goeghan and The Arboretum at Flagstaff. Many local gardeners look forward to the annual native plant sales hosted by The Arboretum at Flagstaff. This year those gardeners may have been wondering whether the Pocket Fire would disrupt the early-monsoon tradition. Bu

By Jan Holland Hailey Jan Holland Hailey tending her garden. Photo courtesy of Jan Holland Hailey Jan Holland Hailey and Eric Hailey bought a forested property in Flagstaff as their retirement home in 2016. The views and scenic setting bordering the national forest attracted them to the home situated on the southeast slope of Mt. Elden. After a decade of loving attention, Jan’s mountainside backyard garden will be included in the August 2026 Garden Tour sponsored by the Coco

By Lauren Vanier Mule deer, like this doe in Yellowstone National Park, are iconic wildlife throughout the western US. The penstemons in my front yard were developing flower buds, thrown up on stalks two feet tall. I was anticipating watching bees disappear into their cavernous flowers and hummingbirds bury their long beaks deep into the blossoms. Instead, on one recent morning, I found them chewed off so cleanly, they appeared to have been cauterized. The deer had made their

By Nate O’Meara Sunflowers grow and track the sun through a process called heliotropism. (photo credit: April O’Meara) A honey bee visiting a sunflower with pollen on its legs is a true wonder to watch. (photo credit: April O’Meara) In the cool darkness of a recent summer morning, I stared in wonder at the bright faces looking back at me. My young sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) in the grove were standing like soldiers waiting to salute the rising sun. During the previous

by Richard McCormick Spicy peppers come in a wide diversity of shape, color, size, and heat. They are well suited to growing in warm, sunny Arizona summers. Few crops are as closely tied to Southwestern cooking as hot peppers. Whether roasted for green chile, chopped into fresh salsa, or blended into homemade hot sauce, peppers bring flavor and heat to some of the region's most recognizable dishes. They're also well suited to backyard gardens throughout Arizona, where warm te

By Amy Darte Heading west on Route 66 past the turn for the Arboretum, between the road and the railroad tracks, there is a property that has been untended for nearly 30 years. Old stone barns with red trim and doors sat unloved near an old stone house in disrepair, relics of Flagstaff’s past. The property is a small portion of the former McAllister Ranch, a large cattle operation owned by Frances McAllister, an active philanthropist and advocate for peace, social justice, an

By Laura Huenneke Silver-gray foliage of plants adapted to hot environments, like this native Sand Sage or Artemisia filifolia, make them good choices for a heat-tolerant landscape. Photo by Laura Huenneke On the hottest summer days, we may seek out a shady patio or head up into the mountains for some cooler refuge. But plants are rooted to one spot, and not able to move out of the hot sun. How do they deal with the stresses of heat? Plants do have a variety of coping mech

By Laura Huenneke Surveys repeatedly show a large majority (70 – 85 %) of Americans are very concerned about climate change impacts. As gardeners, we are more intimately connected and attuned to the environment than most. What can we and our gardens expect from the shifting climate here in northern Arizona? Thinking of climate change only as “global warming” is an oversimplification. Averaged across the earth’s surface, the globe has indeed warmed in the last 50 years. In fac

By Marilyn Canteloupe A scene from the Master Gardeners' Plant Sale in 2024. Photo courtesy of the Coconino Master Gardeners' Association. Grab your sun hat and get out your gloves! Find those trowels and shovels! It’s here! The time of year we gardeners have dreamt about all winter long, when the outdoors calls us to beautify our space with lovely green and all other colors of the rainbow. But where and how do we start? Simple! Come one, come all to the Coconino Master

By Cindy Murray My husband, Hugh, and I recently welcomed a marvelous four-year-old heeler-mix dog into our home. Sadie Belle’s affectionate and playful nature, along with her soulful eyes, have melted our hearts, and now we can’t imagine life without her. However, about two months ago we nearly lost her. She ate two grapes, and if I hadn’t recalled how our grandchildren’s dog had nearly died from eating raisins, we would never have known grapes are highly toxic to dogs. We d

Local grower Amelia Knutson displays the native Arizona "Canyon Grapes" she has been propagating. Photo by Robin Knutson. by Sarah Edmonds You’ve probably seen her at markets around town selling her locally grown trees, herbs, native plants, perennials, and garden starts. Amelia Knutson, owner of Flagstaff Lily of the Field, has farming “genes,” with her paternal great grandparents farming in Kansas and her father running the NAU Research Greenhouse for 20 years. Her famil

by Lauren Vanier The understory in the footprint of the Museum Fire has exploded with wildflowers, likely lying dormant in the seed bank until better conditions arose. In this case, the area is no longer densely shaded. Everybody always asks "what is native?" or even "where is it native?" The less frequently asked question is "how is it native?” How is it that there are over 250 species of Penstemon in North America - the largest genus of plants found only on t

By Nate O’Meara Blue Flax ( Linum lewisii) is a perennial wildflower native to arid lands of the west. (photo credits: April O’Meara) There is a misconception about growing wildflowers, particularly in the arid lands of the American west. Oftentimes I encounter new gardeners who hope they can just sprinkle seeds around their garden and voilà!- a meadow of color will spring up effortlessly. I think the idea comes from the very name wildflowers. Yes, they do grow effortlessly i

by Richard McCormick The author's irrigation system in action, watering cool-season lettuces in late March. Photo by Richard McCormick. Water is the limiting factor in every Southwest garden. In a region defined by thin soils, intense sun, and unreliable rainfall, a healthy harvest depends less on what you plant and more on how you water. A missed monsoon, a week of dry wind, or a poorly timed irrigation cycle can undo months of work. For gardeners without dependable rainfal

By Sarah Edmonds Recycled plastic jugs can be used as outdoor containers for starting seeds over the winter. Photo by by Tina Gustafson The winter season is one of those down times for gardeners. Snow is on the ground, but it is too early to start seeds indoors. Yet Tina Gustafson, founder of Elevated Gardening, discovered something to do while it is cold and the daylight hours are short—winter sowing, which she learned about on Facebook! One of the administrators of the

Red roses in full bloom By Taheera Shabazz All flowers hold different meanings, and the meanings that they carry are held in the eyes of the beholder. They symbolize love, joy, sorrow, hope. They have the ability to move people and convey a message that may better be expressed through floral arrangements than words. They are used as a way to show affection, and a way to display beauty. When someone receives flowers, studies show that they have the power to elevate one’s mood.

Sunflowers, cowpen dais ies , and bee plants dominated the author ’s yard in 2025. Photo by Lauren Vanier. By Lauren Vanier As an enthusiast of this planet, I find myself increasingly distressed by global news. It can be paralyzing at times. If I’m spiraling, the serenity prayer comes to mind - accept the things I cannot change, have courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. It feels similar to the familiar phrase “Think globally, act lo

By Laura Huenneke Short-day plants like Christmas cactus and relatives form flowering buds only after days grow longer in the fall. (Photo by L Huenneke) We recently observed the winter solstice, an annual event recognized and celebrated in cultures around the world for millennia. The solstice marks the shortest day – and longest night – of the year, when the earth reaches the point in its annual revolution when our northern hemisphere is no longer pointing straight away from

By Cindy Murray Last Christmas I was gifted a wonderful book called A Gardener’s Journal . The concept of garden journaling is to record the varieties of trees, plants, and seeds in your gardens and landscape, jot down important observations, and keep track of the weather. This will help you in your future gardening and landscaping endeavors. The key is to be honest with yourself, meaning that you must write down your failures as well as your triumphs, and how you got there