It is recommended to plant twice a year in the desert – Spring and Fall.  Spring comes early in the desert.  Marigolds are easy to grow and  thrives in arid climates. It has a fragrant ferny green foliage and brings colors such as gold, copper, and brass into your garden. It will bloom brightly throughout summer.  Zinnias are a warm-season perennial that flowers for months on end.  They will also attract butterflies to any garden. Blue Salvia grows from early Spring to late Fall.  They bloom abundantly and are a great addition to any landscape. Vincas also do well planted in the Spring and are easy to grow.  You can use them in masses in beds or as a filler to spill over the side of a pot.  

During the Fall, Petunias, Pansies, Alyssum, Snapdragons, Impatiens and geraniums are all great choices. The trumpet-shaped Petunias are very popular due to their vibrant colors.  You can grow petunias from seeds, but it is easier to grow them from transplants.  Pansies are the colorful flowers with “faces”.  They have heart-shaped, overlapping petals and have a wide variety of bright colors. The Alyssums, Snapdragons, Impatiens, and geraniums all hearty, colorful plants that will do very well during the Fall season in the desert.

Critters love to take pleasure in finding, digging, and nibbling on bulbs.  To protect your bulbs this year, cover them up by staking down chicken wire over the bed. Once early Spring arrives, remove the mesh or let the flowers grow through the holes.  

No need to strain your back lifting those heavy pots.  Try filling the bottom third of the pot with foam packing peanuts.  On top of the packing peanuts, put a layer of landscape fabric. Then, add lightweight potting mix that has lots of vermiculite and peat moss. You will be surprised how much lighter that pot will be!