I would like this to be a four part series about seasonal ornamental gardening for zone 8b. I live in the high desert of California with unique and usually unfavorable weather conditions. This year in particular. We have had consistent freezing temperatures accompanied with above average rain and some of the worse winds I have experienced living here and yet my plants have been trying to grow through all of it.
I have been thinking about how I am not very good about planning ahead for each season on what to plant and when. I would like to dedicate more time to planning out the gardens so they are more pleasant year round. I am going to use the word “planning” loosely because I have had so many plans and then a trip to our local garden centers dash those plans by not carrying the plants I intended to grow. After a good assessment of what is actually thriving right now I would like to make notes so this fall I can plant more of these particular plants so hopefully next spring we will be rewarded with early spring flowers. The goal would be to get color as soon as possible back into the yard.
One difficult thing about planning a spring garden here in the high desert is that we have a very short spring and fall (sometimes we joke that they only last a few days) and we have long summers and winters. Our summers are very harsh with temperatures over 100 and our winters are equally harsh with freezing temperatures and we almost always have wind.
So here is where the word planning needs to be used loosely. Not only is it difficult to locate the desired plants I would like to grow but figuring out when to plant them can be a bit tricky. This last fall I did not get as much planted because October was still very hot and I was afraid my fall/winter/spring plants would bolt or die from the heat. So I decided to wait and then it felt like a week later we had full on winter weather and it was too late for some of the plants to establish. Yet through all of that, some of my plants not only made it through the winter but are thriving and blooming. Those are the plants I would like more of so next spring is loaded with more color and variety.
So what are some of these wonder plants:
Johnny Jump-Ups
The first one is, Johnny Jumps-Ups! They are my absolute favorite! I wrote a blog post about them if you would like to learn more about growing them and learn some interesting facts about them. So why are they my favorite and why do I want to plant more of them this fall? Because they are hardy. My plants have taken everything mother nature has thrown at them this season and continue to bloom and thrive. The deep green leaves with the delightful purple blooms have been a bright spot in the backyard since October when I planted them.
You do not need to deadhead these plants making winter chores easier, which is always nice.
These are shallow rooted plants so you can plant them in pots with other plants that will go dormant over winter and they will not compete for nutrients.
I recommend planting johnny jump-ups in fall, around October, so they have a chance to establish before the freezing temperatures. They will reward you with constant flowers all winter and early spring. Johnny Jump-Ups do not like hot temperatures and will die when the late spring, early summer heat starts but since they reseed easily, new plants will sprout when the temperatures cool down.
Alyssum
The next early spring wonder plant is Alyssum. Alyssum is another favorite plant that I have grown since childhood and wrote a blog post about it. Here is a link if you would like to read more about Alyssum and its interesting history.
Why did alyssum make my list for spring plants? Because like johnny jump-ups, they are hardy and easy to care for.
I recommend planting alyssum in fall, around October at the same time you would plant johnny jump-ups, so they have a chance to establish before freezing temperatures. Alyssum will continually bloom all winter and spring. Since alyssum is perennial in my area, it will continue to bloom through spring and summer. Allow alyssum to reseed or refresh your plants once they look tired and when trimming them does not help bring on new growth.
Alyssum does not need to be dead-headed helping limit winter chores but when the plants begin looking leggy or spent flowers are making it look unattractive, then trim your plants and reshape them.
Rosemary
Rosemary is my next early spring wonder plant. This plant is a long lived evergreen, perennial. The reason why rosemary made my early spring list is because my rosemary begins to bloom around Thanksgiving and does not stop blooming through winter and spring. Between the beautiful dark, green needle-like leaves and violet-blue clusters of flowers, rosemary is a wonderful choice for an early spring garden. The bees will thank you for having something in bloom this time of the year.
I recommend planting rosemary in the spring before the summer heat or in the fall before the freezing temperatures. Rosemary is very hardy and easy to care for so you can plant it anytime of the year, I just think the spring and fall give it a chance to establish. If you would like to read more about rosemary I have written two blog posts about it. This one gives you tips on how to grow, propagate and interesting facts about rosemary. This blog post I talk only about rosemary’s history with Christmas.
Rosemary is an easy to care for plant making winter chores a breeze with this plant. There is no need to dead-head spent blooms.
Daffodils
Daffodils are my next choice for early spring flowers. This is my first spring growing daffodils so I am still learning about them and their care but their hardiness and beautiful flowers have won me over. I plan on planting more daffodil bulbs this fall in a variety of colors.
Daffodil bulbs should be planted in the fall. I say should be because I bought mine in the fall and did not get around to planting them until several months later. I could not plant them in the original spot I wanted because the day I finally decided to plant them, the ground was frozen solid. So I chose a sunny spot where the ground was not frozen and every daffodil sprouted. I am truly surprised and impressed with their hardiness and desire to grow.
The daffodils have been fun because they just sprouted and instantly bloomed these beautiful bright yellow flowers. The plants have withstood the constant temperature changes and strong winds.
From what I have read, daffodils naturalize very well. That means that they can be left in the ground while they go dormant in the summer and will come up again in the spring. I plan on leaving mine in the ground when they die back and will trim them once all the leaves turn brown and die. Hopefully it works out and I will have daffodils again next spring.
Tulips
Tulips are next. I have never grown tulips but our son did for the first time this year and I am impressed. The tulips he grew are beautiful and were one of the first plants to bloom this spring. Since I have not grown tulips before I feel like I can not offer much advice on them but I plan on buying more bulbs this fall and giving them a try because it was so nice to see such colorful flowers in the garden so soon in the season.
I have read several articles on whether to leave tulip bulbs in the ground or not while they go dormant. It seems 50% of the articles I read recommend to leave the bulbs in the ground and say they will do fine and the other 50% say dig them up and store them during the summer. The one thing that is consistent is for the leaves of the tulips to completely turn brown and die before trimming back or digging-up. I think what I will do is leave them in the ground. It seems like as long as the soil is not too wet and has good drainage, then the bulbs will not rot. Living where I do I don’t think the soil being too wet will be much of an issue.
Irises
Irises are wonderful and easy to grow. I have had our irises for many years. They were gifted to us from one of Rick’s co-workers and they are still doing fantastic. They add beautiful spring color to the yard and grow really well in the ground or in a pot. If you are growing irises in a pot just make sure it drains really well. I didn’t notice in time that one of the pots that I had my irises in got plugged-up and those irises sadly rotted.
Irises like well draining soil and full sun to partial shade. I noticed that my plants bloom more with more sunlight.
Irises like to be trimmed and divided in the late summer. Irises only need to be divided every couple of years.
Evergreens
Evergreens made it to the list because although they do not bloom, they come in such a variety of colors, textures and shapes that they add much needed interest to the garden. I have been on a mission this winter to get more evergreens into the garden for a more enjoyable winter garden. That greenery will be appreciated during all the seasons including spring and that is why I added it to the list. Here are some of the new varieties of evergreens that I am trying:
- Variegated Pittosporum: has a beautiful matte green leaf with creamy white edging.
- Golden Euonymus: has a striking green and yellow glossy leaf.
- Blue Star Juniper: has an interesting shape and color.
- Golden Globe Arborvitae: I just love arborvitae and this one has a rounded shape with dark green foliage and bright yellow tips. It is just very attractive.
- Little Giant Dwarf Arborvitae: this arborvitae has dark green foliage and more of a cone shape.
Some of the varieties of evergreens that I am currently growing and love are:
- Rosemary: even if rosemary does not bloom the dark green foliage is very pretty.
- Buckwheat: a California native that has very dark green short needle-like leaves. The cream colored flower clusters turn a very beautiful dark bronze in the winter.
- Arborvitae: I have several varieties of arborvitae and I enjoy each one for their consistent green color.
- Boxwood: the leaves turn from glossy green to a bronzy color from the cold but still very attractive in the garden.
- Rockrose: will bloom later in spring but the matte greenish-gray leaves are very pretty.
- Silver Artemisia or Silver Wormwood: beautiful, showy, frilly, green-gray foliage.
- Mexican Feather Grass: green and tan feathery blades.
I am missing many more evergreens. This is a fun category of plants because there are so many to choose from. These are just the ones I currently have growing. I look forward to finding new varieties to try and add them to the garden.
Gopher Plant or Gopher Spurge
Gopher plant or gopher spurge is next on my list because they are a truly interesting, unique plant that are in full bloom during this very cold spring. My parents have these plants and they are quite impressive.
They are very drought tolerant, my parents have them in locations that get no additional water and they are exploding all over the yard. They handle the cold and hot temperatures of our area and the bees love them.
They self-seed very easily and you will quickly have more of these plants. I read that the seeds do not have much of a shelf life and are usually propagated from cuttings. Gopher plant or spurge became really popular in the 1980’s when it was believed they help deter gophers in the garden but when it was discovered they really didn’t have that huge of an impact on gopher populations, the plant’s popularity declined.
When you trim gopher plants they will produce a milky substance. That milk is a skin irritant so make sure when working with this plant you wear long sleeves and gloves.
Fruit and Nut Trees
Fruit and nut trees add beautiful flowers in early spring. There is nothing quite like a tree fully covered in white, pink or dark pink blossoms. An added benefit of fruit and nut trees is the produce you will get after the blossoms.
Some fruit and nut trees to consider growing are:
- Cherry
- Apple
- Peach
- Plum
- Pear
- Almond
There are so many more fruit and nut trees to try, these are just a few of the ones we currently have. I would like to someday add pistachio and persimmon.
I like to plant our fruit and nut trees in the spring or fall. This gives the trees a chance to establish before summer or winter. I am partial to planting trees that are already growing. I have planted bare root plants before and have had some luck but I have had enough disappointments along that route that I usually like to purchase an already sprouted tree when I can.
Poppies
I am new to poppies. We just purchased an Icelandic poppy that has incredible showy blossoms and long stems. We are hoping that this poppy will come back in the fall. From what I have read, like other poppies, Icelandic poppies should be planted in the fall to over winter for a beautiful spring showing of blooms. They do not like the heat and will die back. What I am unclear about is whether they go dormant in the summer and will come back once the weather cools or whether they completely die in the summer. I will experiment with ours and update this article with what worked for me.
I also want to get California poppies down. I love the colors and that they reseed so easily. I finally have had a poppy sprout for me this spring. I am looking forward to it reseeding and hopefully we will get more poppies next spring. The ideal time to plant poppy seeds is in the fall so the seeds can over winter. I just purchased another packet of seeds over a month ago and put the seed packet in the refrigerator. I have sprinkled the poppy seeds (poppy seeds need light to sprout) at the time of writing this in hopes of having more California poppies to enjoy.
Cactus
I know, a lot of people do not like cacti because of their stickers and that is something you do have to be careful of when working with them. Cactus are beautiful plants and will reward you with some of the prettiest flowers I have ever seen in the spring. There are so many varieties of cacti to choose from and some have thorns that are pretty easy to work around such as the torch cactus. These are one of our favorites. I think the trick to cactus is finding a variety that works for you. We have many varieties of cacti but our favorite is the torch cactus. They are very easy to care for, pretty easy to work around and have absolutely stunning flowers. I highly recommend torch cactus for a beginner cacti gardener.
Torch cactus have tolerated our winters without being covered or moved and grow pretty quickly for a cactus.
Sedum
Sedum is my last plant to add to my spring list because I just love it so much about this plant. Even though sedum will not bloom until late summer or early fall, it made my early spring list because when it is coming out of dormancy it is so pretty. The rounded balls of fresh green leaves are very pretty and just makes you feel like spring is here.
Sedum is very drought tolerant and I have written a blog post about my two favorite varieties of upright sedum. You can read the article here.
Thank you for reading my thoughts on what plants would make a spring garden in the high desert more enjoyable. Some other notes to consider on making our spring gardens more pleasing are trimming dormant plants during the winter, adding mulch and weeding as soon as the weeds begin to pop up. Putting in a little bit of maintenance during the winter allows the plants to wake-up from dormancy and become more showy sooner because everything around them is already picked-up and cleaned-up.
I am looking forward to implementing these plans this fall and winter and seeing what next spring will bring us!
Happy desert gardening!
Joy Simper has a full time job as a home schooling stay at home mom. She is the one that holds the house and yard together and keeps the kids in line. She enjoys gardening, including seed starting and propagating plants.