How To: Add color to the garden with perennials

Southwest Yard and Garden featuring John White, Dona Ana County Extension Agent, hosts a 6 minute clip with co-host Master Gardener Valois Pearce both of Dona Ana County, New Mexico host a short web show featuring plants that can easily survive on smaller amounts of water over typical plants. They begin by discussing the full sun Ice Plant, which comes in many species and colors as well as their hardiness, but unfortunately are easy targets for wildlife. They then move onto the Gopher Plant, which is unappealing to the taste of gophers and also has the ability to re grow lost portions of the plant. The Perry Penstemon was their next choice, a taller colorful plant that blooms early spring well into the summer adding much color to a garden or yard. Their seeds also like to mingle making a variety of color options visible in just a few generations. They also have the tendency to attract hummingbirds making them a favorite all around, but unfortunately can be temperamental with their water intake. The yellow desert native Paper Flower is common amongst roadways, and loves dry soil. The native heat loving Desert Marigold is another yellow flower is an weaker annual that will come back year after year and loves its dry soil. The non-native New Gold Lantana is a heat loving up and comer in the southwest of bright colors with few problems to speak of.