Arizona, United States

Desert gardener and blogger, USDA z 9a Arizona, Sunset z 12...
My first garden was in zone 6a Missouri. I experimented with a bit of everything: hybrid teas and floribundas, David Austin roses, OGRs. Excitement year after year came from a race to see which bush would produce the first rose: usually Mary Rose or Gertrude Jekyll...
I've planted at least one rose each time I've moved, but my second garden was just northwest of Phoenix, Arizona. There I began by planting primarily DAs but in time came to favor the mid-century teas. They bounced back much more easily from the extreme weather conditions. The Alnwick Rose, however, grew and flowered well, so perhaps it was the scale of the big Austin shrubs I had selected that made for difficulties. Sterling Silver was superb in the low desert climate, and miniature roses were excellent.
I am starting my third garden (2021) in the Sonoran intermediate desert, northeast of Tucson. This is the first time I have gardened on anything but heavier soils; this stuff is gritty and fast-draining. The seasons are also clearly more marked here. So there will be a learning curve. I intend to return to the OGRs at last, with an emphasis on teas, chinas, and early HTs. We shall see...

Experienced (30 years)

Last visit: Saturday, December 28th