Lynn's favorite piece of garden art , Little Man, stands tall among her Bachelor Buttons, Bells of Ireland, Nicotiana and Nasturtiums. Little Man was brought to the U.S. by an acquaintance who visits artisans in Vietnam and returns with fun, funky work he's collected there. We often offer the work at Southwest Gardener.

Some years we hit the wildflower jackpot, and this year is a true winner. Here's what happens when the desert gets steady winter rains, mild temperatures and a bit of luck (always luck with gardening). These Arroyo Lupine - Lupinus Succulentus - were scattered as seed in mid-October in Amy's central Phoenix backyard. The seeds were watered about every 10 days until mid-November and have been totally ignored until now. This stunning display is 3 weeks old on March 12. What you can't see is that the Lupine extend around the right side of the red Eremophila Bush (commonly known as Valentine). BTW, the Valentine is a wonderful landscape plant - cold hardy, an early spring bloomer and its dark green leaves offer an unusual contrast with the other arid-adapted plants. Plus, hummingbirds love it.

Here's some info on Arroyo Lupine, courtesy of Wildseed Farms: "This plant is a hardy annual native to California and the western U.S. The amount of fertility and moisture generally dictates the height of the plant. Flowers are concentrated on an upright spike with rich purple blossoms." Best of all, this seed prefers most clay or heavy soils in full sun.

A big thanks goes to my friend Maggie Cobb for generously collecting and sharing her Lupine seeds. Maggie collects seed pods each year in big paper bags and then listens as the pods pop open inside the bag. It sounds just like popcorn.

In Phoenix these seeds are best planted in the fall and we always carry them at Southwest Gardener.

Labels: Arroyo Lupine, desert, wildflowers

We just got back from a major market. Shopping is hard work (stop snickering), but we try to have fun, especially when it comes to new discoveries. While we admire everything we buy, we each tend to have our favorites. Here are some things that are in the store now or will be here soon. E-mail us at info@southwestgardener.com or call the store toll free at 877-315-9301 if we can answer any questions.

Recycled critters: Lynn says these are her favorite new garden art. A variety of animals are constructed from re-used, colorful and rusty metal. There are roosters and rabbits, pigs and goats, coyotes and roadrunners. We are sure you have never seen anything like these.

Happy Glass: For Amy, it is all about bling - she loves the way glass looks in a garden. We were lucky to meet a glass-blowing couple from Iowa who make what we call "squiggles" that go on a stake. They are colorful, curvy pieces of glass that will look great in among slipper plant or tall grasses.

Spring Bags: You will flip for our gorgeous bags made of reinforced silk and adorned with flowers. These treasures come in an assortment of colors and shapes - there are big totes and small totes, backpacks and small sling bags to hold just a credit card, lipstick and cell phone - perfect for a night on the town. There are also matching silk jewelry boxes which would make great Valentine's or Mother's Day gifts. You just have to see them all to choose!

Skeeter Screen: This natural fragrance formula reed diffuser is an easy, effective and safe way to deter mosquitoes. You just slip the reeds into the bottle provided, then the oils are naturally absorbed by the reeds and released into your outdoor environment. Or, if you prefer a repellent you can take camping or to the beach, use the Croclight Candle in a tin. Both are citronella free.

Ceramic Tiles: These irresistible red ceramic wall tiles will hang indoors or out. The botanical relief designs stand out on these highly glazed 10 x 10-inch tiles. Hang one or use multiples in a grid for a "wow" effect.

Candleholders: Come see the variety of wall, tabletop and free-standing candleholders for your home and patio space. We also found the prettiest ceramic candle luminaries with lids that stand 15 inches tall. They all make quite a statement.

Farm Market Bags: We know many of you regularly frequent farm markets (we love seeing you there) so we got these charming canvas bags to help carry that load of local fresh food. Choose from three motifs: A farm basket of groceries, a big head of lettuce or a classic blue bike.

Glass Hummer Feeders: Our glass-blowing artist friends also made us some stunning hand blown feeders for hummingbirds. The design is terrific because they have put a tiny ball bearing in the feeder spout to help stop dripping. Smart thinking!

Plant Nannies: These self-watering systems are the perfect tool for those of you with houseplants or who travel a lot. Set the terra cotta reservoir in soil then fill the top with water. As the soil dries, water is released deep in the root. Here is the fun part. Plant Nannies come in three styles and sizes - one lets you use a plastic soda or water bottle as the top, another comes with a pretty glass ball water holder and the third is set up to hold a recycled glass wine bottle. What a perfect hostess gift, a bottle of wine and a Plant Nanny for her garden!

OXO Garden Tools: We love OXO tools in the kitchen and the garden line has proven to be just as sturdy and economical. This year there is an adjustable hand rake for those really hard to reach places in your landscape. The houseplant tool kit comes with everything you need - snips, trowel, cultivator, scoop and saw-tooth transplanter that all fit neatly into a handy carrying case. OXO also makes a comfy pair of bypass shears and floral scissors.

Terrific Toys: This is the perfect time to be outdoors so we gathered in a few of our favorite playthings for children. Pocket Kites are great for a day in the park or on the beach. Bouncy Balls are cheerful and fun to follow. Or introduce your youngster to an old-fashioned jump rope.

Hose Nozzles: Lynn found these really nice spray hose nozzles late last year and customers love them. One is a standard trigger spray nozzle, one offers a wide fan spray and the third is a watering wand that allows you to stop water flow when you need it.

Labels: hummingbird feeders, plant nannies, rustic animals, silk purses, skeeter screen

As planting season nears remember to pick up a copy of Kirti Mathura's book "Arizona Low Desert Flower Gardener." This gem is a great planning tool for all areas of your garden. It will help you with the challenges of finding just the right plant for your available space. Its unique layout and easy-to-see illustrations let you visually mix and match plants to find the texture and color you need.

We try to always have "Arizona Low Desert Flower Gardener" on hand at the shop. You may want to pick up a few copies because this you'll want one as a reference tool and at least another for your favorite gardener.

Labels: Kirti Mathura, Low Desert Flower Gardener, planting

After 9 years we decided to close for the month of August to do a little patching and painting, and the results are fantastic. We were also able to expand so the store now faces into the courtyard of our quaint building. Here's a picture of the outside and one of the inside as you first enter. Isn't it great?

The inside is wonderful, too. The space is colorful, light and airy, and our customers are raving about how easy it is to see all the new treasures. We attended a show this summer featuring hand-made in the U.S.A. pieces and the new artwork is stunning.

We just re-opened this week and we're looking forward to seeing you all soon!