Pros offer advice to help your greenery survive summer
When temperatures exceed 100 degrees, most of us stay in the shade or air-conditioned confines of home, office or car. Our landscape plants don't have that luxury. They must cope with the sun and heat day in and day out.
It isn't unusual for plants to die, turn crispy or droop as temperatures rise. However, just because we live in the desert doesn't mean our landscapes have to look barren. And it doesn't mean your water bill needs to exceed an extra $100, either.
Gardeners at Valley resorts and hotels face the same challenges as your neighbors, but the gardeners' business is to keep the grounds looking fabulous for weddings, banquets, meetings and guests. Replacing dead plants on a daily basis isn't good for the bottom line, so gardeners plant what they know will grow well, look great and enhance the landscape.
Making seasonal adjustments will keep our landscapes looking their best through the summer. We asked gardeners at some of the Valley's top resorts to show us what works best, from what to plant to how to care for plants.
Lee Ackmann, director of horticulture at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch, advises irrigating properly and, if possible, protecting plants from the afternoon sun.
The women's relaxation area reflects the spa's contemporary Zen-like feeling with plants, such as bamboo, that are low maintenance.
"When you have a situation like ours, the spa creates a little microclimate," Ackmann said of the shady area. "Everything is pretty well protected."
At the Pointe South Mountain Resort in Phoenix, flower gardener Pam Perry suggests choosing tough plants appropriate for the region and microclimate, such as hibiscus and fig vines planted in vignettes, or groupings.
"Select plants that will be happy," Perry said. "That takes a great deal of pressure off of us."
Posted by Shannon Nelson on June 10, 2006 1:42 PM
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