Garden & Nature, Southwest

Episode 23: Native Ground Covers

Ground covers are an essential part of any garden ecosystem, but they are often overlooked. What happens at ground level can influence soil health, temperature, moisture, insects, wildlife, and the overall functioning of the garden.

In this episode, I explore how ground covers contribute to a healthy garden ecosystem and introduce some native ground-cover plants that can be incorporated into Southwest gardens.

Plants Mentioned in This Episode

• Trailing windmills — Allionia incarnata
• Hairy five-eyes — Chamaesaracha sordida
• Sand bells — Nama hispidum
• Winecups — Callirhoe involucrata
• California fuchsia (Zauschneria) — Epilobium canum (formerly Zauschneria californica)
• Gregg’s dalea — Dalea greggii
• Silver ponyfoot — Dichondra argentea
• Frogfruit — Phyla nodiflora
• Cherry skullcap — Scutellaria suffrutescens

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Summer garden with native plants and healthy ecosystem can be very resilient and continue to support wildlife even during hot summer weather in southwest

Native Plants Featured

• Annual sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
• Gregg's mistflower (Conoclinium greggii)
• Palo verde -"Desert Museum" (Parkinsonia )
• New Mexico privet (Forestiera neomexicana)
• Black dalea (Dalea frutescens) 
• Skeletonleaf goldeneye (Viguiera stenoloba)
• Sand-Bells  (Nama hispidum)
• Silver ponyfoot (Dichondra argentea)
• Trailing Windmill vine (Allionia incarnata) 
• Frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora)
• Wolfberry (Lycium andersonii)
• Autumn sage (Salvia greggii)
• Desert red bird-of-paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) 
• Golden columbine (Aquilegia chrysantha) 
• Cherry skullcap (Scutellaria suffrutescens)
• Yellow bells (Tecoma stans)

Wildlife Mentioned

• Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
• American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
• Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
• Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)
• Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii)

If you need more information on Hummingbird feeders, if safe to use and is it beneficial then please listen to episode 5. 

Also for humminbird nectar ( sugar water )recipe and correct ratio : visit link given below for Audubon.org

https://www.audubon.org/news/how-make-hummingbird-nectar

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Native plant garden in harsh summer seasons in southwest can be full of life and color. A summer native garden becomes more enjoyable as the garden matures and as the perspective of the gardener grows with the garden. 

Native plants mentioned in this episode

• Flame Acanthus (Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii)
• Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis)
• Gregg's Dalea (Dalea greggii)
• Hairy Five Eyes (Chamaesaracha sordida )
• Rock Penstemon (Penstemon baccharifolius)
• Blanketflower (Gaillardia )
• Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata)
• Chocolate Daisy (Berlandiera lyrata)
• Scarlet Hedgenettle (Stachys coccinea)
• Woolly Butterfly Bush (Buddleja marrubiifolia)
• Mexican Elder/Mexican Elderberry (Sambucus nigra subsp. cerulea)
• Wild Tobacco (Nicotiana )
• Damianita (Chrysactinia mexicana)

Wildlife mentioned in this episode

• Tarantula Hawk Wasps (Pepsis spp. and Hemipepsis spp.)
• Curve-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre)
• Verdin (Auriparus flaviceps)
• Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus)
• Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
• Tiger Whiptail lizard /Western Whiptail (Aspidoscelis tigris)

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Episode # 20 

Where do you buy native plants in southwest USA. How do you select plants for your space, for different garden sizes an designs. Can you have native plants in containers if you just have patio/balcony or or a rental home.  I go through some examples of plants for different garden spaces and different wildlife benefits. 

Relevant prior episodes 

Ep # 4 _ Where to fin native plants. How to avoid confusion and invasive species 

Ep # 7 : Sun Exposure an direction; Microclimate of Garden

2026 Spring Native plant sales mentioned in this episode

• UTEP, Flora Fest, El Paso, TX - April 11, 2026
• Alamogordo, NM ( Otero native plant society ) - April 11, 2026
• Borderland nursery and seeds - Patagonia AZ spring plant sale - April 25th Albuquerque and Santa Fe have plant sales in various locations in April and May
• Denver botanical garden annual spring sale - May
• Utah - May 
• Southern California, Arizona an Nevada - Many sales were in February an March. A few may be in April. Please check your local area. 

Some nurseries mentioned in this episode

Spadefoot Nursery, Tucson, AZ

https://www.spadefootnursery.com/

El Paso, TX

https://www.highdesertnativeplants.com/ 

Las Cruces, NM

http://www.robledovista.com/

La Union, NM (Near Las Cruces, NM & El Paso, TX) 

https://www.sierravistagrowers.net/

Boulder  Colorado

https://harlequinsgardens.com/

Plants mentioned  in this episode :

Ground cover plants  

Wine cups - Callirhe involucrata

Frog fruit - Phyla nodiflora

Silver pony foot - Dichondra argentea

Gray 5 eyes - Chamaesarcha chonioes

Windmill trailing vine -- Allionia incarnata

Flowering plants -

Salvias - multiple native species 

Penstemons - multiple native species

Cherry Skullcap - Scutellaria sufretescens

Desert marigold -   Baileya multiradiata

Blanket flower - Gaillardia (different native species)

Blackfoot daisy - Melampodium leucanthum 

Chocolate daisy - Berandiera lyrata

damianita daisy - Chrysactinia mexicana 

Shrubs and tress

Algeria - Mahonia trifoliata - (Berberis trifoliata)

Algeria - Mahonia hematocarpa -  (red barberry -)

Wolfberry - Lycium Anderson (some other species of Lycium also native )

Little leaf Sumac - Rhus microphylla

Three leaf Sumac - Rhus trilobata

Manzanita - pointleaf Manzanita  - Arctostaphylos pungent (and other native species )

Sage - Leucophyllum - 

Desert Willow - Chilopsis liners

Goldenball Lead tree - Leucaena retusa 

Mexican red bird of paradise - Caesalpinia mexicana

Anisacanthus Quadrifidus  

Grassess

Mexican feather grass - Nassella tennuissima

Grama grasses native to southwest

Buffalo grass - Bouteloua dactyloides

Muhly grasses - Muhlenbergia  (several native southwest species)

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How do you find inspiration to keep growing a native garden when you can’t find the plants that you’re looking for. If you are starting a new native plant garden, how do you continue to make progress? Where do you find motivation to continue gardening? 

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Apart from general bird habitat requirement in the garden, specific changes for any particular bird can be very effective for growing a bird habitat garden. I use the example of Lesser Goldfinches in this episode but the information can be applied to any bird you are interested in. I will walk you through a process that will make learning and planning the habitat, simple 

Websites mentioned in this episode 

• All about birds (Cornell Lab)

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/

• Audubon

https://www.audubon.org/

• Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center -  Native Plant Database page 

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/search.php?search_field=&newsearch=true

• Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center  - Home page

https://www.wildflower.org/

• Plant nursery for online plants - It carries many southwestern native plants 

High Country Gardens

https://www.highcountrygardens.com/

Birds mentioned in this episode

• Lesser Goldfinch 
• Dark-eyed Junco 

Native plants mentioned in this episode. 

Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center links are provided for each plant to get more information

• Chocolate flower ( Berlendiera lyrata )

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=BELY

• Maximillian Sunflower: Helianthus maximiliani

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=HEMA2

• Annual Sunflower : Helianthus annuus 

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=HEAN3

• Skeleton-leaf Goldeneye: Viguera 

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=VIST

• Blanket flower  (Gaillardia )

There are many different species of Gaillardia. If you search on the wildflower center website for ‘Gaillardia” or “blanket flower” you will be able to review the different plants in that group

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/search.php?search_field=&newsearch=true

• Tetraneuris scaposa 

Same as mentioned above for Gaillardia. Please type “tetraneuris” on Wildflower Center website search bar to see various options

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/search.php?search_field=&newsearch=true

• Elderberry tree (Mexican Elder) : Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea 

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SANIC5

• Black Dalea : Dalea frutescens

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=DAFR2

• Wolfberry : Lycium andersonii

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LYAN

• Three leaf Sumac : Rhus trilobata 

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=RHT

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• Daily maintenance is possible only if it easy. Birdbath design and location are the two most important factors in developing a habit of cleaning birdbath daily. 
• Birdbath heater alternatives for frozen birdbaths in the winter. 
• Which regions in US Southwest could benefit from having a birdbath heater

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How can you maximize bird sightings every migration season including fall migration 2025 Easily make birdwatching a part of your daily routine. Create a birding hotspot in your garden. 

Birds and plants mentioned in the show :

• Rock wren
• Warblers
• Green tailed towhee
• Scots oriole
• Indigo bunting
• Phainopepla 

Apps mentioned in the show: 

iNaturalist 

e-Bird

Audubon 

Nature journaling and how to draw birds that you see in nature by 

https://johnmuirlaws.com

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Ep. 15

 In this episode: 

• Water source for birds, bees and butterflies. 
• Habitats for lizards, toads and tortoise. 
• Create a safe space in patio, play area, other high traffic area : 
  1. Rattlesnake fence.
  2. Remove clutter
  3. Simplify outdoor living

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Briefly, an important task for plant care - irrigation adjustments. 

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Spring bird migration : New bird in my garden. Yellow-rumped warbler

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Episode 14

Gardening tasks in spring for a native plant garden keep in mind the other wildlife species that depend on the  native plant garden. These tasks are different from vegetable garden and non-native ornamental gardens. 

Included in this episode: 

•   Growing new plants - add more plant diversity in the garden, looking for local native plants
• When and how to prune
• How to mulch (not always necessary to buy mulch).  Grrowng ground cover
• Fertilizing native plants
• Collecting seeds
• Irrigation

Next episode will continue this series to include tasks specific to birds, pollinators, spiders, insects including butterflies and bees, lizards, toads and  small mammals

Native Plants mentioned in this episode (scientific names are in italics) 

Mexican gold poppy - Eschscholzia californica ssp mexicana 

One of the online native seed company for its seed :

https://www.nativeseeds.org/products/wf035?variant=40837419499674 

Native plants that easily reseed and are either aggressive or roots are difficult to pull out

Snakeweed : Gutierrezia sarothrae

Desertbroom - Baccharis sarothroides

Mexican feathergrass: Nasella Tenuissima

Chocolate daisy (chocolate flower, lyreleaf greeneyes): Berlandiera lyrata

Mexican evening primrose: Oenothera speciosa

Native plants that easily reseed but  are easy to pull out and  not aggressive 

Desert marigold - Baileya multiradiata

Ground cover:

Frog fruit - Phyla nodiflora : native ground cover, host to butterflies 

Apps mentioned in the episode:

•  iNaturalist :  https://www.inaturalist.org/
• Photos  (Apple)

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Visit website for podcast show notes, images  and other posts.

https://www.gardenandnaturesouthwest.com/

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