Top 10 Gardener the Ultimate Garden Blueprint with Ken & Lisa

Hey garden enthusiasts, Ken & Lisa Watters Lain, The Mountain Gardeners here!

This week, we're exploring fantastic plant choices for our Arizona landscapes. We'll delve into the top 10 native plants that thrive here, discover the best fragrant gardenias for mountain gardens, and highlight the ideal Desert Willow varieties. Plus, we'll explore the most aromatic and beautiful lavenders, gain insights from Monrovia Nursery expert Jim Rupe, and define what truly makes a landscape native to our region. Let's get growing with these top tips!

Included in this week’s episode:

Get ready to catch Ken and Lisa's gardening bug! They're bursting with knowledge and passion for growing beautiful things, and they're ready to share it all with you. Don't miss out on this chance to level up your gardening game!

 Subscribe to The Top 10 Gardener Podcast today and get your hands dirty with their expert tips and tricks. You'll find it on all your favorite podcast platforms.

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Okay, folks, let's talk natives! Ken Lain the Mountain Gardener here, and I know many of you are curious about creating a truly Arizona landscape. So, what exactly is a native plant? It's one that naturally grows right here, in our unique climate. Think Arizona Cypress, the sturdy windbreak, or the elegant Silverberry, a low-care evergreen.

Folks often seek natives for their low maintenance and water-wise nature – perfect for our RV adventures! Plus, many, like Silverberry and Manzanita, are naturally resistant to deer and Javelina. While some natives might not be showy at first glance, their long-term beauty and adaptability shine through.

At Watters, we're making it easier to find the right natives for your yard, grouping them by low-care, animal resistance, and size. Let's create a landscape that thrives naturally!

🌵Ken Lain, The Mountain Gardener

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Hey gardeners, Ken Lain here! This week on the Mountain Gardener, I’m chatting with Jim Rupe of Monrovia Nursery, a real giant in the plant-growing world! We’ll get the inside scoop on where those beautiful plants at your local garden center come from.

Jim shares Monrovia's passion for quality and what it means to work with a company with a 100-year history. We’ll explore the journey of plants from their farms to your garden, and why that matters.

For all you Arizona gardeners, you'll learn which plants truly thrive in our unique climate.

🎥Ken Lain, The Mountain Gardener

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Ken and Lisa Lain, The Mountain Gardeners here! Okay, let's talk fragrant lavenders, friends!

To guide you to olfactory bliss in your own backyard. We've got a delightful selection blooming right now at Watters!

For that classic lavender scent, you can't beat English Lavender. 'Goodwin Creek offers a taller, shrub-like form with gray leaves and intensely fragrant purple spikes. 'Munstead is more compact, perfect for smaller spaces, and has equally aromatic purple blooms.

Then there are the unique Spanish Lavenders! 'Princess' boasts unusual violet-pink flowers with that signature lavender fragrance. 'Ghostly Princess' offers silvery foliage and pink blooms. And 'Purple Medley' has green leaves and pineapple-like purple flowers.

All lavenders love sun (at least 6 hours) and well-drained soil, thriving even in containers. They're also wonderfully deer—and rabbit-resistant. Plant a few, and let that soothing fragrance fill your garden!

🪴Ken & Lisa Lain, the Mountain Gardeners

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Hey gardeners, Ken Lain here! Looking for a tough, beautiful native that hummingbirds adore? Let's talk Desert Willows! These beauties thrive from Prescott to Sedona, offering willow-shaped leaves and orchid-like flowers.

The native variety boasts lovely pink blooms, but be warned – it produces bean pods that can limit flowering. That's where the new introductions shine! Look for named varieties like 'Timeless Beauty' or 'Bubba' – these have been bred to be bean-less, giving you continuous waves of stunning flowers from late spring through autumn.

Plant them in full sun, water to establish, and then let them go – they're super drought-hardy. Their airy foliage and vibrant blooms make them a fantastic, low-care addition to any Arizona yard.

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And we are back with Lisa Watters Lain. Many folks are surprised to learn we can grow fragrant gardenias right here. The secret is choosing hardy varieties! We carry two that brave our winters: one with a classic double flower and another with a lovely star-shaped bloom, both boasting that intense gardenia fragrance.

Now, don't expect them to get as big as they do in the South; here, they'll likely stay around knee-high, perfect for containers. Plant them on the east or north side of your home for morning sun and afternoon shade. They also do well under covered patios.

Fertilize with Flower Power monthly, and you'll enjoy those beautiful, fragrant white blooms starting in May and lasting all season. Deer and rabbits tend to leave them be, making them a delightful, fragrant addition to your mountain oasis.

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Hey Arizona gardeners, Ken Lain here! With our beautiful weather, it's prime time to plant natives that thrive here. Arizona Cypress is a fantastic evergreen for windbreaks and privacy. Silverberry (Elaeagnus) is a low-care, fast-growing evergreen shrub that softens fences beautifully. For vibrant blooms, try Manzanita, which is loved by pollinators and drought-tolerant once established.

Consider our amazing Yuccas and Agaves – they're tougher than nails and offer unique textures. Red Yucca is a hummingbird favorite, and Artichoke Agave adds architectural interest. For a pop of color, Desert Willow blooms with orchid-like flowers, attracting hummingbirds galore. Don't forget native Redbuds, with their stunning pink blossoms. These ten natives are perfectly adapted to our landscapes, offering beauty with ease.

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🌿Ken Lain, The Mountain Gardener

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Hey garden enthusiasts, Ken & Lisa Watters Lain, The Mountain Gardeners here!

This week, we're tackling a range of spring gardening essentials. We'll explore how to grow better herbs and veggies, understand why evergreen oaks turn yellow, and share insider secrets for big, juicy tomatoes. Plus, we'll discuss landscape updates, and gain insights from a Monrovia Nursery expert, all while remembering the best time to plant those beautiful roses!

Included in this week’s episode:

Get ready to catch Ken and Lisa's gardening bug! They're bursting with knowledge and passion for growing beautiful things, and they're ready to share it all with you. Don't miss out on this chance to level up your gardening game!

 Subscribe to The Top 10 Gardener Podcast today and get your hands dirty with their expert tips and tricks. You'll find it on all your favorite podcast platforms.

Subscribe for Top 10 Gardener updates!

🎙️Ken & Lisa Lain, The Mountain Gardeners

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Hey rose lovers, Ken Lain here! Spring is in the air, and that means it's rose planting season! You'll find a wide variety of roses at the garden center now, from ground covers and shrubs to hybrid teas and climbers.

The ideal time to plant roses is when they're dormant but showing signs of waking up. This allows them to establish roots before the stress of blooming. Fiber pot roses, which are already rooted, are especially forgiving to plant now.

While you might see some roses in bloom already, the biggest selection arrives around the last week of April. This timing helps us avoid late frosts that could damage those delicate flowers.

So, get your gloves ready and prepare to add some beauty and fragrance to your garden!

Ken Lain, The Mountain Gardener

🌹Preorder Your Own Roses

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Hey gardeners, Ken Lain here! This week on the Mountain Gardener, we welcome Jim Rupe from Monrovia Growers, a true plant expert! Jim shares his journey in the agribusiness, from tending Christmas trees to representing Monrovia across Arizona.

We explore the challenges and rewards of growing plants in our diverse state, from the high desert to the mountains. Jim highlights the importance of acclimation and choosing varieties that thrive in our unique conditions.

We also get a glimpse behind the scenes at Monrovia's operations, with its four locations across the West Coast, Georgia, and Connecticut. And of course, we touch on our favorite plants, from the show-stopping blooms of Wisteria and Crab Apples to the reliable beauty of Euphorbias and Lilacs.

Join us for this insightful conversation with a true plant pro!

🎥Ken Lain, The Mountain Gardener

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