There are plenty of great resources to help xeric gardeners plan and plant low-water landscapes that look terrific. Check out the resources listed below to learn more, and though some are for certain regions, they all offer great information.
Southwest Gardening:
I’ve just joined three fellow garden writers in launching a new site specific to Southwest Gardening. Check out our posts starting in January 2018.
Water Conservation and Drought-tolerant Planting:
Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority
Center for Landscape Water Conservation
Water Use It Wisely (Arizona cooperative campaign)
Bewaterwise for southern California
General Gardening:
New Mexico State University Desert Blooms (and a search component for pamphlets, etc.)
National Garden Bureau (including an extensive list of garden bloggers)
National Gardening Association
Great Garden Supply’s Zone Gardening: the Definitive Guide
AZ Plant Lady, a favorite blog from our neighboring state
Backyard Boss for great DIY ideas for home and garden.
Southern Wild, in honor of my mother and Southern upbringing
It’s A Dry Heat from David Cristiani in Las Cruces, NM
Native or Drought-tolerant Plants:
Plant and Weed Identification Sites and Tools:
National Gardening Association Plant Finder
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Colorado State University Noxious Weed Identification
New Mexico State University Troublesome Weeds
Weed Science Society of America Weed Identification
Rainwater Collection and Rain Barrels:
American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association
Sightline Institute Article With Links
Texas Water Development Board Report on Roof Material and Water Quality
New Mexico Chile:
New Mexico Chile Association (source for NM chile companies)
Diaz Farms (another source for chile products, and check out their Chile history page)
New Mexico Gardens and Plants:
Los Poblanos Historic Inn, Organic Farm, Lavender Farm
Native Plant Society of New Mexico
New Mexico Xeriscaping Design:
Judith Phillips’ Design Oasis (designer, author, instructor, activist)
High Country Landscapes, LLC (in Ruidoso area)
WaterWise Landscapes Inc. (Hunter Ten Broeck)
Composting:
U.S. Composting Council (links and resources)
Short-Season and Organic Seeds:
Drought and Climate Change:
Monarch Butterfly and Bug Identification:
University of Minnesota’s Monarch Lab videos
Texas Butterfly Ranch blog post
Poster from NMSU of our beneficial insects
Colorado State University Extension Office
Succulent and Cactus Care:
International Euphorbia Society
Passive Solar:
New Mexico Solar Energy Association Passive Solar Design
Epsom Salt and Other Myths:
Horticultural Myths from Linda Chalker-Scott, Washington State University