Re: Transplanted California

I can't say that I garden in your climate, but can say
that although there are many mediterranean climate
plants that can be grown in Chihuahuan Desert climate,
it will not include the more frost tender plants or
those that prefer it moister and more maritime. 
Tender coastal Californian natives, and tender
succulents and winter growing bulbs from South Africa
will also be rarer in your environment without
protection.

You can certainly create the look of a Mediterranean
garden using Chihuahuan Desert native plants, which we
can often grow here in coastal California, but often
fail to thrive or bloom heavily as we don't have the
summer heat and occasional monsoon-like rains to
trigger them into bloom.

It would be helpful to know what your winter minimum
low temps are, and your rainfall amounts through the
seasons to suggest particular plants.  When I look up
your town in the climate map for Sunset Western Garden
Book, your town is zoned as the coldest mountain 
climate,(excluding Alaska), similar to parts of inland
British Columbia and California's Sierra Nevada
Mountains, and a growing season only 50 to 100 days
long, and then only in summer.  So obviously you will
only be able to use the most winter hardy medit plants
that will take high elevation conditions and winter
dormancy.  This technically eliminates them from being
typical mediterranean climate plants, but instead
mountain plants within predominantly Mediterranean
climate regions.

If your winter lows average 0 to 11F each winter, you
may have better luck growing medit annuals rather than
the generally evergreen perennials and shrubs common
to most medit landscapes.

If you were to
--- Bordeaux <bordeaux@swnm.com> wrote:

> Greetings,
> 
> I joined this list few days ago in order to get a
> feel for what sort of plants will grow in Medit.
> environment. Perhaps I will join MGS.  Will shal
> see.
> 
> There must be some transplanted Californian in
> Arizona and New Mexico ( my state)..in fact,
> everytime we meet someone new in Luna county (
> extreme southern part of NM) they are from
> California...but very few are gardeners  and the few
> who were, gave up. 
> 
> If it does not take too much of  your gardening
> time, could you please let me know what was your
> experience in gardening in the Chihuahuan desert
> with the same plants available in Mediteranean
> gardens.
> 
> You may e mail me directly as not to burden the
> other list readers who may not be interested.  
> Thank you in advance
> 
> Happy gardening to all.
> 
> Monique
> ....The world is a comedy to those that think, a
> tragedy to those that feel....
> Horace Walpole



		
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