Transplanted California- been there done that

Hello:
I'm finally going to initially jump into this conversation.  I lived for three and a half years in the high desert of New Mexico, outside of Albuquerque in the village of Corrales.  I had a lovely 1 acre garden when I left, which I planted from bare ground- pure sand.
 
Although it is quite challenging, it is possible to have a lovely Mediterranean style garden in this climate.  I suggest a visit to Santa Fe for a tour of some of the beautiful gardens and courtyards there.  There are also great nurseries there and one in Rio Rancho, which have a large variety of suitable plants.  Avoid the big box stores' nurseries, which sell the same plants all over the country, unless you are specifically shopping for something and they are selling it.
KEY NUMBER ONE: Lots and lots and lots of organic matter.  If you can find a stable, a chicken farm, a goat farm, etc, you can probably get some good manure for free, and then thin it with loads of fine mulch.  You cannot, however, simply top dress in this climate, as Moira so elegantly suggests for friendlier climes.  It dries out in the extreme aridity- around 5% most of the year- and simply blows away.  Whatever is on the surface is going to do just that, but if you dig enough of it in to the first 2 feet or so, you will find that most plants will be quite happy.  People who haven't gardened in pure desert sand just cannot relate.  It will be discouraging at first, as the organic matter will seem to evaporate.  But, if it is dug in thoroughly enough, only the top will look barren, while below ground will be fertile.  Heavy bark mulches are best, since, again, anything light weight will simply blow away in the regular 40 mile-an-hour winds.
 
The native pinon pines are a must, as pines are very medit looking and the natives the most suited to the climate. 
Russian olives (Eleagnus angustifolia) do beautifully and have a very mediterranean look and are very low water use.  They are quite allergenic however, so plant downwind if you are susceptible.
Vitex agnus-castus was a favorite in my garden - highly recommended for its blooms as well as its leaves.
Another favorite tree was Chilopsis linearis, but be sure to put it where it won't receive too much water from other sources.  Ours improved from scraggly to beautiful and full of blooms when we withheld its water.  Even better is XChitalpa tashkentensis if you can find it.  It is a cross between Chilopsis and Catalpa and has the beauty of the latter with the toughness of the former.  Robinia and Gleditsia both work well, but the Gleditsia will want a bit more water.
 
Roses do quite well with supplemental water, and sometimes with shade, and because of the aridity, mold is never a problem.  I had great luck with all kinds by siting them where they were suited.   One of my favorites was 'Joseph's Coat" because the strong multi-colored flowers look so great with the browns and tans of the adobe walls and houses.  Mexican bush sage - Salvia leucantha-very Mediterranean- thrived and was not as floppy as mine get here because of the harsher conditions.  All sorts of Penstemons are available and make great fillers.  Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, sold as 'Kinnick-kinnick' in N.M. made a great front of border filler and was quite happy in the free draining soil.  Achillea works beautifully, as does Cytisus, which isn't invasive there as it is in moister, cooler places.  The most intoxicating plant I found growing on its own by an old Cottonwood tree along one of the canals was Ribes odoratum.  The long, arching yellow-flowered branches have the fragrance of sweet cloves and can fill a room during the springtime.  It probably needs more supplemental water as well, judging by its situation along the canal.  Santolina also thrives.
 
This is just a partial list of what I can remember right now of what we planted in our garden.  We moved away over 8 years ago now.  I am, of course, leaving out the annuals, fruit trees, and non-medit things like lilacs and tulips and dutch iris.  Lots of spring bulbs do well.
 
If you haven't done it already, visit a local nursery and ask for advice.  They will be so happy to share their local expertise with you, I'm sure, as well as any new varieties adapted to your area.
 
Karrie Reid
Folsom Foothill Gardener
Zone 9
 
 
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: david feix
Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2005 3:39 PM
Subject: 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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