X

Get my top tips and seasonal gardening advice straight to your inbox each week.

How to Use the Low Desert Flower Planting Guide

Gardening in the low desert of Arizona has its unique challenges, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a garden bursting with beautiful flowers. I’m thrilled to introduce you to my new Flower Guide, designed to help you fill your garden and home with stunning blooms.

Low Desert Flower Planting Guide

Ready to fill your garden with blooms? Get your copy of the Low Desert Flower Planting Guide here.


Article Index:


Why Add Flowers to Your Garden?

I love having flowers in my garden—they add beauty and attract pollinators. Gathering fresh blooms from the garden is my favorite way to begin the day. You can enjoy this simple pleasure, too, by adding flowers to your garden—plant your favorites and try something new. 

Rudbeckia

Overcoming the Challenges of Desert Gardening

Gardening in the low desert of Arizona presents unique challenges. However, with correct timing and information, you’ll be amazed at the abundance that thrives during the cooler months—and even more so by the resilient flowers that bloom in the heat. 

This guide is here to help. Let’s work together to fill your garden and home with flowers.

Starting a garden can feel overwhelming. Read this guide to help you avoid new gardeners’ most common mistakes.

Petunias

How to Use the Flower Guide

1. Explore Nearly 100 Flower Varieties

Begin by browsing through the extensive list of flowers included in the guide. Whether you’re interested in perennials, annuals, wildflowers, or companion plants, there’s something for every gardener.

Many flower gardeners also grow bulbs—learn how to plant and care for them in the Arizona Bulb Growing Guide. Bulbs can be a great addition to your flower display—especially in containers. Learn more in this guide to growing bulbs in pots in hot climates.

Looking for bulb-specific planting information? Check out the new Arizona Bulb Planting Guide for tips on when and how to grow flowering bulbs in our climate.

Lobelia

2. Take a Look at the Icons

Familiarize yourself with the icons used throughout the guide. These symbols provide quick insights into each plant’s characteristics. Once you understand the icons, you’ll be able to quickly identify the flowers that will work best in your garden. 


3. Utilize Planting Dates

Each flower entry includes information about when to plant in the low desert climate. These dates indicate the optimal times to:

Following these planting recommendations can help increase your chances of gardening success.


4. Reference Square-Foot Garden Spacing

The guide provides square-foot spacing recommendations for garden beds. Use these as general guidelines, but always refer to seed packets or plant labels for specific spacing, especially when planting directly in the ground.


5. Read Comprehensive Notes

Each flower comes with detailed notes covering the following:

  • Growth habits
  • Care tips
  • Special considerations (e.g., frost sensitivity, invasiveness)
  • Companion planting benefits

These insights are drawn from my personal experience and are aimed at helping you make informed decisions.

Low Desert Flower Planting Guide

6. Consult the General Guidelines

You’ll find the “General Guidelines for Growing Flowers” section at the end of the guide. Read through this section often. The more experience you gain, the more you will understand the different principles and guidelines. 

If you would like to learn more about the principles of successful desert gardening, my guide, “Desert Gardening: How to Grow Vegetables in a Hot, Dry Climate,” may be helpful.


Why The Low Desert Flower Planting Guide is Helpful

  • The advice and recommendations are specifically designed for the low desert of Arizona, addressing its unique gardening challenges.
  • Using the planting dates and spacing guidelines helps you plan your garden in less time.
  • When you successfully grow flowers through blooming, you’ll add beauty and promote a healthy ecosystem that benefits all your plants.
  • This guide helps vegetable gardeners looking to incorporate flowers and flower enthusiasts expanding their collections.

Ready to fill your garden with blooms? Get your copy of the Low Desert Flower Planting Guide here.

Low Desert Flower Planting Guide

Subscribe to the newsletter for gardening tips and seasonal advice sent to your inbox every week.

Join the List

2 comments on "How to Use the Low Desert Flower Planting Guide"

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. hello! I live in Las Vegas Nevada zone 9a. Does your planting guide apply to me? can I use it? I just moved to Las Vegas from Austin, TX. I’m trying to learn desert vegetable gardening. Love your YouTube channel. Thanks Rosalind

    1. Hi Rosalind—welcome to the desert! My planting guide was written for the low‑desert areas around Phoenix (zone 9b), but Las Vegas (zone 9a) gardeners use it all the time with just a tiny tweak: Shift the spring dates back a bit. Vegas is a touch cooler, so wait until your average last frost—usually early to mid‑March—before you sow or transplant warm‑season veggies. Everything else in the spring section stays the same.Fall and winter crops line up perfectly. In fact, your cooler nights may let you start leafy greens and root veggies a week or two earlier than I do. Otherwise, the soil, watering, and heat‑protection tips apply 100%. Give it a try, note what works, and adjust a week or two either way as you get to know your new microclimate.Happy gardening, and thanks for following along on YouTube!
      —Angela