landscaping desert style

Just returned from a short walk with Don (who continued on without me since I can't walk as fast as he can!) We went up to the little Solera library which is nice to have though pretty limited. Spent yesterday working on the yard - Don is adding to his group of agave plants. Agave are a succulent that has almost as many types as we have hostas in MN! The neighbors started Don on his agave garden with a gift pf pups (name for cactus and cactus-type babies) from their plant. He bought an larger type at Arizona Cactus and got two more different ones from neighbors. We are slowly learning more about the plants in our yard and around us. Landscaping here is often "xeriscape" or desert ladnscaping which means minimal or no watering. We do have a two zone watering system in the yard which runs about once a week to the plants that need it. We trimmed the rosemary plants yesterday - it smells soooo good in the garage until the gabage can gets emptied. Don doesn't think rosemary smells good so we are of different opinions on the condition of the garage! This is landscpe rosemary but it can be used for cooking. I dried some the first year we were here and it works just fine. Made some new friends - Tom and Kathy Miller who live about a quarter mile south of us. They just arrived here for the winter from - SURPRISE! - Walker, MN. Very nice people. They stopped to ask us about how we trimmed our palo brea tree in the front yard as they have one too and it needs trimming. We ended up visiting for a long time over cold drinks. It will be nice to get to know them better. Tomorrow (Friday) we are going with Kramers from next door to a restaurant at Falcon Field Airport in Mesa to celebrate Rick Kramer's 65th birthday. Big doin's in Solera! All is well. Warm, sunny, and enjoyable. M