Container Desert Gardens

Would you like to enjoy the benefits of a garden but don’t have the space? You might live in an apartment or town home, or maybe you’ve got a pool that takes up most of the usable space in your yard.

Don’t despair. Container gardening might be just the thing for you.

And yes, there are hundreds, if not thousands of plants which will do wonderfully in containers. Your container garden can have everything from trees planted in very large containers, to small flowering perennials and annuals in small pots.

The first thing you need to do is map out your area. Make a drawing of your area. Note where the morning and afternoon sun hits. This will help guide you later in placing your plants.

You might also want to note high desert winds (which can desiccate the plants), cold spots in the winter (which can freeze your plants), and shady areas (best suited for shade plants.)

Once you have done this, take some time to think about placement of plants, mature sizes (when the plant has grown to its full height and width), types of containers, and color patterns (both the colors of the flowers and the pots you will use).

Choosing the Right Type of Pot.

There are many types of planting containers on the market. I prefer to use clay or terra cotta pots. Terra cotta absorbs moisture and can act as a small reservoir for additional water from which roots can take in more moisture if needed. Terra cotta also keeps the soil at a more even temperature.

There are glazed terra cotta pots which I prefer in desert and dry conditions, because moisture cannot be “wicked” from the outside of the pots by sun, wind and low humidity conditions.

However, there are some very attractive unglazed terra cotta pots available. Most of these are from Mexico, and come in many sizes. There are also inexpensive terra cotta pots which are plain and functional.

Avoid using plastic or metal containers. In desert conditions where high ultraviolet light is prevalent, plastic will break down quickly. Plastic also does not have the same insulation value as terra cotta, and cool desert nights can and will kill potted plants.

Also avoid using metal containers, as metals leeching from the container could harm you plants. Also metal will not absorb water, and will cool very quickly at night.

There are also many colors available. If you want to create the illusion of depth in your patio or pool area, place blue pots at the farthest end. Use other colors (like greens, off-whites and deep reds) in closer.

Make sure the pots you obtain have a hole (or holes) in the bottom for excess water to drain. Most nurseries and gardening stores have varying selections of pots.

You will also need to have trays for placing under the pots, particularly if the pots are going to be resting on concrete, stone or brick. This will keep excess water from running across your patio, or into your pool. If you plan to place your pots directly onto soil, then the trays are not necessary.

You’ll also want to be thinking about the plants you want to pot. There is a wonderful variety of plants, large, small and medium sized which will do beautifully in your container garden.

If you live in the lower altitudes of desert areas (most of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado in the U.S., Northern Mexico and Baja, Southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, some plants that will do well in those areas are listed below. Later articles will include plants which do well in colder desert climates. The list is certainly not exhaustive, but does contain some favorites.

Low Water Use Flowers

• Gaillardia, Gaillardia spp. and Gaillardia amblyodon, also known as blanket flower, firewheel or Indian blanket. This perennial will grow to about one foot tall and have a width between one and two feet.
• Desert Rose Mallow, Hibiscus denudatus, will grow two feet high and about one foot wide.
• Purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, up to three feet high and about one foot across. Besides the beautiful purple flowers with brown centers, the seedheads are absolutely beautiful in winter, and make great accents to cut-flower arrangements.
• Gayfeather, Liatris punctata. The flowers are long feathery spikes, generally white or lavender, with attractive green foliage. Three feet tall and one foot wide.

See also:

1. Low-Water Use Dfesert Trees
2. Low-Water Use Desert Shrubs