The Mojave Desert Land Trust annual Fall Native plant sale is coming up on October 26th. Fall is a great time to get plants in, while the sun is still warm during the day with cooler nights and evenings to help retain water and get plants established.
If you are wondering what you are going to pick up – there are plenty of places around the basin that you can use for inspiration, starting with MDLT itself. Their native discovery garden has a wide variety of plants that thrive here in the desert climate, on display at their headquarters in Joshua Tree.
The Joshua Basin Water District also has a water-wise demonstration garden where you can see native plants used in landscaping. Summer heat is still in effect so plants may be a little more subdued, but just heading out on a hike will give you plenty of ideas for future features for your native garden.
In the Desert View Conservation Area, there are dozens of Parry’s Nolina on display with their large conical flowers drying out in the summer sun. Paperbag bush has some blooms – in spots like Black Rock Campground as well as my front yard. I bought one at the last fall native plant sale and it has doubled in size since then, with its first blooms arriving last month.
The Hi-Desert Nature Museum has a garden in front as well – a great spot to wander through on your way into the free and fun family destination.
And be sure to check out the MDLT’s Instagram where they are posting up examples of plants you can get at the sale – but they aren’t releasing the full list yet. You can sign up to receive updates when they post their inventory on their website.
Desert gardening can seem daunting, but it’s as simple as choosing the right spot for the plant and keeping it watered while we wait for a hopefully wet winter. MDLT staff have always been helpful in talking about the best spots for certain flora, and if your green thumbs are struggling, you can always ask Mike Branning on the Unique Garden Show right here on Z107.7 FM.
Get out and get inspired, and mark your calendar for the native plant sale in two Saturdays from now, October 26th – starting at 10 AM at their headquarters right off highway 62 in Joshua Tree. Their sign got a bit of a freshening up – look for the big red MDLT.
