Sunday, September 2, 2012

Aloe Groundcover

Aloe vanbalenni
Desert gardens and shade.  Sometimes it can be difficult to find a balance between the sun loving plants receiving too much shade from the canopy of trees. So I had this idea.  I love how people from Wisconsin place Hostas around the base of their trees for a little eye candy punch.
Hosta love at the Green Bay Botanical Garden entrance
So I shot this pic from the Green Bay Botanical Gardens in June to spice it up with some desert garden thinking.  We do have plants here that can resemble this pattern and shape.  For new people who move to the desert from the East coast, they miss their Hostas and other shade loving plants that act as low shrubs or groundcover. Instead of wasting your money on something that will need constant watering and shade, why not think about planting something from the Aloe family?  You could plant a billion types of Hostas back home and you can plant the same amount from the Aloe group here in Tucson:) So I took off for the Tucson Botanical Gardens in the heat of the summer to show you examples of what I'm writing about today.  If you're looking to achieve a similiar feel(but not exactly the same), might I suggest this wonderful plant.  Here are a few samples of this "clumping" plant beneath your desert trees.
Aloe brevifolia
Many people who first arrive to the desert confuse Aloe and Agave (and I do admit I was one of them back in the 90's....so don't be embarrassed, we all do it:) Botanical gurus still have nerdy discussions about Sotol and Agave. But that's a whole other topic.  You just need to know that both make nice alcoholic drinks:)   Landscaping between WI and AZ is quite different.  Many of the plants were alien to me.  The differences between Aloe and Agave?  Well there are quite a few actually.  Agave are mainly quite large and take a lot of sun with little water once established.  Some Aloes, on the other hand, need a bit more shade.  There are a few varieties that can handle full sun, but most like shade out of the direct sunlight.  And they can handle a tad more water but NEVER let them sit in water.  Most Aloe varieties are smaller in size and make great plants for groundcover.  Put some rock mulch around the space and you've got a snazzy desert look.  Check out how the blue rocks were used with this Aloe variety below.  Incredible!  I have Aloe growing around the property at El Presidio.  Someone apparently figured this out because I will find occassional leaves cut off around the base.  The sap from most Aloe plants acts as a very soothing treatment for sunburn(which during this time of year we have plenty of:)
Aloe fosteri
Or maybe they were attacked by one of our huge lizards here.
However, I couldn't find a body nor would I stay around long enough to do more investigation;) For more great ideas on gardening or landscaping in your own areas, visit your local botanical gardens.  More tomorrow....

19 comments:

  1. Interesting! I'm fascinated with these hosta plants, they really look great. Here, these are being used to fill in spaces of flower beds, so that no soil is visible, like that one at the base of the tree.

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  2. You have some great ideas for your garden Chris - love the aloe amongst the blue stones. The lizard photos are brilliant :) I like visiting Botanical Gardens - you can some great ideas to convert to a smaller scale!

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  3. I had no idea there were multiple types of aloe! Great idea. Here in MN., we love our hostas too.

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  4. ALOE!! such a beautiful and useful plant!!

    when i first saw the lizard close-up...i thought YIKES! what is that?! do they have Monitors there?? haha...no monitors, just dinosaurs roaming the gardens! i hope they're herbivores!

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  5. Hi friend i love the last aloe but i don't like the lizards, especially that big, haha! I've just been to our orchid show for two days, and am very glad for my photos.

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  6. i like that dino. :) i like tequila, too. :)

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  7. There are so many different kinds of hosta plants. All kinds of possibilities there.

    Great photos Chris!

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  8. Neat idea to use aloes instead. What a lizard for the garden!

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  9. Good gardening tips for the East coast transplants.

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  10. Good ideas, I have plans to use more of these plants around the trees here. We get a little too cold for most aloes, but agave lophantha is a good substitute.

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  11. All our birds, including your Hummers are descended from those big Lizards Chris :-)

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  12. Many aloes grown in and around hot interior valleys or even down in the deserts need a shade component. If you review info on their origins, you'll often find many seacoast locations. Canary Islands and their natives come to mind.

    When I first looked at those Hostas my first reaction was no way. Then I read the Wisconsin reference. LOL

    I like replicating a certain look which belongs somewhere else using something native or close to it in the area I'm in. Next spring I'm out to California to test some of my theories on Mesquite Dune establishment and possible use as a Tamarisk windbreak mechanism. I wish Tamarisks were never brought to your part of the world. Of course people from India, Africa and Australia say the same about Mesquite which turns out to be a terrible invasive for them. Humans have really screwed thing up.

    I should clarify that when I say Mesquite, I am actually also including a large variety of other natives for diversification like Paloverde, Catclaw Acacia, Ironwood, etc, etc, etc. Should be interesting. I'm putting the finishing touches on my germination and seedling container project here with members of the pea family.



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  13. I once lived on 5 acres that were covered by very old live oaks. I planted a slew of hostas in a "shade" garden under one patch of trees. Was so glad to have found something that would grow! Glad there were no huge lizards, skinks freak me out enough, would not want to see the footage of me coming up on a huge lizard! :)

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  14. I don't know much about cactus plants so this was very interesting. My daughter Karen grew some aloe vera plants from seed and they are coming along very nicely. :)

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  15. Maybe we should have had Aloe here this year. The hostas did not do well in the extreme heat. They are turning yellow and stringy early.
    Nice pictrues Chris. Ugly lizard! I hope that thing eats mice or does something useful.

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  16. I didn't know hostas grew so well in Tucson. That's something I grow in my shade gardens!

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  17. Succulents is one of my passions. Those aloes on top are wonderful!

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  18. My what a big lizard you have, my dear. :)
    I have to be careful about my aloes taking over sometimes.

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  19. I love my hostas! Didn't know they would grow out there.

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