Am I a master gardener yet? I’m working on it! I completed the classroom portion of the program and am now an intern volunteering at the demonstration gardens in Tucson. The specific garden I’m working in is called Small Spaces which has smaller sub-gardens showing what can be done in a small space.
What I find interesting is that even if you have a large space the small spaces garden demonstrates ways to plan your own landscape no matter how big or small. Let’s say you want to have a Mediterranean feel to your landscape. If you pop over to the Pima County Demonstration Gardens, then check out the Small Spaces plot for a Mediterranean Garden. You can duplicate what has already been planted, then ask the Master Gardener for suggestions on additional plants you could add. Also, do some research on your own, and before you know it you’ll have the garden of your dreams.
Chrysactinia mexicana
Right now the Tucson area is blooming! There are lupine, penstemons, globe mallow, African daisies, and a vast number of other flowers that grow wild here. The palo verde and mesquite trees will be next. I’ll do my best to get photos of things as they come out. I should have plenty of opportunities during the A to Z blogging challenge as I plan to take a look at desert gardening through the month of April. Until then, enjoy these photos.
Penstemon parryi
Eschscholzia glyptosperma
Pachycereus marginatus
Ferocactus wislizenii
arbitrarydustbunnies 
So cool! We recently finished a large garage in the backyard which has taken most of my yard. I wanted to do a garden – which now will be small. I’m wondering about the types of things that would grow in my zone here in Colorado at high altitude. I’ll get back with you when we are ready to landscape.
in the meantime keep on gardening
Small gardens are just as nice as larger ones. When you are ready to plant keep in mind how large the plant will be at maturity. You don’t want a Bluebeard shrub that can grow to over 5′ wide in the middle of a 4′ garden.