Ginger, I gave away all my seeds at the Raleigh swap. I looked today and found ONE! Anyway, if you are near me, you are welcome to that one seed or a seedling plant - have plenty of those till freeze tomorrow night - so let me know if I should teaspoon a couple of babies out of the ground. They are pink/yellow streaked and smell great. If not now, I'll have more in spring.

If I lived in the desert (again), I would grow cacti and succulents in my yard...maybe some other desert plants but nothing exotic, at least outside. I love pristine deserts. Maybe you could build a patio garden enclosed or partially enclosed with adobe or brick walls (or even some kind of latticework) and then try growing your tropicals. you could also build a pergola or large arbor to provide some filtered shade. It would also help block drying winds. That's what the Spanish did with great success. There are also fast growing trees native to NM, like the Desert willow & Black willow. They are found throughout the state, down in arroyos and along dry creek beds that flood with spring rains, or along riverbanks and creekbanks. Both grow very fast provided they get enough water and would make great filtered shade for your garden. You can order them through your NM Forestry Division. They have a Conservation Seedling List every year, as do all states, and they are much cheaper to buy than anything comparable you can get from a nursery or garden center, and because they are natives, they will grow successfully in your area. I grow my Ginger plant in a large pot and take it inside in the fall where it does very well all winter in a sunny southern window. In Spring, it goes back out into the garden under the filtered shade of a tree or under an arbor. Just an idea. ~sweetannie4u

Lily-of-the-valley is of the knock-your-socks-off family, provided you plant in a controlled area so you won't be overrun with it. A few LOTV stems in a bouquet with Lilac will help satisfy your urges towards beauty and scent. I also suggest freesia for a bulb, and agree with more lilies. Is there such a thing as too many lilies? I think not. Sweet alyssum is great for an annual along walkways or bed borders, or even in pots at the base of larger specimens. And you can just till them under next season. Not sure how long your growing season is but I have to suggest one of my favorites, a plumeria tree. You could grow it in a large pot with wheels as I do here, if you have room in your garage or basement to overwinter it. I'd be happy to ship you a cutting of a pretty pink cultivar which I don't know the proper name of, but which knocks my socks off annually from May till October in Zone 10/13. If you're interested, let me know! I'm including a link with some plumeria basics for you which I found helpful. I hope some of these suggestions fire your imagination. Your garden already sounds like an enchanting perfume oasis but like the composer of an unfinished symphony, you can always stuff in a few more notes to round out the whole work! Here is a link that might be useful: The Plumeria Place

I have the following for SASBE: canna Richard Wallace rhizomes Florence Vaughn rhixomes White Butterfly Ginger ehizomes Purple Mexican Petunia cuttings White nerium oleander rooted Please email jen@gulfcoastrentals.com