Hi Lynn, love your adobe look walls in the front and your view in the back is wonderful. I'm glad you plan on preserving your view in the back and think it's great that you're thinking of water conservation. Since you're close to Santa Fe I hope you've been to High Country Gardens/Santa Fe greenhouse. I've been buying plants mail order from them for fifteen years and I understand they have some great waterwise landscaping at thier store in Santa Fe. In this month(Sept.) issue of Sunset magazine there is a Santa Fe landscape with adobe walls and a planter against the wall like what you are talking about. It does have a lot of plants in the ground also but it is a great backyard landscape by Wilder Landscaping. Your idea of all raised planters sounds very attractive and ambitious. I know you where conscerned about the heat situation with all that masonry. All your walls would act as a heat sink collecting the warmth during the day and then radiating it out at night. You would have cooler temperatures in the mornings from the walls and warmer temperatures at night. About the planters using less water I can't get around this idea. Planters because they are exposed to the hot summer air on the sides as well as from overhead actually heat up the soil more than in ground plantings. This makes them use more water not less. Of course you are talking about other issues too such as ease of planting and not having to deal with your rocky soil. Mulch is a great way to help keep soil cooler and use less water, rock mulch for more deserty type plants and organic mulch for others. And your shade trees will really cool things off for you too. If you use plants well adapted to your area you could really keep your water use down and not have to feel like you need all the planters.

Thanks you guys, I needed that little boost to get me going this morning! Nanatink, when I read your reply, I had just taken a swig of diet coke, and I busted out lauging at your remark. SERIOUSLY, THAT WAS AN LOL!! Oh, by the way, I didn't paint the planter itself. It's a cooking pot that just happened to match the flowers on the chair! I used to have a little copper colored watering can that sat on the other post across the birdhouse. I cut up little strips of clear plastic from a pop bottle and glued them to the spout so it looked like water was coming out it, so cool. Hmm i wonder what ever happened to it, it's nowhere to be found.

That is beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing Tina, I love it. I think we are going to do something with our front porch this year and I'd be tickled if I could find something like to use for the spring and summer months. We have a couple of posts I want to move around so we can put up railing and create a sitting porch. I can't wait! Wish I had a green thumb...

Hi lara~ your chair is really sweet. Love how the planter and the chair were meant for each other. ha You did a wonderful job incorporating the chair, planter and the birdhouse. I looks great. I like your flower bowling ball too. Very cute. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your pic over here with us as well. If you do any more painting in the future we'd love to see it. Stop by anytime. :) ~Anj