A flagstone patio was jackhammered out of a rocky hillside in the backyard. Prostrate rosemary (visible in the foreground) flowers year-round in this sheltered spot. Arizona columbine and mountain mahogany grow near the rock wall.

PLANT DIVERSITY
Trushell, who holds a bachelor’s degree in horticulture and a master’s degree in botany, loves plants and understands how difficult it can be to narrow the choices for a landscape. She suggests selecting plants in three “tiers.” The first tier is comprised of local native flora. The second tier includes drought-tolerant regional natives. Most choices would fall into these two groups. The third tier may not be native or drought tolerant, but it offers significant value to the landscape for wildlife or perhaps even humans, such as an edible fruit, she notes.
 
As a third-tier selection, purple coneflower was planted close to the house. Even though it is neither a native nor extremely drought tolerant, its beautiful blossoms are a magnet for butterflies. She counted 13 species attracted to the nectar at one time, along with many native bees and other important pollinators. To offset the higher water needs, the pair uses their gray water (waste water from laundry or bathing) and rainwater to irrigate the third-tier plants.

WILDLIFE CORRIDORS
Establishing corridors for wildlife is another important element the couple wanted to incorporate. Animals tend to travel along specific routes to seek food and shelter or to make seasonal migrations. Land development often blocks access to these wildlife passages, which negatively impacts survival and species diversity. “We can’t assume that individual creatures will just move over to another territory if they are displaced by development,” says Trushell. “Something else is most likely already occupying that space, and both won’t survive.”
 
Trushell and Morgan intentionally left areas on their 1.5-acre lot as a route for wildlife, including ravines that sometimes flow with rainwater. “We fenced selected small areas near our home for ourselves and our pets, but left as much open space as possible,” Morgan says. “At night, we hear javelinas crunching Emory oak acorns outside the fence, but they don’t bother much else.” Because the couple’s dogs reside safely on their side of the fence, the remaining landscape regularly is traversed by quail, coyotes, foxes and even the occasional bobcat. And winter snows often reveal mountain lion tracks. “This morning we were entertained by six acorn woodpeckers on top of the telephone pole,” he continues. “Offer diverse native plant material and habitats in your landscape, and you’ll have many opportunities to enjoy wildlife.”

The Trushell/Morgan garden was featured on the 2006 Alta Vista Garden Club Prescott Garden Tour. Club meetings are held the fourth Tuesday of the month and begin at 12:30 p.m. Guests are welcome. For more information, contact Anita, (928) 443-0464, or Carol, (928) 771-1772; or e-mail caasam@cableone.net. The next Prescott Garden Tour will be held June 14.