get growing!

by Patricia L. Garcia

chore no more with these helpful gardening ‘tools’

As people spend more time at home, gardening has seen a resurgence in popularity. No matter if you’re a seasoned gardener with prize-winning tomatoes, or a newbie with just a few seedlings in small containers, these items will help ensure that your gardening activities remain as stress free and as rewarding as possible. From helping you navigate the complexities of Southwest gardening to easier and more efficient watering to simply beautifying your space, the following garden “tools” will keep you in a green state of mind.

Campania International Chantal Planters
Even if you planned on planting solely in ground, a few planters around the garden with flowers or herbs can help attract pollinators and provide a stylish buzz to your space. These Chantal planters, which come in eight color combinations, vary in size from 8 inches wide to 25 inches wide, giving you plenty of options for different plant groupings. Cluster the four different sizes of this glazed pottery for a display of color all year long.
$59.99–$259.99, Osuna Nursery, osunanursery.com

Chantal planters

Henri Studio Rectangular Prairie Birdbath
I can’t tell you how thrilling it is to get visitors, like hummingbirds or cardinals, to my garden. Searching for a snack or some water, birds come by, but leave quickly. No worries. At just under three feet tall, and available in multiple colors, this striking stone birdbath will bring all the birds to your yard, and you can tell neighbors your yard’s better than theirs. Or at least, full of birds.
$199, Potteryland, potterylandabq.com

Prairie birdbath

Growing Awareness Urban Farm/East Central Ministries Ollas
Keeping plants properly watered can be challenging, particularly when it starts to heat up. Enter the original self-watering solution: ollas. These terracotta clay jars take the hard work out of watering. Simply bury these pots in the ground next to plants or in containers and fill with water (check daily to see if it needs refilling). Your plants will be watered slowly, and directly at the roots, as water seeps from the porous clay. Talk about easy! The ollas come in sizes ranging from one-half quart up to one gallon for varying needs.
$8–$20, Growing Awareness Urban Farm/East Central Ministries, eastcentralministries.org

Ollas

Growing the Southwest Garden: Regional Ornamental Gardening
by Judith Phillips
With more than 30 years of Southwest gardening experience, landscape designer Judith Phillips has a lot to say about the challenges — and rewards — of growing plants in the high desert. In her book on ornamental gardening, Phillips provides insight into the region’s climate, geography and soil to help gardeners, and all with gorgeous plant photography to boot.
$24.95, Albuquerque Garden Center, albuquerquegardencenter.org

Pottery Barn Outdoor Plant Console Tray, Set of 3
These recycled wood planter trays are a chic addition to your gardening arsenal. The sturdy iron frame means you can use these trays in your patio to display pretty planters, store drinks while entertaining or use them as a garden bench to hold seeds, pots or small bags of soil.
$399; Pottery Barn, potterybarn.com

Outdoor plant console tray