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Arizona garden: Screening plants add privacy, greenery

Question: My wife and I have been wanting to plant two hedges: one 24 to 30 inches high against the front (south-facing) side of our house, and another 6 to 7 feet tall against the south-facing concrete-block wall in our backyard.

What type of plant would work best for each or both? We have a pool in our backyard, so we would rather not have something there with a lot of blooms, such as bougainvillea, that would end up in the pool.

Answer: Privacy is definitely a factor in creating outdoor rooms in your home garden space. I thought I would offer a cohort's recommendations as a different perspective.

Kenny Zelov is the Desert Botanical Garden's assistant director of horticulture, and we work side by side. He recommends the following: For the 24- to 30-inch-tall hedge, try dwarf myrtle, Myrtus communis "compacta," or upright rosemary, Rosemarnus officianalis, for a more manicured, soft look.

If you prefer a more natural, full look, consider using germander (Teucrium fruticans), or blue bells (Eremophila hygrophana), a low-growing Australian shrub.

For the space where you are trying to cover 6 or 7 feet of height, you could plant Texas olive, Cordia boissieri, which has leathery leaves and white flowers in late spring and early summer. You will need to occasionally trim any elongated growth.

And Tecoma "Orange Jubilee" blooms throughout the warm months and grows rapidly to 8 feet.

Q: I enjoyed your advice about watering and feeding bougainvillea, but I missed how/when to trim this plant. Ours is quite pretty but may need to be trimmed.

A: Bougainvillea needs little pruning except to remove dead wood in the spring after new growth emerges. Many times, I see them pruned when they are in full color, and I'm then left to wonder why the homeowner has this plant.

If a plant becomes truly leggy, you can selectively trim the elongated stems. But never hedge this plant.

Q: I have two Texas mountain laurel shrubs in my side yard. Black and yellow caterpillars are feasting on the new growth. I have tried several insecticides, to no avail. Is there any systemic insecticide that would be absorbed by the root system and spread to the new leaves?

A: I spoke with Scott McMahon, our Cactaceae collections manager and arborist. Scott said there is no systemic chemical registered for this.

He suggested you look for an insecticide registered to kill worms, caterpillars and grubs on ornamentals. They are harder to kill than aphids, for example.

Follow label instructions, and avoid contact with the spray. If you are inclined, you can knock the worms off with a strong water spray.

The emergence of caterpillars is usually limited to a few weeks in the spring. They make great bird bait.

Q: I have what I think is a Spanish lavender plant that bloomed beautifully all through April. It no longer has the purple flowers, but the green bud is still present.

Should I snip the buds off as one would deadhead a flowering plant? I don't want to hurt the plant.

Also, what is the watering rule for this plant? I know lavender does not like "wet feet," so I'm always worried about over watering.

A: Your Spanish lavender plant will slow down blooming during the hotter months.

I would remove the flower stalks when they are finished. It will possibly re-bloom if you trim off the old stalks.

You are correct to monitor watering this plant. It is subject to root rot when temperatures and humidity are high.

If it is planted in well-drained soil, you can water it twice per week for 10 minutes. If you start to see heat stress, you can add one more watering day per week.

Do not fertilize your lavender plant, and some afternoon shade is preferable.


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Myrtus communis. Cheryl Evans/The Arizona Republic

Myrtus communis.

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