As the warm weather rapidly approaches, thoughts turn to outdoors and fun in the sun. Pool owners need to begin to prepare for their pool openings. A pool opening is similar to starting a car that has been sitting for 6 months through the winter – there are bound to problems – and lots of dirt and grime to clean!
Fortunately, with a little planning, common sense and automation, opening your pool can be quite easy and even fun! The first thing to do is to take a look at the winter cover. If there is water on it, you’ll want to put a cover pump on it to get rid of the water. A dry cover is MUCH easier to clean than a wet one. Leaves and debris will actually blow off of a dry cover. A cover with water on it can be impossible to remove from the pool, without dropping all of the leaves, dirt and debris into the pool water. Just a few inches of water on a midsize pool cover can weigh a thousand pounds or more.
After the cover is removed, start the pool filtration system. Many are unique and it may be necessary to have a professional do this part of the pool opening. After the equipment is running, let the pool filter constantly for 24-48 hours. This will circulate the water and de-stratify any layers of chemistry that have formed from the water being stagnant all winter.
Next, bring a sample of your pool water into a professional design pools store, that has a sophisticated water analysis computerized system. DO NOT JUST THROW SHOCK IN YOUR POOL!!! You may easily be wasting your money and might even be causing problems that will cost you even more to fix. We recommend a BioGuard Platinum Dealer to get the very best in technical analysis and prescribing chemicals for water balancing and treatment. We have been a BioGuard Dealer for over 30 years, and know how complete their programs are.
Follow your prescription to properly balance and treat your pool water. Brush and vacuum your pool, or have your automatic pool cleaner operate as much as possible. When your pool is clean, do a thorough cleaning of your filter by disassembling it and cleaning it.
Author has a website related to swimming pools design. For further information on landscaping pools and garden pool designs please visit at http://www.rinrobyn.com/

Take a look at your garden. You can see that it isn’t doing as
well as you’d hoped. The lower leaves on your flowers are
turning yellow and falling off and you’re loosing flowers. The
plants actually look droopy and wilted even though you’ve been
watering them faithfully. Well the truth is, you may be watering
your garden too much.
Over watering your flowers and plants can be just as damaging to
them as under watering. More plants die from being over watering
than not being watered enough. If you notice the symptoms
mentioned above, in your outside garden, or in your houseplants,
you need to pay attention to how much you are watering. One
simple way to see if you are over watering is to check the roots
of your plant. Rotting roots are a certain indication of over
watering.
Inside your home your houseplants are effected by rapid changes
in room temperature. Heat is drying, but air conditioning dries
out a plant too. Inside your plants may suffer from not
receiving enough light. Are you regularly fertilizing your
plants? If you are, are you following closely the manufacturers
suggested amount of fertilizer?
As a general rule, your outside garden should receive one inch
of water each week. Remember that this is a general rule and you
will have to observe your garden. The amount of watering you
need to do will have to be increased, or decreased based on the
time of year and climate. Even as we transition from a hot and
dry summer where the sun scorched your garden daily to
pleasantly cool sunny autumn days your garden still needs water.
Check the soil in your garden before you water. Is is dry and
crumbly, or is it muddy? Think how much rain you have received
the week before. If there has been a half inch of rain already
this week you don’t want to over water. A helpful tool to
prevent over watering is a rain gauge. When you water your
outside garden water it slowly so that the water will not run
off. Watering slowly also helps the water to seep deeper into
the roots. Water your outside garden only in the morning.
Watering during the heat of day just wastes water due to
evaporation. Watering at night can cause fungal growth

There are many different types of filters available today for koi ponds which require regular cleaning. The decaying fish waste and pond debris need to be removed from the filter, flushed and cleaned with a garden hose – a labor intensive, stinky, filthy, disgusting job if there ever was one!
Biological filters are designed to filter out particulate and organic substances. By utilizing anaerobic bacteria-laden filter media, a bio-filter breaks down harmful toxic substances into harmless by-products. Busy koi ponds without a bio-filter will develop an environment harmful to its inhabitants as a result of the build-up of fish waste, decaying pond creatures and leaves and other debris that have settled to the bottom.
The size of the bio-filter used in a koi pond is in direct proportion to the number of fish per gallon. The more fish, the more waste and the bigger the filter that is needed. Do you really need a filter? Not necessarily on the small ones — not if you follow nature’s guidelines. Natural lakes and ponds don’t have mechanical bio-filters and they are home to many healthy fish.
If, however, the koi fish begin to overpopulate the lake and start running out of food, they would thin out naturally until the population was small enough to be sustainable by their environment. Such a hypothetical overpopulation would cause an imbalance in the nitrogen cycle by producing too much nitrite from the koi fish waste. Then the increased pH of the water would create an algae bloom that could fill the lake and choke off the koi fish.
Man-made koi ponds can be controlled mechanically and chemically to allow for larger numbers of koi fish per gallon than would be found in nature. Many formulas exist for dictating the proper number of koi fish a pond can hold, whether you calculate koi fish per square surface foot, koi fish per cubic foot, koi fish per gallon, pounds per gallon, or pounds per cubic foot. The bottom line here is: healthy water equals healthy koi fish. If your water is fish-friendly, the number is insignificant, within reason.
If the air were pure, and if you had plenty of food and water, and a healthy way to eliminate, you could live in a small house with 30 other people and stay reasonably healthy, were it not for one thing: stress. Koi fish are like humans in that respect. If it gets too crowded, the koi fish will try to leave the koi pond and some actually do, but they do not get far. If koi fish are jumping out of a koi pond, it is not because they have an exploring nature; the koi pond is either too crowded or the quality of the water is less than desirable.
FILTER TECHNOLOGY
Man-made devices stretch the natural parameters set by nature, allowing the koi pond to support more life than it normally would. The biological filtering system is the best way to accomplish this. The more advanced the technology, the more effective its ability to treat water. There are as many different types and configurations of filters as there are people wanting to get rich off manufacturing and marketing their own filters. Almost every koi pond or water gardening magazine contains more advertisements for filters than any other product. Which one is the best? First, let’s discuss the various types that are available.
The most common filters are the up-flow, down-flow, submersible, recycling and pressurized types. The most common problem plaguing the operation of any filter is channeling. Water will always take the path of least resistance. Filters use a variety of filter media or material for the water to pass through. Pond water contains a large amount of suspended matter that collects in this filter media, eventually blocking or plugging the spaces between the material. As this occurs, the water will divert to another available path until it, too, clogs. Eventually, the water flow will find a permanent channel, avoiding the filtration process altogether until the media is removed, cleaned and replaced.
In the case of a down-flow filter, it operates on the principle of gravity, as opposed to pressure or up-flow. So when the media begin to clog, gravity is not sufficient to force the water through the available channel at the same rate that water is being pumped through, so it spills out the overflow drain back into the koi pond, unfiltered.
The most efficient and maintenance-free filters are pressurized filters that have a backwash feature. A bio-filter contains filter media on which nitrifying bacteria reside, and which break down the toxic nitrites into less toxic nitrates that can be used by the water plants. Consequently, the more surfaces that are available per square centimeter of material, the more effective the filter.
Recent technology developed by Aqua Ultraviolet produces special hexagonal beads for their pressurized filters, which possess the greatest maximum available surface area of all existing filter media. They are tapered so that the beads are less likely to group together. Back washing forces water through the filter in the opposite direction, breaking loose solid material and flushing it free down the drain outlet. Or, with the use of a flexible ribbed hose, it will direct the nitrogen-rich waste-water onto the lawn, trees or flowers. Maintenance involves a simple turn of handle for about one to two minutes.
Down-flow or upflow and submersible filters require disassembling and washing of all enclosed media, and then returning it to the filter — a very messy and dirty process. Unfortunately, pressurized back-washable filters are costly and are designed for larger projects for use with out-of-pond pumps which are needed to adequately back-wash the filter. Thus, it is necessary to settle for the high maintenance, less effective down-flow or up-flow filters for smaller koi ponds of up to 300 gallons. If you are one of those people who now have, or are thinking about building a small koi pond, I have great news for you! Twenty-five years ago when I started in this business, there were few small pond filters available. However, with the advent of the liner pond in the early nineties, everybody and his brother-in-law started manufacturing down-flow filters in their garage. With no marketing plan, capital, or quality craftsmanship, most all the fly-by-night-by-the-seat-of their-pants back alley filter hopefuls faded out.
A filter for a 250 gallon koi pond will range from $160-$200; for a 1000 gallon koi pond, $300-$400; and for a 2000 gallon koi pond filter from $500-$600.
Now for the good news. I’ll give you the diagram on how to build an up-flow bio-filter for up to a 2000 gallon pond for less than $65 using common items that can be purchased at your local Home Depot. I had one in my koi pond for years until I got sick and tired of cleaning it. Download parts list and instructions at: homepage.mac.com/doughoover/
Happy koi, peace & joy.

Ginkgo Bonsai (ginkgo biloba), the maidenhair tree, care and information

Ginkgo biloba are deciduous prehistoric trees once thought to be extinct until rediscovered in China. Teris Andre van Beek states, “Botanical and historical data suggest that the tree has survived because of the protection afforded by humans” (529). So there is some debate as to whether or not there are any truly wild ginkgo left. However, most do agree there are Ginkgo remaining in the wild in “east China, the West Tienmushan mountains, Zhejiang province, the southern mountainous area and the Dabieshan mountains” (Andre van Beek, 529). Fortunately for the ginkgo its popularity in bonsai and landscaping should keep it from ever becoming close to extinction.

The ginkgo is a very distinctive tree which makes it great for bonsai. Its fan shaped leaves consisting of two lobes turn bright golden yellow in fall. It has been referred to as the tree of forty gold crowns. Ginkgo are also known as the maidenhair tree because their leaves resemble that of the maidenhair fern. Even with typical bonsai leaf pruning and defoliation techniques the leaves of the ginkgo biloba will not reduce in size very much so for proper perspective one should use them in kifu, medium, and dai, large, bonsai instead of mame. Female trees tend to develop a wider crown whereas male ginkgo trees tend to be slimmer. Male trees are normally used in landscaping because the fruit of the female trees have a foul odor. This is less of a problem in bonsai because they rarely fruit when grown as bonsai.

Ginkgo does well as an outdoor bonsai because of its adaptability. It does well in full to partial sun. It is not as picky as some bonsai about what kind of soil you pot it in. A basic bonsai soil that is well draining and retains moisture works best. They are hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8A and can grow fine in the compact conditions of a bonsai pot. Ginkgo are much more tolerant of drought than other bonsai trees and they are not prone to any pests.

It will do best in a deeper bonsai pot instead of a shallow one. If you live in an area where freezing temperatures are possible mica pots may be preferred as their roots are sensitive to freezing and mica pots do better at promoting stable soil temperatures. The roots need to be protected from freezing because they hold a large amount of moisture there. In areas where freezing weather is possible you can bury the bonsai pot at level with the ground and cover the surface with mulch. This will shield the soil in the bonsai pot from temperature extremes.

http://www.mellobonsai.com

Hydroponics was originally defined as “the cultivation of plants in water”, however, with the successful use of the technique for cultivating plants in air and other media besides water, the definition was changed to the more inclusive – “the cultivation of plants without soil.” Hydroponic techniques have proved effective for commercial cultivation and also in home gardening. Hydroponic techniques and systems have greatly benefited agriculture especially where, conventional soil cultivation is not possible due to unavailability of agricultural land, resources or other factors.

Hydroponic Systems & Techniques The science of hydroponics has evolved since its inception with the development of two main systems – the water based hydroponic systems and aggregate based hydroponic systems. Water based hydroponic systems use water around the plant roots for delivery of nutrients. In aggregate based systems, plant roots are supported in some kind of inert material such as rockwool, pebbles etc. Both Water Culture Hydroponic Systems and Aggregate based Hydroponic Systems may use one of several different techniques of nutrient delivery to plant roots depending on requirements particular to the system.

Water Culture Systems Water culture systems use water for delivery of nutrients which can be delivered to plant roots in different ways. Several techniques can be used; some of the more common of these are –

Nutrient Film Technique In nutrient film technique a plastic trough or tube is used as the container through which a thin film of nutrient solution is made to flow continuously. Plants are grown out of holes on the top of the tube with their roots in the trough. The thin film of nutrient flows constantly past the roots. The trough is positioned to slope gently in order to maintain the circulation of the nutrient solution through the nutrient reservoir, to the plant roots and back. This is a popular technique with the home gardener and comes in many variations.

Aeroponics makes use of a nutrient mist delivered to the roots by a vaporizer or some other means. An A shaped frame constructed out of Styrofoam boards forms the support-base for plants. The plants are placed in holes on the inclined sides of the frame with the roots reaching out through the holes. The nutrient mist sprayed inside the A frame which then settles on the roots from where it is absorbed by the plant. Excess nutrient runs down the frame, is collected and recycled.

The aeration method was one of the first hydroponic techniques to be developed. In this method plants are suspended 1 inch above a nutrient solution collected in a container. An aquarium air pump is used to bubble oxygen through the nutrient solution. The plants are carried in a 2-inch deep mesh tray that fits inside the container when the lip of the tray is placed over the container’s edge. Gravel, clay pebbles or vermiculite filled in the tray serves to hold the plants and at the same time allow the roots to grow down into the nutrient solution.

Aggregate Systems Aggregate systems use inert materials such as rockwool, clay pebbles, gravel, etc. to support plant roots. The inert media serves to support the plant and also allows good oxygen penetration to the roots in addition to retaining a thin film of nutrients and water.

The flood and drain method is the most commonly used aggregate system. In this system a container is filled with aggregate and plants which is then flooded with a nutrient solution. The solution is then drained back into the nutrient reservoir by opening a valve at the bottom of the container. The roots should be submerged for not more than 20 -30 min. during each cycle.

Another widely used aggregate system is the trickle feed method. The nutrient solution is continuously pumped from a reservoir through a 1/2-inch irrigation tube. This tube branches into several 1/8-inch tubes that feed the solution to containers carrying the aggregate and plants. Solution that may be in excess gets collected at the base of each container and is then returned to the nutrient reservoir.

Hydroponic systems offer several advantages over conventional soil based systems of growing plants. They afford better control over plant growth eliminating weeds and soil borne diseases. Many indoor greenhouse also optimize plant nutrition helping grow better crops more economically.

Sprinklers are used to water lands for irrigation. The types of sprinklers and their applications are discussed under this heading.Sprinkler irrigation system is a type of spraying water like rain fall. Water is sprinkled with the help of pipes through pumping. Water is sprayed as small drops to irrigate the entire land. Sprinklers are available in large varieties to suit small as well as large land areas and also to suit all types of soil. The sprinkler system is easy to install and maintain. It helps to save water and it has high efficiency. Jain sprinkler system is one of the best systems that provide sprinklers of high strength. They are made up of chemical resistance plastic so that they can ensure long life. They are suitable for wheat, gram, pulses, vegetables, tea and other crops. They can be used in industries, houses, hotels, resorts and Government organizations. Floppy sprinklers are a new type of sprinkler that does not have any moving parts. So maintenance is easy. They have unique circle spraying pattern. So no small area will be left dry. They are light weight and so you can install them on heights using aluminum rising. They provide large droplets so that evaporation loss can be avoided. They are suitable for closely spaced crops like sugarcane, vegetables, and oil seeds and so on. You can use them in irregular areas and hilly areas. They are available in 4 colors.Full circle impact sprinkler are designed to provide high strength so that they can resist corrosion. It is made up of stainless steel and it ensures uniform rotation. It is easy to install and maintain. It is suitable for irrigating vegetables, oil seeds, and cotton and cereal crops. Part circle impact sprinklers are strong and corrosion resistant. It is made up of stainless steel. You can adjust the sprinkler from 30 to 360 degrees. For this it has adjustable arc. You can use it in uneven field and in the corners of the fields. So it assures irrigating nook and corner of your field. Plastic adjustable agriculture sprinklers are used in all types of vegetation lands. You can use them in farms, fruit orchards, grass lands, nurseries, golf grounds, and football grounds and so on. They are suitable for watering large areas. Micro sprinklers can work at low pressure. They provide small droplets of water. They take long time for watering and thus they keep the land wet always. They cover the fields uniformly. So no area will be left as dry patches. Muna wa Wanjiru is an Agricultural Engineer and Has Been Researching and Reporting on Irrigation for Years. For More Information on Irrigation Sprinklers, Visit His Site at IRRIGATION SPRINKLERS

Offering protection against harmful UV rays and nasty weather, shade canopies are the right choice for creating your very own outdoor living room. A shade canopy has the advantage of being made from top-quality resistant materials, offering you the protection you need. You might be surprised that there are certain canopies resembling a tent, the only thing absent being the floor. So, if you are interested in a shade canopy, we recommend that you start your search with the amazing World Wide Web.

The advance of technology permitted Internet users to search for any type of product online. The convenience, comfort and ready availability of the product applies in the case of those wanting to buy a shade canopy, tarps and similar products. A shade canopy can offer protection against weather, as it was already mentioned, but also serve for decoration purposes. The canopies presented online have the most diverse designs, being made from the best materials. They are durable, easy to clean and resistant to catching fire. As for the materials used for frames, these are hard-wearing and strong.

Anyone interested in canopy kits and tarps will be impressed with the choices offered online. If you are wondering what a tarp actually is, then you should know that it represents a large cover. Made from materials that are waterproof, tarps are often used with canopy kits. The materials used for the creation of tarps include various canvases, covered with an outer layer of plastics (latex or PVC). The strength of tarps is attributed to the reinforced grommets (cringles). Apart from sun block and protection against weather elements (such as rain), tarps have numerous other uses, serving as vehicle covers.

If you’ve started shopping for a shade canopy, then you should also read a little bit of information on canopies in general. Find out about the different types of canopies existent out there, check out their styles and be sure to take a look at a custom canopy. You will be happy to know that a shade canopy is quite easy to install, requiring very little or no tools. A shade canopy kit commonly includes: a utility tarp, metal fittings and ball type bungee. If you need protection against the sun, then this the product you need. There is also the slant canopy kit. This includes a heavy duty tarp, metal fittings and ball type bungee. You can find numerous uses for such products.

Besides from having modern designs, shade canopies and tarps come in different colors. One can choose between shades of blue, white and green. Silver tones are also available, representing a popular choice for many homeowners. A large percent of those visiting the web also choose commercial duty canopy kits. They prefer this package constituted of extra heavy duty tarp, heavy duty ball bungee and steel fittings. These products come with a lifetime guarantee, each and every component being of top quality.

Why spend precious time going from store to store in search of a shade canopy? You can discover all the products you want, tarps and canopy kits, with just a few clicks on the mouse. There is no need to leave the house and you can browse through all existing products from the comfort of your home. You can find shade canopies that offer the protection you need, against the sun, wind or rain. You will re-discover the pleasure of being outdoors, on the deck, patio or by the pool!

Unique gifts are not easy to find and unique clocks are ideal. If you are really stuck for ideas for gifts, how about something that lasts the passage of time? In fact, how about something that measures the passage of time? How about a clock or watch? How about something unique in timepieces?
There is a very wide variety of clocks and watches available, and for such a gift to work it has to be something unusual and unique. Most people cannot afford the high prices of the top makes of clocks and watches for incidental gifts, and would welcome relative low priced (less than $100) simple gifts that are unique and that are unlikely to be given by anyone else. There is nothing worse than giving a gift and being informed that somebody else has just given the same!
Were that to happen to me I would hide the fact and let each person believe that their gift was unique. However, many people are less considerate or thoughtful, and so you should seek a gift that is unlikely to be given by anybody else. It is not always easy to find a source of such items, but clocks are an example of gifts that can be produced in virtually any design. Watches are the same, although if not of a top make, it has to be of a unique design.
Most people do not have a clock in their bathroom, and they often lie there wondering how long they have been there for. After all, who wears their watch in the bath? OK smart Alec, we can’t all afford 100 mile deep diver’s watches! Most of us have no way of telling the time when in the bath. How about a bathroom clock in the shape of a bath for an unusual housewarming gift?
Don’t give it for a birthday or Christmas since people don’t appreciate clocks then, but a housewarming . . . Or even as a moving home gift. Anything like that will do. You can even give it as an engagement gift. If you don’t fancy the idea of a clock shaped like a bath, then how about a wall clock with a fish or seashell motif?
If that doesn’t ring your bell, how about a moving sculpture timepiece. In the shape of pyramids or cubes, the various solid pieces that make up the clock rotate and indicate the time in a unique way. Every three hours or so they will make up a perfect pyramid or square, but still tell the time in between. These are truly unique and would make a great gift for a teenager or somebody that likes gadgets.
For those who find it difficult to waken in the morning you can get these traditional design two-bell alarm clocks that I just love. No problem with these not waking you up, and you get a real bell, not just an insignificant electronic buzz. These things are really LOUD. Not as loud perhaps as the Harley Davidson clocks though. Get one of those and you will hear a different genuine Harley Davidson engine sound every hour. Great gift for the bikers, and the kids will love a clock that moos like a cow. Yes, you get these too.
If you want to give something smaller and more personal how about US military watch. There is a large variety of these available, including US army, navy and coastguard watches and you can get them for both men and women. These are very useful gifts and even the children would love one.
My favourite, though is a novelty clock. It is a tilting LCD alarm clock that I can set for any time of the day, and can tilt it to any angle. Modern and stylish, it can be used in any room in the house where it will blend in with any décor. However, just as attractive is a magnetic executive desk clock. If you have nowhere to put your paperclips, it has a magnetic base to which they can be attached.
Unique clocks do indeed make unique gifts, and they are gifts that will be truly appreciated. So next time you are stuck for a special gift check out some of the unusual clocks that are available online at very good prices. You can’t go wrong!
About The Author
Verna James, hand selects Home and Garden Accessories for unusual conversation pieces or charming garden accents, to add flair to your home or garden, and can also be given as welcome gifts. TheHomeDecorGalleria offers a great selection of unique clocks and hundreds of interesting items.

All yards are not the same: Choosing your grass wisely
First of all, you should determine what your ideal yard will look like, as grasses can vary in color, leaf width, characteristic and growth density. Each little blade adds up! Second, you must consider how much time and money you really are ready to spend on your lawn. The higher the maintenance lawn, the more you will need to put into it. This is a very important factor. Third, your specific growing conditions will affect which seed you should choose. Things like the amount of sun, shade, rain, soil type, humidity and moisture can affect how your lawn grows. Finally, what will you be using your lawn for? Your investment may differ if you lawn is a play area or for show, or even for erosion control. First things first. Before you can care for a lawn, you must plant one. And, there are several things to keep in mind when choosing what type of grass seed to purchase. This is because that grass seed can grow into very different lawns. This difference could mean a lawn filled with pests and weeds, or one that is low maintenance and looks great. Here are some factors that you should take in consideration while in the seed aisle at your local home and garden store.
Once you determine these needs, you will be armed with the information you need to make you decision on your seed. It all grows up from there! And, if it grows, it must be mowed. Visit the Lawn Care Today http://www.lawncarebook.info to Master the Art of lawn care!

Landscapting a new homne in arid areas such as Phjoenix can be a challenge. Especially if you are relocating from say any area such as the South Bay in Los Angeles where water and the sun are not an issue. Many people don’t take this in to account when buying a tree. They will just go for the nicest looking tree, and then wish they could give it more water. If you do a little planning before you rush out and buy a tree, you should be able to find trees that can survive on lower amounts of water.

Usually the most adaptable plants are the ones that are indigenous anyways. If you live in a zone that is suffering a water crisis, usually the only plants that survive are the ones that have been there all along. This is because they are used to the conditions and know how to survive. Just take a drive through the undeveloped regions of your city, and look at what trees are green. Find out their names, and buy them. They might not be the most attractive trees, but you rarely have to make any modifications to your soil to get them to grow.

A Scotch Pine will grow almost anywhere without using much water. Not only does it grow at a very fast rate of 20 or more inches per year, it is hardy and drought tolerant. It usually grows between 25 and 35 feet, and it extremely easy to get started. Most nurseries sell these trees, especially in areas with lower amounts of water. There are many varieties available. Many fade to a yellowish brown color during the colder months, and this is usually what causes some people to dislike them and others to love them. However, there are varieties available that do not do this.

The Rocky Mountain Juniper is an extremely hardy and easy to grow tree. Its bark also turns a browner color during the winter, and rejuvenates in late spring. They are frequently used as windbreaks because of how tough they are. These trees are also great if you are trying to attract different varieties of birds to your yard. They provide great branches to nest in. Unfortunately the Rocky Mountain Juniper doesn’t grow as fast as other hardy plants like it. The rate is less than 10 inches per year.

Another one of the most popular drought resistant trees is the Russian Olive. This tree is impressive and will definitely turn some heads once it is fully grown. It is more decorative than the trees mentioned above, and will reach 20 or 25 feet once it is fully grown. They are able to grow in almost any soil, and attract birds with the berries they produce.

As you can see, there are many options for you if your water is limited. There are many others that I have not mentioned, and depending on your area you may be able to find a preferable variety. Do a Google search for hardy plants that will survive in Phoenix, and you should be presented with a large list. If you can’t find that list, just go outside and see what is currently flourishing. That is the best indication of what you should buy. http://azhomeplace.com/phoenix_real_estate.htm