Pine Leaf Penstemon
Penstemon pinifolia

This hardy Southwest perennial blooms reliably each year at Four Hills. It is commonly available at local nurseries through the Summer.

Hardy catmint cultivars like 'Reichenbachiana' and 'Six-hills Giant' produce vibrant blues over a long season.


Perennial Catmint
Nepeta 'Dropmore Blue'

Contact:
4hills-at-hughes.net

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Gardening in the climate of Four Hills Ranch will test
your creativity and water conservation.

Plants
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Many crops will grow here. Short-season corns, zuchinni, squash and beans thrive. Cold-tolerant tomatoes like 'Oregon Spring' and 'Early Girl' produce despite cool summer nights. Perennial herbs like 'Munstead' and 'Hidcote' lavender, thyme, sage, French tarragon and rosemary enjoy our sandy soils. Garlic grows like a weed.

Ornamental native plants are resilient and colorful. They are excellent for use in dry gardens. Tough perennials from the mountains of Southern Europe, Northwestern China and North Africa perform well.

Water Planning
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Predict your water load and plan to provide it. A thoughtful garden plan determines the amount of water your gardens will pull.

The Preserve's system stores water and delivers it to the root-zone without a pump. The water-surplus from winter storms is pumped to two 3000 gallon tanks. They connect via a 2" line to a valve manifold downhill inside the garden fence and buried pipes carry the water to each garden bed. In the beds drip irrigation gently delivers a uniform, controlled stream.


Pest Management
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Rodents, peccaries, burros, cattle, elk and deer want to eat tender plants. Design and install a fence that will keep them at bay. Climbing squirrels required trapping. Raised beds are lined with wire to exclude burrowing rodents. Buried perimeter fencing prevents gophers from invading the plot.

Insects and grubs thrive in warm, irrigated gardens. You can encourage natural predators. Sow the seeds of their favorite plants, dill, celantro, allysum and carrots. And hang nest boxes for bluebirds, flycatchers and mockingbirds.



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