After living nearly all of my life in a place with two seasons (50 weeks of summer, with maybe two weeks of something resembling autumn), seeing the bright greens of spring in the Rio Grande valley is a welcome change. In Florida, spring blooms in the Tampa Bay region often happen in early to mid-March, Miami a month earlier, and in the Panhandle sometime in early April.
Florida Botantical Beauty
My native state has many attractive gardens. Before the opening of Walt Disney World changed the nature of tourism in 1971, many of Florida's earliest roadside attractions focused on the natural environment. The Florida Botanical Gardens in central Pinellas County, Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg, and Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales offer modern-day destinations that capture the beauty of the gardens that once dotted the landscape.
New Mexico Nurseries Springing into Action
The garden cat guardian at Jericho Nursery in Albuquerque, March 2024. Photo by Jim Schnur.
As daytime temperatures rise above 60°F and overnight freezes thaw away, people visit nurseries and garden centers in greater numbers. While knowing the salt composition within the soil is important for gardeners near the Florida coast, those who live in the high desert areas of New Mexico must contend with spring winds and clays or other soils that lack much organic material.
Trees and vases abound at Albuquerque's Plant World. Photo by Jim Schnur.
Composting helps, as does selecting plants appropriate for a drier climate. Xeriscaping with native plants makes a lot of sense. While grass and verdant landscaping may grow comfortably near the Rio Grande, trying to transplant Gulf Coast greenery to enhance desert scenery makes no sense at all.
Crabapples, redbuds, and other trees in colorful array at Osuna Nursery, April 2024. Photo by Jim Schnur.
Despite the dry climate, there are many ways to craft a beautiful landscape by using xeric, drought-tolerant plants, trees, and bushes, as well as colorful pebbles, stones, rocks, and design elements.
Plants await customers at the Walmart Supercenter in Bernalillo. Photo by Jim Schnur.
At the beginning of the year, outdoor areas of many garden centers had empty spaces and only cold-tolerant plants. Spring temperatures and the demands of avid gardeners have encouraged stores to fill these areas with a variety of annuals, perennials, bushes, and trees.
Osuna Nursery's 2024 rose list included 225 different variants for sale. Photo by Jim Schnur.
Roses offer a colorful option common in New Mexico gardens. They grow well within our climate and add a touch of exterior decor to any home.
A Rock & Roll rose at our front entrance, May 2024. Photo by Jim Schnur.
If you don't feel comfortable with roses, many other options exist. The Office of the State Engineer even publishes New Mexico's Enchanted Xeriscape Guide as a downloadable and helpful resource for gardeners of all skill levels.
Sign at the Albuquerque Garden Center on Lomas Boulevard NE. Photo by Jim Schnur.
Visiting the Albuquerque Garden Center
Albuquerque Garden Center entrance. Photo by Jim Schnur.
A trip to the Albuquerque Garden Center (AGC) also offers inspiration. Located adjacent to Los Altos Park on Lomas Boulevard NE just west of Eubank Boulevard, this facility has served as a resource for local gardeners at this location for nearly 50 years. The building opened in mid-1970s, and provides a convenient site for programs, shows, and sales throughout the year.
Orchid show at the Albuquerque Garden Center, May 2024. Photo by Jim Schnur.
Spring colors a short distance from the Los Altos Park's Skatepark. Photo by Jim Schnur.
Privately owned and managed by the non-profit Council of Albuquerque Garden Clubs, Inc., the Center also includes a outdoor garden open from mid-April through mid-October, a popular location for leisurely strolls and a venue for special events. Since the Council's establishment in 1950, it has coordinated efforts of local gardening groups.
Tulips at AGC in late April 2024. Photo by Jim Schnur.
Dazzling colors in the gardens. Photo by Jim Schnur.
A visit to AGC in late April offers the opportunity to see tulips in bloom, as well as the bright green of the first leaves and new blades of grass.
A rare patch of green grass in the desert at AGC. Communities close to the Rio Grande, such as the villages of Corrales in southern Sandoval County and Los Ranchos de Albuquerque in Bernalillo County, also have numerous grassy areas. Photo by Jim Schnur.
An April opening at AGC. Photo by Jim Schnur.
Similar to subtropical gardens common in Florida, landscaping in New Mexico can include colorful blooms throughout the growing season, not just in the spring. While many trees have cycled through their red, pink, and purple bud and leaf phases by April, some shrubs, bushes, and vines add color during the warmer summer months.
A relaxing spot for reflection at AGC. Photo by Jim Schnur.
Covered Japanese pavilion at AGC. Photo by Jim Schnur.
The garden includes areas that provide shelter, benches for reflection, and locations that offer memorable views of the Sandia Mountains to the east.
View of Sandias on the north side of the gardens, near Lomas Blvd. Photo by Jim Schnur.
Small artificial pond at the Albuquerque Garden Center. Photo by Jim Schnur.
In addition to enjoying the garden, visitors can also benefit from other resources available through AGC, Bernalillo County, and the City of Albuquerque. The 505 Outside website offers water-wise tips for gardeners wanting to grow in an area where every drop matters, as well as a helpful xeriscaping guide available to download.
One last view of the gardens at AGC, April 2024. Photo by Jim Schnur.
A Water-Rise Retreat in Rio Rancho
The Water-Wise Demonstration Garden in Rio Rancho. Photo by Jim Schnur.
Carved into the desert north of Albuquerque and west of the Rio Grande, Rio Rancho traces its origins to a planned retirement community in the 1960s, not unlike the Sun City suburbs of Arizona and Florida. Incorporated in 1981, the city has numerous community parks for people of all ages.
Entrance to the Water-Wise Demonstration Garden in Rio Rancho. Photo by Jim Schnur.
Adjacent to the city's Veterans Monument Park, a library branch, and the post office on Pinetree Road SE at Southern Boulevard, Rio Rancho's Water-Wise Demonstration Garden exists as a pleasant place to relax. The city has partnered with the water district and Sandoval County Master Gardeners to create an enjoyable oasis.
Sunset at the Water-Wise Demonstration Garden, April 2024. Photo by Jim Schnur.
Spring colors in Rio Rancho, April 2024. Photo by Jim Schnur.
For Memorial Day, we also look at another important Albuquerque garden and park that honors the state's veterans.
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