New to Arizona. Know nothing!!

[thistlebloom]

Hi ladyv, I just had a thought, maybe you could get a copy of Sunsets Western Garden Book. If you don't want to buy a copy , you could probably get one at the library. In it you could look up your "sunset" planting zone , which is way, way, more specific than the U.S.D.A hardiness zones. Once you know your zone in Winslow, then you could easily see what will and wont do well for you. Good luck!

 

[LadyV]

Thanks for such a hardy welcome from you all
digitS There is such a difference between Flagstaff and her ein Winslow, it really amazing me. I work In Flaggstaff and I can go from no snow to several inches in the ground an there's usually at least a 20 degree temp difference...

For flowers, do I need to build up an area and fill it with regular growing dirt? I've always just planted stuff int he ground.....

 

[Ariel301]

I don't know if the soil where you're at is better than mine, but I'm in Kingman (west of Flagstaff) and the soil is awful. Rocks and clay and sand. I do everything in raised beds now, it's not worth trying to dig and amend the dirt here.

German irises ought to do well for you if you want a low-maintenance perennial. They can be pricey though. Pansies are fairly cold tolerant and may come back every year. Violas WILL come back every year, I grew them in Colorado and they'd spring up through two or three inches of snow every April. Columbine does well in a cool mountain climate as well. So does Dianthus ("pinks" or "sweet william").