Question
Hi,  I live in Borrego Springs.  Our lot is totally desert natural.  Palo Verde trees, mesquite, indigo, creosote.  We have planted Texas rangers, a couple of olive trees.  My problem area is the northwest side of the house.  Right now in the winter it is shaded almost all day.  In the summer, it will be pounded by sun almost all day.  I had rosemary planted in these beds but did not have irrigation to them so it died after a couple of years of neglected summertime care. Rabbits and antelope ground squirrels are a problem.  Any suggestions for something that can handle these tough conditions...is rosemary a good choice.  I now have irrigation to this area.
I just discovered this site.  What a great idea.  Also, lucky for me you live in SD and will understand Borrego.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Answer
Hey, Barbara.

Borrego Springs, huh? Hot, hot, hot, although I live out in East County, so I deal with hot myself, just not hot, hot, hot.

I would suggest a cactus/succulent landscape. You can't go wrong except in the most unusual of circumstances. Cactus/succulents are the largest family of plants, so there are hundreds of thousands of plants to choose from; not all cactus have thorns, and the blossoms are beautiful, rivaling roses and orchids in that beauty.

Read through the following document and let me know if you have any other questions. All the plant pictures in the file are from properties that I own in hot, desert environments.

http://www.abouthomes.info/reports/Vegetation.pdf