The weather is pleasant now, but once we hit triple digits, we enthusiastically seek out the cool shade of a tree when relaxing in a local park or looking for a parking space. Trees provide those cooling benefits around our homes too, and thoughtful plant placement when planning your landscape will create pleasant spaces for you to enjoy outdoors AND save you energy inside your home. Find design tips and tree selection resources in our Sustainability Savings Tip.

Through small steps and changes, everyone can play a part in helping our community reach our Climate Action goals.

One way to make a big impact is to plant a tree. In addition to beautifying yards, parks, and shared spaces, trees have a significant role to play in providing shade, filtering greenhouse gas emissions, and helping to cool our community.

The 'Trees Are Cool' initiative challenges every resident, community group, and business to consider what they can do to help reach the goal of planting one million trees in Mesa by 2050. We encourage everyone to get involved in planting trees so we can maintain and grow a healthy, resilient community for generations to come. 

To help guide this initiative, Mesa launched an online tool to record newly planted trees, including planting locations. This data, in tandem with the assessment of existing trees, will help the City track its efforts to reach the goal. Plant a tree, then record your new tree, by visiting our Trees Are Cool page, and we'll add your 'orange dot' to the map!

Sat., March 2, 8 a.m. to noon. Offering over 20 varieties of tomatoes, 10+ varieties of peppers, herbs, squash, and more. Flowers and plant materials from members' gardens will also be available. LOCATION: Mesa Community College at 1833 W. Southern Ave. near the Rose Garden.

Sun., March 3, 2 to 4 p.m. Herbs bring color, flavor, and interest to our gardens, to our culinary adventures, and to our crafts and hobbies as well. They enhance lifestyle for beneficial insects and complement flower and vegetable gardens. This DIG program will be presented by Master Gardener, Pam Perry. Learn more and register.

Sat., March 16, 10 a.m. to noon. Come to the Monarch Garden at the Red Mountain Library to celebrate the spring equinox. There will be hands-on crafts, exhibitors from the Southwest Monarch Study, and more. Location, Red Mountain Library parking lot, right next to the 'Monarch Haven & Reading Sanctuary' garden. Learn more.

Photo: Monarch laying egg on Desert Milkweed by Kirti Mathura

Did you know that Mesa has a Paint Reuse Program? Many types of paint contain chemicals that are harmful to our environment and cannot be disposed of in regular landfills. Bring your unused latex paint (water-based paint) to our Household Hazardous Materials Facility to be recycled. The latex paint is sorted, mixed by shade (light, medium, and dark), and stored in 5-gallon containers. It is then made available, free of charge, to Mesa residents through the Swap Shop which is located at the facility.

Anytime you're wondering what can be recycled, just ask the Recycle Right Wizard.

The winter rains helped to water our plants and germinate wildflowers, but also helped the weeds - including invasive ones. Remove weeds when they are young and BEFORE they go to seed. They will eventually compete with your plants for water. When weeds are very small seedlings, you can even spray them with a vinegar solution.

NEVER use strong weed killers or soil sterilants (labeled total vegetation killer, groundclear, etc.) as they persist and move in our desert soils and will negatively impact desirable plant roots.

While there are many invasive weeds, a very concerning one for environmental groups is an annual weed with an attractive little yellow flower called stinknet (in photo above). Learn more about this weed and how to control it and remove it from your landscape and properties:

• Stinknet: A pretty flower but a highly invasive weed
• Desert Invaders: Keep a lookout for Sonoran Desert invaders in Maricopa County
• NPR: Why this wildflower is worrying naturalists in Arizona

Apply to remove established grass and replace it with a water-thrifty Xeriscape landscape and you may qualify to receive up to $1,100 from the City of Mesa. Two levels of incentives are available: 500 - 999 square feet of grass conversion is eligible for $750, and more than 1,000 square feet is eligible for $1,000. Add an eligible tree or two as part of your Grass-to-Xeriscape project for up to $100 more. Completed projects are ineligible. A Xeriscape (zeer-a-scape) uses well-adapted plants, efficient irrigation, careful design and proper maintenance to produce landscapes that save water and energy. Xeriscape also provides wildlife habitat and creates shade. Find out if your qualify!

Plant of the Month - Brittlebush When there is enough winter rain, the Sonoran Desert explodes with color as Encelia farinosa comes alive with bright yellow flowers...

Your February Landscape Watering Reminder Winter storms have been passing through. Learn about early spring watering recommendations and other great landscape tips. 

Trees Matter and Play an Impactful Role in our Desert Communities There are many ways to enhance any landscape, but one of the easiest ways is with trees. While planting a tree will make an immediate visual impact because of its beauty, color, and...