Temperatures are starting to cool down (okay, there are still some hot days ahead), but it's time to get ready to dive into your fall garden and landscape projects!

Read our September Sustainability Savings Tip [PDF] for all the ideas and tips you need to get your yard looking beautiful. You'll find:

🌿Where to find your free copy of our popular and updated Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert guide.

💸How to qualify for up to $2,100 in grass removal incentives.

🌼Tips on planting wildflowers, overseeding, vegetable gardening and more.

Get inspired and start planting!

Want a landscape that’s both beautiful and resilient? This fall, check out Water – Plant It Wisely, a seasonal microsite from Water – Use It Wisely.

The site showcases low-water use plants, design ideas, how to plant, sowing wildflowers for spring bloom, helpful videos, demonstration gardens, local workshops, and a listing of fall plant sales. You'll also find a link on how to hire a landscape professional. It’s everything you need to start your fall planting off right. Visit the site and dig in!

Sat., Oct. 18, 10-11 a.m. Planting for Butterflies Part of Xeriscape Done Right: A Water-Wise Landscaping Series from Mesa’s Grass-to-Xeriscape Program! Meet our expert, Noelle Johnson (AZ Plant Lady), and discover how to turn your desert garden into a butterfly haven! In this class, Noelle will teach you how to attract butterflies using the four key elements of a butterfly-friendly landscape. You could win great prizes, including one of Noelle's books, a $50 gift card to a local nursery, or tickets to National Geographic Live's Chasing Monarchs. BONUS: There will be a quick wildflower seed planting demonstration following the program. Red Mountain Library, 635 N Power Road.

Fri., Oct. 3, 9-9:30 a.m. Trees are Cool Presents: Get Answers, Get Planting! Join us the first Friday of each month for free Tree Support Sessions across Mesa. Learn how trees benefit your yard, what to look for when buying, tips for care and maintenance, and get your questions answered by a certified arborist. No registration required! Emerald Park, 1455 S. Harris Drive. See the link above for future dates and locations.

Sat., Oct. 4, 10 a.m. Mesa Electric Shade Tree Workshop. The City of Mesa electric customers can get two free, desert-native or desert-adapted shade trees through our Trees Are Cool Initiative! Shade trees can help cool outdoor spaces, reduce heat, lower home cooling costs, make our neighborhoods greener, and improve air quality—all while using little water. C.K. Luster Building, 640 N. Mesa Drive. Tree pickup will be Oct. 11.

Wed., Sept. 24, 5 p.m. Gardening for Wildlife on a Budget! Zoom. The AZ Wildlife Federation's Garden for Wildlife Webinar Series continues. Coming Oct. 22 is, Alternatives to Oleander.

Sun., Oct. 5, 2-4 p.m. Pruning the Way Nature Intended We don’t live in Disneyland, and neither do our landscapes. Learn proper pruning techniques to maintain your trees and shrubs and save money in the process. This is one of many upcoming programs from the Desert Institute of Gardening (DIG) offered by Maricopa County Master Gardeners.

Summer Winds Nursery located at 3160 S. Country Club Drive, offers FREE classes on a wide variety of gardening topics like planting trees and shrubs, fall gardening, build a butterfly garden, growing citrus, and more. Check out the lineup and details.

Mesa Celebrates National Water Conservation Win with Kerr Center for Agriscience and Wyland Foundation The City of Mesa celebrated its win with a special event where officials also presented one lucky Mesa resident with a $3,000 prize...

Mesa College Promise Enrollment Skyrockets as it Enters Fifth Academic Year The Mesa College Promise program has welcomed its fifth and largest group of students to receive two years of fully funded tuition and fees at Mesa Community College...

September Landscape Watering Guidelines & Tips Find watering schedules, overseeding details, grass removal incentives, & more.

Plant of the Month (to NOT Plant): Ryegrass or Winter Grass Most Americans love lush, green lawns, and have shown that they are willing to do whatever it takes to have them...

Rethinking Grass in the Desert Across the Valley, homeowners, HOAs, and businesses are replacing grass with more sustainable options, which ultimately save water and money. Another growing trend is skipping winter overseeding...

City of Mesa Approves Transformative Culdesac Development at Site 17 The Mesa City Council has approved a landmark agreement with Culdesac to transform Site 17-an underutilized 27-acre property along the Valley Metro light rail line-into a vibrant, mixed-use community that will bring new housing, retail and economic activity to the heart of downtown. The project will...

'Wicked Problems' in Climate Pedagogy In his environmental biology class at Mesa Community College, Sean Whitcomb has his students researching the role of trees in mitigating extreme heat, creating shade, and absorbing carbon from the atmosphere... 

The Uncertainty Surrounding the Colorado River While we know our state will receive less Colorado River water after 2026, the exact reductions remain unknown. This lingering uncertainty is particularly daunting for municipal utilities to prepare...

Our fall planting season is a perfect time to plant a tree. Use the opportunity to celebrate a loved one, commemorate a memory, or mark a birthday. Our "Trees Are Cool" page offers helpful information on choosing the right tree, proper planting methods, and watering.

Don't miss the offer mentioned above for two free trees through the Mesa Electric Shade Tree Program. Not a Mesa Electric customer? You can sign up for the SRP Shade Tree Program to enjoy the same benefits. 

And just in time, the Arizona Sustainability Alliance has released short, practical YouTube videos:

• How to Pick Nursery Stock
• Young Tree Care: First 1-2 Years
• When to Call a Tree Care Professional 
• Common Tree Threats and How YOU Can Evaluate Them 

Want to do more or don't have a place to plant a tree? Volunteer for local plantings with nonprofits like Trees Matter or Arizona Sustainability Alliance. Finally, you can donate to Mesa's tree planting fund. Go to the Foundation for Mesa Parks and Recreation page (select 'Tree Program' from the drop-down menu). Businesses and corporations interested in supporting tree planting can also reach out directly here, contact us.

📍 And don’t forget—if you plant a tree, add it to our community tree map so we can celebrate Mesa’s growing canopy together! Visit this site to record your tree.