Vine and Dandy
 

Editor's Note (Updated June 2026) Shortly after this article was first published, the young Salt River colt, Cody, was tragically killed by a mountain lion. While his life was heartbreakingly short, he captured the hearts of thousands who followed the Salt River wild horse herd. It is a somber reminder that life in the wild is magical but tragic all at once. I've chosen to leave this article unchanged as a tribute to Cody and the incredible Salt River wild horse herd. My hope

The first plant I killed in Arizona wasn’t neglected. It wasn’t forgotten. It wasn’t even unhealthy when I bought it. I loved that plant. I watered it. I talked to it. I admired it every morning with my coffee. Three days later it looked like someone had left it in an air fryer. That’s when I realized everything I knew about gardening in Ohio wasn’t necessarily going to help me survive gardening in the desert. Arizona has been a humbling experience for both me and my plants.

When I moved from the Midwest to Arizona, I thought I knew a thing or two about gardening. After all, I’d spent years growing flowers, vegetables, and herbs. I knew when to plant tomatoes, how to mulch flower beds, and how to complain about weeds. I figured gardening was gardening, no matter where you lived. Bless my heart. Within a few weeks of arriving in Arizona, I realized I knew absolutely nothing. Back in the Midwest, spring arrives like a welcome guest. The snow melts,