2021 #1 Critter Café

Subdivision: Anasazi Trails
Address: 30 Anasazi Trails Loop
Owners: Alwyn and Sunel Vanderwalt
Garden Type or Features: Mature landscaping and trees, beautifully hardscaped patio courtyards, vignette planting, arroyo slope-side pueblo style erosion control.

The following artists will be at this garden:

  • Barbara Burzillo – 9am – Noon
  • Juan Wijngaard – 1 – 4pm

Critter Cafe Garden Plant List

17-056-004x1800Description: For the last 6 years, we have been two obsessed gardeners who love to dig, plant and entertain all “good” and “bad” insects, pollinators, snakes, bobcats and everything else that grows or moves.  Our certified wild life habitat garden is full of native and well adapted drought tolerant plants which include a few from our native country, South Africa. We provide food, water, cover, and places for all kinds of creatures to raise young while using sustainable practices. We use drip irrigation and occasionally ask Back Breakers Landscape and Maintenance LLC to come save the day.

Our garden consists of a Zen garden area where we find calm and where bunnies live under a Chamisa bush. The partly shaded front courtyard is where “hummers” chase above the challenging caliche soil where plants have to fight to survive. Canales collect summer monsoon rains to water our raised perennial bed and rock garden. Sitting on the porch we are mesmerized by a yearly seasonal orchestral color change and plenty of insect watching opportunities.

Close by is an almost hidden secret garden for our 5 year old grandchild. Here she can hang things in the tree and smell the roses. A challenging nature walk, which demands hiking boots, demonstrates erosion control and drought tolerant plants placed in places where the topsoil blew away.  Further along you can find birds, butterflies, two newly planted oak trees and a treasured sundial gift. Our garden will showcase pack rat nests and possibly other critter activities that present themselves in Sept 2021!

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