Subdivision: Anasazi Meadows
Owners: Julie and Tom Laub
Designer: Judith Phillips
Garden Type or Feature: Colorful Maximillian sunflowers, Englemann daisies, penstemon and Major Wheeler honeysuckle are located closer to the house. Undisturbed natural areas outside the landscaping are sowed with conservation seed mixes, and rainwater is captured with swales, basins and soil sponges.
Artist in the Garden: Dana Patterson Roth.
Description: Tom and Julie Laub remembered Placitas as the charming little place they came to adopt a Sheltie. After 35 years in Albuquerque and with retirement approaching, they returned in 2022 to start the next chapter on a view lot overlooking the western panorama of black mesas, Mount Taylor, Cabezon and the Sandias.
While their home was under construction, the couple hired Judith Phillips to design a sustainable landscape, building on the lot’s undisturbed native vegetation and mature one-seed junipers. They wanted a resilient, self-sowing plant community that would require minimal watering once established; attract pollinators and birds while adding color; and screen some neighboring houses. Phillips delivered a blueprint with plant selections and locations, and the Laubs got busy making it a reality with only a few substitutions.
Soon after the hardscaping was done, Tom began planting a ring of deeply rooted shrubs that will stabilize the soil, such as Arizona rosewood, fernbush, three leaf sumac, desert willow, Apache plume, and Threadleaf sage. Next came smaller bushes like dwarf mountain mahogany and chamisa, shrub-live oak, Common sotol (Daisylirion), beargrass, Horsetail milkweed, salvia, lavender and Rocky Mountain beeplant.
With plenty to enjoy after only two years of thoughtful planting, the Laubs say they also applaud most of the volunteer plants that travel in on wildlife or blow in with the wind, all part of nature’s plan.
