And on all sides, the air is alive with the songs of desert birds. The deserts of the Southwest provide excellent birding.

The Mexican mint marigold, the newest Texas Superstar plant, is a hardy, easy-to-grow herb and popular herbaceous ornamental perennial.

DEAR NEIL: I realize it’s now spring, but I want to make a difference next Christmas. I have a very healthy Christmas cactus in my kitchen. It gets plenty of artificial light, but it has never bloomed ...