Susan Huntley shows how the growth tips on the bottlebrush shrub feel soft like velvet. When Susan Huntley moved from a condo in downtown Phoenix, Arizona to an acre of land in suburban Columbia, she utilized a set of principles to guide the long- term plan for her landscape. Although her garden is only three years old, each step of the way is taken with the following formative principles:

A. Select plants that are virtually pest free and plants which deter pests.

Except for a few large trees and lawn, the lot around Huntley's house lacked landscaping when she acquired it. The pest and disease resistant plants which she has added include shrubs like pittosporum, podocarpus, nandina, loquat, tea olive, and loropetalum.

She loves herbs, especially lavender, and has read of their ability to repel insects. She has begun to intersperse herbs like lavender and thyme between other plants. She will be adding tansy, lemon grass, mints, chamomile, parsley, and oregano. English thyme will be planted between rows of lettuce to reduce insect problems.

Huntley's courtyard is surrounded in loropetalum and bottlebrush shrubs. B. Select low maintenance plants.

Huntley admits, "I hate grass and want a low maintenance yard." Lawns are anything but low- maintenance. She is gradually eliminating lawn and replacing it with groundcovers like creeping thyme and phlox, ajuga, clover, and mosses. She continued, "I told my plants they are on their own." She will plant them but expects them to perform without a lot of attention. Her lantana, four o'clocks, morning glory vines, and butterfly bushes require minimal care. A young pawlonia tree grew ten feet in two years and will continue to grow rapidly to provide shade to the southern side of the house.

C.Organize the gardens into rooms serving different functions.

The first room Huntley organized was the courtyard garden at the front corner of the lot. She enclosed the concrete block courtyard floor with plants of varying heights to screen out street traffic and noise. River birch, hickory, water oak, and crepe myrtle provide interesting textures and much needed shade for the outdoor living and entertaining space. Eventually, her entire lot will be enclosed by a privacy wall of greenery.

The inner circle of the courtyard is screened with loropetalum and bottlebrush shrubs. The latter evergreen shrub has many unique characteristics. The bright red blossom is 4- 6 inches long and two inches wide. Flowers are arranged around the stem like bristles on a brush used to clean bottles. The rich nectar in the blooms attracts hummingbirds and butterflies to the courtyard. The plant is easy to grow, drought tolerant and pest free.

A second room is the orchard. The sunny area has been planted in pear, apple, pecan, and blueberries.

D.Practice organic gardening methods.

Huntley uses algae fertilizer, mushroom compost and manure teas. In addition to companion planting with herbs to repel insects, she uses hot pepper spray and red cedar oil for pest control.

She is starting a compost pile to make humus. Beneficial insects like ladybugs come to her yard since she does not use chemical sprays. Her pet cat benefits in a chemical free environment too.

E. Find ways to conserve water.

Known as the "bucket lady" by neighbors, Huntley places five gallon buckets with small holes drilled at the base of the drum next to individual plants. Rainwater collects in the buckets and distributes water slowly to the plants. Having relocated from a desert environment to a drought- stricken one, Huntley is aware of xeriscaping. Lavender, thyme, and the bottlebrush shrub are common plants used in xeriscaping and in her garden.

As her garden grows over time, the same guiding principles that launched the landscape will sustain it.