Mark Brotton
Mark G. Brotton is an APLD Certified Landscape Designer with Design Awards 2019–2021 and was honored as one of the 12 Top Landscape Professionals in the United States for 2015 (Total Landscape Care magazine). He owns and operates Living Water, Irrigation, and Landscape based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a landscape design company specializing in water management. His passion for creating and enhancing beauty in the outdoors, while saving water, is supported by over 35 years of knowledge and experience. Mark is an EPA WaterSense Partner, a Certified Irrigation Contractor (CIC), and a Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor (CLIA) through the Irrigation Association. He has been certified as an Accredited Professional through the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) and is a Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL).
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Southwest Regional Reports3 Native Shrubs With Fall Interest for the Southwest
Just when the heat and dryness of a Southwestern summer are starting to get to you, fall brings some respite. The plus side of living in such a warm region…
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Southwest Regional ReportsGardening in the Southwest: How to Use Microclimates
Obvious shifts in climate patterns are changing our natural world. Large trees are dying, moderate temperature swings are now more extreme, and storms are more sporadic and violent when they…
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Southwest Regional ReportsHow to Create a Garden With Curb Appeal in the Southwest, Part 2: Planting Design
In How to Create a Garden with Curb Appeal in the Southwest, Part 1: Form, Flow, and Function, I discussed the importance of form (structures), flow (planting design), and function…
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Southwest Regional ReportsHow to Create a Garden with Curb Appeal in the Southwest, Part 1: Form, Flow, and Function
When you pull into your driveway or walk up to your front door, ask yourself a few questions: Are you wowed? Do you smile? Are you impressed? Are you soothed…
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Southwest Regional ReportsDesigning a Cacti and Succulent Garden in the Southwest
Warming climate trends are creating more opportunities to add diverse succulents to Southwestern gardens. In Santa Fe, where I live, our USDA Zone has moved from Zone 5 in 1995…
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Southwest Regional ReportsDeterring Deer, Rabbits, and Javelinas From Southwestern Gardens
Gardeners invest time, money, dedication, and care into their gardens. Many of us wait for special plants to display their dazzling show of blooms, leaf colors, and fruit at unique…
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Southwest Regional ReportsAlternatives to Blue Spruce for the Southwest
Many of my landscaping clients desire a blue color from evergreens to balance out the earth tones of our high desert environment. One of the go-to conifers used for this…
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Southwest Regional ReportsThe Best Salvias for the Southwest
If you’re like me and prefer that your perennials power on through the dog days of summer and well into fall, salvias (Salvia spp. and cvs., Zones 5–11) are the…
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Southwest Regional ReportsResilient Trees for the Southwest
Trees anchor our landscapes both in size and scale. Landscapes without trees seem barren; even desert environments need trees. Trees stand out in the arid high desert where I live.…
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Southwest Regional ReportsPest Control for the Southwest: Piñon Ips Beetle
The piñon ips beetle (Ips confusus) infests Southwest-native piñon pines (Pinus edulis, Zones 4–8) throughout the region. According to the Colorado State Forest Service, “Ips beetles, sometimes known as ‘engraver…
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