Rate Las Cruces (Mesilla, White Sands: home builders, buy, theater)

[mike0421]

Originally Posted by ABQSunseeker

EnjoyEP, there are saguaros in Las Cruces and palm trees? Lots? Jzeesh, I should get down there and take a look. I miss both from AZ here in ABQ. I know, I know, I'm off topic, but what about your ABQ monthly weather posts? You missed my favorite month of June! LOL.

ABQsunseeker,

There are actually no saguros here in LC. When you drive west on I-10, I don't begin to see them in the landscape until about 30 miles east of Tucson. Then they magically are everywhere. As for palm trees, yes, we have them, but like many other places, they are not native to the area. I have three in the backyard and it seems as though they practically scream out in pain during the cold winter evenings.

[norm]

Originally Posted by mike0421

When you are from the East Coast, there is a built-in expectation to have access to 'high end' shopping, such as Williams and Sonoma, Brookstone, Trader Joes etc. And you know what? I could care less about that kind of shopping. That's the trade-off you make when you escape the East Coast. I think many from the East Coast (I come from there as well) are guilty of simultaneously wanting to escape their former lifestyle, while trying to bring a piece of it with themselves. You can't have it both ways.

We don't shop in those stores here so it wouldn't bother us if they didn't exist anywhere. Walmart, K-Mart & Target are not my idea of nice stores to shop in.

I just voted my feelings and don't have to justify them, if you agree fine and if you don't agree that's fine too. I have visited a lot of places that I feel don't warrant a return visit,LC & El Paso are among them.

[mike0421]

Originally Posted by norm

We don't shop in those stores here so it wouldn't bother us if they didn't exist anywhere. Walmart, K-Mart & Target are not my idea of nice stores to shop in.

I just voted my feelings and don't have to justify them, if you agree fine and if you don't agree that's fine too. I have visited a lot of places that I feel don't warrant a return visit,LC & El Paso are among them.

So your grievances go merely beyond limited shopping opportunities, when it comes to Las Cruces? I am not necessarily disagreeing with you Norm, I just would like to get a prospective from you as a fellow East Coast resident. I have some aspects of Las Cruces that I don't necessarily like as well, but lack of shopping isn't one of them. Perhaps, rather, the way the commercial zoning is laid out is the problem. Certainly, that would rate as one of my greatest complaints, a general discontinuity when it comes to land use planning.

[TigerLily24]

Originally Posted by mike0421

ABQsunseeker,

There are actually no saguros here in LC. When you drive west on I-10, I don't begin to see them in the landscape until about 30 miles east of Tucson. Then they magically are everywhere. As for palm trees, yes, we have them, but like many other places, they are not native to the area. I have three in the backyard and it seems as though they practically scream out in pain during the cold winter evenings.

There are a few saguaros in Las Cruces, but they are imports. My neighbors have a beauty in their front yard.

[ABQSunseeker]

Thanks everyone for the saguaro input. There are actually a few rare specimens in ABQ too, but unless you know where to look they're invisible.

[Towanda]

I understand what Norm is saying. There are some places you like and some you don't. You might not even be able to list the reasons...it might just not "feel" right. I am a huge lover of the state of New Mexico, but there are some towns that I might really not want to live in. Seems like we are all that way.

[Towanda]

Tiger Lily - That's one impressive cactus! WOW

[TigerLily24]

Originally Posted by Towanda

Tiger Lily - That's one impressive cactus! WOW

Their entire yard is a classic southwestern landscape, not a blade of grass anywhere. Absolutely gorgeous. They have some smaller cacti that have bloomed and it is a treat to see them since the blooms only last 1 day.

Since the rains last week, the whole town is awash in color. There are purple blossoms everywhere. It is a great time to be in Las Cruces.

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by ABQSunseeker

EnjoyEP, there are saguaros in Las Cruces?

Originally Posted by mike0421

There are actually no saguros here in LC. When you drive west on I-10, I don't begin to see them in the landscape until about 30 miles east of Tucson.

Believe it or not mike, there ARE several saguaros in Las Cruces!

However, indeed - they are transplanted / imported and are not *native* to the LC / El Paso region. Saguaros - as you note - are native to the Sonoran Desert and grow "in the wild" only in the Sonoran.

However, if Sunseeker needs a saguaro fix, he'd find several used quite nicely in landscaping through LC - even more in El Paso. So yes, Sunseeker you could get your saguaro fix in indeed!! Although surely not nearly as commonly as Tucson / PHX, where saguaros grow like cholla does in ABQ.

I don't mind the non-native thing. Honestly, most regions of the country now - you'll find just as much if not more non-natives than natives used in gardening, landscaping, vegetation, etc. My big beef would be if they are used in regions that they cannot live / thrive in. For saguaros, ABQ really, really, really pushes it. However, they can - with some nice TLC - do just fine in LC. The Yucca Faxonia ("palm yucca") is used so unbelievably commonly in Albuquerque, yet it actually is native to a segment of West Texas.

(And yes, while there are a few saguaros in ABQ that live and do well, that is amazingly rare. In LC, again, while transplanted, much more common than in ABQ).

I once took a gamut of photos of saguaros in EP / LC - I wish I knew where they were - I would post them. Thanks to tiger lilly, we have at least one up!

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by ABQSunseeker

and palm trees? Lots?

Yep, now that is very similar to a Scottsdale, etc. Not quite the variety of palms that are grown in lower Arizona, but still a ton of 'em. You should check out the El Paso forum photo thread (or they had a thread related to all of the palms in EP as it was)...you'll see tons of palms - LC is similar.

When you drive down I-25, right around the area 15 or 20 miles north of LC is all of a sudden where you start to see palms growing in yards and businesses everywhere.

Here are some photos of LC that Tiger Lilly just posted up that include the palms in them - LOOK AT THE 2nd AND 4th PHOTOS:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/las-c...ml#post4468953

*ON THE SECOND PHOTO: Look on the right hand side

*ON THE FOURTH PHOTO: You have to squint as this is a distance shot, but you'll see tons of 'em down below.

While it is true that these palms are not natives to LC, that can be said for most of all of the desert palms that are used so commonly now in low desert cities - El Paso, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tucson, etc. They all now have that palm-laden look. I personally love that about Las Cruces (and the others), although I know others aren't as big on palms as I am.

Originally Posted by ABQSunseeker

Jzeesh, I should get down there and take a look. I miss both from AZ here in ABQ.

Yep, to get that "Sonoran Desert" fix - without actually getting over to the Tucson / Phoenix area - your best bet is Las Cruces and El Paso. Certainly not the same in terms of landscaping and palms/cacti, but much, much more similar than ABQ is. You'll definitely see palms everywhere and see agaves as tall as rooftops, etc. Definitely worth a look to get your fix in.

Originally Posted by ABQSunseeker

I know, I know, I'm off topic, but what about your ABQ monthly weather posts? You missed my favorite month of June! LOL.

Yep, I know I have to get those going again!

I actually have 1/2 of June's written, but have been so doggone busy that I have not yet finished it. I will try to get those going within the next few days again...and will put up June, even though we are past it!