The desert...you either adapt.....or you transform. Sooz made the choice to transform….and in a big way. Having grown up on the coast of California, the beachfront her early playing ground, we have talked often over the last 25 years about how we both ended up in Fallon. A childhood beach bum myself, ocean sand is in my bones and blood and the only place that I truly feel at home is when it is between my toes and the whish….whisshh…whishhhhhh of the waves fills my thoughts. Sooz grew up in Newport Beach, Lucia in San Diego, and Michelle in Santa Rosa…..how did we all end up in the desert?
Sooz made the decision early on in her family’s years here in Fallon to take her area of sand and transform it, creating her own oasis in the desert. You hear that expression all the time, “oasis in the desert” when you live here in Fallon. They use it on the Chamber of Commerce notices and on the Convention handouts, but what truly is…..an Oasis in the Desert? It is being surrounded by desert and adding the greenery that makes you feel that for just this small moment in time, you are in another place, a place far away - filled with roses and flowers and greenery and water…..just for that slight moment….there, you are where you want to be. Sooz’s home is perhaps the farthest out in the desert that any of us live. Down the highway you travel until you see the signs for a long ago stop across the 40 Mile Desert, Ragtown. We turn left at the historical marker sign and travel a few miles farther into the desert wondering how the south side of the road could be so filled with the magical color of green, and the north side so brown. Upon further glances we realize, yes it is water. The Newlands irrigation project that turned Lahontan Valley into one of Nevada’s most productive farming and ranching areas feeds into the Carson River on our left. It also helped create the greenery of the giant old cottonwoods that line the river and the alfalfa fields that border it. But Sooz lives on the north side of the road, far from the river and where tumbleweed and mustard grass are the only things that seem to sprout up in abundance. Unless of course you help it and design it and work it and work it some more, to create that little oasis you call your garden. On to Sooz’s. We pull up to the drive, and she smiles, greets us at the entry. We have called her our rosarian here at the nursery for many years, but she truly is our Rose Queen!!
I have set the scene; I will let the pictures tell the story. 
We started in the rose bed out front that she was just beginning when we were here last year. Now it is filled! with all David Austin English roses. The sweet scent of old fashioned roses fill the evening air.
Not only the garden, but her house is filled with little treasures at every turn. I loved the use of old lamp parts and handles to make the door knobs in her kitchen. In the pictures below, make sure you look for all the "re purposed" garden treasures.
once again, I wish we had "scentivison" for you to enjoy all the hundreds, (no, I didn't count them, but I am sure it is closer to 200 and not a single less).
she is starting to sneak more perennials in around the beds, I think we are wearing off on her, just as she now has all us pining for more roses
only fitting, Rose takes time to stop and smell the roses
Two more of Sooz's beauties, her daughters Bethany and Korey, and her newest treasure, granddaughter Kennedi.
A stunning mosaic of bricks fill one of the many little side courtyards. A circular pattern, it is rimmed with upright river rock, and tucked off to the side you find a bench to sit and contemplate the day while watching the sunset.
sorry Sooz, but remember
Michelle's obsession with snitching bricks.....I swear.....I tried to stop her :}
every rose, labeled so that when you walked around the many many many different beds filled with every color imaginable you could memorize your favorites to add to your own garden
treasures, tucked in - placed about, what stories they could tell
Sooz's vegetable garden is overflowing with bounty. These onions were at least 5" across and just waiting to be plucked from the garden. She uses a combination of organic fertilizers, and the chicken coops are just steps away so the bedding is re purposed as walkway material and mulch.
wine bottles make the perfect edging to slightly contain the overflowing herbs
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| darling little Miss Kennedi |
As the sun set on another glorious evening, I looked out over the 40 mile desert, took in the shades of orange that surrounded us and absorbed the peacefulness. It was at this moment I realized exactly why, Sooz choose this space to plant her oasis. Thank you Sooz, for an absolutely beautiful evening.
Darla is our newest member of the Flower Tree / Red Zinnia family. She
brings her flair and style with her every day that she works at Red Zin and we
are really glad she decided to join our staff. 
