By Michelle Talsma Everson

In Phoenix, a garden is never just a garden. It is a conversation between heat, light, soil, water, shade and timing. What plants thrive here in Phoenix often do so because someone has learned to pay attention and to plant with the desert, not against it. They understand that the beauty in the Southwest may look less like a manicured lawn and more like a cactus’ slow blooming after months.

At Dig It Gardens, a family-owned garden center on 16th Street in Phoenix, that way of thinking has been taking root for nearly a decade. Owned by husband-and-wife team Ryan and Jessica Jerrell, Dig It began as a plant shop and slowly grew into something more layered: a nursery, design resource, gathering space and reminder that living well in the desert can start with asking better questions about what we choose to grow.

“Plants have a way of slowing people down,” Ryan said. “They ask you to pay attention. They teach patience. They give people something to care for, and in return, they make a space feel more alive.”

Teaching How to Work With the Desert

In a desert city, plant care can feel intimidating. Sun exposure, reflected heat, soil conditions, watering habits, shade and seasonality all matter.

At the nursery, customers can find cactus, succulents, indoor plants, trees, shrubs, edible plants, pottery and garden supplies, along with guidance tailored to the Valley’s climate. Owner Ryan grows native plants himself.

Ryan and Alex Washburn, Dig It’s general manager and head horticulturist, bring roughly 40 years of combined plant and horticultural experience to the business. Together, they help Phoenix gardeners understand what plants need to thrive in the Valley and how to make choices that suit their homes and microclimates.

Choosing the right plant for the right place can mean fewer failed plantings and outdoor spaces better suited to the desert. The team works on landscape design and installation projects across the Valley, from small refreshes to full transformations.

“Plants should never add stress to your life,” Washburn said. “They’re supposed to bring joy. Our job is to take the mystery out of it, share what we’ve learned, and help people feel confident enough to make the magic happen.”

They even have a Plant Hotline, a troubleshooting resource for plant care emergencies and questions.

A Different Kind of Nursery

Ryan founded Dig It in 2015 after beginning his plant career at Tip Top Nursery in Mesa. From the start, he wanted a place that felt different from a traditional garden center.

The inspiration came from nurseries, tattoo shops, local artists, music, handmade spaces, and places where people feel comfortable staying awhile. In the shop, plants spill into vignettes, and pottery is part of the landscape. Ryan’s personal art collection is woven throughout the property, alongside artwork and creative contributions from employees and community members. Music is played throughout the space as well.

“I wanted Dig It to have personality,” Ryan said. “A place where plants, art, music, good conversations, and a little bit of weirdness could all live together.”

Visitors may come in for a cactus, houseplant, pot and leave with a new friend.

Dig It’s growth happened the way gardens often do — not exactly according to plan. After one of Dig It’s first 10 customers, Andrea Hardy, asked to get married there, the space morphed into a place for weddings, showers, corporate gatherings, retreats and community events. 

Hardy saw something in the space that the team didn’t, so they said yes. For her wedding, she gifted Dig It a chandelier that still hangs in the space.

“Some of the best things we have done came from listening to people, being open to new ideas, and letting the community show us what this place could become,” Jessica said.

Plants That Grow People

For the Jerrells, Dig It is also a family story. Jessica later became Ryan’s business partner, helping shape the business while raising their two sons. One phrase has become part of how they think about that work: Plants Grow People.

To the Jerrells, plants do more than decorate a space. They teach care, patience, resilience, and attention. They connect people to their homes, neighborhoods and the desert.

“At the end of the day, we want people to feel a little better after they have been here,” Ryan said. “Maybe they found a plant they love, picked out a cool pot, spent a few minutes petting Mama the shop cat, got an idea for their yard or had a good conversation with someone on our team.”

In Phoenix, or any city, where growth is often measured by roads and skylines, Dig It offers another way to think about what it means to grow — slowly, with intention and by planting deeper roots. 

Dig It Gardens is located at 3015 N. 16th St. in Phoenix. 

For more information, visit digphx.com.