A Landscape Refresh

Bob and Marilyn reached out for a consultation after spending about 9 months living in their new Tucson home.

They heard this yard was quite a garden back in the day, but it was rented for years before they bought it. The garden plants were all dead, dying, or gone. There were great hardscape elements in place with flagstone, pergola, and brick patio. We had to bring plants back in to cool the space visually, create interest, and add privacy. There were a number of rose bushes, and we took most of them out as they are not responsible water users. The homeowners were not attached to roses, which brought a great opportunity for some fresh, ecologically sound choices.

We chose native, flowering perennials for color, and to support wildlife. Since these plants freeze back in winter, we also added evergreen shrubs to provide year-round greenery adding privacy and color. Arizona Rosewood and Hop Bush fill in this foundation, and a variety of Tecomas like “Orange Jubilee” and Yellow Bells draw in all the hummingbirds with colorful blooms. We also added Tangerine Crossvines along another portion of the wall, to block reflected heat and add color. Vines take longer to establish, about three years, but it’s always worth the wait.

The front yard needed a tree! Trees provide a strong structural element along with privacy, and filtered shade. We chose Blue Palo Verde as a fast growing, native tree that also added interest to the neighborhood plantings. Most trees in neighboring yards were Mesquites or Oak. The new tree grew so fast despite a hot, dry summer. Lastly, we replaced dead lantana shrubs with the regionally native, Cleveland Sage.

The other highlight of our plant choices are that they are late fall, winter, and early spring blooming as these owners travel during our hot summer months.