Landscaping is the finishing touch to every new home project, house remodel, or even commercial building complex.  It’s what enhances the exterior of the home, the building and the overall project.  Landscaping also should complement the architectural style of the building, home or complex.  Outdoor ideas, landscaping, exterior design and landscape design often comes from a landscape designer or landscaper architect.  At the same time, landscape designers should be conscientious of upfront costs, maintenance costs, and long term upkeep. 

My speciality stems from many years in Phoenix, where upfront costs were negligible, and the yearly operating costs (i.e. property maintenance, irrigation & other bills) were none.  Hence came the important aspect of water-wise, sustainable xeriscaping for the desert climates.  With water being scarce, xeriscaping in the southwestern climates is very popular and a landscapers solution.  Desert landscaping & xeriscaping is such a beneficial, long-term solution that many city governments are offering cash rebates and tax rebates just for converting sod to desert landscaping.  Xeriscaping has been a very popular method of landscaping, and landscape designers have adapted this style for many of their clients.

Our landscape design team can offer many styles of xeriscape ideas for a Arizona landscaping company.  From Sonoran landscapes, which may include cacti, saguaros, and ocotillos to SW Xeriscapes and Phoenix Landscaping that may include many mid-level desert landscapes that can’t quite bear the hot AZ summers.  Desert landscaping & Xeriscaping often include many of these following types of plant species:

1. Traditional Color Plants- These desert plants are standard, normal xeriscaping plants that require average water usage.  Some of these species are known for lots of flowers, long bloom times, and hummingbird attractant.  Some common species that landscapers love are the cherry and russian sages, Echinacea, gaillardia, gayfeather, iris, lamb’s ears, yarrows, red valerians, coneflowers, and lavendars.
2. Arizona Desert Plants- Many of the species above would not sustain an Sonoran summer, which is the reason for a second list of Arizona xeriscaping plants.  Red Bird of Paradise, Arizona Yellow Bells, Orange Jubilee, Texas Sage, Baja Fairy Duster are all popular favorites among the Phoenix landscape contractors.  Other common plants you may see in hot desert climates may be Mexican honeysuckle, creosote bush, bursage, chuparosa, ruellia, bougainvillea, or cassias.
3. Xeriscape Grasses- Xeriscape planners use grasses for accents or to fill in large areas.Pampas grass, purple fountain grass, and deer grass are all specimens of grass that can reach over 6′ tall and provide a focal feature or visual block.  Muhly grass is a great selection for an accent grass.  Some ornamental grasses such as fescue, blue grama, and others can actually fill in large areas and act as a ground cover.
4. Agaves- There are many unique species of agaves, that range from the unique agave parryi to the huge 70″ tall agave americana.  The best solution for landscaping with drought-tolerant plants is the Agave, because of it’s low maintenance and low growth.
5. Cacti-  Arizona xeriscaping designers have the great selection of many selections of cacti – but most commonly, the Saguaro cactus (native to Arizona).  Saguaros make the perfect statement for any desert sustainable landscape because of it’s ability to look great with NO water usage.  Cacti in landscaping will drastically reduce the need for water consumption, and some unique cacti considerations are:  Old Man, Totem Pole, Twisted Cereus and Cholla.
6. Desert Trees- Desert Adapted trees also require less water and less maintenance.  Trees can provide some natural shade for those shade loving plants, and also a natural wind break if used properly.  The acacia, desert willow, african sumac and palo verde are some common desert landscaping trees.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR LANDSCAPING PROJECT:

• Review the regional requirements for xeriscaping species, plant locations and restricted varieties.  Check for turf restrictions, since some areas do not allow installation of high water usage plants like turf.
• Research landscaping & xeriscaping plants that are best for your specific area.  Not all plants grow in all regions – in fact, some will do quite poorly if planted in the wrong space.
• Research rainfall for your region and this can assist you determine species and setup & plan for a proper irrigation system.
• Use groupings of plants, different colors, and mounding.  Use larger specimens of plants and trees, while under-planting the small growing ground-covers below for splashes of color.
• The best results from watering plants occurs watering for longer periods of time in the morning (to avoid evaporation).
• By watering less, and longer durations, you are actually helping your desert plants develop a better root system, and they will require less water.
• Snip old flowers & foliage to enhance blooms & blooming times.
• If you install turf in your xeriscape, then follow proper watering techniques and reduce runoff.
• The use of a landscape designer in Phoenix is a long-lasting investment when considering the best of SW landscaping & Xeriscaping.

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