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The final beautifying touch to each new home, home remodel, or outdoor project is Landscaping.  It’s what makes the overall project lovely, while enhancing the building, the exterior, and more.  Landscape Design should be done to complement the exterior of the building and accent the overall architecture.  Most landscape solutions come from the homeowner side of landscape design or landscape architects – who specialize in all aspects of exterior design, landscaping, and outdoor ideas.  The best xeriscaping landscape designers are very conscientious of upfront installation costs, monthly maintenance, and long-term upkeep. 

My background stems from many years in Phoenix, where upfront costs were negligible, and the yearly operating costs (i.e. water & landscape maintenance bills, etc.) were slim to none.  this came the importance of low maintenance, low water consumption, and xeriscaped landscapes for dry climates.  Xeriscaping is one of the most popular and landscape friendly solutions for the southwestern climates where water is not available.  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.

As a Phoenix landscaping company, our expert designers in landscaping can provide many techniques and ideas of xeriscaping.  From Sonoran Xeriscapes, which include assortments of AZ cactus, ocotillos, and agaves to Southwestern landscapes and Phoenix Landscaping that usually include many desert environments that can’t quite tolerate the hot summers of Phoenix.  Desert landscaping & Xeriscaping often include many of these following types of plant species:

1. Traditional Color Plants- These desert plants are standard, normal landscaping plants that require normal water usage.  Some of these species are known for lots of flowers, long bloom times, and hummingbird attractant.  Some common species may include: Arizona columbine, Artemisias, asters, columbines, or coreopsis.
2. Arizona Desert Plants- Many of the species above would not sustain an Phoenix summer, which is the reason for a supplemental list of Arizona xeriscaping plants.  Some popular choices in Phoenix climates is the Red Bird of Paradise, Arizona yellow bells, orange jubilee, texas sage & fairy duster.  Other standard species you will find in hot xeriscape regions may be the creosote, bursage, mexican hopseed, feathery cassia, ruellia katie, or bougainvillea species.
3. Xeriscape Grasses- Landscape planners use grasses for accents or to fill in over-sized areas.  Desert grasses can include large specimens such as pampas grass, purple fountain grass or large deer grass which can grow to over 6′ tall.  Muhly grass has an incredible purple bloom in the fall, making it a great selection for an ornamental grass.  Some ground-cover grasses can actually fill in large spaces and provide a great xeriscaping environment (blue fescue, blue grama, and other ornamental grasses).
4. Agaves- There are many unique species of agaves, that range from the little agave parryi to the huge 5′ tall agave americana.  Some perfect solutions for xeriscaping is the Agave, because of it’s drought-tolerant features and low maintenance.
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 irrigation, and some incredible cacti considerations are:  Hedge Hog, Organ Pipe, Mexican Fence Post and Cholla.
6. Desert Trees- Desert trees also require less water and less maintenance.  Properly placed trees and large shrubs can provide natural shade for some plants, as well as provide some natural wind break.  Some professional landscapers love to use the Acacia, desert willow, chitalpa and palo verde in landscape designs.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR LANDSCAPING PROJECT:

• Review the local requirements for xeriscaping species, plant locations and restricted species.  Check your local rules and regulations for high water use plants like turf – it may not be allowed.
• Find out which landscaping & xeriscaping plants that are good for your specific location.  Not all plants grow in all regions – some may do very bad if planted in the wrong region.
• Research precipitation for your location and this can help you find plants and setup & plan for a proper sprinkler 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).
• Great irrigation habits can be achieved by training your plants to require less water, and infrequent waterings.
• Snip old flowers & foliage to enhance blooms & blooming seasons.
• Reduce the quantity of sod in xeriscape designs, since they require lots of water.
• The hiring of a Phoenix landscape designer is a excellent investment when considering the best of Soutwestern landscaping & Xeriscaping.

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