Desert Crest Press

Striking contrast and relaxed welcome of natural stone walkways through lush lawns of landscape designs in Carefree.

Showing off the lush lawns in your Carefree landscape design can be done so well with a visually dominating, irregular natural stone walkway. Making use of different sizes and shapes of Arizona stone lends a more relaxed welcome to the approach of your home.

Arizona flagstone in both natural and cut stone selections gives paths and walkways in Carefree a unique surface that leads to a matching patio or courtyard pavement. Depending on the cut of the stone you and your Carefree landscape designer decide upon, creating free-form and perhaps geometric designs adds warm character to any walk or path in your yard.

Widely spaced stone walkways, through lush green grass or xeriscape stone mulch, creates a lovely rustic look that is a wonderful perfect complement to your adobe Arizona home. Professional landscapers in Carefree, can easily install natural stone walkways that leads through a variety of different steppable plants like rugged ground creepers that bloom, thick turf grass or desert landscaping stone as seen here in two very different landscape designs around lovely Carefree homes.

Both irregular and snap cut flagstone can be laid in a tightly fit arrangement as well, producing a clean edged, more formal walkway, pool decks or patio designs. There are many different styles and colors of Arizona stone available. This gives you a large array of home landscaping options and applications for incorporating natural stone. When it comes to courtyard flooring and patio designs, stone is quite popular for paving to create different looks in outdoor living rooms.

Casual and rustic flagstone paths are great for easier walking in desert landscaping stone mulch.

Carefree landscape designers use either straight or curved flagstone walkway designs. Curved designs look far more natural and are very pleasing to the eye. Meandering and flowing natural stone walkways around flowerbeds, trees or landscape plantings for your yard and garden design in Carefree, can add great beauty to professional landscape design. If you want to get a visual idea of what a curving natural stone walkway may look like, place garden hoses along your selected walkway path to simulate the outer edges.

There are a number of installation options for stone walkways, including mortared stone on a concrete base, or dry laid and placed in sand over crushed limestone like paving stones are installed. Flagstone installed with mortar will be more expensive, but also practically maintenance free. However, you will not be able to have wide set flagstones with thick Arizona lawns or ground cover plants growing between the stones laid in mortar. Dry-based natural stone walkways require periodic weed-pulling maintenance when the stone isn’t set into lush green grass. Professional Carefree landscapers will make sure that the flagstone walkway is correctly installed and downright beautiful.

Popularity: 49% [?]

The beauty of friends, food and dancing flames has landscape designers in Cave Creek busy adding fire pits to patio designs.

Fire pits used to be the central theme associated with a weekend camping trip in the wilds. Not anymore. Rustic looking fire pits built with Arizona stone are fast becoming a popular theme throughout the many subdivisions popping up around the area. Professional landscape designers in Cave Creek make great use of natural stone as shown here in this neighborhood backyard where both an outdoor kitchen and centrally located fire pits provide perfect components for an active Arizona lifestyle.

The wonderful thing about having a fire pit is it acts like the lamp attracting a swarm of buzzing winged visitors. Your open fire will attract a lot of friends at your next evening barbecue gathering. It will help to have your Cave Creek landscape designer enlarge that outdoor living patio. You’ll need more room for partygoers when the mouth-watering aroma of steaks sizzling on the grill gets the taste buds juices going.

It will be quite an event, as people congregate around fire pits catching up on the latest neighborhood news and sharing good times. There is no better activity gathering for a relaxed evening then bonding with family and friends around the warming glow of open flames, while enjoying an open air grilled meal. It isn’t any secret that food always tastes better when grilled on patio barbeques?

Inclusion of both fire pits and outdoor BBQs as the dominant backyard theme for patio designs lends itself well to the use of natural stone and desert landscaping elements. Cave Creek landscapers will design a low maintenance outdoor living room using natural stone and stucco for beauty that compliments your Arizona home to perfection.

The best aspect about placing backyard fire pits in your Cave Creek landscape design is the ambiance it adds to the feeling of home. Great times spent gathered around dancing flames with family and friends become the memories of tomorrow when your outdoor living room features a custom built fire pit.

Popularity: 33% [?]

Travertine pavers are a popular choice used by Paradise Valley landscape designers. Although made from natural stone, travertine is a specific type of ocean harvested limestone. Travertine can be cut to many sizes and thicknesses as is evident in the courtyard shown here. For this landscape design in Paradise Valley, the designer has chosen  cooling, silver colored stone pavers that contrasts beautifully with the lush green plantings.

Travertine is similar to flagstone and can be installed with either  mortar or in a sand bed like traditional paving stones. The decision of installation method varies according to the Paradise Valley landscape design needs and uses. Here the landscape designer has chosen a classic look. Shown are stone pavers cut with a honed chiseled finish. Tumbled finish travertine pavers are great for creating a more rustic and informal feeling.

As you can see, travertine can also be laid with patterns much like flagstone is set. Since travertine are natural stone pavers will have slight indentations on their surface. These indentations can be filled, if a completely smooth surface is desired. For the great beauty of that natural stone effect, many Paradise Valley homeowners have their Paradise Valley landscapers leave them just as they are.

Edges also can be either chiseled smooth as shown here or dramatically “tumbled,” where pavers are literally roughed up with abrasive materials to get the desired appearance. Travertine is a high-end product available in a vast selection of beautiful natural colors. As many patterns also are available providing Paradise Valley homeowners extremely attractive solid surface landscaping features as do flagstone pavers. Both possess similar features and selection by landscapers in Paradise Valley will depend upon the homeowner’s personal choice for appearance and cost as well as availability.

Use of natural stone is an exceptionally beautiful method to enhance your property and home. Home improvements engineered using travertine pavers will produce a lasting value. Although landscaping designs do change, courtyards, patios, pool surrounds and other Paradise Valley landscaping features constructed using natural stone pavers endure timelessly.

Popularity: 28% [?]

The creation of Anthem courtyard design can typically be challenged due to limited space. Anthem landscape designers will pay special attention to vertical space in a small area such as the example shown here. Small potted trees with taller trunks, tall plant pots, use of stands as well as hanging plants can help provide greater depth perception in a small space when considering courtyard design.

Choice of lush green foliage plants by professional Anthem landscape designers plays well against the color of natural Arizona stone and paving stones flooring. A little color provided through red-flowering plants sets well against the neutral earth toned patio furniture surrounding a central courtyard fountain. The addition of splashing water assists as a cooling mechanism, and adds to the soothing aura of the secluded outdoor living room courtyard.

Also, what  Anthem courtyard does not conjure up images of natural stone used in a variety of design elements? For example, the walled circular water element dominates the outdoor social space created with this particular Anthem courtyard design.

Courtyards have been in human use since 3000 B.C. used for many purposes – cooking, working, recreating, gardening and even as a place to house animals. Through the centuries its use has evolved as a favored outdoor living room for socializing and family time in temperate climates. The modern creature comfort provided by air conditioning has replaced the time-tested function for an open courtyard in Anthem providing cooling relief from the hot interior of a desert home.

However, cooling technology has not replaced the courtyard as a favorite outdoor living room in which to withdraw for casual and intimate conversation and socializing. This is why professional landscape designers in Anthem include central elements such as a fire pit or water element as shown here. The design follows traditional elements used in creating small gardens where little use of permanent plant beds is employed. Instead, a mix and match assortment of potted and hanging plants adds to the ability to constantly present a different look relocating plant elements when desired.

A careful courtyard design in Anthem for limited space will provide a great deal of the elements most homeowners seek – fresh air, security, peaceful and amiable social gathering space. Every home in Anthem should have an outdoor living room courtyard.

Popularity: 34% [?]

Lovely Peoria, Arizona gardens will feature stone, rustic iron and hardy desert plants in many colors in the best garden designs.

Stone is the oldest of building materials known to man. It exists in many shapes and sizes. The first elementary structures built by pre-historic man were simple structures where gathered native rock and stone were dry-stacked one on top of the other.

Throughout the ages, man has discovered many techniques to shape and form assorted pieces of rock or stone into useful structures not only including roadways and bridges, but used as walls and flooring. When it is used correctly, stone connects people with nature, creating a feeling of timelessness, becoming a complimentary part of a desert garden. So stone was the natural choice for a backyard patio wall and decking shown here when coming up with this garden design in Peoria.

The technique used by the Peoria landscaper constructing the wall shown here is known as dry-stacking. The landscape design calls for carefully selecting wall stone based on size and shape that form a self-supporting interlocking pattern. This technique requires no use of mortar so the wall will conform to the earth if it shifts and is quite durable. This is the oldest construction technique known to man and is widely employed still today in many landscape designs including desert gardens and and lush gardens of great beauty.

One of the reasons professional landscape designers in Peoria choose dry stack natural stone patio walls is in the event damage to the wall occurs, it can easily be repaired, sometimes incorporating the damaged stone, since no mortar or cement is used. This lends its use to a greater economical choice as well since any construction or maintenance performed by professional Peoria landscapers is both less material and labor-cost effective.

As is shown in this example of Peoria garden design, the use of uniform, interlocking pavers for patio design coordinates so nicely with the choice of dry-stacked wall stone. The wall provides some privacy while installation of the rustic iron gate provides a timeless, welcoming entry. Additional use of large landscape rocks placed in strategic spots throughout this xeriscape design helps complete the naturally appearing use of stone material creating a semi-private desert garden design in Peoria that has an extremely clean look and coordinated look.

Popularity: 27% [?]

When attempting to produce a bold and lush tropical landscape design, use of brilliantly colored crape myrtles can add a touch sure to make you the envy in the neighborhood. When used as a specimen plant – placed as the focal point in your New River landscape design such as the Tuscarora Crape Myrtle shown here in the foreground accenting the circular drive of a New River home, the contrast produced by the bold color is striking against the accompanying green-colored foliage.

The many varieties of Crape Myrtles are incredibly beautiful and although noted for extensive use throughout the south in tropical settings, they do grow particularly well in the Southwest because these gorgeous bloomers are quite drought tolerant plants handling clay soils very well. They are great choices for adding to a lush tropical landscape design and are well suited to an Arizona climate. These plants are definite sun lovers requiring just an occasional deep watering to flourish making then an easy choice for New River landscapers.

There are varieties from which to choose that bloom up to 120 days every summer including the Dynamite Crape Myrtle, Red Rocket Crape Myrtle and Raspberry Crape Myrtle bush as well as the popular Tuscarora. This is incredible color for lush landscaping New River homes can be boldly framed by. You can remove any spent flower heads during summer months (this is a process called “deadheading”) that “tricks” the plant making it continue to bloom even more profusely. They also produce an exquisitely beautiful fall color as well before going dormant during the winter months.

A wonderful feature concerning the use of Crape Myrtles is they come in a variety of sizes to suit different needs for producing lush landscaping around your New River home. Use these in open spaces as well in tight areas. You can mix and match your selection of Crape Myrtles that produce varying colored blooms. Tropical landscape design is just one of the advantages of living in New River, Arizona.

Popularity: 37% [?]

Santolina has many uses in drought tolerant landscape design. It is well suited to the climate in your Scottsdale landscaping.

As a perfect ground cover providing excellent contrast against an Arizona stone and stucco wall, consider using Santolina chamaecyparissus, commonly known as Lavender Cotton. Its finely-toothed foliage of striking grey color is a sub-shrub, a woody perennial that grows to about two-foot tall and one-foot in width. It is right at home is your Scottsdale desert garden and anywhere in your yard.

Shown in the foreground before a widespread Desert Willow, Santolina is a popular choice for Scottsdale landscapers used as a stable component in any flowerbed or employed as a border or possibly used as a niche plant placed between flagstones and garden rocks. Although the Santolina does flower throughout the summer months producing small, button-shaped, daisy-like blooms, it is better noted for its small-scale properties making it quite suitable for lending itself to contrast needs in any Phoenix or Scottsdale landscape design or xeriscape planting.

From a pure aesthetic viewpoint, Santolina is an excellent herb addition to any desert garden as an accent or border blending well with herbs like Lavender, Sage and Thyme that possess similarly shaped foliage. When its leaves are clipped it produces an attractive fragrance making it a valuable addition to any Scottsdale landscape design incorporating the use of an herb garden. Foot-high Santolina edging an herb garden makes for a striking formal composition.

Give thought to easy to grow Santolina while considering the placement of bedding plants in association with trees such as the Desert Willow shown here in a sharp garden design. To create as much unity as possible in your desert landscape, your ground cover should link with your garden’s Arizona stone walls. As well as create good contrast with the ‘ceiling’ created by larger shrubs and trees. Santolina will work well with many different Agave shrubs such as Queen Victoria, Octopus or Huachuca as well as desert tress such as the Willows, Sycamores and Mesquites.

Low maintenance in dry calcareous or alkaline soil makes Santolina an excellent choice for any xeriscape design in Scottsdale and Phoenix.

Popularity: 31% [?]

Striking blue aloe is a winner in desert landscaping xeriscape design in Glendale and greater Phoenix homes.

Aloe is one of many desert plants growing naturally throughout the arid southwest and cultivated here by many Phoenix landscapers. The plant is a favorite choice incorporated into many different professional xeriscape designs. The blue aloe is especially ideal and beautiful residing in your Glendale xeriscaping. It remains dormant during winter requiring little water, and is very drought-tolerant once the plant is fully established.

The blue aloe in xeriscape design provides great contrast when incorporate in any Phoenix or Glendale landscape design. This striking aloe can easily grow to three feet, with its sword-like gray-blue leaves standing out brilliantly against Arizona stone and stucco. They flourish best in well-drained soil amended with a heavy dose of sand. Grow these desert plants in either full sun or partial shade. Don’t be tempted to water too much during hot summer months. This is one tough succulent that is hardly ever thirsty.

Should you to notice the leaves begin browning during extremely hot, dry weather – do cut back on sun exposure wherever possible. If you plan potting this desert plant, make sure to use crushed stone at the bottom of the container, but do not block the drainage hole. Potted giant blue aloe is mobile, allowing you to move them around. Accenting your Glendale xeriscaping a little dry blue variety offers greater dimension to your landscaping. Moving blue aloe around gives you the occasional new look to your desert landscape’s appearance.

Potted giant blue aloe is a great accent plant for Glendale patios, courtyards and decks where it can be admired by all. They prosper in hardiness zones 9-11 so are a perfect choice for your greater Phoenix area yard. Deliciously unique, giant blue aloe is easy to grow. This beautiful desert plant is perfectly at home inside the house, adding color to outdoor living rooms and very desirable in desert landscape design. They grow like weeds!

Popularity: 34% [?]

Everyone wants they yard and outdoor living spaces to be beautiful year around. After all, your home in the greater Phoenix area allows you to enjoy the weather through the four seasons. When most homeowners decide they want fresh, low maintenance landscaping their biggest concern is picking out the prettiest plants and finding the lowest priced patio pavers.

This is not the best landscape design approach, for every piece of property has issues that need solving. You see a Phoenix landscape design, and any other region for that matter, is not just a pretty picture slapped down on top of your ground. Problems both big and small must be solved before you can plant the shrubs, trees and flowering plants around your gorgeous new outdoor living patio or pool deck. It would be great if there were perfect sites, yards that presented no issues to correct. Professional landscape designers in Arizona and globally would all be delighted if their job was just creating beauty with plants and pavers.

A proper site inspection and analyzation is an important part of your Phoenix landscape design process. This is where all skilled landscape designers identify any problem areas that must be addressed to create a long lasting beautiful yard. Ignoring things that need correcting before your new patio or courtyard installations are underway can lead to costly problems for you down the road. Truly low maintenance landscaping that is always lovely addresses site situations before planting and any hardscaping is done.

Without the right preparation steps being taken, you will always need to keep investing more money and time into keeping your Phoenix landscaping design looking gorgeous. Selecting the best landscape designers in Phoenix or Glendale will allow you to have the curb appeal and outdoor living rooms that suit your lifestyle and your home.

Popularity: 35% [?]