Desert Crest Press

Desert landscaping here in the Phoenix and Scottsdale areas can be so striking and rich in interest. This is especially important for a home’s curb appeal.

For the designer, selecting the right xeriscaping plants to compliment the home and each other can be quite a task with every individual one carrying a key role. Unlike the ‘fluffier’ forms of landscaping plants one sees used in residential landscaping in more verdant parts of the country, xeriscaping landscaping in this part of Arizona is more architectural and minimalistic.

With the use of stone as ground cover rather than grass and bark mulch, the plants used in Arizona landscaping beds are far more important than one may realize. All foliar interest and color around a home in Scottsdale or Phoenix must come from the trees, shrubs, catci and flowering plants. It is important to get good combinations of shapes, stature and shades of different colors to put together a truly remarkable Arizona landscape design.

This particular curb appeal landscape installation carries just the right amount of different shapes, heights, textures and unique colors to really be stunning in a very simple way. To be able to put such a planting together takes a great amount of creativity on the part of the xeriscaping designer. Knowing just where each different plant should be placed to arrive at a finished setting like this one isn’t an accident, the designer can see this scene in their mind.

Low and purple flowering Texas Sage looks wonderful against desert boulders. The setting is brightened with a plentiful addition of Golden Barrel Cactus and a unique Gold Echinopsis tucked in between the blue of the Variegated Yucca and Century Plant Agave. Height and greater interest is added with Prickly Pear, Saquaro and Hedgehog Cactus. Finishing off the edges is a nice sized Palo Verde tree and multi-stemmed palm for fluff, and anchoring the corner of walk and bed at the entrance to the courtyard is a Totem Pole Cactus.

It is far easier to create a truly stunning xeriscaping landscaping design with our architecturally shaped desert plants than the wide, full plants from other regions. This homeowner now has great color and year around interest in a small area that is also very low maintenance. This is exactly what every homeowner wants that is ready to have new Phoenix or Scottsdale, Arizona landscaping installed.

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It’s a rare Arizona homeowner that doesn’t want to add the most color from blooms to their xeriscaping landscaping as possible. It wouldn’t be stretching the truth one bit, to say that this request is a number one requirement given to landscape designers nationwide. So we are never surprised when this is one of the first things a Phoenix or Glendale landscape design client adds to the list of what benefits they want most from their new outdoor areas.

Oleanders are a great plant for landscaping in Arizona around this region. While most homeowners are aware that there are dwarf and standard sized plants available in these long blooming evergreens, many don’t know that there are really different types of oleanders. Additionally, some of these ornamental shrubs and trees aren’t as tolerant of lack of water as others are. This is something that is important to anyone’s low maintenance desires from xeriscaping landscaping.

As is frequently an issue when using common names to identify plants for landscaping in Arizona (or anywhere else), some of these misnomers can cause a homeowner problems in their plantings.

Nerium oleander is the proper name for the most drought tolerant selections for xeriscaping landscaping. These woody evergreens are available in a variety of colors in white, pinks and light reds – as well as some bicolored blooms. There are dwarfs available such as Petite Pink and Petite Salmon Oleander, which will mature at 4 feet high and wide. The regular Nerium oldeander selections will mature at 10-20 feet tall and over time present you with a small ornamental tree that bears abundant blooms most heavily in spring and fall. It isn’t uncommon to see blooms on these rugged xeriscaping landscaping plants in summer though, making them very popular for Phoenix and Glendale landscape design.

On the other hand, Mexican Oleander, requires more moisture assistant to remain looking great. This is not to say that it cannot thrive in xeriscaping landscaping in Arizona. These large shrubs, sometimes trained into a tree-form, just require a bit heavier drip irrigation or watering schedule than the standard oleanders do.

Mexican Oleander is also commonly referred to as Yellow Oleander and isn’t in the Nerium family, but is related to it. This plant’s proper name is Thevitia peruviana, and produces blooms that are usually yellow, but is available with soft apricot blooms too. This relative of the Nerium oleander matures at about 10 feet high and wide.

This is a very handsome plant in Glendale landscape design for xeriscaping landscaping, It has a beautiful open form and great texture. Thevitias have the same water requirements as grass though, and do get cold damage at about 25 degrees, as opposed to the more cold tolerant Neriums showing no damage until temps drop to about 15 degrees.

Image courtesy of mccheek (creativecommons 2.0).

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Besides the obvious method of looking at the nursery pot tag,  there is an alternative method for discovering which Arizona or Phoenix landscape plants will be drought tolerant.

You may find it interesting to know that nature has endowed plants with distinctive features that make it possible to sort them into probable growing condition hardiness. Perhaps, like animals, the leafy inhabitants of the planet has also developed certain physical traits that allow them to deal with elements of their native environment and survive.

For xeriscaping landscaping and creating beautiful yards in Paradise Valley, Phoenix or Anthem, landscape design choices will tolerate the extreme heat as well as exhibit low water requirements. Curiously enough, all those that do well here will neatly fit into one or more of the following descriptive appearances categories.

Stems and leaves are thick and fleshy:

• Cactus
• Sedums
• Succulents
• Penstemon

Leaves that are coated and waxy:

• Yuccas – some such as Mojave Yucca
• Creosote Plant
• Cactus – some such as Beavertail Cactus

Leaves that are very fuzzy or densely covered with a hairy surface:

• plants like lamb’s ears or Stacys)

Foliage that has a blue, silver or gray hue:

• Aloe
• Salvia or Sage
• Agave

Long narrow leaves:

• Palo Verde
• Sago Palm
• Ornamental Grasses
• Desert Daisy

Leaves that prickly or have spines:

• Dyckia
• Globe Thistle
• Cactus

This is just a short and partial sorted list of the flora diversity that we enjoy in our yards in this part of the Southwest. As you look around at the native desert plants as well as those that do nicely in a manicured, but low moisture requirements any Phoenix, Paradise Valley or Anthem landscape design – you instantly see that all of them fit neatly into these physical characteristics.

The reason that xeriscaping landscaping plants have these characteristics is to assist them in keeping all available moisture within the stems and leaves and to deflect the intense heat of summer in this part of Arizona. It is also why so many big leaved plants whose foliage consistency is thin and delicate do not thrive here in the desert. Their physical characteristics scream ‘must have consistent water availability’.

Still, it is possible to enjoy gardens in our courtyard or patio design featuring plants with different levels of water needs without being wasteful with our precious fresh water supply. The most effective way for any Arizona landscape design to maintain great beauty with minimal irrigation during the many dry months of our year is to amend the soil before planting each area. This controls the availability of moisture and assists the roots in always having the right drainage conditions. Phoenix landscapers with good plant knowledge can create a xeriscape design that is not 100% super drought tolerant plants that will flourish for many years around your Paradise Valley or Anthem home.

Popularity: 27% [?]

Its a rare thing to have real blue tones in the blooms of plants. Sadly, none of them are totally true blue, but a few come very close and will shine in your Phoenix or Glendale landscaping. The beauty of Salvia farinacea picture here is not just its striking blue violet blooms. Here you have a hardworking perennial that in many other areas of the country is a high sought after annual flower. Lucky you, this member of the Salvia family is hardy in our mild climate.

Any plant that falls under the name ‘Salvia’ is also a member of the sage family. Some of these are culinary herbs, but many have the showy flowers that are prized in landscapes and gardens everywhere. These plants produce scented foliage and flower in a range of tones: white, pinks, red, and blues to purples. Salvias prefer a well drained soil and deal with dry periods very well. This makes them an excellent addition to the xeriscaping landscaping that we use in Arizona.

Some call this particular blooming beauty Texas Violet Sage or Victoria Blue Sage, and it’s oldest common name is Mealycup Sage. The color of the petals is pretty close to that of antique cobalt glass that was all the rage in the Victorian era and is most likely how it was name Victoria Blue. The profusion of bloom in Phoenix or Glendale landscaping will begin in March and continue until sometime in November. There aren’t a lot of plants that will deliver an incredible 9 months of bloom to color your outdoor living areas and curb appeal.

When using blues in your landscape design, keep in mind that this flower color recedes where others like pinks, reds and white or yellow come to the forefront. This has to do with the visible spectrum of light, as well as on some plants the closeness in tone between the blue of the bloom and the green of the leaf. Salvia farinacea has light green to silvery leaves so the gorgeous blooms aren’t that easily lost against the foliage. You will enjoy the most impact from this perennial’s flowers if it is backed by a light colored wall or mass of plants. The light tones of our adobe walls are a perfect way to make the blue blooms really pop. Combined with bright blooming plants like red or yellow, you will have a color show that is phenomenal.

The spike flowers will be borne in abundance in full sun and require no deadheading to continue to pump out fresh blooms. This makes it a low maintenance plant for the busy homeowner. A native of southern Texas and Mexico, this perennial sage is right at home in sandy or sharp draining soils. While it is very drought tolerant, if you really want it to shine in your xeriscaping landscaping or patio garden, it is advisable to give it some water, at least once a week. This will allow your plant to really flourish and blooms to appear in thick, beautiful profusion.

Popularity: 33% [?]

No matter what region you live in, landscape design is meant to beautify your residential real estate and enrich your lifestyle with color and interest all seasons of the year. Many plants used in xeriscaping landscaping here in the communities around Phoenix can be so much more with some light moisture assistance from drip irrigation. You will enjoy lusher growth and far more blooming if your xeriscape plants are not left in mere survival mode.

Take the Guayacon shrub for instance. This is a rugged plant that is native to the stony slopes of New Mexico and an endemic plant of Mexico proper. It is highly drought tolerant and thrives very well through the searing heat of our Arizona summers. It does droop somewhat during cold weather and drought, but is an excellent candidate rich in character for great looking xeriscaping designs.

The formal name for this slow growing, large bush to small tree is Guaiacum coulteri, which is where its most common name of Guayacon comes from. It has wonderful gnarly texture to its woody branches as it ages, as well as dark bark that sets off the fine textured green foliage very nicely. It is very dependable in our dry arid climate, but will be stunning with drip irrigation. While most people must wait until rainfall to witness the gorgeous blue flowers to appear, with light and consistent moisture, your Guayacon plants will bloom from April to September. The shrubs will also be far more lovely in your yard when they have a sufficient supply of water.

While in optimum conditions, the Guayacon could someday reach up to 25 feet tall and every bit that wide, it is doubtful that you would see this happen in your landscaping in Glendale, Pheonix or Cave Creek, Arizona. With so little rainfall in summer and cold spells that dip below freezing in winter, this fascinating cobalt blue flowering shrub will most likely not exceed about 10 feet high and wide. This makes it a great inclusion in Arizona landscape designs for even the smaller home properties.

Like many plants popular to landscape design in this region of Arizona, Guayacon will grow and fill faster when you add drip irrigation and ensure that the soil it is planted in has great drainage. To make the most of water conservation with a drip system, it is best to amend any type of soil we have to allow good drainage yet retain moisture at the plant’s roots. This is just one of the reasons that having your xeriscaping landscaping installed by Desert Crest is a wise choice. We have in depth knowledge of situating your plants to enable them to be most robust and colorful.

It doesn’t take huge quantities of precious water to give your home the most beautiful landscaping possible. Arizona landscape design that does not include lawns will be very water wise under drip irrigation, as well as being very low maintenance. No matter how acclimated your xeriscaping plants are to our harsh, natural conditions – your real estate should not be the place where it is survival for the fittest. This approach to increasing your property’s value is backwards, and can cause you to have to invest far more money into your desert yard than you would without a properly designed drip irrigation system.

Popularity: 26% [?]

Native to Mexico and Texas, Cenzio is perfect for the lower elevations around Phoenix. Arizona landscaping is challenging to those who have moved from higher moisture, lower heat climates. This low maintenance shrub is perfectly happy, even joyful in the high temperatures of your full sun xeriscaping landscaping where other selections may go into distress.

Cenzio comes in several bloom colors and also gives you a choice in foliage. There are silvery leafed varieties and those that are green. This medium sized shrub is rugged, thriving in arid wild areas, yet perfectly suited for landscaping in Arizona of great beauty. Also known as Texas Ranger, the silvered leafed varieties are a commanding presence in xeriscape designs that are as at home in commercial landscapes as they are at increasing curb appeal in residential landscaping.

Arizona landscape designers will always use an excellent blend of different colors and textures of cacti, foliage and blooms to ensure that your outdoor living areas and real estate value is enriched by your landscaping. Low maintenance and high impact plants like Cenzio are great additions to just about any full sun planting. They flower in white, blue, purple and pink making it easy to find just the right specimen to accent your home and Arizona landscaping taste perfectly.

While Cenzio is a rugged, desert native plant, you’ll find that fabulous blooming is best obtained with drip irrigation in your xeriscaping landscaping. In its natural setting Leucophyllum, the Latin name for Cenzio, is at its most glorious after a heavy rain. Assisting landscaping in Arizona with small amounts of water on a schedule is the best thing that you can do for your home’s real estate value and curb appeal. This is easiest to accomplish and enjoy a more carefree landscape with an automatic drip irrigation system.

These xeriscape shrubs have aromatic evergreen foliage and bloom from February through May. While they are sometimes called ‘sage’, they are not related to this group of ornamental plants. Cenzio has the ability to predict rain by bursting into bloom a few days before rainfall arrives in Arizona, causing them to sometimes be called Barometer Bush. Arizona landscape designers around Phoenix prize this evergreen shrub for hedges and single blooming accents that bring great color to landscaping in Arizona without great labor involved.

To place this plant in your xeriscaping landscaping for its easiest maintenance, you’ll want to select a planting spot that has superior drainage and is exposed to full sun. This shrub will not do well in part shade or full shade in your Arizona landscaping. With a spreading shape, Cenzio reaches 4-5 feet wide and 3-4 foot tall on average. For the best presence and the most vibrant blooming, you will want to add drip irrigation to the planting. Then you’ll see just how gorgeous Texas Sage really can be.

Popularity: 26% [?]

Palo Verde is a family of trees native to the Sonoran Desert. There are 3 varieties of this rugged desert native; Mexican Palo Verde, Yellow Palo Verde or Foothill Palo Verde, and Blue Palo Verde. Of the three available choices for your xeriscaping landscaping, the Blue Palo Verde is the best selection.

While the Mexican Palo Verde has visually stunning blooms that have the added excitement of one vivid orange petal on every flower, it lacks the attractive shape and size of the Blue Palo Verde. Additionally, this particular native of the Sonoran can be extremely invasive. In your Arizona landscaping – this translates to lots of weeds.

The Yellow Palo Verde, also known as the Foothill Palo Verde, is much smaller than the lovely Blue variety and very slow growing. While this selection of the desert trees is more drought tolerant than the Blue Palo Verde, it is far less graceful in natural shaping. You’ll be waiting a long time for Yellow Palo Verde to become a presence in your Arizona landscaping. It takes 100 years for these small trees of about 15 feet tall to reach maturity. Still this variety of Palo Verde trees has some lovely qualities that have a place in your Phoenix landscape design.

The blooms on all Palo Verdes are yellow, yet each has a distinct shaping. The Yellow Palo Verde blooms look something like a huge fuchsia flower, while those on the Blue variety are beautifully bell shaped. The foliage being light yellow-green makes the Yellow or Foothill Palo Verde a great Phoenix landscape design plant for added color impact in your desert landscaping. Against the green bark, the foliage is an excellent contrast and its more upright shape does make the Foothill Palo Verde distinctive from the other two varieties.

The Blue Palo Verde is the loveliest of all in this family of xeriscaping landscaping trees. The weeping shape of maturing Blue varieties is much more graceful. This native desert tree is faster growing and will reach 30 feet tall, making it an excellent small shade tree for today’s suburban yards. In bloom from May – June, the Blue Palo Verde is outstanding for floral interest and vivid yellow accents to add excitement to your outdoor living areas and curb appeal. This particular selection of the native Palo Verde does require more water than the others, but with drip irrigation your Phoenix xeriscaping will be more attractive.

Since during hot, dry months, the Palo Verde will lose its leaves, it makes a great deal of sense that adding drip irrigation to these valuable xeriscape trees’ space in your Arizona landscaping. This simple, no waste watering solution will also maintain your real estate curb appeal as any home landscape is far more attractive when trees are in full leaf and the plants are lush and vigorous. The other asset you will find in adding properly calibrated drip irrigation to your desert landscaping, is that all the plants will grow and fill faster with a little assistance from you.

Popularity: 24% [?]

Even if you can afford that lawn watering bill, many people are becoming more conscious about conserving fresh water in Arizona. Landscaping in the desert can be quite lovely without any constantly thirsty fine turf expanses, At the very least , changing lawns to desert landscape for the majority of the current square footage makes a lot more sense.

Small lawns used in your outdoor living spaces are far more water conscious that huge expanses of green grass. They do add natural cooling effects to the areas around them, far more so than pavers and flagstone does. The front yard is the first place to start going native, removing lawn for xeriscape plants and Arizona landscape rock. After all, no one lives in their front yard. In this area you only need your curb appeal looking manicured, colorful and alive.

This is the desert, so xeriscaping at the curb fits in very nicely with the area.

Before you had a lawn the ground around your home was a natural desert, lawns are aliens to the greater Phoenix area. Arizona landscaping companies can change your grass to desert plantings however, doesn’t mean you will no longer need to water anything in your yard. If you want wild desert with whatever God allows to grow there without any help from you, just tear out the lawn and let Nature take its own course. It is doubtful any homeowner today would want to do so, and even more doubtful your community bylaws would permit you to do so. The alternative is you need a well planned Arizona landscape using xeriscape plants where your is grass right now.

Drip irrigation and the proper soil amendments will change lawns to desert landscaping that is vibrant and thriving. Unlike watering your grass right now, drip irrigation runs small amounts of water beneath the surface only to the roots of the desert and drought tolerant plants. There is no waste of water for desert landscaping in Arizona, with automatic drip irrigation. The fact is that hand watering with the hose from above as most people do, in an effort to conserve water… wastes a lot more precious water than you even realize. The uppermost level of the soil is not where your desert plant’s roots are, but that is where you will be watering them. This causes a lot of plants to become very sad looking.

You will save money if you get rid of grass, change to desert and water lightly.

Just don’t forget that your curb appeal is your landscaping. In Arizona, homes won’t look near as welcoming without nicely laid out xeriscape landscaping design. That is if you use drip irrigation to ensure that each plant or cacti receives water when it needs it and in the right amounts… in the places it is supposed to be. It is not that watering your landscaping in Arizona is a waste. As with anything else, moderation and a keen planning offer you the biggest savings and the best solution to most issues you need answers for.

Popularity: 50% [?]