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Desert Landscaping on a Budget

Posted on Jan 21st, 2019

Desert Landscaping on a Budget
Excerpt from HGTV.com

Start planning your Spring or new backyard landscaping now by submitting your ARC Applications, so you’ll be ready to start planting when Spring hits.

We live in a region where lush lawns are simply not possible, consider desert landscaping ideas with materials and plant life that work with your natural surroundings – and let your personality shine.

It’s easy to create dynamic desert landscape design plans when you keep these three things in mind: scale, color and shape.

The rocks, trees, shrubs and flowering plants in your yard should complement one another. That doesn’t mean everything should be the same size, but when creating accent areas within your property, let scale be your guide: a ring of short shrubs around taller desert grasses or flowers creates density and emphasis. Boulders or larger rocks can act as walls or to define a path or patio. Tall trees used next to a one-story house create an illusion of additional height; too many tall shrubs can dwarf a home.

Color is vital to any desert landscaping plan, because the earth in dry climates is often rocky or sandy and brown or gray. Any color must be introduced into the landscape design strategically. Warm red and yellow lowering succulents such as aloe or ice plants make great focal points and can be potted or sown into the ground. Mexican poppies and other wildflowers attract species of bees (and those can be a wonderful asset when creating a desert landscape design). Aloe plants come in a variety of colors to suit every palate.

It may sound funny to think first about the shape of the plants in your desert landscape plan, but imagine this: if you’ve got a flat, rocky yard and you plant rows of tall, slender cacti, they could end up looking like an army of soldiers standing to greet you when you come home! Create soft edges with grasses such as Bouteloua curtipendula, a short species that goes from green to tan as the seasons change. White Thorn Acacia trees grow to about ten feet tall with puffy round plumes of vibrant green foliage and yellow flowers.

The materials you choose for your desert landscaping can be natural or synthetic, but should work well with your plant life. Rocks, stone, pebbles, sand and concrete are top choices because they require no water, little maintenance and are virtually indestructible. Whether you’re going for cool minimalism or a cozy desert hideaway, a desert landscape design plan is within reach.

Landscaping on a tiny budget can be difficult, but not impossible.

First, determine how much money you have to spend. Next, decide where and how to spend it.

Ask questions. Are you improving an existing landscape design or starting from scratch with a whole new look? Are you landscaping a front or back yard or your entire property? How much maintenance will be required once you install your landscaping (and have you budgeted for that)? Or are you choosing one small area or project such as installing a few beds with edging or building a vegetable garden in a raised bed? Answering these questions will help you determine which materials and plants you’ll need and should also help you prioritize your spending (i.e. do you really need to sod your yard with zoysia when seeding it with fescue will do?).

Make simple improvements to your existing landscaping. This is probably the most effective way to get a new look without overspending. Take a photo of your front yard, back yard or other space you’d like to landscape. Which part of the yard looks the best – and why? Which part looks the worst? Examine the worst parts and make a list of priorities. Is the grass dead or full of weeds? Are the flowerbeds neatly edged or messy? Are trees and shrubs trimmed appropriately? Perhaps your money would be better spent making small adjustments to your landscaping rather than installing additional plants. Consult a pro for an estimate to determine just how far your money will go.

Choose plants that give you more bang for your buck. A boxwood hedge may seem a tad boring, but this evergreen could provide the clean lines your yard needs. Knockout roses brim with brightly colored blooms but are virtually maintenance free and work almost anywhere in a yard. Annuals can be costly and require replacement seasonally, whereas many beautiful perennials can be planted or started from blubs or clippings. Ask friends with who may have flowers you like to give you pieces of their plants to get your flower garden started for free.

A few more tips: Time your purchases so that you don’t have to install everything at once, especially with big-ticket items such as trees. Considering buying young plants in small pots instead of mature plants in larger pots – they can cost up to three times as much! And don’t forget that maintenance can add up, too. Before you purchase plants that require constant care, decided whether or not you have the time or money to care for them.

As always, submit an ARC Application and consult the Tuscany ARC Plant List within the ARC application for great options to design the perfect landscape for you!