Tucson Landscaping Ideas

Be Bold

A pop of color can go a long way in a Tucson landscape. Because conditions can be quite arid, large swaths of lush plants or green lawns are not common here. But this doesn’t mean your landscape has to be colorless. Instead incorporate colors in the materials used for hardscapes or on furniture cushions. Here, chartreuse cushions on the built-in seating liven up the space, while the rusty-red patina on the steel shower surround in the background adds some warmth. If intense colors aren’t you, you can use subtler colors that will still liven up your landscape.

Learn more about using color in landscape design

REALM
Tucson, AZ

Copy Nature

Many areas around Tucson have rather beautiful natural landscapes. In spring when everything is in bloom, you can enjoy some beautiful sunset views over the mountains. It would be quite hard to top the beauty of these vistas without requiring massive amounts of water and money. So as it’s said, if you can’t beat them, join. Often imitating the real thing is the best way to landscape in Tucson. This property was planted with many native plants in a fashion that looks like they could be growing wild. Ornamental grasses, succulents and cacti, as well as blooming perennials work together to create interesting variations in texture, form and color.

Find out more about native plants

Boxhill Landscape Design
Tucson, AZ

Install an Outdoor Shower

Tucson is blessed with a warm enough climate to do things that aren’t possible in cooler regions. One such thing is showering al fresco. The owners of this home had corten steel walls erected and a shower head plumbed just outside their backdoor so that when the weather is right they can shower outside. Outdoor showers are especially useful for cleaning up after an afternoon of gardening. You can rinse off before going inside so you don’t track in dirt. They are also popular amongst people with pools so that you can rinse off before or after a swim.

See more outdoor showers

REALM
Tucson, AZ

Accessorize Your Entrance

Most women in Tucson know how to accessorize - they’ll throw on a necklace with turquoise stones or wear a pair of coral earrings to complete their look. But are you properly accessorizing the entrance to your home? Take a lesson from this well-designed entrance featuring a millstone fountain as a centerpiece. Container plantings, a unique paving design, purposeful lighting and a stacked stone wall all help to dress up the area leading to the front door. Notice how everything coordinates well and compliments other aspects of the design, much like jewelry should do for a cocktail dress.

Learn more about entryway design

Boxhill Landscape Design
Tucson, AZ

Convert a Courtyard

Just because you live in Arizona, doesn’t mean you can’t have a colorful garden. This courtyard in Marana, north of Tucson on Interstate 10, was designed to remind the owner of her home in Puerto Rico. Higher-water-use plants were balanced by lower-water-use desert natives. Some of the plants include damianita, pink guara, autumn sage, snail vine, easter egg plants, succulents, ornamental grasses and more. Additionally, a detention basin was created to address drainage problems and make use of water from the occasional rain.

See more of this colorful desert courtyard

Casa Serena Landscape Designs LLC
Las Cruces, NM (formerly in Tucson)