Author: csDevTeam

Rental properties are often thought of as a form of passive income, but veteran landlords know better. It takes a lot of work to find and keep great tenants. But with these beautiful and low-maintenance landscaping ideas, you can make your to-do list a bit shorter.

Shape the landscape with earthy pavers.

Earth-toned pavers are popular among Arizona landowners. They blend in well with the desert landscape, and they look natural among desert plants like succulents and flowering shrubs. You can have the landscape design team use earthy pavers to create a beautiful walkway in front of the home, but why limit yourself? Consider adding more pavers to the backyard to build short walking paths and community gathering areas.

Place ornamental grasses in strategic locations.

In desert climates, ornamental grass is a fantastic substitute for turf. Landlords love it because it doesn’t need to be constantly mowed or watered. Here’s a look at some common types of ornamental grasses used in our area:

• Deer grass: Sun-loving and drought-tolerant. Green.
• Gulf muhly grass: Smaller than deer grass, but showier. Pinkish flowers.
• Mexican thread grass: Fast-growing with a fine, feathery texture. Green, but golden in the fall.
• Blue grama: Sun-loving and moderately drought-tolerant. Blue-green.

Add desert-friendly trees for shade.

Your tenants will thank you for adding shade trees to their outdoor spaces. Some desert-friendly shade trees are:

• Blue palo verde: Fast-growing with yellow-green foliage
• Mimosa: Heat-loving with dense canopy for excellent shade coverage
• Acacia saligna: Fast-growing with a very wide canopy for year-round shade
• Purple leaf plum: Very low-maintenance with brilliant purplish foliage

Install artificial turf.

If you do want to give your tenants some lawn space, but don’t want to get it mowed and watered regularly, consider having the landscaping company install artificial turf. It requires very little maintenance. And these days, artificial turf is available in super-soft varieties that are a pleasure to walk on.

Santa Rita Landscaping has earned a reputation for unbeatable craftsmanship and superb customer service. Call our office in Tucson at (520) 623-0421, and find out for yourself why our clients rave about our work. We offer complete landscape design, installation, and maintenance for residential and commercial properties, including apartment complexes and rental homes.

Charleston’s Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is the only garden in the state of South Carolina to have been designated as one of America’s Most Beautiful Gardens by Travel + Leisure Magazine. It’s America’s last large-scale Romantic-style garden and the most visited plantation in Charleston.

History of the Grounds

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens was founded by the Drayton Family in 1676 and has survived through the American Revolution and Civil War. It began welcoming guests in 1970 and is now the oldest public tourist site in the Lowcountry and the oldest public gardens in the country. Unlike most public gardens in the US, which are formally designed without regard to the natural surroundings, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens were created and continues to be designed around the natural environment, showcasing the beauty of the area alongside the spectacular garden designs.

Visiting Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

The large, romantic-style gardens—the largest, unrestored gardens in the country—are what bring people through the gates. Each generation of the Drayton family has added to the gardens, which now is home to countless species of flowers that bloom all year long.

Visitors to the grounds can also take the Nature Train Tour, where they will explore the wetlands and marshes on a tram, with a close-up look at the alligators, turtles, and other wildlife that live in the Lowcountry. The Rice Field Boat Tour and Magnolia Cabin Project Tour offer a look at the history of the area, including the legacy of slavery. A zoo, gift shop, and café round out the experience.

Has it been a while since you’ve had a landscaper get to work on your property? An overgrown lawn and out-of-control weeds can cost you in more ways than one. Not only do you risk annoying your neighbors, but the city of Tucson just might decide to fine you. Plus, if you’re considering selling your home, unkempt landscaping could deter potential buyers and lower your home’s value.

Unkempt Landscaping Code in Tucson

The municipality of Tucson requires property owners, lessees, and residents to maintain the vegetation around the building. This section of the city code is designed to minimize potential fire, safety, and health hazards, and to discourage vermin from taking up residency at the property or the neighboring land. Tucson considers the following vegetation-related problems to be in violation of the city code:

• Grass taller than six inches
• Weeds taller than six inches
• Dead trees and dead shrubs
• Dead palm fronds within 10 feet of the ground, wall, or any combustible structure
• Any vegetation that may obstruct the use of the sidewalk, street, alley, or traffic lights

Fines for Violations

If any homeowner is found in violation of the city code, a city official can issue a notice of violation. This notice describes the conditions that need to be remedied and sets a deadline for correcting them. If the homeowner does not take the required steps within that time period, the city can issue fines and possibly file criminal charges.

Potential Liability Issues of Your Home

In addition to municipal fines, unkempt landscaping may lead to liability issues. Property owners are required to maintain the grounds in a reasonably safe condition. If someone sustains an injury due to unkempt landscaping, then you may be subject to a civil lawsuit. For example, if an overgrown shrub obstructs a street light, traffic light, or traffic sign, it may contribute to an accident.

Santa Rita Landscaping provides artistic landscaping design solutions and professional installation services for homeowners in the Tucson area. Our award-winning Design Center will find the perfect outdoor design for every budget. Call us at (520) 623-0421 to request a consult, and browse our online portfolio of beautiful outdoor spaces.

When it comes to paving your driveway, think past the traditional options of gravel or poured asphalt or concrete. Many homeowners are turning to driveway pavers for a unique look that complements their landscaping and that stands up to the environment. Pavers are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, allowing you to create a distinct look that increases the curb appeal of your home, and they are durable enough to survive the heat and stay in top condition for the life of your driveway. If a paver does become damaged, it can be easily replaced, unlike traditional driveway materials, which require costly, inconvenient repairs. If you’re considering using pavers for your driveway, here is a closer look at some of your options.

MegaArbel and MegaLafitt

Both MegaArbel and MegaLafitt pavers mimic the appearance of cut flagstone and are strong and durable. MegaArbel pavers come in irregular sizes with textured surfaces, and they interlock securely for the utmost in stability. MegaLafitt pavers are larger in size than the MegaArbel line, with modular shapes that are easily arranged in a number of configurations to match your desired design. MegaArbel and MegaLafitt pavers come in multiple, natural-looking colors.

Seville-Catalina

These pavers take their inspiration from natural stone. Their surfaces are smooth, and the edges have crisp, straight lines. The pavers are available in a range of sizes, and they can be arranged according to your design specifications, thanks to their strong, interlocking joints. They are similar in color to natural stone, with color variations between pavers for a unique look.

Non-Tumbled Catalina Valencia

Non-tumbled Catalina Valencia pavers are similar to Seville-Catalina paving stones, but their edges are rounder. Like natural stone, there are color variations in the pavers, which can be placed in a multitude of arrangements. The surfaces are smooth, with natural pattern variations.

Enhance your landscaping and your curb appeal with driveway pavers from Santa Rita Landscaping, Inc. in Tucson. Get more information about our residential and commercial landscaping services by calling (520) 623-0421.

Rising up along Portland’s west side is the lush and green Forest Park. Forest Park encompasses 5,170 acres within the city limits, on top of the Tualatin Mountain Range, and is home to over 110 species of birds and 62 species of mammals. City dwellers head to the park to explore 70 miles of trails, such as the National Recreation Trail-designated Wildwood Trail. The Upper and Lower Macleay Trails are also popular with Portlanders who want to get back to nature among the Douglas fir, western red cedar, and western hemlock-dominated forest. Although Forest Park is considered to be a great resource to the city now, it took decades to get Portland residents on board with the plan.

Landscape architect John L. Olmsted—who was the stepson of Central Park co-designer Frederick Law Olmsted—first proposed the plan for Forest Park in 1903. His proposal launched a battle between two ideological visions for the land. Olmsted and fellow landscape architects believed that creating natural spaces within the city would be important for future generations, while landowners and lumber companies believed the property should be used for commercial purposes.

Landscaping with Santa Rita Landscaping

The commercial interests initially won the fight, and the land that is now Forest Park was aggressively logged, while construction companies attempted to build housing developments. However, the unexpected expense of building roads on the mountain, coupled with the surrender of privately owned land in the area during the Great Depression, left an opening for those who wanted a park in the space. Finally, in 1945, the Portland City Club recommended that the land become a park. The Forest Park Committee of Fifty was formed, drawing members from the US Forestry Service and local civic organizations, to lobby the Portland City Planning Commission to designate the land as a park. In 1947, the commission approved the park, and it was dedicated to Forest Park in 1948. Today, the city and the Forest Park Conservancy, which grew out of the Committee of Fifty, continues to maintain and protect the parkland that Portland residents now hold dear.