The entire city of Dubai may be considered something of a miracle, since the Middle Eastern city sits upon a harsh desert landscape, where summer temperatures regularly average 104 degrees. Despite the extreme temperatures and harsh climate of the city, it is home to some of the most ambitious and technologically advanced engineering projects in the world, including the Dubai Miracle Garden, which contains the largest natural flower garden on the planet. Since opening in 2013, the Dubai Miracle Garden has attracted visitors from around the world to see the stunning attractions discussed below.

Floral Clock

Among the 45 million flowers spanning 72,000 square meters of land is the impressive Floral Clock, which is 13 meters in diameter and made from real plants with flowers that are changed seasonally twice per year. This feature and the amazing wealth of flowers and trees contained in the garden are maintained through a drip system that reuses waste water to sustain a lush landscape in the desert climate.

Peacocks

There are many unique colorful features along the four kilometers of walkways that weave through the gardens, including 3 peacocks crafted from flowers. Two are displayed with open tails spanning 12 meters in diameter, and one has a closed tail of 13 meters in length.

Butterfly Park

One of the later features of the Dubai Miracle Garden is the Dubai Butterfly Garden, which is another record-breaking attraction as the world’s largest indoor butterfly garden and sanctuary for 15,000 butterflies representing 26 different species.

The Garden of Cosmic Speculation is a dynamic 30 acre garden, which offers captivating scenery reminiscent of the set of Alice in Wonderland with sculptures and landscaping inspired by black holes, fractals, and other features of modern cosmology. What’s even more distinctive about this Scotland garden is that it is only open to the public for one day each year, making it a desirable tourist destination and point of interest for amateur and professional photographers alike. Keep reading to learn more about this abstract yet beautiful garden, which may serve as a source of inspiration for your own modern landscape at home.

Limited public access

The Garden of Cosmic Speculation is part of the home of its designer, Charles Jencks. The residence, called the Portrack House, is located near Dumfries, and it is restricted as private property for most of the year. Typically, the garden will open for a single day each year, and guests will pay admission to see the landscape and sculptures with the proceeds raising money for the cancer care charity, Maggie’s Centres.

Unique garden features

Many of the mathematic and scientific themes of the garden are seen in sculptures rather than plant life. An abundance of asymmetrical and curved structures offsets the perfectly groomed natural landscape for an abstract and whimsical look throughout the garden. A number of creative minds have taken inspiration from this garden, including composer Michael Gandolfi, who used the garden as the subject of an original orchestral composition in 2009.

As you gather ideas for your home landscape by exploring some of the world’s most famous gardens, connect with Santa Rita Landscaping to discuss your project. We provide commercial and residential landscape design services throughout Southern Arizona, so give us a call at (520) 623-0421 to schedule a design consultation.

Whether you are considering updating your existing garden, or are creating a landscape design for a new property, it is a great idea to consider incorporating hardscaping into your design. Hardscaping is a term that describes any landscaping element that has been constructed from natural rock or stone. As you are creating your new landscaping, hardscaping can be used to provide your property with functional spaces and fantastic style. Read on for a closer look at how hardscaping can be used as a transformative element for your yard.

Create Additional Living Space

In Tucson, we are blessed with sunshine throughout every month of the year. If you are seeking an effective way to increase your outdoor living space, you may want to consider using hardscaping elements to construct a backyard patio. With the right furnishings and materials, your backyard patio will be an inviting space for your family and friends.

Direct Foot Traffic

If you have taken the time to create a thoughtful and beautiful landscape design in your yard, it is important to make sure that your visitors are encouraged to take a look at your entire garden. With hardscaping, you can use pavers or natural stone elements to create a footpath that will direct foot traffic throughout your landscaping.

Define Specific Spaces

When your landscaping contains both ornamental and edible components, it is a terrific idea to define these spaces using hardscaping. For example, a natural stone wall can be used to create an enclosure around your vegetable garden. Other space-defining ideas include walkways, benches, and lattices.
If you have been dreaming of updating your landscaping with new plants and hardscaping elements, the master landscapers at Santa Rita Landscaping can help you transform your dream into a wonderful reality. With our landscape design and maintenance services, you will be provided with a functional and beautiful garden that perfectly complements your home. Call us at (520) 623-0421 to set up a design consultation for your landscaping today.

The Majorelle Garden of Marrakesh, Morocco is an expansive garden, covering nearly two and a half acres, offering exceptional beauty with a large selection of exotic plants, trees, and cacti. The desert climate of the garden and the vibrant colors used throughout its design may serve as features in your own landscape as you plan your outdoor renovation project at your Tucson home. Read on to get a closer look at the beautiful designs seen throughout the Majorelle Garden.

Garden History

Majorelle Garden features heavy French inspiration, because it was the product of Jacques Majorelle, a French architect living in Morocco in the 1920s and 30s. During this period, the nation of Morocco was a protectorate of France. Though Majorelle had a passion for orientalist watercolors, his legacy is the garden.

Colorful Features

A bright shade of cobalt blue is used so extensively throughout the garden that the color is known as Majorelle Blue. Offsetting the bright structures of the garden, there are many distinct landscape designs featuring cacti, palm trees, and water lilies. Pools and fountains are also seen throughout the gardens, attracting an array of bird species, including house sparrows, robins, warblers, blackbirds, and turtledoves. There is also a museum showcasing a number of North African textiles, ceramics, and the paintings of Majorelle.

Public Access

The garden has been a public attraction since 1947. Under the ownership of famed fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge, the garden has been open to the public since 1980. In 2008, Laurent’s ashes were scattered in the garden after his passing. There is now a Laurent memorial and new street front sign renaming the entrance of the garden to Rue Yves Saint Laurent.

If you are inspired to revitalize your outdoor space with landscape renovation in Tucson, call Santa Rita Landscaping at (520) 623-0421.

The fall season is on its way, and now is the perfect time to consider updating your Tucson garden with new plants and landscaping elements. As outdoor temperatures cool off, you will be able to plant a variety of vegetables that will thrive in cooler temperatures. With the assistance of a team of landscape design experts, you can ensure that your plants are perfectly suited to Tucson’s desert climate. If you are wondering how you can refresh your landscaping this fall, here is a look at some great plants to consider in the upcoming season.

Broccoli

If you have been encouraging your family to eat their broccoli, you should consider adding this bountiful brassica to your fall vegetable garden. Broccoli is a cool weather plant that prefers lower sunlight and plenty of water. After you plant broccoli from seed, your plants will mature in about 80 days.

Cabbage

Cabbage is an edible and decorative addition to any garden. When you plant cabbage in the fall, you can rest assured that this vegetable is well suited to Tucson’s weather. As you are selecting cabbages to plant, you may want to consider alternating species that develop in vibrant shades of green, purple, and even blue.

Collard Greens

While kale has seen its moment in the sun as the hot vegetable of the moment, many chefs and gardeners are turning to collard greens as the latest vegetable trend. When you plant collard greens in the fall, your plants will be ready to harvest in as few as 40 days. Additionally, collards are remarkably resistant to both hot days and cooler temperatures.

For help planning your fall garden, be sure to get in touch with Santa Rita Landscaping. We proudly provide the Tucson area with a variety of landscape design and maintenance services, and we will help you create a beautiful and seasonally appropriate garden. To set up a consultation for your landscaping today, give us a call at (520) 623-0421.