When you look around at the natural landscape of the Sonoran Desert, there is a surprising amount of green that pops out from the sand. While the desert climate of southern Arizona is not often associated with successful gardening, the natural surroundings of the region prove that there is amazing diversity in native plant life. As you consider which plants may be best for your garden, consider these drought- and heat-resistant choices native to hot climates.

Yellow Columbine

With elegant small yellow flowers that may bloom continually with the right maintenance techniques, yellow columbine is a great choice for any garden where you want to see more butterflies and hummingbirds. These robust plants grow to about 3 feet tall and do best in full sun.

Bunny Ears Cactus

Cactus is an easy choice for a desert home, and the rarely spiny bunny ears cactus is a beautiful option with bright yellow flowers that arrive in spring and summer.

California Poppy

The California Poppy may offer an abundance of color to your garden with shades of yellow, orange, and pink that last all through summer. Annual poppies can tolerate full sun and may grow to about 18 inches in height.

Indian Paintbrush

If you want to see hummingbirds feeding in your garden, Indian Paintbrush is a drought-tolerant perennial that will do the trick. Its bright red flowers show up in spring and stick around until winter.

Green-Flowered Hedgehog Cactus

Even dry soil may offer some plant choices such as the green-flowered hedgehog cactus, which only grows to about 9 inches tall in full sun. These globe-shaped cacti produce vibrant green flowers early in the spring.
Santa Rita Landscaping has decades of expertise in desert landscaping, and we can help you create the garden of your dreams in your southern Arizona home. To explore all of your choices for renovating the landscape of your Tucson home or business, call us at 520-623-0421 today.

A landscaped and well-maintained outdoor space can be a big selling point for a home with lasting property value, but there may be some challenges that come up in designing your home’s landscape. You will want to find a balance between what is most practical, what is most aesthetically appealing, and what fits your budget. To achieve these goals, follow these steps in your planning for any Tucson landscape project.

Plan around focal points

A successful landscape design will have a focal point that stands out among other features while simultaneously tying the whole picture together. Whether the focal point is a city view from the foothills, a custom water feature, or a century-old saguaro, you should start and end your design with the centerpiece in mind.

Avoid excessive symmetry and curves

Symmetrical gardens are difficult to design and maintain, and they are not ideal for a desert-friendly landscape. Alternatively, a landscape design that makes liberal use of curves and wavy lines can look messy and disorganized. Long, gentle curves in pathways or raised gardens will provide a beautiful component to your non-symmetrical design without creating too much clutter.

Bring life to the landscape

Along with living plants, you will want to attract local wildlife to your outdoor space with flowers that appeal to hummingbirds and bees, water features to bring in larger birds, or a brightly colored garden for butterflies. Living elements in your landscape will keep movement in the space and help to maintain the natural aesthetic of the land around your home.
Santa Rita Landscaping can help you plan and execute landscaping projects of all sizes with our team of custom residential and commercial landscaping experts. With an eye for native plants and other eco-friendly features, we can let you embrace the beauty of Southern Arizona while creating a manicured around your house. To begin discussing your project, give us a call at 520-623-0421.

The Canary Islands are home to some of the most incredible biological research—including the cultivation of about 500 unique plant species separated into a series of gardens at the Jardín Botánico Canario. This botanical garden is located on Gran Canaria, one of the Canary Islands off the coast of Morocco, and it was officially opened to the public in 1959, remaining open year-round to the island’s visitors.

A unique garden landscape

Jardín Botánico Canario sits along a steep slope of a ravine with shallow caves and a waterfall, making this site a truly unique and breathtaking feature of the island. This site was chosen not just for its aesthetic qualities, but also for its ability to cultivate as many species as possible in the botanical makeup of the Canary Islands.

Endemic plant cultivation

The garden spans 27 acres and has several divisions such as the Garden of Cacti and Succulents, the Macaronesian Ornamental Garden, the Hidden Garden, and the Laurel-leaved Forest. Each of these distinct areas is dedicated to cultivating specific plant species, representing about 500 in total. Each of these are endemic to the islands. There is also a seed bank that was established in 1983 and now houses about 400 endemic tree species’ seeds.

Garden history

The story of Jardín Botánico Canario actually dates back to the 18th century, during which Spanish cleric Jose Viera y Clavijo attempted to establish a botanical garden on the islands. Though his attempt was unsuccessful, he is recognized in the full name of the garden, Jardín Botánico Canario Viera y Clavijo. The garden as it is today can be attributed to Erik Ragnar Svensson, who scouted the spot for the garden and developed it through the mid-20th century.

As you begin planning your residential or commercial landscape, you can find inspiration around the world with impressive gardens like Jardín Botánico Canario. For a local eye with decades of landscape expertise in Tucson, call Santa Rita Landscaping at 520-623-0421.

With the right landscape design, you can transform an outdoor area into a peaceful and beautiful oasis. If you need some help deciding on the right design for your outdoor area, you might want to explore some of the world’s most famous gardens. Keep reading to learn more about England’s historic Kew Gardens and why they are a favorite to so many:

Huge Expanses of Beautiful Plant Life

Kew Gardens expands for more than 130 hectares to give its patrons stunning views of landscapes, gardens, tropical glasshouses, and a treetop walkway. There are also cafes, restaurants, art galleries, a lake, and water lily pools so guests can spend the entire day wandering through the lustrous grounds. Everywhere you look in the gardens has some landscaping feature that makes the excursion special and unique.

An Amazing Array of Plant Life

Because of the glasshouses, Kew Gardens is able to include plant life from all over the world. The Palm House lets guests walk through a tropical rainforest without even leaving London. The Princess of Wales Conservatory has plants from 10 climatic zones located in one large glasshouse.

An Immersion of History

The Gardens are one of the most famous spots in London because they create a picture-perfect snapshot of some of England’s most notorious history through its plant life. The next time you are in London, carve out some time to spend wandering the gardens and enjoying the unique beauty of the English landscape. Walking through the gardens gives you a connection to people in the past who have done the same thing.

If you are looking for the perfect landscape design for your space, turn to Santa Rita Landscaping for help. For 30 years, we have served as one of the top landscaping companies in Tucson. Whether you want to transform your home garden or add some curb appeal to your commercial property, we can help. To learn more about our landscape design and maintenance services, visit us online or call (520) 623-0421.

The right landscape design can completely change the look and feel of your yard. Use this guide for help choosing the perfect plants for your design aspirations so you can get an outdoor area that increases the aesthetic appeal and the value of your home:

Look to Native Species

If you want your yard to look great without a lot of maintenance, you should try to choose plant species that come from The Sonoran Desert. Think about using some prickly pear cacti, the desert marigold, or coral penstemon to liven up your yard without increasing your workload. Native plants can survive in the arid southwestern climate with minimal care.

Find Groups with Similar Needs

When you are trying to choose plants for your yard, you should try to group them together based on their needs. Put the plants that need the most water close to the house so they get the attention they need. Group the plants that can survive with less water at the edge of your landscape design. If you can organize your yard by grouping plants with similar needs, it makes your landscape design function as a unit.

Think About Aesthetic Appeal

Before you finalize your plans for your landscape design, think about how the colors will work together to create a cohesive exterior design for your yard. Aesthetic appeal is an important element to consider if you want to build an outdoor area that has a personality of its own. Try to add just the right amount of color to create an inviting exterior design that makes you want to spend more time outside. You can use plants that bloom in various colors. Also, try to pick plants with different colors of foliage and texture to bring interest to your yard.

With the help of Santa Rita Landscaping, you can build a landscape design that meets all of your needs. For the past thirty years, we have worked hard to provide top residential and commercial landscaping services in the Tucson area. We can help you find your ideal landscaping personality. To learn more, visit us online or call (520) 623-0421.