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Features of a Water-Conscious Landscape Design

Water Feature- Natural 6When creating a landscape design in the desert, it is important to think about incorporating water-saving features that allow plants to grow without using too much of this valuable resource. If you want your yard to include water-conscious features, keep reading for some ideas:

Water Schedules

If you really want to conserve water in your landscaping, you should find out exactly how much water every plant needs to thrive. A lot of people unintentionally overwater their plants, which wastes a lot of water and might be bad for the plants. Talk to the landscape design company about how much to water each plant so you can only use the amount that you need.

Water Zones

Another great way to conserve water in your yard is to try to group together similar plants. Make a section of plants that need more water, for example, and try to put it closer to the house so it can soak up some of the water runoff. Use an efficient drip irrigation system with multiple zones so you can put plants that use more water on one valve and plants that use less water on another valve. An example would be zone #1, trees would be zone #2, citrus plants zone #3, and other plants zone #4. If you create water zones in your yard, you can make sure every plant gets the amount of water that it needs.

Mulch/Gravel

Mulch is a helpful resource for your yard because it keeps moisture and nutrients in the soil. Add mulch to your garden regularly to ensure that your plants stay hydrated even during the hottest times of the year.

Landscape Maintenance

Maintaining your landscaping is another great way to make your yard more water conscious. You should spend some time weeding, pruning, and fertilizing your plants to keep them in the best condition. Make an effort to control the amount of pests in the yard to enhance these water-saving methods even more.

Turn to Santa Rita Landscaping for help designing a water-friendly garden on your property. Our landscaping experts will help you figure out what to plant so you get the most aesthetically appealing and functional landscape design. To learn more about our services, visit us online or call (520) 623-0421.

Plants That Thrive in Tucson

Filling your backyard with plants that do well in the desert landscape is a great way to ensure that they thrive. Use this guide for some inspiration about which plants to choose for your Tucson backyard so you can optimize the appeal of your landscaping.

Queen’s Wreath

This low-water vine grows pink or white flowers in clusters. It needs a moderate amount of water and full sunlight to reach its true potential and tends to thrive in hot environments. Queen’s Wreath is non-allergenic and does not have thorns, which makes it safe to plant in your yard.

Bougainvillea

This bush can grow in direct or reflected sunlight and sprouts beautiful flowers in a variety of bright colors. It does not need to be watered often and can grow throughout the year as long as there is no frost. It is non-allergenic and can be found in either vine or shrub form.

Cape Honeysuckle

If you like to watch wildlife in its natural habitat, you might want to plant some Cape Honeysuckle in your yard. With bright red and orange flowers, this shrub or vine draws the attention of birds and hummingbirds. It needs a moderate amount of water and either full or partial sunlight.

Pink Trumpet Vine

This vine has clusters of pink flowers and a gentle fragrance that can enhance your landscape. It is non-allergenic and truly blooms at the end of summer and the beginning of fall.

No matter what kind of plants you want for your residential landscaping project, Santa Rita Landscaping is here to give them to you. Since 1985, we have offered some of the best landscape design services throughout the Tucson area. To learn more about our services, call us today at (520) 623-0421.

Tips for Planning a Victory Garden

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAA lot of people are afraid to develop any kind of landscape design in their Tucson yards because the extreme heat makes it hard to keep certain plants properly watered. A victory garden gives you a way to create shade and optimize irrigation efforts without wasting a lot of water. Keep reading to learn more about what a victory garden is and how to plan one for your yard so your own plants can thrive.

Placing Lots of Plants Put Close Together

The secret to a victory garden is planting a lot of plants densely. All of these plants together create shade that can provide protection for neighboring plants to prevent too much direct sunlight from ruining your landscaping. This dense planting style helps you keep your plants alive while the harsh Arizona sun beats down on them.

Creating Irrigation Rows

Add a specific valve to your irrigation system to specifically water your victory garden. This will allow you to water your victory garden more frequently while watering other areas of your yard separately. This gives you the chance to ensure that each plant has enough water without significantly increasing your utility costs. It also allows the plants to thrive even during the hottest parts of the summer.

Maintaining Your Victory Garden

If you can manage to create enough shade and plenty of irrigation in your victory garden, you can keep your plant life alive throughout the year even as the temperatures soar above 100 degrees.

If you need help creating a victory garden or any other landscape design in your backyard, Santa Rita Landscaping can help. With some of the best residential and commercial landscaping services in Tucson, we know what it takes to keep plants alive in the desert climate. For more information about our services, visit us online or call (520) 623-0421.

How to Attract Birds to Your Landscape

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOne of the best parts of living in Arizona is the access you get to a variety of beautiful wildlife species. With the right kind of landscaping features, you can attract even more birds to your yard so you can enjoy nature at its finest.

Plant Diverse Species

Different kinds of birds are attracted to different kinds of plants as food sources. Plant a few tubular flowers in bright colors like red or orange to attract hummingbirds. Ocotillo and betony are great options for enticing these birds to visit your yard. Prickly pear cacti and pyracantha are plants that attract mockingbirds and thrashers. If you want to see more quail, doves, or sparrows in your yards, you should put out some birdseed for them. Be sure to include plenty of colorful flowers in your garden so the birds can easily spot your landscaping.

Add a Fountain

Although birdbaths might attract birds, the still water inside could spread diseases. A better option is installing a fountain with moving water. This way, birds can still enjoy the water without coming into contact with or spread bacteria that could cause serious health issues.

Provide Places for Nests

Plant plenty of trees and shrubs that have strong, forked branches so the birds have the opportunity to build nests where they can stay safe from predators and weather. You might also want to keep your yard a little untidy because leaves and other plant debris attract insects, which will encourage more birds to come to your property.

The landscape design experts at Santa Rita Landscaping are here to help you achieve all of your goals for the exterior of your property. Whether you want to attract more birds to your yard or create a custom landscape for your commercial property, we can help. Since 1985, we have offered some of the top landscaping services in the city. To learn more about our design services, visit our website or call (520) 623-0421.

Creating an Enjoyable Outdoor Living Space in the Southwest

Outdiir Living Space

With beautiful weather for most of the year, living in the Southwest gives you the perfect opportunity to create an outdoor living space on your property. Take advantage of the sunshine and favorable temperatures by using the following tips to build yourself a functional and comfortable outdoor living space.

Incorporate Pottery and Terracotta

Adobe, pottery, and terracotta are easily recognizable symbols of Southwest design that can withstand time in direct sunlight. If you want to keep your outdoor living space complementary to the area in which you live, you should incorporate some of these features with your landscape design. From Olla pottery holders for plants to terracotta tiles, these decorative features can add a lot to your exterior design.

Add Some Fountains

Fountains help you create some movement in the yard while enhancing the look and feel of the features around it. Choose a few natural stone fountains and place them throughout the backyard to create a certain atmosphere for your property that lets you truly enjoy your new outdoor living space.

Surround the Landscaping with Gravel

Instead of trying to plant something like grass that does not thrive in the desert, you should fill in the spaces in your landscaping with gravel. Choose gravel in a desert hue to keep the theme of the outdoor living space in tact.

Work on Your Patio

If you want the opportunity to really enjoy your outdoor living area, you have to create a comfortable place for sitting and eating. Make sure the patio has plenty of shade and seating so you and your guests can sit outside and enjoy the weather at any time of year.

The landscape design experts at Santa Rita Landscaping can help you create a beautiful outdoor area for your home. We also specialize in commercial construction and maintenance to ensure that the businesses of Tucson have the opportunity to optimize the aesthetic appeal of their property. To learn more about our services, visit us online or call (520) 623-0421.