Low-Maintenance Landscape Ideas for Rental Properties

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.