Ideas for low maintenance desert landscaping?

[Chaotic42]

I flew over Arizona once and I am rather certain there is zero grass in the entire state.

Yeah, that's the impression I went in with. It turns out that there's a ton of lush forest in the northern part of the state. https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=35.23677,-112.182298&spn=0.118336,0.26144&t=m&z=13&layer=c&cbll=35.23677,-112.182298&panoid=cJWtlWDoktpr-ZiB-CCxOA&cbp=12,355.59,,0,-7.8

 

[IronWing]

For low maintainance plants:
Golden barrel is a Mexican import but it is impossible to kill.
Fire barrel, Coville's barrel, and compass barrel are all PHX natives. They take more work to get established but are good after that.
Bear grass and desert spoon (sotol) are easy.
Saguaro is hard to get established and it can take three to four years for it to let you know you killed it.
Prickly pear and cholla are super easy but they drop limbs and fruit everywhere.
Palo verde and mesquite are messy.
If you are person of good virtue you might convince a joshua tree to grow.
You're probably too low for any oaks but you might try scrub oak.
Grapefruit trees (oro blanca hydrid in particular) are hearty and just need regular water and occassional fertilizer.
Chuperosa are easy and the hummingbirds love them.
Stay away from gopher plants. They will take over your yard.
Agaves look great and require no work other than maybe a watering or two.
Jojoba should grow well at your elevation.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I've already informed my GF, when we buy a house there will be a brick pizza oven outside and a metal island for food prep in the kitchen. This is not up for debate!

I would assume your GF would likely agree with you on both counts, since womenfolk tend to also find food delicious.

 

[NoTine42]

Yeah, that's the impression I went in with. It turns out that there's a ton of lush forest in the northern part of the state. https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=35.23677,-112.182298&spn=0.118336,0.26144&t=m&z=13&layer=c&cbll=35.23677,-112.182298&panoid=cJWtlWDoktpr-ZiB-CCxOA&cbp=12,355.59,,0,-7.8

when I drove from Cali to the Grand Canyon (N Arizona) this summer, it was nice finally seeing natural greenery!

 

[BurnItDwn]

I say plant maybe a couple trees if you can get away with watering them much less then $50 a month, and get some useable shade out of the deal, as well as greenery...

Accacia trees maybe?

But I live on a 8000 sq foot lot with like 25 trees ... a couple of them 50ft+

 

[norseamd]

You might want to consider some drought tolerant plant or grass species.

 

[jlee]

You might want to consider some drought tolerant plant or grass species.

Trying to get away from grass - this stuff is miserable to walk on barefoot, and when it rains it explodes with growth.

 

[norseamd]

Trying to get away from grass - this stuff is miserable to walk on barefoot, and when it rains it explodes with growth.

How often do you walk barefoot anywhere in the day? Eventually if you walk barefoot some of the time your foot will start to be more leather-like.

Well I am assuming if you do not like to walk on some grasses then rock is out of the question. Not that knowledgeable about desert plants so you might want to look at some of the nongrass species that were also brought up in here.

 

[norseamd]

Would shade from some trees lower the watering requirements for your yard?

 

[jlee]

Would shade from some trees lower the watering requirements for your yard?

Maybe, but then I'd have to cut it, and it'd still be unpleasant. This isn't nice friendly east coast grass. This is desert grass that can be apparently dead for months and then come back after you water it.

How often do you walk barefoot anywhere in the day? Eventually if you walk barefoot some of the time your foot will start to be more leather-like.

Well I am assuming if you do not like to walk on some grasses then rock is out of the question. Not that knowledgeable about desert plants so you might want to look at some of the nongrass species that were also brought up in here.

I'm not going to expect every girl in my pool to have leather-like feet in order to walk on the grass.

This is pretty nasty grass. Almost like sticks.

 

[norseamd]

Then I am at a loss for now. You could go to Home Depot or some other store and ask them about it.

 

[halik]

lots of these:

 

[highland145]

Damn, J, http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=36847819&postcount=25

https://www.google.com/search?q=Che...CkyAS1wYCIAQ&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=636

https://www.google.com/search?q=Nau...qfyAS804GgBw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=636

You live in a desert. Enjoy it.

 

[jlee]

I'm thinking crushed rock on the front yard because it doesn't matter, then concrete/pavers around the pool...just have to decide what to do with the grass. A flagstone patio would be pretty nice, but spendy. I could make a larger garden, which would be more useful than grass, but potentially more work (but...food!).

lots of these:

:awe:

 

[jlee]

Damn, J, http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=36847819&postcount=25

https://www.google.com/search?q=Che...CkyAS1wYCIAQ&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=636

https://www.google.com/search?q=Nau...qfyAS804GgBw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=636

You live in a desert. Enjoy it.

Yeah, I might have to look into those too.

 

[highland145]

Yeah, I might have to look into those too.

As long as the toyo has a spot.

 

[jlee]

As long as the toyo has a spot.

Already fixed.

 

[Red Squirrel]

That's some nice smooth concrete. I want to eventually do that in my garage. Right now my garage looks like the surface of the moon.

 

[piasabird]

Well you coud have some kind of covered patio design with the criss crossed wood slats and then plant some heat tolerant trees or bushes/shrubs along the sides. A nice porch or deck with an awning that can cover it might be nice. Maybe some vines or something. Indoor/outdoor carpet. Parachute cover for a large patio. Or a type of covered pergola.

 

[T9D]

Here is all the heat and drought tolerant plants and trees that look nice you should consider, pretty much anything juniper:


sky rocket juniper
wichita blue juniper
blue arrow juniper
blue star juniper (ground cover)
Juniper blue rug

Some really big grasses like Pampas Grass (6 feet or more)

There is a bamboo that grows 30 feet and is very drought tolerant called phyllostachys decora. Would work great on the edge to shade everything else which will help you to grow more and water less. The bamboo still needs some watering though but it would be worth it.

You could also get some of those large stock tanks to grow specialty plants in them. Keep good soil in them.

Then maybe just a small artificial grass area in the center or something.

 

[piasabird]

There are probably trees that will grow in dry climates.

Take a look at this site. Looks interesting.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Arte...emesia-Landscape-Architecture/125306177515071

 

[XavierMace]

Be aware that crushed rock may not be as affordable as you think and if you don't do it right, it's more work than grass.

We had a couple of prickly pears in our front yard but got rid of them before you moved out because of their previously mentioned habit of "shedding". Barrel cacti look decent and require zero maintenance.

I would totally get a cholla or two for your front yard. I figure one sniff and your neighbors dogs will never be in your yard again.

Keep in mind you don't want anything prickly in the back as Spencer will be sure to investigate with sad results.

 

[bbhaag]

Some type of rounded stone intermixed with sedum angelina might be worth looking into. Most Sedum are very hardy succulents that would thrive in a climate like yours.

Euphorbia Bonfire or similar might work to. Most Euphorbia are very drought tolerant. I'm not very familiar with the south west though so my suggestions might be a bit off.

 

[her_]

Id just concrete it like you said. You can get some nice looking concrete finishes. Or bricks or whatever put some.raised beds in. Easy garden. Mine is like a big deck (wood) but I'd rather concrete. What do your neighbours have?

 

[jlee]

Id just concrete it like you said. You can get some nice looking concrete finishes. Or bricks or whatever put some.raised beds in. Easy garden. Mine is like a big deck (wood) but I'd rather concrete. What do your neighbours have?

Welcome to Anandtech!

Mixture of mostly-maintained grass, not-at-all-maintained grass, dirt, gravel, and brick/driveway, depending on the house.