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How to have a Diverse Landscape in Arizona without Looking Like Your Neighbor

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How to have a Diverse Landscape in Arizona without Looking Like Your Neighbor

Deciding what to plant in your landscape is an important decision. But, it can be hard to decide on a design that suits the Arizona environment without looking like your neighbor! Here are some tips for having a diverse landscape in the desert! 

Be Willing Not to Pick the “Common” Plants

If you drive down any neighborhood in Phoenix, you’ll usually find the same 10 - 12 plants regurgitated in everyone’s yard. The trick to not looking like everyone else is to avoid the most common plants. Here is a list of the most common Arizona plants:

  • Lantana

  • Bogenvillas

  • Texas Sage

  • Yellow Bells

  • Trailing Rosemary

  • Hybrid Mesquite

  • Hybrid Palo Verde

  • Acacia

  • Red Yucca

  • Oleander

  • Mexican Bird

  • Baja Ruellia

Choose Your Style

Avoiding the common plants is just part of the process of being unique. The next thing you want to figure out is what kind of “look” you’re going for: Mediterranean, Desert, or Arid Tropical. Make sure to research what’s allowed in your HOA, then check out these suggestions for unique looking yards:

Mediterranean

Look out for broad leaf green trees like these:

  • Ash Trees

  • Chinese Elm

  • Fruitless Olive

Implement plants that have more of a hedge style of plantings:

  • Tuscan Rosemary

  • Natal Plums

Find plants that will give you colorful flowers:

  • Little Johns

  • Tacomas

Install plants that have aroma:

  • Tuscan Rosemary

  • Texas Mount Laurels (bush or a patio style tree)

Desert

Make sure to have good color:

  • Valentine Bush

  • Penstemon

  • Damanito Daisies

  • Mexican Petunias

Get plants that will come in and out during different seasons:

  • Valentine Bush (winter)

  • Damanito Daisies (winter)

  • Mexican Bird (fall/winter)

Don’t forget to choose unique cacti:

  • Golden Barrels

  • Santa Rita Prickly Pear

Arid Tropical

Ensure that your plants will have good color:

  • Mexican Petunias

  • Tacomas

  • Trumpet Vine

Add in succulents that have structure and a softer edge :

  • Smooth Agave

  • Aloe Vera

Plant flowering trees:

  • Yellow Oleander Tree

  • Chaste Monk Pepper Tree

  • Desert Willow

Choose Wildflower Desert Design as Your Backyard Design Professional

These are the recommendations that we would give you if you work with us. Want to talk plants?. If you want to bring your landscaping dreams to life, we can help by creating a professional landscape design and install plan.  

Here’s how it works:

  1. You Dream – Think Big! Let us show you your dreams.

  2. We Design – Our 3D rendering provides a true realm of reality.

  3. They Build – We are here to fully assist you in choosing the right contractor for the job.

For more questions about your landscaping needs, contact us at Wildflower Desert Design. Call us today for a FREE consultation!