Last month’s article focused on planning and designing a great backyard. The basics of this article came from a booklet titled, Landscaping with Style in the Arizona Desert.
Again, referencing this booklet, I will try to help homeowners like yourself begin to attack some of the key issues that are needed to accomplish your goals.
Oftentimes, homeowners may choose to call a landscape designer like myself. On a personal side, I am a semi-retired designer who lives in the Red Mountain Ranch area.
First questions to deal with: Is this going to be a plan for a new home with zero landscaping? Is this going to be a plan for some existing landscaping and you want to add both hardscape and plantscape? Or is it going to be a plan to start over again by pulling out most of the existing landscape work? Homeowners need to consider their wish list and most importantly ask themselves if it will meet their landscape and budget requirements.
Another question to consider, if you live in a neighborhood with an HOA is, “What are the requirements regarding landscaping?” If you do not live in an HOA community, then you are free of those restrictions.
The booklet also points out essential elements to consider: Good planning and design, low water-use plants, appropriate turf areas, efficient irrigation, soil conditions, use of ground cover types, and appropriate maintenance that may be required.
Hopefully we’ll receive some rain this month. We do need to remember to adjust time clocks too, if you have one. This is to save on your water bill and save on your sewer bill, which is correlated to the amount of water used during the winter months.
Call Frank to discuss your landscape design needs at (480) 235-0383.