The best desert landscape ideas should consider beauty and care.
The water availability in a desert landscape presents some challenges, so plan on usingdrought-tolerant, temperature-hardy plants.
When planning your desert landscaping, consider hardscaping and using gravel planting beds, among other things.
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Desert landscapes are easy to design, low-maintenance, and stunning.
Many desert dwellers are also avid gardeners.
Here, we’ve gathered ideas to help you brainstorm design projects for your desert landscape.
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Look at ways to comfortably enjoy your space at different times of the day or evening.
it’s possible for you to also use apergolato provide shade for harsh, sunny days.
Since desert evenings can get cool, add afirepit for colder nights.
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you’ve got the option to find such colors in succulents, cactuses, and desert wildflowers.
Desert sunrises and sunsets illuminate a garden with gorgeous muted colors.
There are many ways to integrate bright or subtle colors, including using stones or planting containers.
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A cactus is a succulent, but a succulent is not necessarily a cactus.
These include floweringRussian sage,sedums,agastache,fountain grass,Mediterranean herbs likerosemaryandlavender, and manysalvias.
Containers give you great flexibility for creative designs.
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Terracotta pots have warm tones that complement succulents' greens, grays, and blues for a natural look.
Glazed ceramic pots provide more color possibilities and conserve water better than unglazed ones.
Clay or earthenware pots are recommended for keeping the soil at a more consistent temperature.
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Water your container plants in the late afternoon for maximum vitality and water conservation.
They can also work well for naturally occurring slopes or gullies.
Dry stream beds are functional and beautiful, even in a front yard.
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Plant Agaves
Plant fleshy blue-leavedagave succulentswith their large size and chunky foliage to make a dramatic statement.
Their pale blue and silvery hues are a classic choice for the desert garden.
They’re also incredibly heat and drought-tolerant.
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Mulch is less expensive than stone, rocks, or gravel.
Like most desert plants, euphorbias have shallow root systems.
Desert soils are sandy and often dry.
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Trees and shrubs also benefit from a wood-chip mulch covering to keep moisture from evaporating and weeds from sprouting.
Larger stones look attractive next to the pointed and spiky shapes of succulents.
The rounded river rock in this bed provides a beautiful textural contrast.
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Lay Out Some Artificial Turf
Opting forartificial turfover traditional lawns helps keep maintenance low and conserves water.
Conventional lawns are hard to maintain in a desert climate because of high water demand.
Many Southwest landscaping companies specialize in artificial turf, as it’s a popular choice for desert lawns.
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Other brightly colored Southwest natives include Mexican gold poppies, desert mallow, anddesert rose.
These all grow from seeds available from vendors specializing in heirloom and native plants.
Embellish Front Yard With Dramatic, Simple Shapes
Drama can arise from even the most simplistic designs.
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This minimalist design is from a gorgeous landscape at a home in Palm Springs, California.
Plant Closely to Save Water
Choose native plants as they tend to thrive with available rainfall.
Another good trick for maximizing water use is to plant things close together.
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Desert heat makes water evaporate quickly, and sandy desert soils don’t retain moisture very well.
Close together, the plants shade each other and prevent soil moisture evaporation.
Plant Mediterranean Flowers
Design the garden of your dreams withMeditteranean flower gardens.
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Many colorful Mediterranean plants do well in desert gardens.
Build Raised Beds for Veggies
Vegetable gardening in a desert is possible with raised beds.
Water as needed by hand, and do not bother with irrigation.
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Adorn With a Pergola
A pergola is an attractive way to provide shade in your garden.
A pergola creates a pleasant outdoor seating area and provides a structure for a patio or other open space.
Variegated varieties like the gold and green ‘Color Guard’ will add plenty of pizzazz to the desert garden.
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Work With the Landscape
Dazey Den
Incorporate the natural landscape.
If your desert landscape includes large boulders or sloping hills, use them in your design.
The most dynamic desert garden designs often arise from the land and are inspired by the immediate surroundings.
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Use found objects like rocks and desert driftwood for edging or sculptural accents.
Rocks, stones, gravel, river rocks, or large boulders don’t need watering or special care.
Rocks used in place of mulch will also allow water to permeate the ground and keep moisture from evaporating.
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Most have a mounding or clumping growth habit.
These trees are accustomed to little water and full sun.
Planted near a home, they can help keep a home a little cooler in summer.
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Desert landscaping is also calledxeriscaping.
The root word “xeri” means “uses little water.”
Plan a desert garden by considering the types of drought-tolerant plants that will thrive in the climate.
Dazey Den
Avoid any plants that need humidity.
A desert backyard can act as more of an oasis.
you’ve got the option to add some visually pleasing plants.
Edmund Barr
However, focus on planting trees and other plants that provide privacy versus style.
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The Spruce / Sarah Crowley
