Dreaming of a sustainable desert garden of your own? Check out these collaborative backyard transformations for inspiration!

Rusty outdoor patio furniture with a green vine climbing a pole, behind a rust-colored corrugated metal fence and a red shade sail, under a covered patio with string lights, and a small garden area with plants and a small statue.
A gravel pathway in a backyard garden bordered by large rocks, with various plants and cacti along the sides. There's a rust-colored corrugated metal fence in the background and a blue structure with shade cloths overhead. A small decorative sign wit
A small outdoor patio area with a white round table and a metal chair with a woven pattern, covered by a reddish-brown fabric canopy, surrounded by a brown wooden fence and a gray metal fence, with a bird feeder hanging and sunlight filtering through
Backyard garden with a gravel path, small plants, colorful candles in jars lining the border, a wooden fence, and shade sails overhead, during daytime.

Funky Urban Patio

  • This yard had great bones with new shade sails and a cool rusted metal fence. She wanted to add liveliness to her narrow yard, creating a wild, but intentional space to enjoy.

  • As a plant-lover, she wanted one of everything! The choices seemed overwhelming and she wasn’t sure how to make it look cohesive and feel inviting.

  • SHE teamed up with Flecha Landscapes to install a diverse suite of plants and a simple irrigation system. The planting areas were mulched and the pathway was defined with a handsome rock border.

  • Together, we created the perfect spot for morning coffee and entertaining.

A garden with yellow and purple flowers, potted plants on a patio, and a brick pillar supporting a wooden post.
A monarch butterfly resting on light purple flowers among green plants.
A simple backyard with a big beige wall, small plants, flowers, and a dirt ground.
A desert garden featuring various plants and trees, including a tall cactus, flowering bushes, and succulents, with a sandy pathway and a beige wall in the background.

Midwest Master Gardener Moves to the Desert

  • Sherry was a Master Gardener from a more temperate region before moving Tucson. Her patio home had great mountain views, but the yard was a blank slate.

  • After working on a plan together, Sherry installed her beautiful new garden herself – and her personality and green thumb shows through.

  • Three years later her garden still looks great, with pops of color and surprises in every corner. This garden was even featured in AZ Plant Lady’s must-have book, Dry Climate Gardening.

  • On a recent follow-up visit, I was delighted to catch a monarch butterfly nectaring in the garden!

Close-up of a yellow flower with purple flowers and a yellow wall in the background, with red mulch on the ground.
A small backyard garden with yellow flowers, green plants, rocks, paving stones, and exterior walls of a yellow stucco house.
Two men working on planting or gardening near a yellow stucco wall, with plants and gardening tools around them.
Backyard patio with pavers and gravel, attached to a yellow house with sliding glass doors, a wooden post, and a small mailbox at the corner.

A Tiny Patio for Birds

  • Nancy’s new townhome is surrounded by beautiful natural desert. As avid birders, she and her husband wanted to be able to make the most of their small patio space.

  • SHE enlisted the help of Earthcare Landscapes to install irrigation and a carefully-selected mix of plants.

  • The species had to be beautiful, provide resources for birds, and be of appropriate scale for the small area. In addition, the species needed to be low-water use and low maintenance to match the busy lifestyle of these retirees.

  • This project really proves that you can do a lot with a small space!

Lets create the restorative desert garden you dream about

The cover of a calendar titled 'Bloom Calendars' with a dark blue background, pink handwritten text, and an illustration of a cactus with flowers and small insects at the bottom right. The calendar features top lists of native plants for pollinator and wildlife gardening in Arizona, published by Habitat Enhancements.

Download my Bloom Calendars to help guide you in creating a colorful garden all year round.