Look what we’ve been busy doing. . . creating Arizona landscape designs for our Phoenix clients! Check out a few of our more recent projects in Phoenix.
Choosing the Perfect Design for Your Arizona Backyard Landscapes
Good landscape design will enhance your home, reduce your work, and provide what you need and want in your outdoor living spaces. Good designs should look good all year. A well-designed landscape should provide a retreat where homeowners can rest, relax, entertain and enjoy the outdoors! Whether you need a new landscape or it’s time for a redo, starting with a good landscape design will reduce frustration and increase your satisfaction with the end results.
Scottsdale Landscape Design
Here are just a few helpful landscape tips:
- Hardscaping — walkways, patios and pool decks – should be roughly a third of the overall space. Hardscaping can be attractive, servicable and it doesn’t require water or mowing.
-Turf — natural turf or artificial turf – also can be about a third of the landscape space. Natural turf is the most water, labor and pesticide consuming plant in the landscape, so keep just enough for visual balance and play area. Artificial turf or putting greens are becoming more popular in Arizona landscape designs because gives the look of natural grass without the maintenance and cost of water & pesticides.
- Maintenance — Reduce maintenance on turf areas — Don’t plant shrubs, perennials and other lone plants in the turf and avoid turf on extreme slopes, narrow or awkward areas where the mower won’t fit or that will require a lot of edging.
- Edging — Good edging will reinforce your design line and help keep grass in the lawn and out of other areas. Pavers, brick and concrete are some of the more common materials used as a border. If planting beds contain creeping ground cover and shrubs, it’s a good idea to separate the two with edging.
- Plant Selection — Select plants that won’t take over beds. Everybody know to choose plants that are native or adapted, but are you aware that some well-adapted plants may be spreaders?
Gilbert landscaping
- Irrigation — A well planned and designed irrigation system is vital in your Arizona landscape design! In Arizona we can’t depend on the rain to keep our plants alive. It’s important to audit your existing system regularly along with changing your watering cycles with each season. Often once an irrigation problem is identifed they are usually easy to fix.
If your thinking about starting your new landscape or wanting to renovate your older landscape, calling a reputable landscape designer and contractor could save you time, money and a lot of frustration in the long run. At Dream Retreats we’ve been designing and installing residential landscapes in the Phoenix and surrounding areas for over 20 years. We offer FREE in-home consulations. Give us a call or contact us through our website!
Is Your Arizona Landscape Design Ready For A Green Spring?
If your unsure on how to successfully transition your Arizona landscape design from winter to spring and eventually the hot summer your not alone! Now is the time to prepare your yard for the change to warmer seasons. When the nighttime temperatures are 60 – 70 degrees that’s the signal to get started in your preparations.
TURF TRANSITION
-
Scottsdale Landscape Design
The height of winter turf should be reduced by 1/2 inch every week for the next few weeks to help kill off winter rye and encourage the development of summer Bermuda grass.
- Growth of Bermuda improves when sunlight is allowed to get through the grass canopy.
- Once the winter rye is choked out, spread a nitrogen-rich fertilizer to boost the Bermuda root system.
WATERING
- In the spring, water for just a few minutes in the early morning 3 to 4 days a week.
- Many homeowners water their turf more than what is needed. Too much water can result in rotting roots and pest invasions.
PLANTING PREP
- Prep your soil to make it safe and disease-free prior to planting.
- Preparations can include soil amendment, vitamin B and other nutrients and/or treatment with fungicides.
Scottsdale Landscape Design
With some effort now and over the next couple of months, a lush green lawn can be yours by the time summer comes around!
Backyard Kitchen Designs Are An Extension Of Your Home
Beautiful Outdoor Kitchens in Arizona
Along with many others in the landscape architecture and construction industry, we have designed and built many outdoor living spaces which become extensions to the home. An outdoor kitchen is an extension of the home which is constantly growing in demand and design. Depending on our client’s vision, we have designed and built simple outdoor BBQ’s to complete backyard kitchens which include refrigerators, prepping stations, and bar/seating areas. Our landscape architecture and design team strive for each client to have their backyard be a place of retreat and peace of mind.
Arizona Backyard Kitchen by Dream Retreats
We are hearing over and over again from our clients that they want to spend more time at home and make their home as nice as possible. Many of our clients are looking for ways to extend their ability to stay outdoors along with preparing their meals. Extending patios, outdoor fireplaces or firepits, water features and putting greens are ways they are accomplishing this. Essentially the backyard becomes a social gathering place for family and friends.
Many industry leaders believe that the continued retreat-to-the-backyard attitude is a result of the national economy over the past number of years. Homeowners are wanting to reinvest in their home. Rather than buying a new home, people continue to update their current residence. The backyard is often the first place homeowners go to a create their Dream Retreat! We offer FREE design consultations!
Chandler Landscape
Sports Entertaining in your Arizona Landscape Design
Arizona residents are lucky to be able to enjoy year-round weather! We have the ability to not only entertain in our homes but also have the option to entertain outdoors. Sports entertainment is growing in popularity in backyard landscape designs.
Sport courts are a popular option in landscape designs. If you have the room in your backyard a basketball or volleyball court make for fun entertainment. You can be as fancy as having a professional court installed to being as functional as pouring concrete then having basketball and/or volleyball court lines painted. Often clients request a half court or just a basketball key installed when their backyard space is limited.
Horseshoes & bocce ball are growing in popularity in Arizona outdoor living. Since side yards are often wasted space in many Arizona backyards, it’s an optimal place to build a horseshoe pit or bocce ball court. Both options are relatively inexpensive to install.
For those with small children, a spash pad with shooting streams of water is a fun option! They are a safe way to keep the kids cool in the Arizona heat because there is no standing water.
It might be a great time to consider transforming all or a part of your backyard into a functional outdoor living space that offers sports entertaining! Contact us for a FREE design consultation!
Outdoor Putting Greens = Outdoor Entertainment
Visualize countless hours of fun spent with family and friends. You can create a backyard dream retreat that everyone will enjoy! Backyard putting greens aren’t just for practice. You can actually play golf! Chipping and putting contest and mini games can create endless entertainment for you, your family and your friends. What a better way to introduce the kids to the game than with their very own putting green?
Outdoor Putting Greens Add To Arizona Landscape Design
Arizona homeowners spend a lot of time and money with their Arizona landscape design. A backyard putting green is a beautiful addition to your home. It’s manicure and flowing design can be incorporated into your existing or planned landscape design. These days the quality of artificial turf is amazing! The feel, look and performance of artificial turf is often hard to distinguish from real grass. Not only wil an outdoor putting green add to the value to your home but it will always look great while being maintenance free! One major benefit of having a personal putting green is you may take a few stokes off your game!
Personal Outdoor Putting Greens
Just imagine your own putting green! Many Arizona homeowners are having their own outdoor putting greens constructed in their backyards! Can you imagine walking out your back door onto your very own putting green? You no longer need to spend part of a day going to the course when you want to feel a club in your hands for a few minutes. Now you can just walk outside and you’re there. Unwind for a few minutes in the evenings on your private putting green, or take a break from weekend chores. There’s no limit to the benefits of your own backyard putting green.