Phoenix Metropolitan Area's Top Landscape Design & Build Company
Dream Retreats is a family-run landscape design and build company based in Gilbert, serving the Phoenix metro and East Valley. We have been at this for more than 30 years, and one company designs and builds your whole backyard under one roof. With a licensed landscape architect on staff, we create custom desert landscapes built to hold up in Arizona heat.
See What Your Project Will Cost
Use our free landscaping cost estimator for an instant price range.
Our Comprehensive Desert Landscape Design Services
The desert throws real challenges at any yard, so our design work starts with your actual property, not a template. We walk the site with you, look at how sun and shade move across it, and figure out where plants will actually thrive. We lean on native desert plants and drought-friendly species so your Phoenix metro landscape looks great without fighting the climate or drinking water all summer.
Good design is more than plants, though. We work in the hardscape too, the stone paths, gravel beds, and shade structures that give a desert yard its shape. Where natural grass struggles, we use artificial turf to keep a green space that needs no watering. Every East Valley design we draw balances how the yard looks with how you will actually live in it, and we hand you a 3D presentation plus a detailed estimate with options, all free.
30+
Years Experience
Expert Construction for Arizona's Unique Climate
Building in Arizona is not the same as building anywhere else. The heat swings, the sun is relentless, and materials that survive a mild climate can fail fast out here in the Phoenix metro. After more than 30 years in the East Valley, we know which products last and how to install them so your landscape holds up instead of breaking down a few seasons in.
Hardscape Installation
Irrigatiom Systems
Plant Establishment
Material Selection
Because we both design and build, the way a project gets installed is planned from the very first drawing, not figured out on the fly. Our crews know how to sequence work around Arizona heat, and because one company owns the whole job, nothing falls through the cracks between a design team and a separate build crew. You get a yard that is built right and made to last through our desert seasons.
Transforming Outdoor Spaces With Resort-Style Features
A backyard remodel in the Phoenix metro usually means a lot of moving parts, and the headache most homeowners dread is juggling a separate paver crew, block-wall crew, and pergola crew and hoping they all show up. We handle all of it. Our licensed landscape architect designs the whole space, and one company builds every piece of it, so your project actually comes together the way it was drawn.
That includes the features that make a yard worth spending time in. Retaining walls, pergolas, fire features, water elements, and the drought-friendly plantings around them, all built by the same team to the same standard. We set up smart irrigation zones matched to what your plants need, which keeps things easy to care for down the road. We design low-maintenance yards, and that is the point.
From the first day of prep through the final walkthrough, we do what we say we will do. That is the whole promise, and it is why East Valley homeowners trust us with a full outdoor build backed by our workmanship warranty.
Design Styles We Build
Most clients arrive with a feeling for the space they want, not a design term. Part of our free design process is translating that into a plan you can see in 3D. These are the four directions we build most often across the Phoenix metro.
Desert Contemporary
Clean lines, low water desert planting, and warm neutral hardscape. Think smooth stucco, board formed concrete, steel accents, and decomposed granite paired with agave, ocotillo, and specimen cactus. It suits newer Gilbert and Chandler homes and holds up to the heat.
Resort Style
The look most East Valley homeowners picture when they imagine a backyard remodel. Travertine decking, a remodeled pool or spa, a shaded ramada, and layered lighting that turns the yard into a place you use morning and night.
Mediterranean and Tuscan
Warm earth tones, terracotta and stone, arched shade structures, and a fireplace or fountain as the centerpiece. It pairs naturally with the tile roof architecture common across Scottsdale and Paradise Valley.
Transitional
A middle ground between traditional and modern. Simple paver patterns, a balanced planting plan, and classic materials chosen so the yard still looks current in ten years. A good fit when you want something that will not date.
Full-Service Project Management
From design to installation, we coordinate every phase, so you are never the one chasing trades.
Design Phase
Licensed architect on staff, Custom resort-style concepts
Installation
Licensed, bonded, insured, Workmanship warranty protection
Material Selection
Desert-adapted plant knowledge, Reduced maintenance requirements
Irrigation Systems
Water-efficient technology, Lower utility costs
Low-Maintenance Design
Durable desert landscapes, Sustained property value
We stay on top of every phase so you do not have to. Communication is everything to us, so we confirm with our crews two weeks out, one week out, and two days out, and we keep you in the loop the same way. We are licensed (Arizona ROC 154755), bonded, and insured, hold an A+ rating with the BBB, and every install meets local code across the Phoenix metro.
Why Choose Us
Why Phoenix Property Owners Choose Dream Retreats
Phoenix metro homeowners come to us because we design and build the whole yard ourselves instead of handing you off to a string of subcontractors. We are a licensed landscape contractor that has worked the East Valley for more than 30 years, so we understand what your yard is up against, from brutal heat to water-smart irrigation, and we price for real value and a contractor who is still here in ten years.
30+ Years of Expertise
Three decades of specialized landscape design and construction throughout the Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
Licensed, Bonded & Insured
Full contractor credentials meeting Arizona state requirements for residential work.
Certified Crews
Industry-standard joint placement, expansion considerations, and drainage integration.
Precision Engineering
Soil compaction analysis, proper base preparation, and precise grade establishment on every project.
Timelines depend on the scope and design of your project. We will give you a clear schedule up front and coordinate every phase across the Phoenix metro, so you always know what to expect from concept to completion. We show up on time and do what we said we would do.
Investment Guide
What does professional landscape design cost in Arizona?
Professional landscape design fees in Arizona typically range from $1,500 to $7,000 depending on property size and complexity, and a 3D rendering is often billed as an add-on of $400 to $500 or more on top of a 2D plan.
Dream Retreats includes 3D design renderings with your free design consultation, so you see the finished space before committing to construction.
Every yard is different: final cost depends on scope, materials, site access and existing conditions. Your free on-site consultation includes a written estimate with no obligation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about our landscape design services? Find answers to the most common inquiries below.
Do You Offer Free Initial Consultations for Landscape Projects?
Are You Licensed, Bonded, and Insured in Arizona
How long does a typical project take?
Timelines depend on the scope and design of your project. We’ll give you a clear schedule up front and coordinate every phase, so you always know what to expect from concept to completion.
Do You Provide Workmanship Warranties on Your Installations?
How Long Does a Typical Landscape Design and Construction Project Take?
Wondering About Cost?
See typical price ranges for every project we design and build across the Phoenix metro, from patios and turf to full backyard remodels.
What our customers say about our landscape design
After meeting with 10+ contractors, we selected Todd to help us with our pool remodel and building a BBQ. Todd was very patient with us, working through the design, looking at pictures with us to understand our style, and providing suggestions regarding what we might consider to for our design. When we selected our stone, tile, travertine, the gentleman at the store said Todd did his backyard. I am not sure how many landscaping/installation companies are in Phoenix area - but to have others in the business speak so highly of another partner - we were all in - wow!! Todd and his team were on time, on budget, and provided excellent personal customer service. In the mornings, Todd would stop by and check-in, provided personal small improvements, touches to give us the backyard of our dreams. We would highly recommend Todd to anyone and we will definitely use Dream Retreats again!
Dream Retreats designed and remodeled our yard 5 years ago. They completely redid the backyard and extensively upgraded the front yard, driveway and side yard. We were thrilled with the results when they finished their work and remain so today. We had a small issue with some ground settling a year or so after the job was finished, but came right out and fixed it. Otherwise, we have had zero issue and absolutely love our yard.
We met with Brendan for our initial design for our backyard. He was very professional and offered his opinion without making us feel obligated (we ended up going with his suggestion and we are extremely happy that we did). During the project we worked with Alex. He was also very professional and kept us up-to-date with the schedule throughout the project. Our yard looks fantastic and we are constantly recommending Dream Retreats to our family, friends, and neighbors. We plan to use them again in the future should we ever need landscaping design/changes.
Ready to Transform Your Outdoor Space?
Schedule your free consultation today and discover how Dream Retreats can create your perfect desert retreat.