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Revisiting a Newly-Designed Landscape Two Years Later

Arizona
Blue_Bells_shrub_Eremophila_hygrophana_feathery_cassia_Senna_artemisoides.
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One of the most rewarding things about my job is having the opportunity to revisit areas that I have designed.  Despite designing landscapes for over 17 years, I never tire of having the opportunity to explore them again to see how the landscape has matured.  When touring the landscapes, I take time to look at what worked and sometimes what didn’t.  I take these lessons with me and implement them in future designs.

Blue Bells (Eremophila hygrophana) and feathery cassia (Senna artemisoides)

Blue Bells (Eremophila hygrophana) and feathery cassia (Senna artemisoides)

Today, I’d like to take you on a tour of a landscape that I designed for a church two years ago.  

I was asked by the landscape committee to create a landscape that would be filled with color during the cool season since that is when the majority of the members are attending.  

BEFORE:

over-pruned shrubs

The landscape was filled with over-pruned shrubs, many of which flowered in summer.  In addition, there were a large number of frost tender plants in the landscape that were unsightly when much of the residents were in town.

AFTER:

Newly-Designed Landscape

Newly-Designed Landscape

After removing the shrubs, I added feathery cassia (Senna artemisoides), which blooms in late winter and spring, along with the newer Blue Bells (Eremophila hygrophana) which flowers all year long while staying at a rather compact 3 feet tall and wide size.

BEFORE:

 Mexican (Yellow) Bird-of-Paradise (Caesalpinia mexicana)

When working with an existing landscape, I always try to keep mature plants that are healthy and fulfill the design criteria.  In this case, a Mexican (Yellow) Bird-of-Paradise (Caesalpinia mexicana), that had been trained into a tree, which has evergreen foliage and flowers in spring and fall.

Blue Bell shrubs and golden barrel cacti (Echinocactus grusonii)

Blue Bell shrubs and golden barrel cacti (Echinocactus grusonii) completed this planting area.

BEFORE:

barrel cactus and a lonely red yucca

In this area, a few shrubs, a barrel cactus and a lonely red yucca hang on from the previously designed landscape, all of which add little interest to the landscape.

AFTER:

Valentine Bush (Eremophila maculata 'Valentine) and desert spoon (Dasylirion wheeleri)

Valentine Bush (Eremophila maculata ‘Valentine) and desert spoon (Dasylirion wheeleri)

Contrasting textures and color add interest to the landscape throughout the entire year.  Seasonal blooming creates an entirely different look to the landscape as well.

BEFORE:

lysiloma tree

As landscapes age, plants can become overgrown and to some, unattractive as was the case with this old desert spoon.  The lysiloma tree was in good shape and the decision was made to keep it.

AFTER:

Angelita daisy (Tetraneuris acaulis syn. Hymenoxys acaulis)

Angelita daisy (Tetraneuris acaulis syn. Hymenoxys acaulis)

Angelita daisy (Tetraneuris acaulis) is one of my favorite small perennials as its bright, sunny flowers appear throughout the entire year.

Valentine bush and feathery cassia serve as foundation planting.

BEFORE:

Calliandra eriophylla

Pink fairy duster (Calliandra eriophylla) had been used to create a hedge.  However, while pink fairy duster does flower in winter and spring, it isn’t a suitable choice as a formal hedge.  Rather, it belongs in a natural desert landscape and untouched by hedge trimmers.

AFTER:

Pink Muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris) in winter

Pink Muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris) in winter.

Pink muhly

Pink muhly was added for welcome fall color when its plumes turn a vibrant burgundy color, which fade to an attractive wheat color in winter.  After being pruned in early spring, bright green growth quickly fills back in.

BEFORE:

Revisiting a Newly-Designed Landscape Two Years Later

This is a high-profile corner as it is one of the entries into the church parking lot.  As you can see, there was little to attract the attention of passersby.

Newly-Designed Landscape

Newly-Designed Landscape

Adding a combination of plants that will ensure year round interest no matter whether it’s spring, summer, fall or winter.

Even though the purple trailing lantana (Lantana montevidensis) can die back to the ground in winter, the bright colors of the Valentine bush and feathery cassia will draw attention away from it.

BEFORE:

Agave americana

Three Agave americana were all that sat in this area, which offered little color and virtually no interest.  

Newly-Designed Landscape

Newly-Designed Landscape

I took the existing agave and spread them throughout the landscape, where they can create both texture and color contrast when paired with the softer shapes and darker colors of shrubs.  

One thing that I wish I had done differently was to space the shrubs in this area a little further apart.  This can cause landscapers to excessively prune shrubs into poodle shapes in an attempt to keep them from touching.  Pruning them severely once a year can keep them from outgrowing their space OR removing every other shrub once they become too large can take care of the problem.  

Revisiting a Newly-Designed Landscape Two Years Later

I hope that you enjoyed seeing the transformation of this landscape to one filled with cool season color.

Plant Palette For New Landscape: Perennials and Succulents

Noelle Johnson, aka, 'AZ Plant Lady' is a author, horticulturist, and landscape consultant who helps people learn how to create, grow, and maintain beautiful desert gardens that thrive in a hot, dry climate. She does this through her consulting services, her online class Desert Gardening 101, and her monthly membership club, Through the Garden Gate. As she likes to tell desert-dwellers, "Gardening in the desert isn't hard, but it is different."
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https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Blue_Bells_shrub_Eremophila_hygrophana_feathery_cassia_Senna_artemisoides.jpg 424 640 arizonaplantlady@gmail.com https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/AZ-Plant-Lady-Logo-small.jpg arizonaplantlady@gmail.com2016-02-27 13:00:002022-10-16 04:47:43Revisiting a Newly-Designed Landscape Two Years Later
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9 replies
  1. deb
    deb says:
    February 27, 2016 at 1:37 pm

    Looks great – terrific job!

  2. Aaron Dalton
    Aaron Dalton says:
    February 28, 2016 at 3:25 pm

    I love the idea of your post – to go back and see how a landscape has evolved since you planted it a couple of years ago.

    I noticed you are a big fan of leaving empty space between plants. In general, I think that's a great idea, but I know here in the Southeast, leaving open space is an invitation for weeds to pop up.

    Is that less of a problem in a desert landscape like Arizona? Or do you still have to do a lot of maintenance weeding?

  3. azplantlady
    azplantlady says:
    February 29, 2016 at 3:23 am

    Hi Aaron,

    Great question, as always. Landscape design in the desert Southwest does tend to have empty spaces in-between plants. Rock mulch keeps weeds down and the scarcity of water tends to limit the amount of plants in the landscape. In addition the unique shapes of plants in general can be better appreciated with some empty spaces in between as well.

    The other problem is that there is an epidemic of excessive pruning, that rids plants of their natural shape and flowers. By allowing room between plants this is less likely to happen.

    I hope all is well in your garden. Spring is on its way 🙂

  4. xericstyle
    xericstyle says:
    February 29, 2016 at 1:40 pm

    What a beautiful transformation!!!

  5. arizonaplantlady@gmail.com
    arizonaplantlady@gmail.com says:
    February 29, 2016 at 10:24 pm

    Thank you so much, Deb and Heather 🙂

  6. RobinL
    RobinL says:
    March 1, 2016 at 12:33 am

    While this type of landscaping is completely foreign to me, I still thoroughly enjoyed seeing the updates! You've done a wonderful job, for sure.

  7. jeansgarden
    jeansgarden says:
    March 3, 2016 at 2:31 am

    It must have been very satisfying to go back and visit this planting. I love all those yellows, especially in combination with blues and violets. -Jean

  8. arizonaplantlady@gmail.com
    arizonaplantlady@gmail.com says:
    March 3, 2016 at 5:10 am

    Thank you so much for your kind words, Jean.

  9. Shady Gardener
    Shady Gardener says:
    March 7, 2016 at 2:18 am

    What beautiful landscape "adjustments" you are making!! 🙂

    btw: you could probably really help me, if you felt you had the time and inclination… we visited AZ in January. I took photos of a lot of plant material. I don't, however, know the names of the plants. Would you like to help me?? 🙂

Comments are closed.

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Noelle Johnson, aka, 'AZ Plant Lady' is a author, horticulturist, and landscape consultant who helps people learn how to create, grow, and maintain beautiful desert gardens that thrive in a hot, dry climate. She does this through her consulting services, her online class Desert Gardening 101, and her monthly membership club, Through the Garden Gate. As she likes to tell desert-dwellers, "Gardening in the desert isn't hard, but it is different."

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