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Sonoran Swap

warm · natural · native

Sonoran Native

The desert, as it grows here. Palo verde shade, golden barrel and brittlebush in warm decomposed granite. Native plants, natural drifts, almost no upkeep once established.

Try this style on my yard
Sample yard: a two-story beige stucco house with a curved lawn beside the driveway
BeforeAfter
AI concept rendering. Actual results vary.
AI-generated sample yard. Not a real home.

Materials

warm tan decomposed granite, a few natural weathered boulders, a gentle dry wash of river rock.

Upkeep: Very low once established

Plants in this style

  • Desert Museum palo verdeParkinsonia 'Desert Museum'20–25 ft tall and wide · SpringFast filtered shade; thornless hybrid.
  • Golden barrel cactusEchinocactus grusonii2–3 ft wide · SummerSculptural accent; protect young plants from harsh afternoon sun.
  • BrittlebushEncelia farinosa3 ft tall and wide · Late winter–springSilver leaves; native spring color.
  • Desert marigoldBaileya multiradiata1 ft tall · Spring–fallLong bloom season; reseeds.
  • Desert spoonDasylirion wheeleri4–5 ft wide · SummerSilvery spherical form.
  • Prickly pearOpuntia engelmannii4–6 ft tall and wide · SpringNative; edible fruit in summer.
  • Creosote bushLarrea tridentata4–8 ft tall · SpringThe smell of desert rain.
  • OcotilloFouquieria splendens10–20 ft tall · SpringLeafs out after rain; hummingbird magnet.
See every low-water plant

Other styles

Modern DesertPollinator Garden