Desert Living

Newcomers are my favorite clients. I really enjoy giving buyers an education on the market here in Tucson. They soon find out the shocking reality of what they can or can't buy with their money. Yes, it is sticker shock but they are buying not only a home but a unique community like no other place in America. The experience is desert living, with a wonderful blend of cultures from Native Americans, Hispanics, cowboys, snowbirds and baby boomers. No matter what ethnicity you are or where you move from, you have to adjust to the arid temperatures and be sure to embrace the monsoon rains.

Dryer temperatures can be welcoming, but to the newcomer knowing what plants to plant can be a mystery. After settling into the southwest lifestyle, newcomers, again are shocked (or sometimes disappointed) they can't grow the plants and grass they are accustom to having back east. But I welcome the enthusiast who loves a challenge. It is truly an art form to design and grow a yard full of vibrant shapes and colors of cactus.

I have a passion for desert gardening and that is an art in itself. Coming from New York State, my mother first visited my new home 20 years ago in Tucson. She said she couldn't get over how the yards had no grass. Her attitude has changed since then and she really loves coming for visits and admiring my unruley garden of exotic succulents and cacti. A desert scape can instantly inspire you, like it did me or it is something that can be a learned appreciation, like my mom.

You don't have to grow grass to have a lush yard. Water is increasingly becoming an issue everywhere especially in the desert. You can have a very attractive yard and garden just by xeroscaping, water harvesting and using a variety of rocks and pebbles. Outdoor art really adds Wimsey and can be quite fun. Xeroscaping is a style of landscaping very popular in the southwest because it conserves water. If you are considering visiting or moving to Tucson visit some of my favorite flora and fauna resources: Tucson Botanical Gardens, Tohono Chul Park, Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum, and Harlow Gardens. FYI..I have displayed my art at all of these venues. Currently, it is on display at Harlow Gardens.

www.desertmuseum.org
www.tucsonbotanicalgardens.org
www.harlowgardens.com
www.tohonochulpark.org