Question
I am looking for a basic desert DIY landscaping design plan for my front yard.  I live in the Palm Springs area.  I have gotten rid of the grass and cannot afford an expensive landscape architect and would like to do it myself but don't want to mess it up.   Where do I start?

Answer
Hey, Maria.

You can't mess something up if you create something that you'll enjoy, something that will encourage you to go out side and enjoy it.

My friends make fun of me because my yard looks like an arboretum, but I have the greatest selection of plants outside of an arboretum, and I enjoy going outside to look at each plant and see what it's doing.

There are a couple of things that you could do that would be relatively inexpensive. My first suggestion would be container gardening. What you do is buy a selection of pots that you like, arrange them, and then plant in them. The advantages of container gardening are manifold:

1 - You can buy any size and color of pots. You can even buy interesting pots or create your own. My grandmother would never thrown anything away, preferring instead to save its memories by making a planter out of it.

2 - You can buy pots and plants as your budget allows. No need to try to do it all at once.

3 - You arrange pots in groups before you ever plant anything in them, so you can see what they will look like before they become heavy with soil and plants.

4 - If you don't like an arrangement, even after you have plants in them, it's still easier to move and rearrange than it is to dig up something that has been planted in the ground.

5 - You can change plants with the seasons. For example, what I do is take the largest pot and plant something permanent in it. Then, in the smaller pots, I'll plant seasonal plants that bloom, giving me some color around the place.

6 - You'll have a lower watering bill because you can direct water only on the plants that need water, and only as much water as they need.

If you decide that you would rather put plants in the ground but are not quite sure what you'd like to do, start small. Pick a spot that is somewhat secluded, like behind the fence on the side of the house, and have at it.

Stop by your Home Depot or Borders Books and Music and check out the various landscaping books in their home and garden section. Look specifically for "dry landscaping," "native landscaping," "low water-use landscaping," and "xeriscaping" or "xeriscape landscaping." Those will help you see what you can do in a desert environment.

Also check out this file: http://www.russel-ray.com/reports/Vegetation.pdf Every plant in there, except one, are (or were) on properties of mine in San Diego and South Texas. You can see the immense variety of beautiful blossoms. You can have the envy of the neighborhood by simply taking your time and, most importantly, having fun!

Hope that helps. Feel free to contact me again as you work your plan if you have any other questions.


Hey, Maria.

I'm not sure you read my answer, or, if you did, you're misunderstanding me.

You said that you cannot afford an expensive landscape architect and would like to do it yourself but don't want to mess it up. Then you asked where you should start.

Well, if you're going to do it yourself and don't want to mess up, the best thing to do is, as I said, start somewhere that is rather secluded, such as a side yard behind a fence. If you want to start in the front yard, by all means go ahead. If you're going to do it yourself, though, trust me, you're going to mess up. That's just natural and nothing to be ashamed of, and that's the beauty of container gardening which I suggested. I'm trying to make it not only easy for you, but not terribly expensive as well.

If you mess up with container gardening, or simply decide that you don't like what you just did, it's so easy to start again.

Everything that I said is relevant to a front yard, a rear yard, a side yard, or a rooftop garden. It's just that it's easier to experiment to determine what you like if you do it in a secluded space first.

Anyway, sorry you're unhappy with my help.

Good luck.