Casa Paloma

casa paloma

The Estate, named Casa Paloma (House of the Dove) for the many birds that live on the property, is located on a 1.3-acre parcel of land on a bajada at the base of Camelback Mountain, a prominent landmark in the Valley.

The client purchased the property/house in 2014, originally designed by famous modern southwestern architect Bill Tull. He was known for his traditional native architecture but with a modern twist. The client desired to have a garden that felt grounded in the Sonoran Desert to complement the architecture of the house.

The client and landscape architect worked collaboratively together on the creation of the exterior spaces. The owners are avid gardeners and art collectors and wanted to display their Native American collection. The gardens are designed to be sculptural as well as pollinator gardens. Pathways meander throughout the property creating places to pause and ‘hangout’ in the native Sonoran landscape. Low water use techniques were used on the project from drip irrigation to no irrigation (seasonal monsoon rains) The garden includes 19 species of desert-loving trees, 24 species of agaves, 9 species of aloes, and hundreds of cacti and succulents that include native flowering plants attractive to bees, birds and butterflies. The plant palette includes saguaros, ocotillos, prickly pear, cholla, and other cacti native to the deserts around the world. Plant propagation is an important part of the Owners’ landscaping; the plant nursery along the north side of the property facilitates the propagation of small cuttings of agaves, prickly pear, and aloes until they grow large enough to become part of the landscape design.
Other garden features include a chiminea, a free-standing fireplace that is traditionally made of clay and originally brought by Spanish conquistadors to Mexico and the Southwest 400 years ago; a circular drive made of stabilized decomposed granite; native flagstone patios; a citrus orchard; and a swimming pool.