House of Desert Gardens

HOUSE OF DESERT GARDENS

This project demonstrates landscape architecture's power to unite the ecological sensory characteristics of a site and create a place of integrity and meaning. In this Sonoran desert setting, the site was converted from water thirsty landscape into one that is authentic to our climate and integrally reconnected to its local and regional context.

Each of the collection of garden galleries emanates a district landscape essence ranging from the wild and wonderful to the colorful and cool. Each turn on the pathway presents a new focal point, whether coming up on a majestic Candelabra cactus, a worn garden gate framing a gallery of agaves, the twisted form of an Ironwood, a field of Yuccas or Golden Barrels or the rich texture of rock walls contrasted with sculptural cacti or draping Bougainvillea. Individually, the diverse gardens encase a rich interplay of like or complementary plant species from arid regions around the world; collectively, the gardens provide a year-round show of marvel cascading through the landscape.

DETAILS

Location: Paradise Valley, Arizona
Size: 7 acres
Completion Date: 2014

SERVICES PROVIDED

Landscape Design
Construction Observation

PUBLICATIONS

Blue Print Beauty
Nancy Erdmann, Phoenix Home & Garden | 2019

Espineaux Jardin
Charlotte Fauve, Àvivre | Oct 2016

Home Sweet Sonora
Therese Ciesinski, Garden Design | 2016

Naturalistic and Contemporary Landscape Design
Richard Hartlage & Sandy Fischer, The Authentic Garden

 

AWARDS

2015 ASLA Arizona Design Award of Excellence
2015 ASLA Arizona Design Award of Excellence, House of Desert Gardens Field Guide