If you are fortunate enough to have a larger yard, you have lots of design options. Too many perhaps. It can be difficult to figure out what to do with larger spaces, particularly if you already have plants, decks, sidewalks and fencing in place.
Designing a garden and yard space is no small feat. If you have a yard that’s over 1 acre you may feel overwhelmed by the possibilities. Maybe you’ve inherited someone else’s yard plan, or want to change a design from years ago. Here are some things to take into consideration before you finalize your ideas.
Trees and other large plants: If you have large plants on your property, take some time to identify them. While shade in Tucson is at a premium, you may want to take this opportunity to remove invasive trees such as tamarisk or African sumac. If you have any large trees that are sickly, particularly if they threaten any structures, remove them now. Older non-native pine trees, for example, may be doing poorly now with increased temperatures and drought conditions.
On the plus side, you may have the space for some really cool large native trees. Some trees to consider include Arizona ash, native oak trees, or even cottonwood trees. Cottonwoods are tricky, because they require a shallow water table to grow and thrive, but if you have a small wash on your property it may be worth a try. Just make sure you plant them about 100 feet away from any structures, plumbing or septic system. Another large tree to consider is ironwood, although these will take a long time to get big. You can also consider palm trees if that is the look you want. In addition, you will probably have room for large and thorny plants such as netleaf hackberry, canyon hackberry, wolfberry and larger cacti.
Larger shrub size plants you can fit into your yard include Arizona rosewood, shrub/trees such as kidneywood and desert willow, and large agave like Agave americana. Of course you can also put in saguaro cacti and organ pipe cacti, as these can be hard to fit into smaller yards.
Drainage: An extremely important consideration in any yard, drainage can be particularly challenging in larger yards. If your yard is large and sloped, the sheer volume of water coming off it in a rainstorm must be dealt with to avoid erosion. If your yard is flat, you may want to add some berms and basins to collect rainwater and keep it in your soil. You must also consider drainage from your roof and whether any drainage pathways will affect your driveway, or walking and sitting areas. If you need some guidance, I recommend you check out the Watershed Management Group. They can advise you on passive rainwater harvesting on your property and refer you to contractors who can help with drainage issues.
Dividing the space: To make a large space feel welcoming, designers usually divide it into smaller areas. For example, you may have a pool area, a sitting area and a wildlife garden area. These can be connected via paths, either formal or informal. Even if you choose to leave your yard mostly wild, it’s still nice to have some separation between different areas. The separation may be based on plant types or heights or even colors or textures rather than any actual structures.
Separating the spaces does not have to involve building structures. Using different materials (patio pavers versus gravel, for example) can divide a larger space into more intimate areas with formal and informal options for walking on and sitting. Taller plants can be used to divide up areas, as can trellises, planters, low rock walls and raised garden beds.
Pathways: You will also need to consider how you move within your yard. Don’t force pathways into unnatural patterns; you will end up bypassing the paths and creating your own shortcuts. It’s often easier to determine these once you’ve put a few features in and have started to walk around your yard a bit. For instance, you will find out if there’s a shortcut from a gate to a flower bed that you always take.
If you’re building lots of paths, you will also need to consider your budget. Gravel or decomposed granite and various types of decorative mulch tend to be the most cost-effective ways to make paths, particularly if you create borders with rocks already present on your property. You can also choose relatively inexpensive metal edging to contain your path materials. I recommend metal edging in our climate, as wood and plastic products will degrade quickly in our searing sun.
Water features: A really cool aspect of having more space is that you have lots of room for water features. You may even have space for a decent-sized wildlife pond. I’m a big fan of these, particularly seasonal ponds that are available for native frogs and fish during Tucson's driest months. If you build a basic wildlife pond you don’t need to spend a lot of money. You just need a hole, some pond liner, water and aquatic plants. You can also choose to use a pre-made wildlife watering station.
More pricey options for water features include pondless waterfalls, fish ponds and more formal ponds with pumps, filters, lights and lots of other gadgets. You can even have an outdoor shower or tub, if you wish.
A key thing to remember is that wherever you put out water, even in small amounts, you will attract wildlife. I recommend having a pond in your fenced or walled garden for smaller wildlife, and siting any larger ponds or drinking tanks well away from your house so that visiting coyotes, javelina and mountain lions don’t pose a threat to you or your pets.
Fencing and walls: Speaking of walls and fences, putting these in economically can be a big challenge in a larger yard. Many people fence in a smaller area near their house and then leave the wild desert outside. They can thus put in any desired plants in the fenced area.
This is a very reasonable plan, but it does require you to decide how much fenced garden you want. Any plant you put in the ground outside your fenced area is fair game to all of the critters in the area. You also need to consider if you need a snake-proof area for your pets to roam safely. This area may be included in your general fenced yard area, or you may want to keep it separate from your sitting and pool areas.
Depending on how much of a presence deer have in your area, even fencing a relatively small yard can pose a challenge. Deer can jump over 7-foot fences in some cases (although presumably would avoid this if other things are available for them to eat outside the fence). This is also why I recommend having some type of water feature outside your fenced yard, so that larger animals do not feel the need to come into your inner sanctum to get a drink.
If you’re hoping to fence a larger section of your yard, some more economic choices are chain link and European style fencing like this Ironcraft fencing. I discourage barbed wire fencing as it causes many wildlife deaths and injuries each year — as many as one death for every 2.5 miles of fence per year. However, it can be made safer with a smooth top rail. This guide from Colorado Parks and Wildlife is extremely helpful for helping landowners choose wildlife-friendly fencing options that don’t break the bank.
Keep in mind that any fencing you use will alter animal movement through your land, and may prevent some animals from migrating to water and food sources. Consider planting prickly pear and cholla instead to prevent human intrusions.
Please also consider the safety issues with spike or picket top fences when choosing your fencing. Not only do these fences cause animals to get horribly injured and killed, but they have also tragically led to child deaths from impalement and head or neck entrapment. With so many other types of fencing to choose from, there’s no reason to get a picket-top fence. Fencing with smooth top rails is safest for both small humans and wildlife.
