Cacti Are the Staple of Desert Landscaping

Desert landscaping presents a unique challenge, but also the possibility of wonderful results. For some time, desert dwellers fought the native habitat by planting and watering lawns on desert terrain. They invested time and money to create landscapes that were foreign to the land around them. Some desert gardeners have taken the plants native to the desert and built their landscape around these native plants. The results can be stunning and spectacular. The savings on time and money can be substantial. A successful person in charge of desert landscaping usually takes an inventory of the plants that are already on the property.

Cacti come in many different varieties and are native to the desert habitat in many places. A wise desert gardener will use different types of cacti to make the desert landscaping more dramatic. The tall saguaro is a stately addition that can double for a desert Christmas tree for the holidays. This cactus cannot be easily transplanted once it reaches the stately stage, but smaller plants can be purchased and planted. The cholla cactus is great for desert landscaping because of the appearance when they bloom. Prickly pear cactus can be a great addition to desert landscaping because these add some greenery to the terrain. The good news about all of the cacti in desert landscaping is that all are easy to care for in the desert. These plants do not need to be watered.

Sturdy Plants Add to Desert Landscaping

Some other plants thrive in the desert and add color and charm to desert landscaping. The Mexican bird of paradise needs little care and adds color to the landscape. The beautiful bougainvillea comes in a variety of colors and the splashes of these red, orange or white flowers against the warm browns of most of the desert terrain can be dramatic. These plants need more care than the cactus plants, but they do not need a great deal of care.

Oleander plants thrive in the desert and need little care from the gardener. These plants also have flowers that add color to the desert landscaping. The gardener in charge of the desert landscaping can choose red, white or pink flowers on the oleander plants. The gardener in charge of landscaping will want to use lantana because it is easy to care for in the desert climate. These plants are perennial so the gardener will not have to add new plants every year if there is plenty of lantana in the landscape. The lantana has flowers that provide color to the desert landscaping all year long.