Landscaping your yard can be an exciting and rewarding home improvement experience. This type of project requires the right landscape contractor, but hiring a landscaper can be extremely difficult. 

The experts at Santa Rita Landscaping, LLC are landscape design professionals in Tucson, AZ. We understand the importance of selecting the right professionals for your project. Call us at (520) 623-0421 and read this guide about the four things to know when hiring a landscaper.

#1: Plan Ahead

Landscaping projects vary in size and scale. Trying to find a landscaping professional for your unique project requires that you plan ahead. Ask yourself: are you working on your entire yard or a smaller space?

Smaller projects may only require a weekly visit. Extensive renovations and transformation projects require daily work over an extended period of time — months or weeks, usually. Create a schedule that you’d like to follow for your project.

#2: Set a Budget

Create a formal budget. Establish targets for how much you are willing to pay for service. Consider that maintenance companies typically charge around $100 or more for smaller projects — lawn mowing and hedge trimming, for instance.

More extensive projects require more labor and materials to complete. For that reason, landscape architects often charge thousands of dollars for their services — potentially up to $10,000, depending on your specific circumstances.

#3: Consult Multiple Landscape Professionals

When hiring a landscaper, it’s best to consult multiple companies. Obtaining more than one quote gives you a better idea as to how much you should be paying for your services. You’ll also have several points of reference you can use to compare different services.

Ask each contractor about their approach to landscaping. Encourage them to explain what makes them unique and seek information about other customers who worked with them on similar projects. You can never ask too many questions!

Ideally, you’ll want to consult with at least three landscape professionals before making a decision, although it never hurts to ask more. Check their reviews and relevant materials to see if what they told you during your consultation is accurate.

#4: Check Qualifications

Landscapers require proper licensing and qualifications to provide reliable service. Landscaping professionals must be licensed, bonded, and insured, displaying their relevant certifications and license numbers on all promotional materials. 

In addition to these general qualifications, some landscape companies practice unique specialties that require more qualifications. State regulations often dictate that companies using pesticides and fertilizer must obtain licenses. Companies that offer irrigation or interior landscaping systems may also require proper licenses.

Learn More About Landscaping Projects

Our experts at Santa Rita Landscaping, LLC, can help you navigate the process of hiring a landscaper. Whether you want to learn more about the average cost of landscaping or work with our incredible landscaping team, call us at (520) 623-0421. Together, we can create a plan for your unique landscaping project and make your dreams a reality. Contact us to learn more.

Fragrant shade plants can be an invaluable part of any landscaper’s toolkit because they accomplish multiple aesthetic effects at once. They allow designers to shape sight, sound, fragrance, temperature, and use of space. Tucson’s professional landscape design specialists at Santa Rita Landscaping use these shade plants, among others, because they grow well in a wide range of climates, look attractive, and have structural features that catch the eye and make effective use of three-dimensional space.

Plant #1: Abelia

Abelia plants are subtle evergreen shrubs with white or pink flowers and an alluring fragrance that grows well in Tucson as well as temperate climates. Abelia blooms attract butterflies, adding a natural source of color and movement to the landscape. They reach heights up to six feet, making them suitable for creating boundaries and shade for benches.

Plant #2: Catmint

To add a burst of color and the odor of mint to your garden, try one of the varieties of catmint that grow in Tucson soil. They can grow in the shade of taller plants or walls up to about two feet, so they work well in multi-level landscape designs. Plant catmint plants in early spring and allow them to grow in the sun or partial shade.

Plant #3: Evergreen Clematis

An arbor covered in evergreen clematis is an excellent source of decoration and shade. They bloom in late spring and can reach impressive heights when they climb walls, pergolas, and other structures. Like Abelia, they produce pretty white flowers that emit a fragrance reminiscent of vanilla. 

Plant #4: Foamflower

The bright pinkish-white blooms of the foamflower have an eye-catching spiky shape and grow between one and three feet tall. As long as the soil has a moderate amount of moisture and fertilizer, these fragrant shade plants should grow well in relatively cool climates.

Plant #5: Jacob’s Ladder

Jacob’s Ladder grows to a similar height to catmint. The coloration of its blooms, either deep blue or white, goes well with other white, violet, or blue shade plants. Jacob’s ladder plants grow well in full sun or partial shade in temperate climates. Their sweet scent attracts insects that support your garden ecosystem. 

Plant #6: Lily-of-the-Valley

If you live in a more temperate area and are looking for fragrant plants that will grow in the late summer, lilies-of-the-valley are one option. Their pleasant flowers and sweet smell like jasmine are reasons why they are popular fragrant shade plants. If you grow lilies of the valley on your property, take care not to let pets or children consume the berries because they can cause serious illness.

Landscaping with Fragrant Shade Plants from Santa Rita Landscaping 

If you need assistance choosing the perfect plants for landscaping in shade gardens, let the experts at Santa Rita Landscaping help. Learn more about how to select, plant, prune, and care for a variety of breathtaking fragrant shade plants. Call 520-623-0421 to reach our Tucson location and speak with a landscape designer about your plans for your shade gardening project.

Your yard offers you a private slice of paradise. You have a wealth of possibilities at your fingertips to cultivate a uniquely beautiful area, but understanding how to landscape a steep slope on a budget poses a challenge. Where should you start? 

At Santa Rita Landscaping, we provide professional landscape design in Tucson. So our pros curated a few tips to help you get started. 

Tip #1: Use Multiple Native Plants

Sloped backyards provide a way to instill beauty and support native wildlife. When you use native plants as a part of your landscape, you provide a local habitat for insects, birds, and other creatures who need a safe place to go. 

Additionally, native plants prosper more than annuals or imported perennials. They won’t die when exposed to Tucson’s hot summers. With a readily available supply, you’ll pay little, if any, money to cover that steep slope. 

Tip #2: Discover Ground Covers

If you want a lush, thriving garden that bursts with color, you’ll want to cover any bare areas. Ground covers provide the perfect solution. From low shrubs to creeping perennials, ground covers take on a diverse variety of forms. 

For example, ice plants are succulents with small, daisy-like flowers that come in multiple colors. They have versatile temperature tolerance. Most garden retailers carry them.

When you choose flora, such as ice plants, you decorate your slope with an attractive, affordable ground cover. 

Tip #3: Build a Rock Garden

You can use rocks to bring myriad landscaping ideas to life. A rock garden helps control erosion, ensures your plants take root, and provides an attractive, low-maintenance feature to your slope. If you want to know how to landscape a steep slope on a budget, rocks have the versatility you need.

You can also use natural stone to create pathways, rough-hewn benches, and walls. This adds character to your backyard slope. You can make your rock garden unique to your style and needs. 

Tip #4: Create a Water Feature

Many people think that only homeowners with money to spare can install a water feature. However, this assumption doesn’t ring true if you know what to do. You can build a water feature using various surprising materials. 

For example, tires, large plastic tubs, and metal tanks can all serve as a luxurious water feature. The real challenge lies in configuring plumbing and drainage.

Your water feature should constantly run to keep mosquitoes from breeding. In addition, proper drainage protects water from collecting in unwanted areas. Otherwise, water features offer a zen-like addition to your backyard slope. 

Design Your Personal Paradise with Santa Rita Landscaping

Want to learn more about how to landscape a steep slope on a budget? Learn more about the average cost of landscaping to get a better idea of the costs. You can also contact our landscaping pros at Santa Rita Landscaping for a consultation.

Call us at (520) 623-0421 to start your creative landscaping project today! 

Beautiful landscapes look expensive. However, any avid landscaping DIY enthusiast will tell you that you don’t have to break the bank to spice up your lawn or backyard.

Are you looking for fun and affordable ways to transform your landscape? Here are some cheap landscaping ideas from Tucson’s landscape design experts.

1. Use Free Mulch Alternatives

Mulch can help improve water retention while boosting your landscape’s look and feel. However, shop-bought mulch can cost a fair amount of money—especially if you have a spacious yard. Fortunately, you can explore several low-cost alternatives, including:

• Shredded leaves
• Grass clippings from mowing your lawn
• Compost
• Pine needles
• Old newspaper
• Stones

2. Install a Bird Feeder and Birdbaths

Sometimes, all it takes to make your landscape more exciting is to make it attractive for your avian neighbors.  

Watching the birds as they feed and splash water onto their feathers is a sight better experienced than imagined. It’s one of the cheap landscaping ideas anyone can implement.

3. Add Some Color

Sometimes, all you need to transform your landscape is a splash of color. You can repaint your planters, landscape chairs, boundary stones, and other elements. The job will be much cheaper if you have leftover paint in your garage.

For more natural color, explore the option of growing flowers in different locations, such as near your patio deck, around your entryway, or even your mailbox.

4. Install Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting can transform the look and feel of any landscape in low-light conditions.  

Fortunately, you don’t need to spend much money on custom light fixtures to generate picturesque results. You can find affordable outdoor string lights and use them strategically. Here are some ideas:

• Wrap strings of lights around pillars
• Run lights from your house to a central tree
• Line the garden beds with rope lights

5. Refurbish Your Fence

The fence around your landscape is the first thing most people see when visiting your home. Refurbishing it can make your outdoor space more visually appealing. Here are some tips to consider:

• Give the fence a fresh coat of paint
• Drape it with a colorful weather-resistant awning
• Grow vines along the fence
• Install decorative fence caps

6. Grow a Vertical Garden

As the name implies, a vertical garden runs from top to bottom instead of across the ground. If you don’t have a lot of space in your yard, you can still grow plants vertically. To make this cheap landscaping idea even more inexpensive, use existing or recycled materials such as:

• Old plastic bottles
• Wooden ladders
• Old tires hung on the wall
• Old picture frames
• Waterproof shoe organizers

Plants that work great for vertical gardens include ferns, garlic, peppers, bromeliads, onions, climbing roses, and other perennial plant types.

Get More Advice From the Experts

Do you need more advice on cheap landscaping ideas? Call our Santa Rita Landscaping team in Tucson, AZ, at (520)-623-0421. We are always happy to help our customers achieve the landscape of their dreams.

We are also constantly publishing educational materials you can read at your convenience. Here are types of mulch to consider for landscaping.