Mulch, the top layer of shredded soil material, is either organic or inorganic. It protects the soil in outdoor landscapes from hardening and moisture from evaporating rather than reaching plant roots.

However, mulch varies as much as plant care requirements. Choosing the correct one for your garden can be challenging.

At Santa Rita Landscaping, we have the #1 landscape designers in Tucson, AZ, alongside a list of the top three types of mulch that professional landscapers and the average resident loves to use. Consider our options below that span from nutritional compost to decoration.

1. Compost

Compost is organic matter that consists of brown and green material. Green material has nitrogen-rich components like decomposed matter, including bits of twigs and leaves.

However, brown material is carbon-rich with shredded cardboard and wood chips. It must also maintain the correct air and soil moisture levels to break down material properly. 

While it’s similar to the look of soil, this darker mix provides added nutrients to your plants and flowerbeds. It also retains soil moisture so your vegetation doesn’t lose sustenance.

2. Cut-Up Bark

Cut-up bark is your best bet for mulch in hilly areas where the land sits at a slant. In such areas, the pieces of bark latch onto one another, staying in place rather than tumbling down slopes. Also, because it comes from natural sources like cedar trees, cut-up bark is environmentally friendly and breaks down to create nitrogen-rich areas in poor soil. 

This sturdy material also keeps nutrients within the earth by preventing soil erosion from wind or water runoff. 

3. Rocks and Stones

Pebbles, rocks, and stones do the opposite of most other types of mulch since they draw heat from the sun, which radiates into the soil. Because it warms the soil, place them around cacti and succulents that love higher humidity.

Otherwise, place them around landscapes you tend to overwater as a preventative method for drought-tolerant plants. You can also place them in shaded areas where the stones won’t collect much heat. 

Residents mostly use these toppings for decorative purposes since the inorganic material doesn’t need replacing. It also maintains the look of your garden by restricting weed growth since the solid material creates little wiggle room for them to pass the soil’s surface. 

While they’re more expensive than other mulch types, they come in a wide variety. They range from colorful pebbles to large river rocks, so find your ideal fit for your garden and budget.  

35 Years of Promising Landscaping and Counting!

Whether laying landscape stones or other inorganic or organic materials, ensure you’re using the best types of mulch to make your yard flourish. Determine the layer of mulch to use by plant type, environment, and budget. Whether you’re laying mulch down for the first time or preparing for another spring, trust our professional team. 

At Santa Rita Landscaping LLC, we have 35 years of experience transforming yards into oases. Make yours one of them. Call (520) 623-0421 in Tucson, AZ, or (602) 686-0292 in Phoenix, AZ, for commercial or residential services!

Decorative rock and landscaping stones add style and character to your Arizona home. From a simple garden path or walkway to edging, steppingstones, ponds adorned with river rock, elaborate garden beds, and crushed stone driveways to illuminate your path, opportunities for creativity are endless. 

There are as many decorative stone shapes, sizes, colors, and textures as there are design possibilities. Follow this brief tutorial on how to lay landscape stones to help you get started. Contact our quality landscape design contractor in Tucson when you are ready to bring your vision to life.

1. Decide on Stone Placement 

Map out your landscape rock placement before starting installation. Using a pencil and paper, or whatever method works best for you, create your design, and know with reasonable certainty where you will place your stones. This planning phase is the best time to consider what stone sizes, textures, and colors work best for dramatic effect.

2. Measure Your Space and Estimate the Number of Stones 

After the drafting phase, take measurements of the physical space for your design. You can use an edging tool to draw an outline of your plan in the soil. Making a lifestyle rendering of your design will give you a better sense of how to lay your landscape stones. It may be helpful to dig in the proposed location of the rocks to get a sense of the size and number of stones needed for your project. Be sure to penetrate to a depth that would realistically keep the rocks in place.

3. Create a Form Soil Base 

Be sure to press down the soil before placing the landscaping stones to create a firm base for stone placement. This soil base is especially vital for heavier stones requiring solid ground to prevent settling.  

4. Install a Weed Barrier 

Removing weeds from your finished landscape design is messy and disruptive. To avoid this inconvenience, build a weed barrier into the design by installing landscape fabric along the area of your rocks. 

5. Lay Your Landscape Stones and Add Finishing Touches

Once you have decided how to lay landscape stones, you are ready to place them into position. While the design is entirely up to you, it is not advisable to stack stones as they can easily fall out of place. 

If you hadn’t thought of it before, consider adding finishing touches to your creation, such as water features, decorative plants, flowers, or outdoor lighting to complete your design.

Contact Us

Decorative stones, rocks, and beach pebbles add beauty and character to your property. When you want professional assistance with the landscaping in your yard or need guidance on how to lay landscape stones, contact the experts at Santa Rita Landscaping, LLC. As the premier landscaper for the residents of Phoenix, Tucson, and the surrounding areas, we know the current landscaping trends and have the expertise and resources to deliver top-quality results. 

Call us at (520) 623-0421 to schedule a consultation. 

Landscaping trends change yearly. Whether you’re interested in updating your outdated property or utilizing unused space, following trends can help you create a more cohesive or experimental landscape. 

Transform your outdoor spaces with creative landscaping in Tucson. Santa Rita Landscaping is the premier solution for your most demanding landscaping ideas. Contact us in Tucson at 520-623-0421 and keep reading to learn about the top landscaping trends of 2022.

1. Gardens

Sustainability has become a growing trend since the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether you wish to feed yourself and your family or the area’s wildlife, vegetable gardens remain a top trend in 2022. Consider growing your own food to save money and reduce your environmental footprint.

Garden designs now contain more cohesive elements with the rest of the landscape. Natural decorative features give a rustic yet sustainable touch. Many homeowners opt to include neutral tones that blend with foliage.

2. Drought-Friendly Native Plants

As global warming increases, landscaping trends need to adapt to meet these concerns. Implementing native plants to better withstand a drought’s effects created this quickly rising trend. Succulents, cactuses, and other plants make a popular choice due to their lighter water needs.

Artificial grass offers another option for homeowners to maintain their landscape’s beauty despite climate change. Drought-friendly landscaping methods also contribute to less erosion.

3. Outdoor Living Spaces

An outdoor living space provides an excellent place to enjoy time in nature. Combining hardscape and landscape features can significantly increase your property’s value. 

Outdoor kitchens, eating spaces, patios, and other outdoor rooms make an ideal option for entertaining, relaxing, and working. Landscape designers work to mix these elements more practically. Depending on your preferences, a blended landscape or a drastic, clearly defined option could be best for you.

4. Water Features

Water features offer another excellent opportunity to aid nature and increase your property’s curb appeal. They provide the ideal atmosphere for those wanting to relax at the end of the day. These options make it easy to incorporate other materials like metal or wood.

Consider a reflecting pool or pond. Alternatively, opt for a stream with a wooden footbridge. Fountains and bird baths also make worthwhile property additions.

5. Vibrant Tropical Flowers and Plants

Although native cacti and drought-withstanding plants are helpful for your property, landscape designs in 2022 also contain many vibrant colors and tropical flowers. Get a tropical look with deep indigo, marigold, fuchsia, and bright greens. Palms, dahlias, lilies, and elephant ears also provide this aesthetic.

Unlock Your Property’s Potential

You don’t have to settle for the same old, boring landscape design you’ve had for years. With the help of Santa Rita Landscaping, you can transform your yard from a drab desert to a lush garden. Our team has over thirty-five years of experience meeting landscaping needs in Tucson, Phoenix, and beyond.

Learn a few more landscaping ideas when you have pets, then speak to the landscape designers at Santa Rita Landscaping in Tucson, AZ. Contact our friendly, knowledgeable landscaping experts about other top landscaping trends at 520-623-0421 today.

Your pet is a member of the family and wants to be out on the lawn running free just as much as everyone else in the family does. When making changes to the landscaping, consider these pet-friendly landscaping ideas to make your outdoor space more enjoyable and safer for your favorite fur buddy.

Contact us for landscape design services in Tucson by Santa Rita Landscaping, LLC. 

1. Non-Toxic Plants

Landscaping includes trees, shrubs, and plants. Pets sometimes like to chew on or play in greenery. Because of this, it is essential to ensure that any plant life in the yard is non-toxic. 

2. Safe Structures

Landscaping also includes fencing, retaining walls, and borders for flower beds. These structures should be the proper height to prevent your pets from going where they shouldn’t while being safe enough not unexpectedly to fall or break. Pets tend to jump or climb on these features, and this likelihood should be considered. 

Additionally, there should be no slight openings large enough to tempt a pet to go through it and allow them to get caught. 

3. Comfortable Materials

Patios, walkways, gardens, and shrubbery can consist of various materials that can be hurtful to pets. When designing these features, consider choosing materials that won’t get too hot, concrete pavers that don’t have sharp edges, mulch that isn’t too rough on paw pads, or plants that do not have thorns that could embed in paw pads.

4. Play Areas

Playtime in the yard should involve more than chasing a ball and lying in the warm grass. Making sure your pet has room to play is one of the most important pet-friendly landscaping ideas out there.

Consider adding a few fun obstacles to challenge your pet or features with different materials that stimulate comforts, such as cool, smooth stones to lay on or a path that encircles the yard. 

5. Shade and Shelter

After running and playing, everyone, including our pets, needs a shady spot to relax. There is no better place to relax than a cool shade under a tree or shelter. Where we relax can vary depending on the mood and day, so there should be ample choices for shade and shelter available throughout the yard.

6. Water Sources

Water is essential for any pet who runs and plays in the yard. It is particularly crucial to consider adding water sources to the landscaping if you want your pet to stay away from certain water features such as bird feeders or koi ponds. With ample watering bowls, fountains, and streams, pets are less likely to drink where they shouldn’t. 

Santa Rita Landscaping, LLC

It doesn’t take much to make your pet happy. These are just a few pet-friendly landscaping ideas to shake up the routine and offer enjoyment. Creating a fun and safe yard is the least we can do for our four-legged besties. 

Contact Santa Rita Landscaping, LLC, in Pheonix and Tucson, AZ, to learn the things you need to understand in a landscaping project.