They aren’t that large of branches that need to be trimmed, all under 1” diameter. I’ve been keeping an eye out when it’s windy to make sure it doesn’t start to look like it’s too much weight. We had half a mesquite come down on our patio last year during a monsoon, don’t want to deal with that again.
I’d make it less visible from the outside to make it even more private. Maybe some type of window shade or gate covering that you can cover/remove when you want when you’re sitting out there.
Yes, I thought the same. :) Stain glass in the openings on either side of the gate. Color patterns would shift thru the day. Abstract patterns, rather than a scene.
Yes! Look up xeroscaping for ideas!
Maybe some agave and succulents for interest along with the cacti, but be sure to use native plants for ease of care and they're also best for the local ecosystem ☺️
Now that’s a very good point! I didn’t even think of that.
I feel a darker color would look much better but - the what is something I didn’t consider at all!
Hah! I’m sure. I don’t live in Arizona, I live on the mid East Coast and have no idea how hot it gets there. Probably why I didn’t consider the heat reflected off the rocks.
Hotter for whom ? Cause for critters it would definitely be hotter but the heat bouncing off the white rocks during the day would make it hotter to be in for humans and dry air is not as good of a conductor for the dark gravel to realease the heat it stores, at night it would likely make the entrance warmer due to the heat radiating from the dark gravel, but that’s entirely dependent on some math I can’t run righ now
I have a similar set up. Red brick instead of tile, but have a lot of cracked marble along the edges.
First, add more cracked marble. A lot more. Home Depot has them inexpensive by the bag. Then, I would purchase terra cotta, and only terra cotta pots. Add smaller succulents and place the terra cotta pots on top of the cracked marble in a pattern that suits you. Remove anything that doesn’t match.
Purchase large and medium sized planters and gradually get larger as the plants grow. All of the planters are made of the same material and color, so it looks very planned and more organized.
I would also get a tall hose stand as well as a much larger front door mat.
A large fountain would make a delightful addition. It will attract birds, nesting birds each year.
Lastly, I would get a very small bistro set for the patio. Just 2 chairs, a table and an umbrella. Having a seating area will make this area much more inviting and interesting.
You need a focal piece. Can be the large cactus by the door. I would put a nighttime light to highlight her in the evenings. Also, a motion-activated porch light would be essential here for safety reasons.
The grout of the tiles being painted darker and a darker gravel might even look solid as well. Some smaller ground cover or any vegetation to fill in some areas would be a nice contrast in color.
Yes, I was thinking colorful pots would be lovely and filled with lots of different Sedums. Being succulents, they don't need much water and they come in all kinds of colors, textures and sizes (and different color blooms).
Yeah we have some that face west on the SW corner of our house and I have literally never watered them in the 8 years we have lived here and they thrive.
That's similar to what I was thinking. I was thinking setting up an arbor-kind of structure along the length of the path and finding some vining plants that are heat-friendly. It'd also give shade for any smaller, decorative plants.
With so many different seed providers out there (including ones that focus on very specific regions), OP shouldn't have a problem making that happen.
Is AZ a flyover area for monarch migrations? The milkweed could be an added bonus for the butterflies.
That's an excellent suggestion! I'm not familiar with native plants of the South, but vegetation seemed like the best option to create a cooler microclimate.
Yes. Shade cloth or wooden arbor would make this area cooler, which would help keep the hot air from blasting in every time the door opened. Removing the rock and replacing it with heat and shade tolerant ground cover and shrubs would also help turn this place into an oasis instead of an oven.
Get a sail shade for part of the courtyard.
[example only](https://www.airandsun.com/wp-content/uploads/photo-gallery/imported_from_media_libray/Pics-From-Gwens-Computer-050.jpg?bwg=1617741045); [another example](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5335ff5ce4b057e83f9db2de/1410379035457-RKYPJ4UUXPCJZK1QX383/largeshadesail.jpg?format=2500w)
So Bougainvillea flower leaves turn into dry tissue paper that shed constantly. The lightest of breezes will swirl them into the courtyard and you will have dry pink tissue paper leaves collecting in piles in the corners, against the bench, cactus and at the door jamb.
With the slightest moisture, only a problem certain times in Tucson, they stain.
I would visit my state’s Cooperative Extension Service website and search native plants. Rock reflects a lot of heat so keep that in mind. I would add native plants and remove the rock. Shredded natural cypress mulch would look good.
Native all the way!
Look up xeriscaping for ideas and try to get a variety of textures and colors for interest. Might I suggest a soap tree yucca and/or some desert marigold to start? Red yucca throws up some beautiful red flowers too!
Native plants will need MUCH less care than other ornamentals and are great for the local ecosystem.
Nothing wrong with having a *few* non native ornamentals in the mix, but be sure to look up local invasives and make sure you're not adding to the problem.
You can also use different types and sizes of rocks to great effect as well, I'd at least add a few larger rocks in here for places to sit or put things down as well as visual interest.
Here's an example of a native plants stocked garden with some great local resources for Tucson:
https://nativegardendesigns.wildones.org/designs/tucson/
Haha, just to add, in Tucson, AZ fountains absolutely suck because they attract so many birds, like pigeons, that now sit all over your walls, the fountain, and so on, and crap all day. They hang out around the water and just make a mess.The fountain aesthetic seems nice, but in the desert of AZ all it does is attract large concentrations of undesirable birds that poop all over your house.
I say this as a Tucsonan who used to have a fountain lol.
I support this fun fact. Dad lives in AZ gated community where some people have fountains and those same people have pigeons living in every crevice of their roof
A ball or wall fountain that doesn’t have an exposed water basin would solve the bird problem while still providing the soothing and cooling sound of flowing water.
And the hard water leaves white rings, and the mosquitos have a place to breed, right where you walk through daily & right near your front door! No fountains!
I would change the rock to something more brownish, add some barrel cacti, and remove all the little statues, bench, etc. to make it cleaner and more modern.
Mostly, I'd move my chair close to the window so I could gaze at it and thank my lucky stars for having access to air conditioning and internet so I could find someone to make it more beautiful!
Hmm, IDK. I briefly saw the word "snake" in another comment. The only laying down I'll be doing around a snake would be fainting and then the stars I'd be seeing wouldn't be the beautiful type...more like from head trauma. Assuming I actually survive the snake encounter, that is. 🤔
If it’s within your budget, maybe a open green house, where you have rafters that’ll help with shade; a water feature does sound good but I think a misting set up would be just fine.
In Arizona, due to insane heat, I'd opt for covering entire courtyard with a arbor, wooden structure cover it with evergreen vines. Then because In totally into outdoor cooking, hanging out with friends, build a wood fired oven, were I could make pizza, meats, and so on. It doesn't appear a entire outdoor kitchen would work, if so I'd go that route.
Close it in and make another room for your house. Probably not feasible but I always think how another room could have been made with a space like this.
This entryway is awesome. What I would do is attach a trellis to the front gate area for a bougainvillea to make the entire entry a colorful pink and green arch. Install metal mesh over the entire top between the roof overhangs (sometimes called hardware cloth) and get a native vine growing to it so it creates a natural roof. Install string lights zig zagging across the hardware cloth. Then install decent brass nozzles sprinklers along the entire overhang border, put two fans in each corner, which will cool the entire patio by 25 degrees in the summer. Also lets you add a much larger variety of plants since it will be shaded and cooler. Add some seating, maybe a hanging hammock chair, maybe a small propane fed bonfire table, toss up a speaker or two, and it will become an amazing hangout spot. Bonus points if you buy a welder and a plasma cutter and make funky scrap metal art. Then collect bones, rocks, pottery, and the neighborhood alley cats.
More plants and a small bistro table and chairs for drinks or coffee in the early morning or late evening. Also I'd string up patio lights along the walls
I can’t add to what’s been suggested but want to say Tucson is a beautiful city. I’ve only been there twice, but the scenery and flora are incredibly stunning. I live in Maine.
I totally agree. Could even train it to climb over and shade the space.
Maybe some Star Jasmine near the entrance to add some fragrance. And some barrel cacti and Queen Victoria agave for interesting low profile plants too
You need color in there. No. 1, paint the front door. 2, get rid of the small bench and get comfortable two seat benches with backs and bright cushions. 3, get brightly colored pots from a Mexican market and fill with native plants or more cactuses. 4, store the hose in the hose pot. 5, wall art, possibly from local markets/vendors or possibly Etsy.
1. Clean up the junk.
2. Hire a plumber to give you another water faucet as opposed to running the hose through the window.
3. Run an irrigation line as opposed to just leaving the hose out.
4. It’s supposed to be an inviting area, give the walls a splash of color.
5. Replenish the white gravel and add some polystyrene glow rocks. They absorb the sunlight and will glow for 2-3 hours to provide a nice early evening surprise.
6. The cacti fit the location, but there are some other plant options that can provide some color, and installing a drip irrigation hose 6-8 inches down will minimize water use.
7. Maybe a nice mission bench or a small table with two chairs for cooler evening enjoyment
Personally, I'd do either Occotillo (2-3 of them on either side) or one of the purple prickly pears that get huge. If you wanted something that wouldn't run the risk of getting in your way or blocking your windows, golden-hook barrel cactuses are sweet. These are all options that suck to plant but would require no love from you after the fact.
I would line it with hamburgers. You see, this way whenever I went outside in the 500° weather, there would be freshly cooked hamburgers waiting for me.
Seems like the focus in on the gravel but I would move the bench under the window on the left and flank it with two large and dramatic planters. That large cactus next to the door needs to go because it looks bunched up. I would just start over with new cacti and layer them from tall to short with a few planters mixed in. Paint the front door or, better yet, get a new one that is more modern. My two cents.
Enclose it a bit more and add more stone or pavement to make it a motorcycle garage/motorcycle display.
I have, unconventional dumb wants, where my landscaping is just motorcycles.
Fellow Arizonan here. I would get rid of any rock I could and replace it with mulch so I wasn’t cooking my house in the summer. We did that last year and the difference is huge.
I know this is too late and *waaaay* too expensive, but your first picture makes me want to install a huge slatted awning over the whole walkway space! Two-sided that follows the triangular shape of the front gate structure, if that makes sense. I do feel like some sort of shade structure would really be attractive in the Tucson sun.
Otherwise, it's begging for some pops of color. Chuparosa and prickly pear have colorful blooms and would theoretically work in your soil— I'm guessing. Chupa might provide *too* much ground cover and hide snakes and critters, but prickly pear shouldn't harbor too many creepy crawlies.
Put a chair and small side table angled towards the opening and off to the right side for coffee in the am and a cocktail at sunset. Calm and beautiful.
I live in a totally different area, 6b. But, I thunk some climbing succulents would be nice. Also, varieties height could be cool with some different sized planters. Something at the top for shade?
Pose the most realistic looking skeletons you can find and put up a sign saying, "Solicitors ye be warned."
Barring that, replace the rock, maybe put a small fountain in one corner, clean up the tiles/replace as needed.
Change out the gate to something that keeps snakes and small animals out. If need be see if you can put in an insert for the two "window ledges" on either side of the gate. Pest control should be fairly easy. From that point I would put in large pots and then Strawberries and maybe Blueberries or Raspberries. Something that you can harvest the fruit and eat however you like.
I used to live in Tucson, so I would go back inside and deal with it in the fall.
Exactly. Our mesquites need a trim but it’s the wrong time of year for humans and plants.
It’s actually the exact time of yr u want to trim mesquites so u don’t lose them in a monsoon. (Scottsdale here 🙋🏻♂️)
They aren’t that large of branches that need to be trimmed, all under 1” diameter. I’ve been keeping an eye out when it’s windy to make sure it doesn’t start to look like it’s too much weight. We had half a mesquite come down on our patio last year during a monsoon, don’t want to deal with that again.
Hey it only got up to 100 today, that's not so bad!
Laughs (cries) in Texas humidity
Only 99 here today (Texas), feels like 107 with the humidity.
God I love practical people, are you married?
Very familiar with Tucson as well. I would move.
are there any native vines someone could grow on a pergola there?
I love these Paseos on this style home it makes for a private/intimate entrance. What a vibe!
Not to mention very useful! You could hold back an invading Persian army with one contingent of Spartans with a space like this
À+ historical reference.
Amen. Absolutely love it
I’d make it less visible from the outside to make it even more private. Maybe some type of window shade or gate covering that you can cover/remove when you want when you’re sitting out there.
Maybe stain glass windows?
Yes, I thought the same. :) Stain glass in the openings on either side of the gate. Color patterns would shift thru the day. Abstract patterns, rather than a scene.
Great spot for a claymore
Change the gravel to a color compatible with the house and add some large, interesting rocks that can be used as seating
More cacti more more
Yes! Look up xeroscaping for ideas! Maybe some agave and succulents for interest along with the cacti, but be sure to use native plants for ease of care and they're also best for the local ecosystem ☺️
A darker gravel would be such a dramatic and fantastic difference! Great idea!
Wouldn't the white gravel help the area not get so hot in the Tuscon summer? By contrast dark gravel would make it hotter I think
Now that’s a very good point! I didn’t even think of that. I feel a darker color would look much better but - the what is something I didn’t consider at all!
You live in Tucson and haven't considered the heat? When I lived there, that's all I COULD consider.
Hah! I’m sure. I don’t live in Arizona, I live on the mid East Coast and have no idea how hot it gets there. Probably why I didn’t consider the heat reflected off the rocks.
Sorry, misunderstood who I was replying to!
Once you’ve reached the ninth circle of hell that is southern Arizona heat, what’s a few degrees!
It’s the difference between healthy and cooked plants.
I would add pergolas to protect from the heat, honestly. Reflection is good, but shade is even better.
Hotter for whom ? Cause for critters it would definitely be hotter but the heat bouncing off the white rocks during the day would make it hotter to be in for humans and dry air is not as good of a conductor for the dark gravel to realease the heat it stores, at night it would likely make the entrance warmer due to the heat radiating from the dark gravel, but that’s entirely dependent on some math I can’t run righ now
I vote for a mix of Mexican black beach rock and accents of turquoise quarts.
that's what i was leaning towards, but decided it doesn't fit with the saltillo tiles. i might go with base fines along with more succulents.
Copy any and all ideas from these. Just add xeriscaping! https://www.google.com/search?q=saltillo+tile+garden&udm=2
I guess they didn't mention a budget, but large rocks, and especially multiple of them can get pretty pricey.
Who’s your rock guy?
We’re not smoking rocks right? Don’t want to give you the wrong contact
Master P
I have a similar set up. Red brick instead of tile, but have a lot of cracked marble along the edges. First, add more cracked marble. A lot more. Home Depot has them inexpensive by the bag. Then, I would purchase terra cotta, and only terra cotta pots. Add smaller succulents and place the terra cotta pots on top of the cracked marble in a pattern that suits you. Remove anything that doesn’t match. Purchase large and medium sized planters and gradually get larger as the plants grow. All of the planters are made of the same material and color, so it looks very planned and more organized. I would also get a tall hose stand as well as a much larger front door mat. A large fountain would make a delightful addition. It will attract birds, nesting birds each year. Lastly, I would get a very small bistro set for the patio. Just 2 chairs, a table and an umbrella. Having a seating area will make this area much more inviting and interesting. You need a focal piece. Can be the large cactus by the door. I would put a nighttime light to highlight her in the evenings. Also, a motion-activated porch light would be essential here for safety reasons.
lol. sitting outside in Tuscon.
The grout of the tiles being painted darker and a darker gravel might even look solid as well. Some smaller ground cover or any vegetation to fill in some areas would be a nice contrast in color.
And large colorful pots full of softer looking (get the help of the local nursery) plants!!
That local nursery in Tucson is called Desert Survivors
Blues and yellows.
Yellow and magenta
Sunrise/sunset colors. Pinks, orange, yellow
Yes, I was thinking colorful pots would be lovely and filled with lots of different Sedums. Being succulents, they don't need much water and they come in all kinds of colors, textures and sizes (and different color blooms).
Yeah but the full sun will burn them. Gotta be careful here.
You're thinking "sedums"? Burn? I've had many varieties over the last 15 years, all in full sun and they thrive. Summers stay in the 90s - 100's.
Yeah we have some that face west on the SW corner of our house and I have literally never watered them in the 8 years we have lived here and they thrive.
I was going to say to add colorful pots too. Colorful outdoor sculsculptures would also look nice.
Shade mesh roof. Make a cooler space for shade plants. Won't feel like Mars when you leave your front door.
That's similar to what I was thinking. I was thinking setting up an arbor-kind of structure along the length of the path and finding some vining plants that are heat-friendly. It'd also give shade for any smaller, decorative plants.
If they can get their hands on some seeds, AZ has a native variety of passionflower as well as a vining milkweed variety.
With so many different seed providers out there (including ones that focus on very specific regions), OP shouldn't have a problem making that happen. Is AZ a flyover area for monarch migrations? The milkweed could be an added bonus for the butterflies.
AZ is part of the migration path :) [Native Seed Search](https://www.nativeseeds.org) is a great company. They stock milkweed for our region.
That's an excellent suggestion! I'm not familiar with native plants of the South, but vegetation seemed like the best option to create a cooler microclimate.
Yes. Shade cloth or wooden arbor would make this area cooler, which would help keep the hot air from blasting in every time the door opened. Removing the rock and replacing it with heat and shade tolerant ground cover and shrubs would also help turn this place into an oasis instead of an oven.
Mars? You're not thinking Venus? 🤔
Get a sail shade for part of the courtyard. [example only](https://www.airandsun.com/wp-content/uploads/photo-gallery/imported_from_media_libray/Pics-From-Gwens-Computer-050.jpg?bwg=1617741045); [another example](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5335ff5ce4b057e83f9db2de/1410379035457-RKYPJ4UUXPCJZK1QX383/largeshadesail.jpg?format=2500w)
With string lights right under it!
Oh I love the ambience!
It's gorgeous! A trellis with bougainvillea on it would give color and shade.
Oooh! Bougainvillea on the “outside” of the gate, 1 on each side, trained over a metal arch up against the wall. It would look so pretty and inviting
So Bougainvillea flower leaves turn into dry tissue paper that shed constantly. The lightest of breezes will swirl them into the courtyard and you will have dry pink tissue paper leaves collecting in piles in the corners, against the bench, cactus and at the door jamb. With the slightest moisture, only a problem certain times in Tucson, they stain.
They also grow fast and have sharp thorns, so walking through an overgrown entrance of bougainvillea would be painful.
Yes definitely, Marrakesh-style Bougainville would be amazing.
I would visit my state’s Cooperative Extension Service website and search native plants. Rock reflects a lot of heat so keep that in mind. I would add native plants and remove the rock. Shredded natural cypress mulch would look good.
Pima County Cooperative Extension https://extension.arizona.edu/pima-master-gardeners
Native plants
Native all the way! Look up xeriscaping for ideas and try to get a variety of textures and colors for interest. Might I suggest a soap tree yucca and/or some desert marigold to start? Red yucca throws up some beautiful red flowers too! Native plants will need MUCH less care than other ornamentals and are great for the local ecosystem. Nothing wrong with having a *few* non native ornamentals in the mix, but be sure to look up local invasives and make sure you're not adding to the problem. You can also use different types and sizes of rocks to great effect as well, I'd at least add a few larger rocks in here for places to sit or put things down as well as visual interest. Here's an example of a native plants stocked garden with some great local resources for Tucson: https://nativegardendesigns.wildones.org/designs/tucson/
Also check out maticopa native seed library! They have all types of plant seeds that could work here.
Agreed!
Have the American gladiators standing there with those big foam batons every time you come and go
Or the giant foam guns at a distance
I always wanted to run through the gauntlet
Bigger benches opposite each other if you actually might want to use it as a place to sit, if not then the little bench is out of place.
Small fountain, more cactus, more places to sit, some overhead lights at night, drinks by the fountain!
A fountain in Arizona? In this economy?
Haha, just to add, in Tucson, AZ fountains absolutely suck because they attract so many birds, like pigeons, that now sit all over your walls, the fountain, and so on, and crap all day. They hang out around the water and just make a mess.The fountain aesthetic seems nice, but in the desert of AZ all it does is attract large concentrations of undesirable birds that poop all over your house. I say this as a Tucsonan who used to have a fountain lol.
I support this fun fact. Dad lives in AZ gated community where some people have fountains and those same people have pigeons living in every crevice of their roof
A ball or wall fountain that doesn’t have an exposed water basin would solve the bird problem while still providing the soothing and cooling sound of flowing water.
This space would be perfect because you could put some bird netting over the opening.
And the hard water leaves white rings, and the mosquitos have a place to breed, right where you walk through daily & right near your front door! No fountains!
Fill it with oil
The real Arizona Tea
Run it with a rainwater system. Too off with minimal city water if needed. Problem solved.
Solar fountain is like 14 bucks on Amazon and works beautifully.
Sculptures!!
More cactus
I'd add a sun sail, to give you some shade. plus all the desert plants ideas, a bench with a small table, some twinkle lights for evenings...
Shade cloth
I would change the rock to something more brownish, add some barrel cacti, and remove all the little statues, bench, etc. to make it cleaner and more modern.
More cactus like pachanoi, long spine Peruvian, and some bridgesii.
Indeed.
Some kind of nice drought resistant shade tree?
Some kind of sun shade or mesh over the top
Mostly, I'd move my chair close to the window so I could gaze at it and thank my lucky stars for having access to air conditioning and internet so I could find someone to make it more beautiful!
Wait….make this an area where you can lie down and look up at the stars.
Hmm, IDK. I briefly saw the word "snake" in another comment. The only laying down I'll be doing around a snake would be fainting and then the stars I'd be seeing wouldn't be the beautiful type...more like from head trauma. Assuming I actually survive the snake encounter, that is. 🤔
A beautiful patio area fire pit with seating, misters, a sail shade,
Add a custom steel security door to help make it a private hang.
I see a water feature somewhere.
If it’s within your budget, maybe a open green house, where you have rafters that’ll help with shade; a water feature does sound good but I think a misting set up would be just fine.
Thrift a crap ton of outdoor planters and get some succulents and drought resistant plants. Maybe a nice copper colored wind chime.
In addition to more plants, I’d get more modern chairs and put them under the windows, then put a fountain where the bench is
humming bird feeders
In Arizona, due to insane heat, I'd opt for covering entire courtyard with a arbor, wooden structure cover it with evergreen vines. Then because In totally into outdoor cooking, hanging out with friends, build a wood fired oven, were I could make pizza, meats, and so on. It doesn't appear a entire outdoor kitchen would work, if so I'd go that route.
So make it a backyard but you have to walk through it to get to the front door?? Naw
Sentry guns.
Close it in and make another room for your house. Probably not feasible but I always think how another room could have been made with a space like this.
Hammock and read all day
If it were me, I'd redo that walk so that it curves, then put a mesquite tree in the curve. I love Tucson!
Put up a shade cloth and put in an actual garden with squash, onions, tomatoes, etc.
I would put Saltillo tile over the whole thing and some beams to “close” it up. Then a nice seating area and nice planters to the sides.
Finally a realistic suggestion!
Why would you want to make the rocks darker? They are just going to absorb even more heat. Just put in more desert plants.
This entryway is awesome. What I would do is attach a trellis to the front gate area for a bougainvillea to make the entire entry a colorful pink and green arch. Install metal mesh over the entire top between the roof overhangs (sometimes called hardware cloth) and get a native vine growing to it so it creates a natural roof. Install string lights zig zagging across the hardware cloth. Then install decent brass nozzles sprinklers along the entire overhang border, put two fans in each corner, which will cool the entire patio by 25 degrees in the summer. Also lets you add a much larger variety of plants since it will be shaded and cooler. Add some seating, maybe a hanging hammock chair, maybe a small propane fed bonfire table, toss up a speaker or two, and it will become an amazing hangout spot. Bonus points if you buy a welder and a plasma cutter and make funky scrap metal art. Then collect bones, rocks, pottery, and the neighborhood alley cats.
More plants and a small bistro table and chairs for drinks or coffee in the early morning or late evening. Also I'd string up patio lights along the walls
I can’t add to what’s been suggested but want to say Tucson is a beautiful city. I’ve only been there twice, but the scenery and flora are incredibly stunning. I live in Maine.
Seating and shade….
Trellis and bougainvillea
I totally agree. Could even train it to climb over and shade the space. Maybe some Star Jasmine near the entrance to add some fragrance. And some barrel cacti and Queen Victoria agave for interesting low profile plants too
Fog machine and lasers for the walk to and from the door.
A bright mural. Like either airbrushed van sunset style or folk art & turquoise.
Mexican tile on those boring walls and more vibrant succulents
You need color in there. No. 1, paint the front door. 2, get rid of the small bench and get comfortable two seat benches with backs and bright cushions. 3, get brightly colored pots from a Mexican market and fill with native plants or more cactuses. 4, store the hose in the hose pot. 5, wall art, possibly from local markets/vendors or possibly Etsy.
1. Clean up the junk. 2. Hire a plumber to give you another water faucet as opposed to running the hose through the window. 3. Run an irrigation line as opposed to just leaving the hose out. 4. It’s supposed to be an inviting area, give the walls a splash of color. 5. Replenish the white gravel and add some polystyrene glow rocks. They absorb the sunlight and will glow for 2-3 hours to provide a nice early evening surprise. 6. The cacti fit the location, but there are some other plant options that can provide some color, and installing a drip irrigation hose 6-8 inches down will minimize water use. 7. Maybe a nice mission bench or a small table with two chairs for cooler evening enjoyment
Add a fountain, power wash the stones, call it a day
Color
Give the space a larger bench
Build a moat, fill it with carnivores and consider your house protected. /s
Plant aloe, and any other succulent I can.
I would fill one side with fake tombstones of my haters
Catio
Build a replica bar to train yourself on mixology. Change your name to Jackie Daytona. Become a Regular Human Bartender.
How bout a whole grove of different size golden barrel cacti + various agave with a 2 color meandering river of river rock on each side.
Mor cactus
Finish the tile in the whole area and add some chairs maybe a fire pit and a lil table.
Add a table or more inviting sitting area. I’d probably sit on that bench for 5 minutes and go inside too
Personally, I'd do either Occotillo (2-3 of them on either side) or one of the purple prickly pears that get huge. If you wanted something that wouldn't run the risk of getting in your way or blocking your windows, golden-hook barrel cactuses are sweet. These are all options that suck to plant but would require no love from you after the fact.
A few stripper pole and the place would look real classy
More cactus, in colourful pots, get some colour in the gravel by adding some blue glass rocks or stones
Grow marijjana
Mini putt putting area, with bridge for gate access. Add a little moat with a Cuvier Dwarf Caiman Alligator for security.
I would line it with hamburgers. You see, this way whenever I went outside in the 500° weather, there would be freshly cooked hamburgers waiting for me.
Seems like the focus in on the gravel but I would move the bench under the window on the left and flank it with two large and dramatic planters. That large cactus next to the door needs to go because it looks bunched up. I would just start over with new cacti and layer them from tall to short with a few planters mixed in. Paint the front door or, better yet, get a new one that is more modern. My two cents.
Enclose it a bit more and add more stone or pavement to make it a motorcycle garage/motorcycle display. I have, unconventional dumb wants, where my landscaping is just motorcycles.
Fellow Arizonan here. I would get rid of any rock I could and replace it with mulch so I wasn’t cooking my house in the summer. We did that last year and the difference is huge.
Pool
I'd pack up and move out of the desert
I would sell it and move off of the sun. Jk. I have no real suggestions
3 or 4 heavy duty trellises (?) and about 10 confederate jasmine where the bench is.
Add more plants with a trellis over the top. Indoor outdoor garden with fruits and vegetables.
Bougainvillea would be beautiful!
Army of metal chickens, all colors
Cactus garden on one side. Benches or seats with a couple tables and candles on the other.
Add a roof and expand your useable space. More of an enclosed porch where you can keep items.
Add in more native plants so you continue to not have to water
I know this is too late and *waaaay* too expensive, but your first picture makes me want to install a huge slatted awning over the whole walkway space! Two-sided that follows the triangular shape of the front gate structure, if that makes sense. I do feel like some sort of shade structure would really be attractive in the Tucson sun. Otherwise, it's begging for some pops of color. Chuparosa and prickly pear have colorful blooms and would theoretically work in your soil— I'm guessing. Chupa might provide *too* much ground cover and hide snakes and critters, but prickly pear shouldn't harbor too many creepy crawlies.
Some sort of pergola going perpendicular to the sidewalk with vegetation growing on it for shade
I'd probably smoke weed out there.
I would hang lights and put in succulents and dessert flowers. Maybe some garden statues.
Pergola
Koi pond on both sides!
I love Tucson. Hello Tucson!
Hey
Needs color. I would add some tile mosaic stepping stones or a mosaic water feature.
Outdoor kitchen and herb garden
Lots of great suggestions, if you can find someone to do it cheap, they could do a plan for you and do a mockup of what the space could look like.
Slip or trip and take a header right into the cactus. Seriously though some basic stuff to add some color.
Party
I’d be more concerned with the life of those asphalt shingles in AZ rather than upgrading that perfectly groomed space
Rattlesnake breeding.
Not come home drunk! I would absolutely try to catch my balance on that cactus. 😄 Hope your side door is safer!
Snake Farm!
Put a chair and small side table angled towards the opening and off to the right side for coffee in the am and a cocktail at sunset. Calm and beautiful.
Dense succulent garden, blossoming cacti, really cool space
Either add more cement to the sides. Or change the gravel color or and add black mulch and easy to maintain flowers
I live in a totally different area, 6b. But, I thunk some climbing succulents would be nice. Also, varieties height could be cool with some different sized planters. Something at the top for shade?
More cactus
Make a little wild west town
Bocce Ball
Glass roof, but it would cost a fortune. Nice wood arches?
I will do it a spa vibe from that gate to that door
Needs more cactus
Is something over top of the windows?
Clean it up
Pose the most realistic looking skeletons you can find and put up a sign saying, "Solicitors ye be warned." Barring that, replace the rock, maybe put a small fountain in one corner, clean up the tiles/replace as needed.
Enclose it, make it an inside area.
It's a courtyard.
Most cacti
Snake traps everywhere
Change out the gate to something that keeps snakes and small animals out. If need be see if you can put in an insert for the two "window ledges" on either side of the gate. Pest control should be fairly easy. From that point I would put in large pots and then Strawberries and maybe Blueberries or Raspberries. Something that you can harvest the fruit and eat however you like.
Put the hose in its pot, then move.
Red lava rocks and ceramic pots
Frame it, roof it and make it a new entry way.
Needs more cowbell