Yards in Arizona require lawn care if the predominant concern is the state of the grass, weeds, pruning or watering. If the entire outdoor environment requires planning, landscaping and designing then landscape design services will be needed. It all depends on your yard’s state, your requirements and the amount of maintenance desired.
Lawn Care vs. Landscape Design: What’s the Difference?
Lawn maintenance is concerned with the existing situation while landscape design considers the overall picture.
In cases where the grass in your yard seems thin, weed invasion keeps happening, or irrigation needs to be done, lawn maintenance would suffice. Mowing, edging, trimming, fertilizing, and irrigation can help maintain the yard.
However, landscape design is carried out even before digging begins. It takes into account the layout of the yard, sunlight availability, soil type, plant selection, irrigation systems, walkway planning, seating areas, among others.
Lawn maintenance is like maintaining the engine while landscape design is about determining the type of car to build.
When Does Your Arizona Yard Need Lawn Care?
Lawn care makes sense in cases where your backyard design works well.
You would require lawn care services if you have a dying lawn, rampant weeds, uneven lawn edges, and irrigation problems in your garden. Seasonal lawn care should be included too since an Arizona lawn is highly exposed to high temperatures and different watering requirements.
According to the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Bermuda grass is highly suited for a Phoenix area backyard.
A basic lawn care routine could consist of mowing, lawn edging, weed removal, trimming, checking on your irrigation, and seasonal lawn care.
When Should You Choose Landscape Design?
Select landscape design services if fixing the underlying issue is not possible by just maintenance.
Perhaps there is too much bare ground in your property. Perhaps the plant varieties planted are inappropriate for Arizona’s climate. Or maybe you would like a patio, decorative rocks, trees, walkways, or an additional outdoor living space.
Landscape design assigns a specific function to each element in the landscape.
The trees provide shade, the plantings provide color, hardscapes provide functional areas, and proper irrigation ensures water distribution to the plants.
Plant selection is important for Arizona homeowners because according to the University of Arizona, drought-tolerant landscape reduces dependence on supplementary irrigation after the plants get established.
What Works Best in Phoenix and Maricopa?
Arizona yards need practical choices, not plants that look good for a month and struggle afterward.
A Phoenix or Maricopa landscape can include drought-tolerant plants, gravel, shade trees, native or desert-adapted plants, efficient irrigation, and smaller lawn areas. The final mix should match the property, sunlight, soil, and how you use the space.
If you love having grass for children or pets, there’s no need to remove every blade. The smarter move may be keeping lawn where it serves a purpose and using water-efficient landscaping elsewhere.
FAQs
Is lawn care cheaper than landscape design?
Lawn care usually costs less because it maintains an existing landscape rather than redesigning the property. Landscape design can involve new plants, irrigation, grading, hardscaping, and installation, so the scope and cost are typically higher.
Is landscaping worth it in Arizona?
Landscaping can make an Arizona yard easier to use and maintain when the design matches the local climate. Water-efficient plants, suitable lawn areas, efficient irrigation, shade, and practical hardscaping can create a yard that fits both your property and routine.
Should we remove our Arizona lawn?
Not necessarily. Keep lawn where you use it and consider replacing unnecessary areas with desert-adapted plants, gravel, or other landscape features. The best Arizona yard isn’t always lawn-free; it’s a yard where every part has a purpose.
Conclusion
Your Arizona yard doesn’t always need a complete makeover.
Sometimes, it simply needs consistent lawn care. Other times, the better answer is a new landscape plan that fixes the layout from the ground up.
The key is matching the service to the problem.
For homeowners in Maricopa and the greater Phoenix area, Bellagio Landscaping can help with everything from lawn care to landscape design and installation.
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