Decorative Rock & Xeriscape
Decorative Rock & Xeriscape in Tucson — Beautiful, Water-Wise, Built to Last
This is what xeriscape actually looks like
The practical benefits are equally compelling. A xeriscape landscape uses 50–75% less water than a traditional lawn — a significant saving given Tucson Water’s tiered rate structure. Tucson Water offers rebates for qualifying xeriscape conversions, which can offset a substantial portion of the installation cost. Once established, native plants require no fertiliser, minimal pruning, and no seasonal replanting. The maintenance cost of a mature native xeriscape is dramatically lower than a lawn or traditional landscape.
Our xeriscape installations combine decorative rock as the base — controlling erosion, suppressing weeds, and retaining soil moisture — with a carefully selected native plant palette designed for your specific yard’s sun exposure, drainage, and visual goals. Every installation includes properly sized planting pockets, and an integrated drip irrigation plan that delivers exactly what each plant needs to establish.
Decomposed Granite (DG)
Golden, buff, red, or grey tones · Compacts well · Most popular Tucson base material
River Rock
Smooth, rounded stones · Great for drainage areas and accent beds · Multiple sizes
Mexican Beach Pebble
Polished dark stone · High contrast accent · Modern aesthetic
Arizona Flagstone
Natural stepping stones and patio areas · Multiple colours
Boulders
Focal point placement · Creates natural, organic feel when placed with design intent
What we design and install
Decorative Rock Selection & Installation
Decorative rock is the foundation of most Tucson desert landscapes — and choosing the right type, colour, and texture for your property is more nuanced than it looks. Decomposed granite is our most-used base material: available in golden, buff, red, and grey tones, it compacts well, controls erosion, and provides a clean, natural look. River rock adds texture and contrast in accent beds. Boulders — placed with purpose, not randomly dropped — create focal points and give a landscape the feeling of having grown naturally from the terrain.
We handle delivery, grading, edging, and final spreading. All rock types and quantities are quoted in writing before installation begins. We don’t charge for consultation — you’ll know exactly what you’re getting before any work begins.
Full Xeriscape Design & Installation
A full xeriscape installation begins with the design consultation — mapping your yard’s sun exposure, drainage patterns, and visual goals, then producing a plant and rock palette that delivers colour, texture, and seasonal interest across all twelve months. From there we prepare the soil, install or modify the drip irrigation system, lay the edging, spread the base rock, excavate planting pockets, install the plants, and finish with a woodchip mulch layer around each plant to support establishment.
We document the installation for Tucson Water’s xeriscape rebate application and handle the submission process with you. Our xeriscape installations are designed to look beautiful from day one and to improve every year as the plants establish and fill in.
Lawn to Xeriscape Conversion
Converting a Tucson lawn to xeriscape is one of the highest-ROI landscape projects a homeowner can undertake. The average Tucson lawn uses 3–5 times more water than a comparable native xeriscape — and with Tucson Water’s tiered rates, that difference grows as summer demand peaks.
We handle the full conversion: sod removal and disposal, irrigation system conversion from spray heads to drip, soil amendment, and complete xeriscape installation. Most lawn-to-xeriscape projects qualify for Tucson Water rebates and break even on water savings within one to three years, depending on yard size. We identify rebate eligibility during the initial consultation and manage the paperwork with you.
Native Plant Palette for Rock Landscapes
The right plants make a rock landscape come alive — and the wrong plants look out of place and struggle. Our go-to species for Tucson rock landscapes are selected specifically for their ability to perform in the reflected heat that decorative rock creates, their visual impact through the seasons, and their compatibility with drip irrigation.
Our top choices include Brittlebush (golden blooms on silver foliage, thrives in reflected heat), Blackfoot Daisy (white flowers with yellow centres, blooms nearly year-round), Desert Marigold (bright yellow, heat-loving, naturalises beautifully), Red Yucca (coral flower spikes, dramatic and drought-tolerant), Purple Trailing Lantana (ground-covering, colour all season, hummingbird favourite), and Desert Ruellia (lavender flowers, spreads naturally under rock to fill gaps). Each is proven to perform in Tucson’s extreme conditions with minimal irrigation once established.
Brittlebush
Golden blooms on silver foliage — thrives in reflected heat from rock surfaces
Blackfoot Daisy
White flowers with yellow centres — blooms nearly year-round in Tucson
Desert Marigold
Bright yellow, heat-loving — naturalises beautifully through rock
Red Yucca
Coral flower spikes — dramatic, drought-tolerant, architectural
Purple Trailing Lantana
Ground-covering colour all season — hummingbird favourite
Desert Ruellia
Lavender flowers — spreads naturally under rock to fill gaps