Michelle

Are you looking for someone to design your landscape or just maintain it?

A landscape designer generally knows our plant palette and can help you create an outdoor environment that will fit your lifestyle. Some will draw up plans while others will create the design and handle installation.

Landscape designers offer various landscape design services. Although a degree, license or certification is not required, those who use this title often possess knowledge, education, training and/or experience in landscape design. A Landscape Architect in training will often refer to them self as a Landscape Designer. Check in the yellow pages of the phone book under landscape or ask your local private nursery. Nurseries have designers that are patrons and generally will have names that they can give you.

If you are looking for someone to maintain your landscape, check with the nurseries and irrigation stores (Turf Irrigation, Horizon, Ewing, Sprinkler World). They should be able to provide names of maintenance contractors as well.

Having said all this, the landscape industry is booming in the Phoenix area. Anyone with a pickup can call themselves a landscaper - no special training is required. Your landscape is a huge investment so selecting someone to care for you investment is a big decision. Ask for credentials and references. Look for certifications such as a Certified Landscape Contractor or Certified Landscape Professional, Smartscape Certification or Desert Landscaper Certification.

I believe the Desert Botanical Garden keeps a list of individuals that have completed their training (Desert Landscaper). Call them at 480-941-1225.

The Arizona Landscape Contractors Association (ALCA) can be reached at 6619 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85250, 480 296-2064, http://www.azlca.com

A licensed landscape installation and maintenance contractor will be registered with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors, 800 W. Washington, Sixth Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85007, (602) 542-1525 or (888) 271-9286, http://www.rc.state.az.us Testing and certification required, Insurance required.

Lastly, educate yourself to protect your investment. You wouldn't purchase a car without doing a little checking on product history, reliability, efficiency, etc. Check with independent sources like the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension office in Phoenix. They have lots of free information on plants that you can access from your home computer. The link is below.

Ask for the new FREE booklet, Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert. It's available from your local city water conservation office and has over 200 low water use plants that are colorful, fragrant, provide shade, attract hummingbirds and butterflies to create a beautiful, lush landscape. http://www.amwua.org

Here is a link that might be useful: Publications from the University of Arizona

Thank you so much! I really appreciate the info. We are looking to have our whole backyard designed, as there is nothing but dirt there now. We are in the process of interviewing several landscapers, hopefully we will find one we like. We will definitely call the Desert Botanical Garden. I don't know why I didn't think of it!!!

Thanks again,
Michelle

Aztreelvr is right, Michelle. It's important to educate yourself as well as work with a landscape company. I moved into a new subdivision about three years ago and people scrambled to get their yards landscaped. Unfortunately, many of them got taken: they asked for plants that wouldn't cause allergies and got acacias, plants that had differing water requirements got put in the same drip lines, trees were planted too close together, etc. The good news is that fall is the best time to plant so you've got time to do research and come up with a plan that will be wonderful!

Crista

Hi Michelle,

After reading your post then Crista's, I felt compelled to post this.

Crista is absolutely right. When my wife and I first came out here, we went with a company who's name I'm won't disclose, but they did a horrible job. We had issues with plants being over watered, the wrong plants were ordered and had to be re-ordered, and it was just an overall headache.

We did find an extremely good company though and that's why I'm posting this. I highly recommend you work with Phoenix Arizona Landscaping, they are very professional, courteous, and most of all they know what they're doing. Our backyard looks absolutely gorgeous now and we constantly get compliments about it.

If Rich is reading this, thank you buddy!