Desert Landscape - Plant it and Forget it!

If you have ever driven down Lincoln in Phoenix, take note on how much of the landscape looks like crap.  Planting desert plants that don't need water has turned into plant it and forget it.  I will say many of the communities have taken action, but many have not.  Let's get real all desert landscape looks like this eventually. 


   Unkept, dying plants, over grown, weeds everywhere, it's not the kind of image most people want their HOA to have.   It may be cheap to plant this kind of a landscape, but maintenance isn't as cheap as people want to lead everyone to believe.  How much do you think a landscaper would charge to remove one of these thorny cactus?  How much do you think they will charge to remove weeds or trim this mess up?  The risk of a staph infection is enough for many to say, no thank you.  But, can you blame them. 

HOA's have always been the cream of the crop.  The best of the best and anything short of lush green grass with a back drop of beautiful flowers in the raised beds is not "a first class condition".  Especially, when your community backs up to a beautiful golf course.  Now if your hurting for funds it's a different story you cut corners in the easement, but keep a grand green colorful entrance.  A communities entrance is how it markets itself and must create interest or all efforts are useless. 

Now if your community is somewhat hidden and your trying to keep it that way to keep crime low.  Don't change a thing.  It's impossible to create interest that criminals will not notice.  It is something that has to be considered if your going to draw attention to a community. 


FYI...  It has been scientifically proven that Global Warming is caused by Sun Spots!  This doesn't mean that we have to concrete, asphalt, or spread rock on everything in site to make the ground reflect radiant heat back onto us.  Don't we get hot enough just from the sun beating down on us from above?