I've never been to Ohio and I don't know what the average yard looks like there but I did live in Phoenix for fifteen years. I live in Oregon but I miss the desert. My kitchen, laundry room and dining room are very Southwestern. Didn't think of doing the yard..... I think your idea of using a dry stream bed, large rocks, ornamental grasses, Russian sage etc. will work in giving that Southwest feel. There are also pines in AZ so a pine tree would not be out of place. I personally, detest Italian cypress which are the columnar evergreens you see around town but agree that a tall columnar evergreen might give the feel of a Saguaro. Hollywood junipers are very common in Southern CA and would not be out of place. They are very twisted and gnarled. If you build up some mounds from the dirt dug out for the dry streambed that will help too. Most good desert landscapes have them. Decomposed granite is the rock most commonly used in the Southwest as a mulch. I don't think I would use it in Ohio, I think I'd use the wood chips someone suggested above. The rock would just be too out of place. I'm not familiar with Ohio weather so forgive me if plants I suggest aren't going to make it through winter. Lavender and Rosemary can combine with the Russian Sage. Caryopteris too. Flower Carpet roses would be a great substitute for Bougainvillea, especially the magenta ones. Homestead Verbena can double for Lantana and will cover a lot of ground so there isn't so much mulch. I think you should go for a lusher look than many do in the desert. Many just don't realize how much they can really plant or try to plant the wrong things. Lowe's and Home Depot are just as guilty there as having plants that won't grow in the desert as they are having desert plants in colder climates. You need something for accent. A wagon wheel. Drift wood. Pottery. Please not a cement donkey or sleeping hombre.

I'm no expert, but you might try this site⦠(proving there's a website for everything!) Here is a link that might be useful: Opuntiads.com

Oh Wow, Is that what that is, a yogurt cup. :] 2nd take - a dime!!! Def, a great way to re-purpose after a tasty treat. If it were me, I would put it in a mix specifically for cactus. Al's 511 while a really good mix, contains bark which can still hold water longer than is good for a cactus, in my opinion. In fact barky 511 is what I use for roses and orchids, which require more moisture, retained for longer period than is good for a cactus. I also would advise no peat in the medium. If there is nothing else, regular soil or leaf mold with 20-30% sand and 50% pumice works well for a lot of cactus. Can use perlite, but look for the largest particles you can. From the looks of it, not doing too bad. 2 are even putting out new padlets! This post was edited by aztcqn on Wed, May 21, 14 at 1:36

For succulents that have been given a lot of light/harsher conditions outside and then brought inside suddenly, they can suffer from etoliation rather quickly. The cooler temperatures are very favourable, so the plants start growing, but under low light conditions they can become etoliated within just a week. There is not much to be done about it sadly and I'm not really sure if it's that preventable without very good indoor lighting (window or artificial). You can try repotting later to get it to grow straighter, but it only helps so much. My succulents are on a (fairly hot and exposed) rooftop and it took some creativity and time to get my plants adjusted to the sun - from wooden boards, to corrugated plastic, to clear diffuser panels, clay saucers, bricks, and white mesh fabric. I'm not sure if doing the same gradual increase in light/heat exposure will help your plants, but it did for me. Your shade sails look quite nice - must be comfortable under there!