"One immediate tip I'll offer is to remove the bottom limbs from your trees." I do agree. They've just reached the correct time of year for pruning and it's been scheduled with a local company. "A couple of things I don't care for about your landscape are the long, confining hedge along the front walk." Agreed. I'm in the process of hiring someone to move it for me. I am considering moving it to around the Maple trees in front (saplings right now). "And the rhythmically dotted shrubs marching across the front foundation." I hate that, too. I don't know whether to let it grow into a solid hedge, or remove it completely. "Some street trees would help with "framing the view" and the feeling of ultra-exposure." That sounds like what I want to do, but I'm too "structured" and am trying to make it look less contrived. But the harder I try to get that look, the more garish it becomes. I love your taste, Yardvaark. If YOU like it, then I probably do, too. What would you do if it was YOUR house? You probably can see the needs better than I can! I don't want a lot of plants that need dead-heading and constant pruning (some is ok, but not everything). I'm in my mid-40's and not getting any younger, so I'm looking for what will give great impact sooner rather than later. BIgger-picture landscaping stuff, not gardening stuff. Does that make sense? If I'm not explaining myself, perhaps you can ask me specific questions I can answer?

"What kind of trees and plants I can plant in august. Also what is the best way to make a garden with the AZ desert soil? Is it better to make a raised garden put my own soil or dig up and amend soil already there?" First nice and congratulations on your new home. Trees on the west side will cast shade on your home in the summer. Deciduous trees will drop leaf so the winter sun will shine through. The best trees to plant are ones around 4 feet tall. More importantly around 1/2" to 3/4" diameter near the base or above a graft point. Those you can transport in your car. I have had 22 trees in my jeep wrangler unlimited at one point (though they were bareroot). I wouldn't want to drive a long distance that way though. If you buy a tree(s) with leaves on them you will have to transport them inside a vehicle or well covered up. Driving over 40MPH will strip ALL of the leaves off quickly. I have has 15 five gal. containerized trees inside my jeep at one point. So .... LOL. These smaller trees do way better than big ones on transplant recovery and cost. August may be a good time of the year to plant trees or not in your area. Desert trees can be planted and do well in the hot parts of the year. But most other things you want in the ground either as soon as you get a break from the summer heat or as soon as winter ends. In Phoenix (where I reside) that is Oct and Jan. In Duncan adjust accordingly. It is either at the northern edge of the Chihuahuan desert or just north of there. Either way it means you get one rainy season July-August. A little snow in winter, but not much. 3,600 feet elevation will limit some of what you grow but surprisingly not much. You will want to hook up with like minded growers (probably almost everyone) to answer questions as to what can I grow and when do I plant it? When does spring show up? I am guessing you can't grow much in the winter but it is relatively short and will lend itself to cold storage. No point in reinventing the wheel. As to what do you want for your home? Native trees? Fruit and nut trees? Gardens? Farming? Soil should be tested at least once to see if there are deficiencies. From what I can see your soil may be very good indeed. Lots of vegetation. If any deficiencies are detected and you plan on a large swath of land being renovated, you would till in a supplement(s). I am of the opinion you want to do a no till or one time tilling as tilling destroys soil life. Good composting practice makes soil reusable forever with high fertility (if not right away eventually) and highly friable with good moisture holding ability. What is your source of water? wells? Municipal? Do you want to capture rainwater? Do you want to use your graywater? http://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/resourcefile/resource/vacoombs/deciduousfruittreesforupto3,500%27r%20evised042011.pdf http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/az1162.pdf If you want to do apple trees, this guy can ship you them in a box that fits in your mail box. I got 25 from him my first year and laughed wondering if the postman knew he just put 25 trees in my mail box. http://kuffelcreek.com/applenursery.htm You won't be getting fruit tree shipments until January through March however. You can get fruit and nut trees shipped via UPS/FedEx bareroot (ordering starts Sept-Oct) for Jan-March as well. I am guessing but you likely want fruit and nut trees with at least modest chill hours (800) to lessen chances of late frost taking blooms out. I see on average mid-Feb is last freeze date but freezes have occurred historically up to mid-May. Snow early mid-Dec to early March, but light if at all. It is currently 6 degrees cooler than Phoenix and some showers. Rainy season lasts a bit longer from July to mid-Oct, but still Jul-Aug heaviest. http://extension.arizona.edu/people-search-results?name=&office[]=438 See if any Master Gardeners or Coop Extension agents in your area. HomeDepot and Walmart can order for you or online order and free ship to the Safford store to hold for you. Hopefully someone from Safford, Duncan, Cliffton (or Lordburg, NM) reads this and responds with their thoughts though Internet connections are likely problematic in this area. Hughes Satellite/Phone line.

Oh, wow. Gorgeous! Thank you for the pictures, wonbyherwits, and everyone for the advice! Cameron - I love your choices. I don't suppose you have some sort of a list or diagram handy? And is that your garage on the left side? Caroline, we are south facing, and I'm really not sure about the soil. I know they hit sand when they were digging our well, but it was pretty far down. caavonlady - you lost me at microclimates :) We're not going to do a fence, as our build is out in the country, on a pond (see picture below): Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books I love the beautiful flagstaff, and the salvaged bricks.I am absolutely kicking myself, because we left lots of bricks in a pile at the house we sold last August. Why didn't I just bring them with us? Live and learn, I guess. My DH has mentioned having a circle drive in the front, which I always thinks looks charming. So I need to plan on a walk from the front porch steps to the driveway, and also from the steps straight to the circle drive. I have an updated picture, taken a few days ago. Do you have any ideas for the beds in front?. Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

I have the north ceilings up so the walls are set. the little space below the bathroom door was to be the bathroom door but it would take a large chunk out of our bedroom, so the wife nixed it. The toilet/shower will be on the far side of the bath (after I knock the wall out of the middle of the bathrooom). I noticed if I put a cabinet in the planned door hole and moved the door south a few feet, I still had the same kitchen storage and i had a lot more room in the bedroom. The landing, kitchen and bath are the last ceilings to do. After I insulate the south wall in the kitchen, I need to tear into the landing, so I can get that ceiling up and windows in. I need some walk boards shoved thru the kitchen/landing wall for that, so I may as well make that mess before I clean up last weeks mess. The master bedroom will eventually be an entrance to an addition where the new bedroom will be, but that is a couple years down on the to do list. So, I'm land locked on my bathroom choices. either it enters beside my bed or beside the stove. The wife says the stove. I saw the corner oven on a recent post. I would lose some precious space, but I like the look