Photography by Charles Mann Creeping fig vines frame a strumming angel statuette in Larry Bryson’s north Scottsdale garden.

A desert garden evolves into a
multisensory oasis

For many people, the mere mention of the word desert evokes images of a harsh, inhospitable and uncultivable landscape. Even the most masterful of gardeners will tell you that it’s a challenging environment. But one glance at Larry Bryson’s luxuriant garden in north Scottsdale proves that verdant livable spaces can blossom and thrive out of the harshest of natural environments.

Bryson, a retired real estate investor and “gentleman cowboy” from Texas, bought the property 12 years ago for his wife, Lynne, himself and their two children. However, it wasn’t the newly constructed “all-white” home that drew them to the lot. It was the land, which abuts the McDowell Mountains and offers seemingly infinite views of the area’s distinctive desert setting. The Brysons remodeled the existing house and landscape, crafting them into their own Southwestern-themed dream home and garden.

To transform the property’s natural terrain into an inviting outdoor space, the couple enlisted the help of landscape architect Donna Winters in 1996. Winters, a Phoenix Home & Garden Master of the Southwest, has been tending the garden ever since. She describes it as “a yard for a family to play together. I’ve watched Larry’s kids grow up here.”

Winters’ goal was to “create a resort experience while still honoring the natural environment.” By adding cacti, agaves and colorful vegetation that wouldn’t be damaged by desert critters, such as javelinas and coyotes, she cultivated a sustainable desert garden that blends with the natural landscape.

Over time, the grounds have grown into a colorful, multisensory oasis that continues to evolve and change. “It was beautiful when we planted it,” says Bryson. “But each year, it gets more beautiful in a different way. There’s always something that’s blooming on a plant that you never noticed before.”

A naturalistic front yard transitions to an inviting desert oasis in the backyard, where flowing water and spaces shaded by palo verde trees offer a relaxing environment. The sweeping multilevel patio, a large natural wash and a meditation area invite exploration.

Although Lynne Bryson was only able to enjoy the newly landscaped property for a short time before her death in 2000, the garden she helped create remains a serene haven for her family.

A flagstone walkway meanders through the backyard to an outdoor spa shaded by a palo verde tree. Low-water-use plants, including barrel cacti, beavertail cacti and lantana, line the path.

Water tumbles down stacked rocks, feeding a gently flowing creek that spills into the swimming pool. Flagstone steppingstones appear to float across the man-made water feature.

A cement cowboy boot poised on one of the steps lends a dash of Southwestern flavor, while potted cacti and succulents add texture and dimension to the garden.

Yellow blooms pepper a large Santa Rita prickly pear cactus and pack a visual punch against its purple and green pads.

With its spiky stalks forming a bushy halo, a desert spoon plant is right at home in this rustic setting. Low seat walls flank steps leading from the flagstone patio to a ramada located on a lower level.

Sandwiched between beds of crimson-red geraniums and golden lantana, Stokes dwarf yaupon holly creates a pleasant interlude of greenery.

LANDSCAPING TIPS FROM DONNA WINTERS
• Come up with a master plan before you begin digging.
• Create separate zones in your garden—active zones, private zones and utility-oriented zones.
• Have the proper infrastructure in place to support your garden. Watering and drainage systems are must-haves.
• Include a multitude of textures (i.e., place fine-leafed plants next to those with leaves of distinctive structure). “The eye is always drawn to texture,” explains Winters.
• Create visual contrast by pairing vibrantly hued flowers with deep-green flora.
• Keep the scale of vegetation proportionate to the size of the space in which it is planted.


Below left: An elevated fire pit radiates warmth on cool nights. Nearby, a ramada of rough-hewn logs provides shelter from the sun’s scorching rays. Below right: Wispy bear grass (Nolina microcarpa) contrasts boldly with a spiky agave.