Photos by Richard Maack Wildflowers and succulents line the sidewalk at this central Phoenix property. A statuesque agave draws the eye to the front yard’s colorful plantings.

George Susich Shares
Simple Design Techniques to Refresh a Landscape

George and Elizabeth (Bitsy) Susich bought their 1937 Spanish Colonial bungalow in the Willo Historic District when they moved to Phoenix
12 years ago. “It was the first home we had purchased, and we spent several years remodeling it before I turned my focus to the landscape,” says George.

Although an enthusiastic gardener since childhood, Susich—who has lived all over the U.S.—realized that the desert’s plant palette and growing conditions presented new challenges. “About that time, we attended a fundraising event for Desert Botanical Garden (DBG), and I won the silent auction opportunity to attend DBG’s Desert Landscaper School,” he recalls. The course includes three 10-week sessions covering plants, maintenance and guidance for a design and installation project.

“The course turned out to be my ‘Rosetta Stone’ for understanding the desert,” Susich states. Afterward, he assigned himself the task of renovating the couple’s front yard, which contained Bermuda grass and a ficus tree. The project was a convergence of his experience as creative director of his own design firm, Susich Design Co., and what he learned about plants at DBG.

The existing driveway, carport and home’s front exterior added up to an overabundance of straight lines, says the homeowner. His solution was to break up and contrast the lines by planting in sweeping circles. He also used plant forms and textures—mounding deer grass, succulent elephant’s food and spiky agave—to further soften and shift the focus from the front facade.

The lattice-style ramada offers respite from the sun while producing ever-changing shadows on backyard walls

For example, he sited three 5-foot-tall century plants (Agave americana) in the front yard so that their impressive scale and dramatic shapes command attention. “As a society, we tend to be in such a hurry that I wanted to create a garden that encourages visitors to stop and look,” he explains.

“During the landscape course, I studied 120 different plants, and as a plant lover I itched to add one of each to my yard,” comments Susich. However, from a design perspective, he determined that doing so wasn’t feasible because it would create a hodgepodge effect, especially in a small yard like his. Instead, he planted odd-numbered groupings of the same plant, such as three clumps of deer grass lining the eastern edge of the driveway.

Susich repeated combinations of limited species throughout the front yard; such groupings include agave, aloe, blue euphorbia, deer grass, elephant’s food and purple heart. Repetition creates uniformity, which results in a stronger design solution, he remarks.

The front yard was installed in the fall of 2005. Two years later, with the backbone of the design established, Susich tossed wildflower seeds into the mix. In spring, the family enjoys the bright splashes of color from their front porch, and passersby obtain a close-up view along the sidewalk easement.

The easement provides good light exposure for wildflowers, which need at least six hours of daily sun in winter to germinate and grow. The bed overflows with Arizona bluebells and California poppies, as well as angelita daisies and Mexican blanket flowers; these bloom year-round if their spent blooms are deadheaded (removed) on a regular basis.

The backyard renovation was next. The original space contained grass, a few trees, a swimming pool and a rusty gate. Two mature citrus trees and brick hardscape were the only elements in the narrow side yard. Using design software, Susich divided the yard into sections based on intended function. These include a grassy play area for the couple’s daughter, Nina, and her friends; a barbecue and outdoor dining space; and vegetable and herb beds. “We also wanted to add a free-standing ramada to shade and cool the home’s southwestern exposure and provide extra space for entertaining,” he says.


A wood fence surrounding the backyard created more straight lines that Susich chose to de-emphasize. “Adding layers is another design principle to break up lines and force the eye to pause in different locations,” he states. He did this by planting vines on the fence. ‘Roger’s Red’ grapevines, with foliage that turns red in fall, scramble on sturdy custom-made woven-steel trellises. The vines provide layers of color and texture while disguising the fence’s vertical lines.

In addition, Susich added vibrantly colored stucco-covered block walls in varying sizes around the yard. Landscape walls were constructed to delineate activity spaces and serve functional purposes. For example, persimmon-colored walls in the side yard frame an intimate dining area. An expansive cobalt-blue wall at the far end of the ramada acts as gallery space, with shadows from the ramada splayed across it like artwork. Other walls hide a recycling bin, pool equipment, and a neighbor’s site lines, and also provide a backdrop to highlight dramatic plant silhouettes. A traditional Southwestern ocotillo fence adds another layer of interest.    

Raised beds along the perimeter of the fence hold vegetables as well as containers that overflow with culinary herbs. In fall 2010, Susich transplanted ‘Brown Turkey’ fig, ‘Earli Grande’ peach and ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate trees.

The yard evoked considerable conversation when it was on last spring’s Arts & Flowers Garden Tour sponsored by Phoenix Art Museum League, says Susich. “People asked when they could move in, or if this was a bed and breakfast they could stay at, which was gratifying,” he admits. “The design turned out to be comfortable for our family and friends, and we are outside enjoying the yard year-round.”

The next Arts & Flowers Garden Tour takes place April 14, 2012. Find details about Arts & Flowers events, from April 12-15, 2012, at phxartmuseumleague.org.

DESIGN TIP
Repeat color in accessories. When George and Bitsy Susich moved to Phoenix, the couple began collecting multi-hued Mexican Talavera pots. However, they decided the vibrant shades produced too much visual “noise,” and they have switched to cobalt-blue and white containers.