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Homepage / Landscape + Garden  / Immersive Desert Gardens Surround a Restored Paradise Valley Hacienda

Immersive Desert Gardens Surround a Restored Paradise Valley Hacienda

Landscape designer Charlie Ray honors the home he grew up in with an immersive Sonoran experience.

By John Roark | Photography by Jason Roehner

“I think this house helped inspire my love of architecture and nature,” says landscape designer Charlie Ray, referring to the Paradise Valley home he grew up in and now owns. Completed in 1976 by architectural designer Dean Rendahl, who worked with Edward L. Varney and Associates, collaborating on countless private, public and municipal buildings throughout Arizona, including the Hotel Valley Ho—the two-story, four-bedroom adobe residence is solidly and thoughtfully built on a 1.5-acre lot, embodying true hacienda living. 

“It was fun to grow up here because there are lots of nooks and crannies to hide and play in,” he says. “There were always neighborhood kids around, and my parents entertained frequently.”

When it passed to Charlie’s hands, he welcomed the opportunity to restore the home and re-imagine its gardens. “I have nature in my DNA,” he says. “My parents both loved the outdoors. I have happy memories of my dad outside in the backyard with the hose, and my mother had hundreds of pots filled with flowers.”

Charlie’s vision was to elevate the property in a way that made better sense for its setting, and to provide an experiential environment—not only within the landscape but also from every window, balcony and patio. Paths and destinations encourage exploration, discovery and contemplation. “I embraced the home with the gardens, creating immersive moments you can connect with and be transcended by,” Charlie says.

“I wanted to bring the desert back in a very elevated way,” he continues. “I love to look out from the interior and watch nature. This is a dynamic and special habitat. It lives.”

Soft native grasses move in the breeze; the eye travels through veils of creosote and mesquite; coveys of quail go about their day. “When the plants are in bloom, you see drifts of color and texture,” Charlie says. “Each day, every season, this landscape continues to surprise and inspire me.”

Bordering the auto court, live ocotillo cane fencing adds a layer of texture and security, along with swaths of crimson from climbing bougainvillea.
Constructed of reclaimed barnwood, the driveway gate was designed by landscape designer Charlie Ray and his father. “It was made to feel like it’s always been here,” Charlie says.
Charlie envisioned the pool area as a bosque, or riparian habitat, where plantings are lusher. He kept the original footprint of the pool but refinished the decking with limestone. “The objective was to make it feel pondlike, a water element found within this space,” he says.
Winding paths facilitate both walking and maintenance. “Large pavers stabilize the trails, but I also wanted to create opportunities to connect with the earth,” Charlie says. “You can walk barefoot, and it feels good. It’s grounding and speaks to the sense of wellness.”
Central to the backyard is a 60-foot-long cast-in-place runnel that brings a gentle trickling sound to the landscape. “This is a peaceful way to connect with water,” Charlie says. Clad in site-specific DC cobble, the water feature is visible from multiple vantage points, both inside and outside the home.

“A garden is never complete; it’s always a work in progress. It’s evolving, growing, getting more complex and interesting.”

Charlie Ray, homeowner and landscape designer

As the sun rises, the garden comes to life. With the flickering glow of the fireplace, the patio overlooking the pool is one of many peaceful sanctuaries on the property
Heat-tolerant silver leaf dichondra (Dichondra argentea, ‘Silver falls’) thrives between the swimming pool’s limestone coping. Agaves add sculptural accents.
Instead of traditional turf, the landscape designer incorporated drought-tolerant groundcover Kurapia. "It's very low-maintenance and feels great on your bare feet," the landscape designer says.
The house is tucked back from the street, to be discovered as you approach, and the views open up. “The original yard had a lush, green California palette, which was popular in the 1970s when the house was built,” Charlie recalls. “At that time, people wanted a verdant oasis. I wanted to bring the desert back in a very elevated way.”
“Every room is cozy. They’re not huge spaces, but they feel intimate,” Charlie says. “Every window has a view to the landscape.”
The home features a variety of authentic tile found in the kitchen, baths, stairs and fireplaces. “My parents were very thoughtful when designing the house,” Charlie observes. “With all the tile work, it could have been crazy, but they did a nice job.”
The living room is rustic and welcoming. “This house feels authentic and not specifically regional," Charlie says. "It could easily be in another beautiful part of the world, such as Spain or Mexico."
With its collection of books, artwork and treasures, the study is one of the homeowner’s favorite interior spaces. Whitewashed adobe arches are found throughout the home, creating rustic portals to different rooms.
The sunny breakfast nook has a view of the back patio and pool area. “At different times of day, the house feels like the landscape, with pockets and places to enjoy,” Charlie says. “When you can utilize and enjoy a property to its fullest, it adds such value to your life."

BRING BACK THE DESERT (Sources)

  • Landscape designer: Charlie Ray, The Green Room Landscape Architecture, Phoenix, tgrla.com
  • Landscape design team: Erica Mackenzie, Lucas Ayers, Robert Lugo, tgrla.com
  • Landscape contractor: Juan Ortega, Canyon Landscape, Phoenix, canyonlandscape.org
  • BACKYARD—Pool builder: Shasta Pools, Phoenix, shastapools.com.
  • BACKYARD—Water features: Contessa Stone Design, Scottsdale, contessastone.com
  • Antique French vessels and pots: Studio Ressource, Scottsdale, studioressource.com
  • BACK PATIO—Patio furniture (by Kettal): John Brooks, Scottsdale, johnbrooksinc.com
  • PRIMARY BATH—Ceramic tile work: Handcrafted Tile, Phoenix, hctile.net
  • BREAKFAST NOOK—Lighting fixtures: Hinkley Lighting, Phoenix, hinkley.com
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