© 2026 The Garden Gate & Artistic Pools & Spas. All rights reserved.
Made by Deadon Agency.
At The Garden Gate, we install boulders, berms and swales at residential properties in Tucson, Marana, and Oro Valley. On a new home construction project, the landscape plan will identify the location of all boulders, berms, and swales. For existing homes, we can provide a plan or we can walk the property and identify the areas where they should be placed.
Often used to improve the natural appearance of your landscape, boulders, berms, and swales are also used to mitigate erosion and control water flow (rainfall). We design and build landscapes that look natural and perform well in the desert.
See our approach
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Everyproject is planned around your property, goals, budget, Homeowners Association(HOA) or Design Review Committee (DRC) guidelines, as wellas local rulesand regulations. With 25 years of design and installation experience servingthe greater Tucson area—including Marana and Oro Valley—we deliver a simple,stress-free process for our clients. Every plan is buildable, HOA-ready, andpriced accurately from day one.
Ourcustom front and backyard designs can include:
Sonoran Desert-friendlyor specialty plants, grouped for water efficiency, with drip irrigation and decorative screened rock.
We integrate smart controls, salt-water chlorination systems, color-changinglights, and integrated water walls or bubblers, as well as Baja shelves (alsocalled a tanning ledge or “lagoon” locally), umbrellas, and swim-up bars orin-pool tables and seating.
FromBBQ islands designed for resale value to full outdoor kitchens forentertaining, we place grills, griddles, and pizza ovens to fit the flow ofyour backyard. If you like to entertain, a fire feature adds seating and afocal point.
Code-compliantpool fencing that preserves views, custom steel pergolas and shade structuresfor comfort from the desert sun, trellises to guide vines or screen views, andmetal gates for privacy and security—all integrated into the design.
Our turnkey approach todesign and installation can also include patios, driveways, walkways, retainingwalls, seating walls, and screen walls to hide mechanical equipment (like apool pump), planned with drainage and access in mind.
Path, up-lighting,and down-lighting designed to highlight plants and architecture, creatingambiance.
Year-round,low-maintenance grass solutions for play areas, pets, or entertainment spaces.
Gas,electric, irrigation, and lighting systems are coordinated into one cohesivebuild.
AutoCADdrawings and 3D renderings that ensure accuracy, clarity, and confidence.
While the addition of boulders can improve the way your yard looks by anchoring spaces and creating planting opportunities, they can also be a key focal-points when placed properly.
Boulders clustered together in various sizes mimic the desert geology by creating rock outcroppings, where you want them. Boulders are typically installed 1/3 below the surface for stability and a realistic look.
Large boulders are often used to build natural looking retaining walls in lieu of masonry retaining walls, usually at a lower cost.
Boulders come in many colors, shapes, and sizes. In new construction projects boulders are often salvaged from the site including "Surface Select" boulders. These boulders are found on the surface and have a darker patina. The boulders buried underground that are salvaged during the excavating / grading work are called "Catalina boulders" and are a lighter color with no patina.
Berms can include boulders and plants, adding interest and elevation changes (instead of flat yards) and swales help guide water away from the house.
Heavy rain can cause erosion damage near homes and along driveways. Swales, often lined with rock are designed to direct water flow toward desert washes and other approved areas.
Boulders, berms and swales can be incorporated in the landscape design for new construction projects as part of our turnkey service, or installed at existing homes.
The Project Coordinator orders the boulders (and fill soil if needed) and sets the installation schedule with you. The crew leader installs the boulders, berms and swales according to the landscape design, or the placement you approved. With support from the Project Supervisor, final placement and contouring is completed.
Costs are determined by boulder size, type and whether they are salvaged from the site or purchased from a supplier. Most boulders salvaged or excavated from residential properties range in size from 1’ x 2’ to 3' x 4’ and can be larger. Smaller boulders can be placed by hand and larger boulders are placed with a Bobcat loader or mini excavator.
We provide a comprehensive boulder installation proposal that describes the boulders selected, the size of the boulders, and the cost to install them.
Designconsultations are free. Pool designs—and pool designs that include landscape—aretypically free. Stand-alone landscape designs may incur a nominal design feebased on scope. While landscape design fees can catch clients off guard, theyare critical to making sure the plan is buildable, bid properly, and that the crewsknow what to install. These highly detailed plans are also used for permitting,engineering (when required), and HOA and DRC submittals.
Yes— we specialize in turnkey landscape and pool design-build, with one point ofcontact for design and one for construction. Our team integrates pools, spas,and patios into a cohesive plan that looks intentional. Planning the entireproject from the beginning makes sure nothing is overlooked, installation isdone in the most efficient sequence, and, if the project is phased, rework islimited.
Landscapedesigns typically take 2–4 weeks; pool designs can be completed in about fivebusiness days. While most people view the pool as the more complicated element,the detail in the landscape plan is what ties the entire project togethercohesively, and why it takes more time.
Revisions are a normal part of the design process. Many times, what sounds good in conversation has a much different feel on paper. This is why the design process is so important to a successful project.
Revisions are a normal part of the design process. Many times, what sounds good in conversation has a much different feel on paper. This is why the design process is so important to a successful project.
Onceapproved, your design moves to estimating. We prepare a professional line-itemproposal, review it with you (there’s never pressure to decide on the spot),and incorporate any adjustments until the plan matches your vision and budget.
Yes. We have extensive experience working in some of thestrictest neighborhoods like Stone Canyon in Rancho Vistoso, Honey Bee Estates,Canyon Pass at Dove Mountain, Saguaro Ranch, Ritz-Carlton Residences, TheGallery at Dove Mountain (Dos Lagos), The Preserve, Pima Canyon, VentanaCanyon, La Paloma, Boulder Canyon, and their neighboring communities. Providingyour most current HOA guidelines helps streamline approvals.
Click Start Your Project or call us at (520) 574-7585 to schedule a complimentaryconsultation.
Boulders are typically sized according to the area of placement. While a larger focal point boulder(s) may be placed in the front yard or the backyard, access isusually the determining factor. Court yards with limited access and planter beds usually utilize smaller boulders.
Boulder ssalvaged from the job site are free (except for the labor cost to salvage them) and the most economical way to proceed, but is not always a viable option. Boulders purchased from a supplier are priced by the total weight. Boulders can be purchased in bulk, by the truck load (with miscellaneous sizes), or hand selected.
No. Berms are designed to add an elevation change, create visual interest, and are typically 12” to 18” high.
Residential swales are a decorative and functional feature used in landscapes and can direct water away from the property. They mitigate erosion and assist in directing water flow away from the home. Properties that have a significant erosion or flooding problem should contact a hydrologist or engineer.
It depends on the number of boulders, their size, access to the placement area and equipment required. In new construction projects, boulders are often placed early in the building process when there is good access and equipment can be used. When placed at existing homes, boulders are usually moved with a boulder dolly or wheelbarrow due to space limitations.
Click Start Your Project or call us at (520) 574-7585 to schedule a complimentary consultation.
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“We don’t just design beautiful yards — we design spaces that actually get built. On time. On budget. And since most people don’t know who to trust, we earn it by asking better questions, solving real problems, and standing by our word.”
Tyler Johansen, Director Business Development
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© 2026 The Garden Gate & Artistic Pools and Spas, LLC. All rights reserved.
Made by Deadon Agency.
