© 2026 The Garden Gate & Artistic Pools & Spas. All rights reserved.
Made by Deadon Agency.
At The Garden Gate, we design and install hardscape material in Tucson, Marana, and Oro Valley – including patios, pathways, stepping pads, raised patios and steps. Unlike a paver only installer, we integrate all hardscape and landscape elements into a cohesive plan.
We install many types of material including travertine, porcelain pavers, porcelain tile over concrete, and flagstone. From pathways to interlocking paver driveways our landscape designers work with you to design and build your space, for the way you use it.
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.
Every surface is designed to be durable and long lasting. Our designers collaborate with you and ensure patios and walkways to the pool and gatherings spaces align with your personal style, taste, and preferences.
Interlocking concrete pavers rated for driveway applications, with proper subbase, and mortar setborders.
Porcelain pavers, travertine and natural stone, concrete pavers, or poured concrete with or without integral color or an acrylic lace finish are available. These materials come in many sizes, colors, and patterns, creating options that meet performance, visual, or budget goals.
Curved or geometric routes, large-format stepping pads with decorative rock or turf inlays, and LED path lighting for safety and ambiance.
Strips of turf between stepping pads (called “ribbon inlays”), checker board patterns and framed transitions to connect entries, courtyards, and turf and patio areas.
An important criteria for selecting the correct hardscape material on patios, near doors and sliding windows is confirming the height of the threshold (a strip of material that acts as a transitional barrier between two different surfaces or areas). This information helps guide selection of materials (specifically the thickness of the material, and how it is installed) for proper transitions and to move water away from the doors, home, and patio.
Our hardscapes are built to perform in the desert. High quality travertine, porcelain, flagstone, concrete pavers, and poured concrete surfaces are durable and retain their original appearance over decades.
Installation of hard surfaces requires proper site preparation. Site grading is a critical task that requires exact measurements. We start with a laser level which provides very accurate readings which is critical for tasks such as grading. An aggregate base course, or sand, is used to set the final grade before installation of hardscape.
As a general rule, patio shave a 2% pitch to ensure water drains away from the house and pool. Water can "surface drain" to a landscape area or be directed to deck drains or drainage channels that move water away from the house and eliminate puddling.
Most hardscape installations in Tucson, Marana, and Oro Valley use a sand or aggregate base course to prepare the pad for installation. As the hardscape is installed (travertine, porcelain, pavers, etc.) a matching border is installed to hold them in place, secured in place with a mortar bed. The interior joints are then filled with a standard sand or polymeric sand to stabilize the patio. A sand joint can also inhibit weed growth and allow for better drainage.
Slip ratings are used when assessing the safety of various flooring types, especially areas prone to wetness including outdoor patios near pools and spas. Most natural stone meet pool code requirements. Other products, like porcelain, come with an R11 rating that is appropriate for use near pools and spas.
Your designer is familiar with the options and will help you through the selection process.
We specify finishes that look great and hold up to sun, water, and everyday use.
A few common examples include:
● Porcelain pavers: slip-rated, withmany color options for patios and pool areas
● Travertine: a natural stone, canhave a honed, polished, tumbled, or brushed finish
● Concrete pavers: standard concrete pavers, interlocking pavers, contemporary, textured and permeable paver systems with color-stable pigments
● Natural stone: travertine, flagstone, limestone, and slate are all natural stone products, they are low maintenance, durable materials
● Sealers: penetrating sealers can be applied, but are not require
Your on-site Project Supervisor works closely with our office-based Project Coordinator to schedule subcontractors, in-house crews, suppliers, and inspectors to the jobsite while maintaining communication between the parties, including you. You will receive regular project updates from the start of construction through project completion.
Costs vary by project size, material selection, access and design complexity.
Routine care is simple: occasional rinsing, leaf and debris removal, and periodic sand application in the joints. Optional sealing boosts stain resistance. If your patio or driveway does start to lose it luster over time, often a simple powerwashing and sealer can bring it back to life. Stains can usually be removed with a light acid wash, a concentrated cleaner. Eco friendly options areavailable.
All manufacturer warranties pass through to the Owner and we provide a 2-year workmanship warranty on installation.
Customize your project with targeted upgrades.
A few common upgrades include:
● Drainage, drain boxes and drain pipe to move water away from the patio and living spaces
● Integrated seating walls and planters with drip irrigation
● LED path lighting
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.
There isn’t a best option, but some of the most popular surfaces are light-tone porcelain and travertine. They tend to stay cooler, look cleaner, and perform well around water.
Polymeric joint sand and proper base prep greatly reduce intrusion.
Installation time is determined by the material selected, access, and actual project size.
Most residential customers do not seal their patios. It's typically easier and more cost effective to hose them off when dusty, and power wash them as needed.
Absolutely. We help you select colors, textures, match joint patterns and other details with your architecture and community guidelines. We will work with you to find the most appropriate color and material.
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.
