© 2026 The Garden Gate & Artistic Pools & Spas. All rights reserved.
Made by Deadon Agency.
At The Garden Gate, we provide and install high quality shrubs, cacti, and trees including specimen plants in Tucson, Marana, and Oro Valley.
A specimen plant is a large, rare or uniquely formed plant with visual appeal. They serve as focal points in gardens and landscapes to create visual impact. From multi-arm saguaros, tall fence post and totem pole cactus, and fully grown trees, these plants are selected specifically for you, to enhance the beauty and artistic design of your landscape.
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.
Native plants are the backbone of sustainable, low-maintenance landscapes; tolerant to heat, drought and monsoon rains. We select and place each plant where it will thrive, enhance privacy, and protect views.
Palo Verde, mesquite, ironwood, and desert willow are a few of the trees we offer. They can be sized from smaller 15-gallon and 25-gallon container size to full size 60” box trees that provide immediate impact and shade.
Agaves and aloes, golden barrel cactus, firesticks, desert spoon, red yucca, prickly pear, and ocotillo are selected for their interesting structure and drought tolerance. These plants prefer full sun and minimal watering.
Create habitats with diverse native plants that bloom seasonally to provide nectar and pollen for food, and nesting sites for bees and butterflies. Hummingbirds are attracted to tubular flowers (red, orange and pink) like salvia, honeysuckle, petunia, zinnia and penstemon.
Plant selections are carefully reviewed to meet community and neighborhood guidelines while preserving the core design concept.
Specimens plants are living sculptures selected for size, rarity, or form. These plants are often hand selected for a specific location on the property. Columnar specimens must be wrapped and packed before transportation and handled carefully during installation to ensure they are not scarred or damaged during the transportation and planting process.
Tall fencepost cactus, totem pole cactus, and multi-headed yuccas create bold silhouettes and shadows when night lights are used to illuminate them.
We excavate the planting hole for the root ball large enough to encourage lateral root growth, but no deeper than the root ball to prevent settling. The top of the root ball should sit slightly above the surrounding soil level. We regularly place granular gypsum in the planting hole to improve soil structure, enhance aeration, water infiltration, and root development.
Landscape plans typically show the location of plants, considering the plants at mature size. This provides room for root growth, sunlight and sufficient nutrients for each plant, so they are not competing for resources and growing into each other.
The planting process begins with the landscape designer who inspects the site and selects specific locations for each plant, to ensure they get the correct amount of sunlight or shade. An experienced crew leader coordinates proper plant hole excavation, with oversight from the Project Supervisor.
Our process typically follow this outline:
● Remove oversized rocks from plant hole, loosen soil, and install granular gypsum
● When plants are picked up or delivered, we check for quality, size and ensure they are not damaged – and reject substandard or damaged plants
● Place the shrub, cactus or tree in the plant hole, ensure the plant is installed at the correct height
● Backfill plant hole and gently compact, taking care to ensure the soil covers the root ball without air pockets.
● Hand water all plants so the root does not dryout
● Install drip irrigation and stake smaller trees
We select plants that adhere to HOA and DRC guidelines. Typically, our landscape design is presented with the formal application required by the association before work begins. A typical application may include the application form, project description, landscape design with a list of plants selected, material choices, and contractor information. The key to a quick approval is a professional landscape design that meets the design standards for each community.
All plants provided and installed by The Garden Gate receive a warranty. All shrubs and cacti get a 3-month warranty and trees receive a 1-year warranty. We also provide on-going landscape maintenance service.
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.
A specimen plant is a large, rare or uniquely formed plant with visual appeal. They serve as focal points in gardens and landscapes to create visual impact.
Yes. Drip irrigation is essential for root ball establishment and during extreme heat to prevent stress.
Yes. We source, deliver, and professionally install specimen plants.
Yes, we comply with community guidelines when selecting plants, and ensure they are placed in the correct zone on the property. Many communities require a transition zone along the street where native plants are required and other zones, including private area zones, where regulation on plant selection are more relaxed.
Absolutely—filtering shade trees and layered screening maintain sightlines while adding comfort and seclusion.
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
ROC 164986
ROC 328207
ROC 226071
© 2026 The Garden Gate & Artistic Pools and Spas, LLC. All rights reserved.
Made by Deadon Agency.
