Subdivision: Anasazi Trails
Owner/ Designer: Sharon and George Arthur
Garden Type or Feature: An intentional garden planted to complement both the architecture of the home and its placement on a prominent Placitas ridge.
Artist in the Garden: Meg Leonard
Description: The Larga Vista (Long View) Garden is an intentional garden planted to complement both the architecture of the home and its placement on a prominent Placitas ridge. Homeowners Sharon and George Arthur, who had the home designed and built, moved in and started the garden in 2018. Each of the eight growing zones has a different purpose: secure the street slope with native plants, reveal the Sandia and Valley views, invite visitors up the front walk, reduce the garage entry hardscape, soften the north side and provide interest for a walk along the home, create foreground movement and color to set the stage for the Santa Ana black mesas, highlight the south slope, and bring the garden onto the Portales.
The blooming plants both reflect and contrast the maroon trim of the home. Larger plants and trees were selected for texture and varying colors and heights. Canales are contrary to the home architecture, so roof runoff is directed through the walls to deep detention ponds, keeping water on the property, creating further landscape interest, and allowing larger trees to benefit from nature’s watering system.
Although still evolving after five years, this garden successfully sets off both the home and its dramatic long views.
Dream Catcher Plants by Garden Location
Driveway
Red Yucca – Brakelights
Ephedra – Mormon Tea
Turpentine Bush
Rosemary
Yucca Gloriosa – Bright Star
Deergrass
Four O‘Clock
Winterfat – Winter Sage
Wright’s Silk Tassel
Rose – Knock Out
Afghan Pine
Juniper
Pinyon Pine
Cypress/Juniper
Wheeler Sotol – Desert Spoon
Red Dwarf Yucca – Stoplights
Penstemon
Arizona Cypress
Cactus – Cow’s Tongue
Cactus – Claret Cup
Cactus – Prickly Pear
Agave – Whale Tongue
Juniper
Vitex – Chaste Tree
Creeping Germander
East Garden – In front of and beside the garage pad
Blanket Flower – Arizona Sun Fernbush – Desert Sweet
Mexican Feather Grass – Pony Tail
Arizona Rosewood
Kinnikinnick
Yellow Yarrow
Gambel Oak
Jupiter’s Beard – Red Valerian
Entrance Walkway Garden
Pygmy Barberry – Crimson
Barberry – Royal Burgundy
Furman’s Red Salvia
Little Leaf Sumac
Mexican Flame Bush
Apache Plume
Yucca Gloriosa – Bright Star
Cotoneaster – Gray Leaf
Agarita – Desert Holly
Potentilla – Goldfinger
Smoke Tree – Royal Purple
Yucca – Rostrata
Red Dwarf Yucca – Stoplights
Entrance Courtyard Garden
Switchgrass – Shenandoah
Rosemary
North Garden – Walkway along the house next to road
Arizona Rosewood
Afghan Pine
Desert Willow (seedless)
Mountain Mahogany
Apache Plume
Cat Mint
Four O’Clock
Arizona Cypress
Turpentine Bush
Wheeler Sotol – Desert Spoon
Rosemary
Yucca Gloriosa – Bright Star
Red Yucca – Brakelights
Texas Yellow Yucca
Ephedra – Mormon Tea
Turpentine Bush
Zauschneria – Orange Carpet
Sangria Yarrow
Creeping Rosemary
Creeping Sumac
Creeping Manzanita
Caryopteris – Blue Beard
Aspen
Red Yucca – Brakelights
Penstemon
Dwarf Butterfly Bush – Raspberry Twist
Arizona Cypress
Myrtle Spurge – Donkey Tail
Creeping Germander
Desert Bird of Paradise
Russian Sage – Purple
West Garden – Circle walkway off the back portale – corner of home to south slope garden
Four O‘Clock
Purple Salvia
Mountain Mahogany
Caryopteris – Blue Beard
Creeping Germander
Red Yucca – Brakelights
Golden Dogweed
Turpentine Bush
Little Blue Stem – Blaze
Dwarf Butterfly Bush – Razzle Dazzle
Artemisia – Silver Mound
Russian Sage – Purple
Lavender
Mexican Flame Bush
Muhly Grass – Pink Cloud
Desert Bird of Paradise
Arizona Rosewood
Texas Live Oak – Joan Lionetti
Pinyon Pine
Afghan Pine
Golden Dogweed
Rosemary
Winterfat – Winter Sage
Broom Snakeweed
Gambel Oak
Arizona Rosewood
Afghan Pine
Juniper
Yucca Gloriosa – Bright Star
South Slope Garden
Rosemary
Gambel Oak
Blue Atlas Cedar – Horstmann
Cotoneaster – Tom Thumb
Banana