Subdivision: Petroglyphs
Owner/ Designer: Leo and Deb Basquez
Garden Type or Feature: Expansive landscape with beautiful conifer trees, fruit trees, grape vines, roses and native flowering plants.
Artist in the Garden: William O’Brien.
Description:
Leo and Deb purchased this property 10 years ago as a place to retire. Leo just retired from his Bernalillo custom wood business this past year. Garden Tour visitors will be amazed at what Leo has accomplished during the last 10 years. Leo truly has a green thumb and an eye for good design.
Leo started out planting a privacy screen of pinon pines along the northern border of their property. The pines have grown to block the Mimbres Court street view. Leo supplements the original irrigation of the pines with hose water and provides a water-soluble fertilizer to their root zones occasionally. The wooden gazebo was built next with wood from Leo’s business. A flagpole went in at the same time, on which Leo, a former Marine, proudly displays the US flag. These markers along with the cacti and wagon wheel vignette at the entrance were the foundation to their new landscape.
Since then, Leo has added ornamental and fruit bearing trees, roses and native shrubs to the area surrounding the gazebo. The gazebo provides a peaceful sitting area with cooling breezes to watch the surrounding views. A wooden eagle sculpture, meandering crusher fine pathways and a variety of benches enhance the setting.
A trumpet vine was trained to cover a coyote fence and a trellis that visitors can walk through to view grape vines that are maintained on rustic wood supports.
The southeast facing back courtyard includes a large outdoor dining and gathering area. As an HOA requirement two rock lined swales were built to collect roof runoff to prevent erosion of the south facing ridge. Leo designed a boardwalk between the swales leading to a wall gate. A rock pathway surrounding both swales is used by the Basquez’s grandkids to ride their bikes. Colorful floribunda roses and lavender grow along the exterior back wall.
