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Flagstaff Xeriscape Garden
Awarded Second Prize (Professional Category) by the Flagstaff Chapter of the Arizona Native Plant Society
The Xeriscape Garden was conceived to create a landscape that would popularize the beautiful native plant pallet from the Colorado Plateau. These drought-tolerant plants are commonly used in the Flagstaff area. The garden is located at the historic Milligan House.
Design Approach & Features
Our goal was to inspire people to create their own gardens — and to demonstrate that there is more to a landscape than Kentucky bluegrass and concrete pavers! The garden features Gabion nets filled with Moenkopi sandstone to match the red brick of this historic building, an iron entry arbor, and Gabion net benches surrounding a tree. Wrought-iron fencing not only encloses the garden and protects it from the street but also ties it into the Victorian architecture. A low, dry-stacked, stone wall creates a small raised bed for perennials, and a wavy path of stabilized decomposed granite framed with concrete curbs winds through the site.
The garden is open to the public and is being used by local garden groups for talks.
Project Scope
Schaafsma Design created the hardscape and planting designs for this project. Other participants included:
- Michael Byrne, The WLB Group — design consultant
- Patrick Pynes, Earth Gardener — plant consultant and maintenance
- Bureau of Reclamation — grant funds
- Stonecrop Landscaping — metal fabrication and Gabion nets
- Flagstaff Native Plant & Seed — landscape installation
- PLS Masonry — stone work
- City of Flagstaff — funds, staff, Utilities Department/Water Conservation, Water Commission, City Council
- Mary Williams Design — signage
- Dennis Ellsworth Concrete — concrete curb
- Master Gardeners — tours
