When this Tucson couple decided to retrofit their backyard landscape, they wanted to design the yard with water conservation in mind. Native shrubs and flowers complement the existing trees in this landscape, which now line the raised pathways which double as water harvesting berms. Soil amendment and wood mulch was added to the sunken planted areas, to improve soil quality over time.

A culvert cistern, shaded by a trellis and climbing vines, catches and stores rainwater off the roof which can be used to as supplemental water for the numerous citrus trees, vegetables, and spiral herb garden.