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Desert Landscaping

Desert landscaping in Chandler, AZ

Less water. Less work. Still looks finished.

Thirsty grass and bare dirt fight the Arizona heat. Our desert landscaping in Chandler, AZ works with it. Call (480) 219-0038 and we will replace them with rock, native and desert plants on drip, and hard surfaces that look good with little water. Our own crew does the work, we are licensed, bonded and insured, and estimates are free.

★★★★★
38
Google reviews
Licensed
Bonded and insured
4,500+
Customers served

Get a free estimate

Tell us where the yard is and we will come measure it.

No obligation. We do not sell your details.
Most desert yards mix
Rock and gravel
Desert plants
Hard edges
Little water
Plants and cover that do not need a daily soak.
Low upkeep
No mowing, and far less trimming than a lawn.
Fits the area
Rock and plants that look at home in Chandler.
East Valley crew
Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert, Tempe and around.
Why go desert

Built for the climate you actually live in.

A traditional lawn fights the Arizona summer every single day. Desert landscaping works with it. Rock, gravel and desert plants handle the heat and the dry months, and need a fraction of the water.

Xeriscape style yards fit the Sonoran Desert around Chandler because they borrow from it. Palo verde, mesquite, agave, lantana and other native and desert adapted plants give the yard color and shape without a daily sprinkler cycle.

Ready when you areReady for a desert yard that looks good and sips water? CGL Landscaping handles desert landscaping in Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe and across the East Valley, with native plants, rock and drip laid out to last. Book a free on-site estimate or call (480) 219-0038.

What a desert yard usually includes
Where it works

Desert looks for every part of the property.

Desert landscaping is not only for the front yard. Chandler homeowners use rock and desert planting from the curb to the back wall, and in the narrow side yards nobody wants to water.

Each area gets its own mix. A front yard in an HOA community may need specific rock colors or plant spacing under the landscape rules, while a backyard can lean on shade trees and softer ground cover.

01

Front yards with palms

Colored rock, palms and a clean concrete curb that reads well from the street.

02

Desert plant beds

Shrubs and succulents set into rock, spaced for their full size.

03

Lawn conversions

Grass pulled out and replaced with rock, plants and a little turf if you want green.

04

Side yards

Rock and stepping stones in the narrow strips nobody wants to maintain.

05

Backyard borders

Desert beds around a patio or turf panel to soften the edges.

06

Commercial frontages

Low water planting for storefronts, offices and HOA common areas.

Tired of watering a lawn that never looks right?

We will walk the yard and show you what a desert layout could look like, on a free estimate.

Site visit first

Sun, slope and drainage come first.

We check how the yard drains, where the hardest sun lands and what is under the old lawn before picking a single rock. That keeps water off the foundation and plants in spots they can survive.

Much of Chandler sits on caliche and clay soil that holds water after a monsoon storm. Knowing where the hard layers are tells us where plants need a bigger hole and where the grade has to move water away.

The desert install

Our steps for a desert yard.

Rock goes in last for a reason. Everything under it has to be right first, or you end up raking it aside to fix a drip line.

A full lawn conversion in Tempe and a new front yard in Queen Creek follow the same order. Our desert landscaping in Chandler and around the East Valley goes from clearing to cleanup in these five steps.

01

Plan and quote

Layout, rock type and plant list priced in writing.

02

Clear the yard

Grass, weeds and debris removed and hauled off.

03

Grade and prep

Soil shaped for drainage, barrier laid where needed.

04

Plant and irrigate

Desert plants set, drip run where they need it.

05

Rock and finish

Rock spread and raked, site cleaned up.

Newly installed paver patio behind a Chandler AZ home with decorative rock border
Hardscape and desert

Rock and pavers belong together.

Desert yards look their best with a hard surface running through them. A paver path, a travertine patio or a flagstone walk gives you a place to walk and breaks up the rock.

Drip irrigation is the other half of a good desert yard. It puts water at the roots of each plant instead of across the rock, which keeps weeds down and water use low.

About the cost

Four things that set a desert landscaping quote.

Every yard is priced on its own. These are the pieces that change the number, and we walk through each one with you.

Removal is often the surprise. Pulling out an old Bermuda lawn with its roots and sprinkler lines takes more work than clearing a dirt lot, and that shows up in the quote.

Square footage

More area means more rock, more barrier and more labor.

Removal

Taking out an old lawn with roots and sprinklers takes longer than clearing bare dirt.

Rock and plant choice

Rock type, depth and the size of the plants you pick.

Extras in the plan

Pavers, turf, boulders or drip lines added to the layout.

You get one written quote covering all of it before we start.
What neighbors say

Word from homeowners around Chandler.

Real Google reviews from homeowners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa and the rest of the East Valley who hired CGL Landscaping. These are their words, not ours.

CGL Landscaping is family owned and rooted in Chandler, AZ. A lot of our desert yard work comes from neighbors who saw a finished yard down the street.

All reviews
Google
Google
Yelp
Yelp
GoodTrustindex star 1Trustindex star 2Trustindex star 3Trustindex star 4.0.5Trustindex star 53.553 reviews
3.5Trustindex star 1Trustindex star 2Trustindex star 3Trustindex star 4.0.5Trustindex star 5
Good53 reviews
GoodGoogle star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5.0.34.338 reviews
4.3Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5.0.3
Good38 reviews
Below averageYelp star 1Yelp star 2.0.5Yelp star 3Yelp star 4Yelp star 51.515 reviews
1.5Yelp star 1Yelp star 2.0.5Yelp star 3Yelp star 4Yelp star 5
Below average15 reviews
Posted on Google Google
Elizabeth Krigbaum profile picture
Elizabeth Krigbaum
141 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Jose and his team have been phenomenal! Thrilled with the fair price and quality services received!
Posted on Google Google
Deliverance Mambulu profile picture
Deliverance Mambulu
156 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Slick landscaping did a great job transforming our yard. Zach was professional and kept us updated throughout the process. Pricing was very reasonable for the quality of work. They completed everything quickly and efficiently. The final result looked clean and well done. Communication was excellent the whole time. I would definitely use them again.
Posted on Google Google
Tyler Balderston profile picture
Tyler Balderston
181 days ago
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They honestly do a very thorough job! Our kids play with chalk and rocks and anything they take outside and then we also have dogs so needless to say our yard was a wreck.. but I didn’t catch his name but one of their employees went above and beyond with their work got all the weeds, trash, chalk and even cleaned our dog poop up all without asking all we needed was weed clean up they even blew our patio furniture off and scraped the stuff out of the pavers 10/10 service
Posted on Google Google
Athena Balderston profile picture
Athena Balderston
181 days ago
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Best landscapers I’ve ever had! I live in an HOA with very strict rules and they did an absolutely fabulous job. So thankful to have found them. Each of their employees are extremely hard working and even go above and beyond wiping off patio furniture and making every part of the front/backyard presentable. Can’t wait to see them again!
Posted on Google Google
Mackenzie Chapman profile picture
Mackenzie Chapman
562 days ago
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We’ve been working with CGL for nearly a year now, and they’ve been incredible. They helped us get our irrigation system back on track after our previous landscaper severely dropped the ball. Additionally, anytime we had an emergency leak, they were on-site within a few hours at most. Their responsiveness, professionalism, and quality of work have been outstanding. It's also nice to work with someone like Jose and can answer all of your questions and explain everything in such detail to ensure you understand the issue(s) at hand. Highly recommend!
Posted on Google Google
Karen Roemer profile picture
Karen Roemer
563 days ago
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Jose and Alan were a great team to work with. They understood our objective of the project, did great work and were very communicative.
Posted on Google Google
Teodora Garcia profile picture
Teodora Garcia
833 days ago
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I recently hired CGL Landscaping for sod installation at my home in Phoenix, and they did a fantastic job. From the initial consultation to the final touches, their professionalism and expertise were evident. They prepared the soil and installed high-quality, lush sod that transformed my yard. CGL Landscaping's attention to detail and customer service set them apart. They ensured proper irrigation, provided aftercare instructions, and even followed up to check on the sod's progress. The project was completed on time and within the estimated timeframes Overall, I'm extremely satisfied with CGL Landscaping. Their commitment to quality and outstanding customer service have earned my trust and future business. I highly recommend them for any landscaping needs in the Phoenix area.
Posted on Google Google
Chandler profile picture
Chandler
833 days ago
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CGL Landscaping is the best Chandler AZ landscaping company!
Posted on Google Google
Cory Brunsting profile picture
Cory Brunsting
931 days ago
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CGL Landscaping has been great to work with. We reached out to Jose to get an estimate for a one time clean up and monthly service. Jose and Alan showed up the next day to provide an estimate for both services. We elected to move forward with CGL and the clean up crew was out the following day to complete services. Two weeks later, the monthly maintenance crew showed up to complete our first monthly service. Invoicing and payment is easy through an online portal. Jose and Alan were both responsive throughout the process and were accessible via text, email or phone call. So far we are very pleased with our services through CGL and would recommend them to anyone looking for landscaping services.
Posted on Google Google
Alejandro Martinez profile picture
Alejandro Martinez
1030 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
CGL landscaping made the process super easy from start to finish. Jose came out quickly to give me a proposal and I got it the same day. Scheduling was also very easy, and my project was done on time. Would recommend CGL to anyone if you’re looking for great work and great customer service.
Posted on Google Google
Briana Ortiz profile picture
Briana Ortiz
1030 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
I used to use another landscaping company and they never did the job right, along with that the communication was not there, never got returned calls and it was impossible to reach someone. Then I found CGL Landscaping. They were quick to come out for a free estimate and communication was always and still there. One of the office workers, Alan, is always there to answer and if he doesn't, he is quick to respond. Thank you CGL for 3 great years and many more to come!
Posted on Google Google
La Venda Randel profile picture
La Venda Randel
1070 days ago
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
SUPER TOP NOTCH COMPANY Best experience, Jose was kind and understanding of my situation. I had LNR landscaping put in synthetic turf in my front yard, did a horrible job. After months of trying to get them to come back, after they’ve been paid in full to fix it. They stopped returning phone calls , never kept set appointments to come and fix it. I called Jose and they blew me away, they came right away, crew was all friendly and got the job done quickly. They went above and beyond I was just thinking they to fix what was there but the job was so bad they removed it all and replaced the whole area. Definitely will recommend to everyone I know. Thanks Jose and team that came today you made my nightmare a beauty that I can now enjoy when I walk out my door.
Posted on Yelp Yelp
Linda M. profile picture
Linda M.
1183 days ago
Yelp star 1Yelp star 2Yelp star 3Yelp star 4Yelp star 5Verified
I worked with Jose and his team and found them to be professional, courteous and trustworthy. My yard looks amazing. Jose was patient with me as I made a few changes from my original design. The trees they planted are looking healthy as well as the flower bed, Jose offered to provided care to my front yard and it turned out awesome. He also offered to made a nice area for my dog it turned out great. My plan is to continue with CGL Landscaping for maintenance. Thank you Jose for a job well done. Linda Coolidge, AZ
Posted on Yelp Yelp
I G. profile picture
I G.
3811 days ago
Yelp star 1Yelp star 2Yelp star 3Yelp star 4Yelp star 5Verified
I rarely, if ever, write reviews let alone give someone a 5-star rating unless they REALLY deserve it. We interviewed 4 landscaping companies before we selected Creative Green Landscaping. We chose them because they were very knowledgeable, and made us feel comfortable from our very first meeting. Jose (the owner) made it clear that our satisfaction was their number one goal. He definitely followed through and they did a beautiful job. They started the work immediately and throughout the project they showed up early and stayed late. They worked hard and provided quality work. When we decided last minute to make changes, they were flexible and helpful. We have had our fair share of negative contractor experiences, so we appreciate good and honest firms like Creative Green Landscaping. We highly recommend them for your project.
Questions

Desert landscaping questions.

Other questions? Bring them to the free estimate and we will answer them standing in your yard.

These are the questions we hear most from Chandler homeowners thinking about swapping a lawn for rock and desert plants. Water use and weeds top the list.

Much less than a lawn. Established desert plants usually need only occasional drip watering, and the rock itself needs none.

Some will try. A barrier under the rock where it makes sense and a little pulling now and then keeps them under control.

It depends on the look you want and the area. We can show you crushed stone, decorative gravel and larger rock options when we come out.

Yes. Plenty of desert yards keep a small lawn or add an artificial turf panel for kids and pets, framed by rock and plants.

Not when it is planned. Grouped plants, boulders, a mix of rock sizes and a paver path give it shape and color.

Yes. We do lawn to desert conversions across Chandler, Tempe, Queen Creek, Gilbert, Mesa and nearby East Valley cities.

Where we work

Desert landscaping across Chandler and the East Valley.

Local to Chandler and working all over the Phoenix metro. Our desert yards reach Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Queen Creek, Ahwatukee and San Tan Valley too.

Every part of Maricopa County deals with the same summer heat and water use questions. We plan desert yards around each lot, each HOA and each soil, not one layout copied from house to house.

Ground cover

What covers the ground in a desert yard.

Few desert yards use just one of these. The mix depends on how you use each area and how much sun it gets.

Decorative rock and decomposed granite do most of the work in a Chandler desert yard. Pavers and turf fill the spots where you walk, sit or let the dog out.

/01

Gravel and crushed stone in colors that suit the house and the neighborhood.

/02

Desert plants

Shrubs, cactus, succulents and trees chosen for full sun and low water.

/03

Hard surfaces for paths and seating areas that break up the rock.

/04

A patch of green for kids or pets with no watering at all.

Recent projects

Desert yards and rock work from recent jobs.

These are our own photos from real jobs, not stock images. Ask about the one closest to you when we come out.

They show desert landscaping in progress and finished around Chandler and the East Valley. You will see front yard rock beds, side yard gravel and flagstone paths.

Rock going into a front bed
East Valley
Side yard rock next to the drive
East Valley
Flagstone path in gravel
East Valley
Paver path and desert beds
East Valley
DESERT
By the numbers

Local crew, local plants.

We work in the same heat as your yard. Our Chandler crew knows which plants make it through July and which ones struggle by August.

That local knowledge is what CGL Landscaping brings to every desert yard. It means the right plant in the right spot, rock at the right depth and drip lines where they belong.

Crew planting desert shrubs beside a paver walkway
4,500+
Customers served
38
Google reviews
Next step

Ready to stop watering the lawn?

Get a free estimate on site. We walk the yard, talk about rock and plant choices and give you a written price for the desert conversion.

If your water bill climbs every summer and the lawn still looks tired, a desert yard is worth a look. Call CGL Landscaping or send the form to get started.

Call or text the office
Chandler, AZ