Desert Island Bed: A Water-Wise Tucson Oasis

Striking Color and Texture in an Island Bed

Maryse and Werner Buck's Tucson garden features a lush island bed anchored by a native mesquite that shields from summer scald and winter frost. A rosy flagstone patio and walkway flow through the garden to this eye-catching arrangement designed by Philip Van Wyck.

Plant Composition

Bordering the walk: chartreuse Euphorbia rigida and purple lantana soften bicolored agaves. Blue-gray Yucca recurvifolia pokes out behind the mesquite. To the left, dark green candelilla punctuates the bed. At rear, a mass of chuparosa (Justicia californica) will punch red tubular blooms in fall. Easy-care plants form a striking blend of color and texture.