From Run Down
to Worth Stopping For
A landscape revitalization plan for Arrowhead Fountains Center and Arrowhead Entertainment Center. Color nearly year-round, built to last, and easy to maintain.
A Property That Deserves Better
Dead trees. Dying shrubs. Random plantings that don't relate to each other. A landscape that was installed and forgotten rather than designed to thrive. The result is a property that doesn't invite people in — it just exists in the background.
"The goal isn't just better-looking plants. It's a property where people actually want to walk around, linger, and come back."
The good news: there's a strong foundation here. Mature ironwoods, established bougainvillea, existing fountain grass that's already performing. This plan doesn't start from scratch — it builds on what's working, removes what isn't, and fills everything in with a cohesive palette that delivers color nearly year-round with minimal ongoing effort.
Simplicity Is the Strategy
One plant palette. Both parcels. Every zone. The same plants repeat across the entire property — so nothing looks mismatched, maintenance is straightforward, and when something needs to be replaced, there's no guesswork about what goes back in.
"Same plants, same pattern, both parcels. When something dies, replace it with the approved plant for that zone. The simplicity is the point — this is a system that can be handed off and repeated without confusion."
Every planting decision passes a simple test: Does it add color? Does it look intentional? Is it easy to maintain? If not, it doesn't belong.
What Stays, What Waits, What Goes
Before anything new goes in, the existing landscape needs an honest triage. Some of what's here is worth protecting. Some of it is on its way out and just needs time. And some of it needs to come out now — it's dragging the whole property down and there's no recovering it.
The ironwoods in particular are a real asset — mature trees that took decades to reach this size. Annual pruning by a certified arborist is a small investment to protect something that can't be replaced on any reasonable timeline.
Three Zones, Transformed
The property breaks into three distinct areas, each with its own character and planting opportunity. The same palette runs through all three — so the whole property reads as one intentional landscape, not a patchwork of unrelated decisions.
Zone 1 — Arrowhead Fountains Center Drive
This is the main arrival corridor and right now it reads as an afterthought. The fix is a clean street tree lining — Desert Willow and Mulga Acacia alternating the full length of the drive — with Yellow Bells filling in below. A single consistent layer of color at the street edge transforms how the whole property reads from the road.
The random shrubs that don't belong come out. The existing ironwoods stay and intermingle naturally. The result is a corridor that looks intentional and inviting rather than overgrown and neglected.
Reference video of this tree-lining technique available upon request.
Zone 2 — Parking Lot Islands
Empty islands and dying trees make a parking lot feel abandoned. The goal here is simple: every island filled, every tree appropriate for the space, and the same palette carried through so nothing looks out of place.
Small islands: Mulga Acacia only. Clean and uncluttered — one tree, no conflict with parking or foot traffic.
Larger islands: Desert Willow as the canopy with Little John and Firecracker Plant below. Color at the ground level where people actually see it as they walk through. Dying Palo Verdes and Mesquites stay until they're gone, then get replaced on this same plan.
Zone 3 — 83rd Avenue Corridor
The street edge along 83rd Ave is the property's public face. The bones of a good planting are already here — existing bougainvillea and fountain grass that are performing. The plan extends and formalizes that pattern across the full length of the corridor so it looks deliberate rather than partial.
Street side of sidewalk: Outback Sunrise Emu Bush — low ground cover that starts blooming in late winter, adding color before anything else wakes up.
Between sidewalk and fence: Torchglow Bougainvillea and Yellow Bells, staggered so color is visible from both sides of the fence.
Inside of fence: Torchglow and Fountain Grass continued to the full corridor length.
Ten Plants. Chosen to Perform.
Every plant here was selected for one reason: it does the job in Phoenix heat without making the landscape a maintenance burden. Color nearly year-round, heat tolerance, low water once established, and a look that stays clean and intentional season after season. Click any plant to read the full care guide.
Ready to Make This Happen?
We don't just hand you a plan and wish you luck. We show up, walk it with your team, and make sure it gets done right.
A complete on-site walkthrough of all three zones with your team and your landscapers.
You leave with a clear, executable action plan — exact plant counts, technique, irrigation, and sequencing.
Each season we walk the property, confirm everything is thriving and being maintained correctly, and fix issues before they cost you. Plants struggle, emitters clog, crews prune wrong — small problems that turn into replacements if no one catches them.
Get 25% Back
Commit to the annual plan and we credit 25% of your walkthrough fee toward your first year of quarterly advisory.
The landscaping either stays healthy or it slowly slides back. Quarterly check-ins are what keep it from becoming a replacement project.
Ready to get started? Reach out directly.
grow@thegardennerd.org