Landscaping Trends in Phoenix: What Upgrades Are Must-Haves in 2025?

Key Takeaways:

• The 2025 Phoenix landscaping trends reflect changes in people’s workspace preferences and adaptations to shifting ecological conditions. 
• Outdoor space renovations significantly increase property value, with home buyers showing a clear preference for sustainable landscape designs.
• Eco-friendly outdoor features appropriate for Phoenix homes should promote energy and water efficiency, temperature regulation, and desert resiliency.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Trending Features
• 2025 Landscaping Design Trends: Why Less Is More in Arizona 
• Factors Driving Phoenix 2025 Landscaping Trends
• Phoenix 2025 Landscaping Trends: The Bottom Line

Recent years have given Phoenix residents reason to focus on their outdoor living spaces, largely due to COVID-19’s wide-ranging effects. However, adjustments to daily routines that started as a knee-jerk response to being homebound for long periods are looking like they’re here to stay. Now that life in this urban desert has stabilized, 2025 seems poised to build on existing landscaping innovations.

What Phoenix landscaping trends remain strong in the coming year? What accounts for homeowners’ current preferences? In this blog post, we delve into outdoor features expected to be highly in demand in 2025.

Residential architecture is no different. For instance, the landscaping trends in Phoenix, Arizona reflect the residents’ growing affection for home improvements. We don’t do them anymore only to fix what’s broken. We also try to make our dwellings more fun while future-proofing their value.

This blog post discusses what kind of outdoor space upgrades are picking up steam in the Phoenix area and why.

Trending Features

The new normal has inspired Phoenix homeowners to turn their living spaces into vacation-style retreats. Additionally, people’s growing attraction to remote work has increased interest in building home offices that provide both indoor comfort and breathtaking views of Arizona’s outdoor scenery.

Together with other busybodies who treat their homes as safe spaces from their hectic jobs, growing concerns for water scarcity, pollution, rising temperatures, and the climate impact of energy production have spurred the clamor for sustainable yard spaces. That’s why eco-friendliness has also become a key landscaping design concept in Phoenix as of late.

Optimizing hardscapes and softscapes answers these emerging issues. Our tips below can help you keep up with the latest landscaping design trends and create a climate-resilient space that supports work-life balance.

The Hardscape: What It Is, and What’s Currently Ticking

In landscaping, “hardscape” refers to the hard, non-living elements of the design. The hardscape divides the outdoor living space into three planes:

• Base or ground plane—spans the floors and walkways.
• Vertical plane—includes structures elevated from the ground, serving as columns, enclosures, raised vantage points, and many others. Examples are patio walls, fences, decks, and furniture.
• Overhead plane—includes roofing structures like ramadas and pergolas.

Hardscapes can easily make your property climate-resilient, cozy, and entertainment-ready. The hardscapes discussed below remain trendy in Phoenix residential landscapes.

1. Outdoor Kitchens

An outdoor kitchen gives you more ways to cook food and creates a unique dining experience. This home addition is expected to continue to boost Phoenix property values in the coming years. Custom outdoor kitchens are especially popular because of their immense aesthetic, entertainment, and investment potential. Highly sought-after outdoor kitchen upgrades include gas grills, media walls, expanded storage spaces, and specialty outdoor appliances.
Gas grills have several advantages over types running on other fuel forms. For starters, these outdoor appliances are easy to use and maintain. Gas grills also work fast, letting you spend more time enjoying your outdoor living space. Although gas-grilled food is less smoky than wooden-grilled edibles, these appliances let you comply with Arizona’s environmental restrictions, which aim to improve air quality, especially during cold months.

A media wall is a shaded wall where you can install entertainment equipment. An outdoor-rated TV never goes out of style, and it is the most popular media wall appliance. You can customize a media wall to handle other electronic equipment that can keep guests entertained.

Expanded storage areas let you take fewer trips to your indoor kitchen. That means greater efficiency and less likelihood of spills and accidents. You may combine the dry storage areas with the countertops to maximize square footage.

For specialty outdoor appliances, our design team recommends the following for their functionality and aesthetic value:

• Pizza oven—Pizza ovens can be dedicated pizza makers or multifunctional cookers. The multifunctional type can also serve as a grill or smoker in minimalist kitchens. Style-wise, pizza ovens may come as portable countertop appliances or be built into an outdoor fireplace.
• Green egg—This outdoor appliance is more than just a stylish smoker. Green eggs can also function as pizza ovens, grills, and roasters. The special ceramic wall allows these appliances to concentrate heat and flavor food to perfection.

This outdoor kitchen has a green egg, gas grill, outdoor refrigerator, and ample countertop space. A media wall and a roomy seating area complete this entertainment hub. Design and construction by Straight Line Landscape.

• Flat-top griddle—Griddles are also versatile outdoor appliances, as they let you cook food in various ways. Burgers, hibachi-style meals, and pancakes are just a few treats you can make on a griddle.
• Barbecue—Barbecues let you cook food over a low flame. These outdoor appliances are excellent for cooking huge chunks of tough meats, such as beef briskets and pork ribs.

A 2024 study reveals that there has also been an increased demand for beverage refrigerators, faucets, sinks, and enhanced plumbing and electrical systems in American outdoor living spaces. This trend reflects the increasing importance of outdoor kitchens as home entertainment nooks.

Your outdoor kitchen can easily be everyone’s favorite area in your backyard. So, besides functional and aesthetic features, we recommend including fire safety in the design.

2. Outdoor Fireplaces and Fire Pits

Outdoor fireplaces have various possible uses and add great value to your home. Besides warming up Arizona desert yards on chilly nights, they can:

• Add drama to landscape lighting
• Make for a good privacy screen
• Conceal unsightly corners
• Enhance the landscape’s overall architectural appeal
• Help with cooking when attached to a grill or pizza oven

Outdoor fireplaces are versatile. In Arizona, gas fireplaces are preferred as they are easy to use, require little upkeep, and let homeowners comply with environmental regulations. Outdoor fireplaces are perfect for homes with big yards.

For small backyards, our design team recommends fire pits to leave more space for other fun amenities. Gas fire pits are preferred in Phoenix for their ease of use and aesthetic appeal. Upscale finishes and replaceable glass chips let you match the fire pit’s design with your home’s architecture.

The demand for uniquely styled outdoor fireplaces and fire pits in Arizona landscaping has been steady. Combo fire-and-water features are as popular as ever, but multifunctional fire pits that serve as grills, tables, or storage spaces have also been gaining prominence.

3. Water Features

Water features remain highly desirable in many Arizona homes despite the water shortage. Fixtures like waterfalls and fountains attract aerial life. The white noise they create can turn any city home into a relaxing getaway.
Swimming pools never lose their appeal. Besides adding beauty and luxury to a desert yard, these landscaping features allow people to cool down, stay physically active, and play with family and friends.

If you have enough yard space for a pool, we suggest adding fire features, shade structures, and water fountains at the sides to create a unique design. Consider a swim spa if you love swimming but have limited space.

Water features don’t have to be wasteful. Expert landscape designers can build you a fun-packed one that still lets you conserve water and take advantage of water rebates. We have explained some of these water-saving construction tweaks in our blog post on sustainable Phoenix landscaping designs.

Strategic landscaping is another water-conserving innovation. The idea is to build your water feature in a cooler location—such as under a tree, in a garden, or near a shade structure—so evaporation occurs less. Using Zen designs in landscaping also helps limit water loss.

4. Shade Structures

Desert landscaping is incomplete without these overhead protectors. Roofing structures like ramadas and pergolas lessen ambient heat and shield people, pets, and equipment from various elements. They ensure comfort 24/7 despite the weather’s unpredictability and the environmental changes, thus their popularity.
Shade structure design ideas that continue to click in the Greater Phoenix Area are the cantilevered pergola, poolside shade, and wood-insulated media walls and ceilings.

Compared to traditional types, a cantilevered pergola may extend from the main house or a landscaping wall. They can also stand alone, supported by fewer columns. Cantilevered pergolas fit easily in small yards. Aluminum and alumawood are popular materials for these fixtures.

Poolside shade structures also remain fashionable in desert areas like Phoenix. As mentioned, these outdoor features limit heat and water evaporation. They also add flair to the pool design and make a fun hangout after a swim.

Wood is rarely used in hardscapes as it is less resistant to environmental agents. However, you can turn it into a media wall insulator to reduce heat around electronic equipment. Ramada ceilings are also best made of wood to cool the area inside this under ventilated shade structure. Wood must be treated for greater longevity.

5. Decks and Patios

Creating versatile spaces for relaxation or intimate gatherings, decks and patios allow people to enjoy quiet alone time outdoors. Decks provide the best desert landscaping views, while patios make great locations for outdoor kitchens and fireplaces. Both can boost property value significantly. Concepts incorporating outdoor kitchens, nighttime lighting, or resort-style designs into decks or patios continue to have a strong market.
Shaded outdoor kitchens are durable deck or patio cooking areas protected by a roof. Deck and patio lights ensure nighttime safety in your backyard, especially during summer evening parties.

Resort-style decks and patios are loaded with cool amenities. Maximizing space—by choosing compact structures and expanding vertically more than horizontally if necessary—allows homeowners to create a backyard oasis on a deck or patio.

Composite decking and shade structure automation are gaining traction in many parts of the country but don’t impact Phoenix homes the same way. Composite decks are made of plastic, which can easily get hot in a desert. Automated shade structures, while impressive, raise costs without conferring significant advantages over traditional ones when used in an arid region.

The Softscape: What It Is and What’s in Fashion in 2025 Landscaping Trends

“Softscape” refers to the soft parts of the landscape, notably artificial and natural plants. Arizona residents continue to embrace xeriscaping—essentially, the practice of drought-proofing a landscape—to adapt to the desert climate. Besides switching to a water-efficient irrigation system, the following have also become popular in Phoenix homes:

1. Growing Native Plants and Shrubs

Native plants thrive in the desert climate better than non-native ones. Examples are colorful succulents like aloe vera and Christmas cactus. These arid-suited greens cool the surroundings and attract wildlife like their water-loving counterparts but require less maintenance.

Phoenix incentivizes home water conservation, and the biggest water savings are usually expected from the outdoor space, where water features and irrigation systems dictate water consumption. However, many homeowners’ associations (HOAs) prefer real plants over artificial ones in the front yard, which can make conserving water difficult if you have limited awareness of your options.

Drought-resistant, native Arizona plants let you comply with local government and community restrictions on front yard landscaping. Meanwhile, if you wish to stave off the desert heat in your backyard without wasting too much water, planting desert-adapted greens in this part of your property is also a good idea.

2. Switching from a Natural Lawn to an Artificial Turf

Natural ground cover needs a regular water supply. Artificial plant material doesn’t. Consequently, many Arizona residents replace their natural backyard lawns with artificial grass. Doing so helps them keep up with local water-use regulations, fickle environmental conditions, and busy calendars.

Artificial turf may be classified based on various characteristics, such as material, stitch count, and color. Some varieties are made specifically for foot traffic-heavy locations like putting greens and play areas. We recommend talking to landscaping pros to find the best type for your yard.

3. Maintaining a Small Natural Lawn Amid Large Hardscape Areas

Phoenix homeowners may also choose to cultivate a small natural lawn and surround it with big chunks of hardscape. For people with nurturing souls, this approach beats avoiding natural grass entirely. If this is what you prefer to have in your yard, we recommend working with reputable landscaping professionals to ensure you get nothing less than an impeccable lawn design for your desert landscape.

Most natural grass lawns in Arizona have resilient species like Bermuda grass and St. Augustine grass. Other varieties are also available, but if you want natural grass on your property, pick climate-suitable types and give them enough TLC. You can read our previous post on choosing and caring for Arizona grass for more information.

4. Planting Drought-Tolerant Trees

What can arid-adapted trees do that shorter desert plants can’t?

The answer: They provide shade.

Trees are important in Phoenix landscaping because they cool the surroundings better than ground cover plants. Consequently, they help you reduce energy bills from air conditioning. Other benefits of tree planting include sheltering wildlife and keeping homeowners physically active.

Our landscaping team recommends planting more trees in both the front yard and backyard rather than simply adding hardscapes to take advantage of the many benefits of these greens. Some varieties commonly found in Arizona homes are palo verde, desert willow, and many kinds of palm trees.

5. Gardening

Gardening has become increasingly important in metropolitan areas, even desert regions like Phoenix. People create desert oases for various reasons, including recreation, physical activity, and enhancement of the surroundings.

Lately, food security has also become a vital home gardening goal. Since not every Arizona yard has adequate space or good soil, innovations like container gardening and vertical gardening have turned mainstream.

Container gardening entails using pots, planters, and other vessels for planting. Vertical gardens showcase flora thriving on upright structures, such as walls and trellises, often with a 4-foot width limit to optimize square footage. Carrots, leafy greens, and tomatoes are some vegetables you can plant in these modified green spaces.

Straight Line Landscape’s design team recommends incorporating smart technology in lighting and irrigation systems if you love plants but don’t have enough time for maintenance. Lighting automation enhances nighttime security, while smart irrigation keeps plants sufficiently hydrated even when you cannot get to them on time. Automation in these parts of your property can make for a good investment.

Landscape features that require electricity, such as smart irrigation systems and outdoor lighting, may be powered by green energy. Solar panels are currently the primary tools for delivering green energy to Arizona homes. Consider installing these systems to enhance your landscape’s energy efficiency.

To establish your garden, you may contact your local nursery regarding plant care information for specific varieties. Ensure to hire a professional landscaper to help you create a desert oasis that suits your home.

2025 Landscaping Design Trends: Why Less Is More In Phoenix

The best home exterior designs have a balance of hardscapes and softscapes that maximize functionality while enhancing a property’s visual appeal. When it comes to aesthetics, the tastes of Phoenix homeowners have significantly evolved over the years.

Notably, Arizona home architecture has shifted to one concept in particular: simplicity. Simple designs inspire inner peace and promote efficiency—just what you need to cope with drastic environmental and social changes. Simplistic landscapes also require little upkeep.

Clean-lined art designs take on different names: minimalism, suprematism, Zen design, abstract art, constructivism, modular, and others. The patterns do not always depict nature precisely, though they stay quietly in the background to let Mother Earth’s beauty stand out. The designs may have all the functions a homeowner wants but appear uncluttered and easy to navigate.

So, we see a lot of the following art elements in Phoenix landscaping these days:

• Lines that are more often straight than curved
• A limited spectrum of colors
• Angular shapes predominating over rounded geometric patterns

Straight lines are modern-looking yet timeless. Angular strokes appeal to all generations. For color, white and gray are still in, though “greige” has also become a Phoenician favorite. As the name implies, this color is a mix of gray and beige, looking “taupey” and slightly warmer than its predecessors.

Minimalist Backyard Landscaping. Prominent visual elements include straight lines, limited colors, and angular shapes. Construction and design by Straight Line Landscape.

As for materials, the Straight Line Landscape design team recommends the following:

• Pavers—Many Phoenix residents prefer travertine, limestone, and sometimes, marble in backyards. Travertine is earthy and darker. Limestone has a lighter color. Marble is for homeowners who prefer cool colors. For utilitarian areas like the side yards and driveways, concrete pavers are best because they don’t easily crack when exposed to water or heat.
• Finishes—For a modern look, stone veneer may be used on outdoor fireplaces, while tiles may be installed on the supporting frames of outdoor appliances.
• Temperature control—Solid roofs, trees, and water features are great for cooling the outdoor living space. Fire features that run on natural gas or propane are convenient for warming up chilly nights. Again, space considerations often favor one fire feature over the other.
• Erosion control—Native plants are best. Gravel is an option in areas without plants.

Embracing the “less is more” principle doesn’t mean sacrificing personal expression. With the right design, you can have your desired outdoor features and visuals without the time-consuming maintenance or uninspiring aesthetics.

Factors Driving Phoenix 2025 Landscaping Trends

You may notice that the above upgrades make modern Phoenix homes look very different from dated ones. Hardscapes used to be less complex, though most backyards had more diverse vegetation decades ago.

But what gave rise to the currently booming landscaping ideas? Studies reveal that the most important factors are the following:

1. The Need for Water Conservation

Arizona occasionally has rains, but the state’s water supply remains low. This is one of the biggest reasons for the local trends, especially since it impacts other environmental factors beyond human control.

Some Phoenix localities offer rebates to homeowners who reduce their water consumption. Outdoor irrigation can take up to 70% of residential water use. Local government and HOA water restrictions usually apply only to front yard landscaping, so the backyard is where people make more cuts.

Some examples of backyard renovations that can decrease water requirements are the following:

• Replacing natural with artificial turf
• Choosing drought-resistant over less resilient greens
• Reducing natural softscape areas while expanding hardscapes

Note that when water requirements are low, maintenance costs are also low.

2. Time Is a Big Deal in Phoenix

American metro areas like Phoenix create busy lifestyles. For young homeowners, a peaceful backyard is the perfect retreat from hectic workdays. For people near or in retirement, a minimalist but functional outdoor space is ideal for family bonding. Both groups value the time-saving advantage of low-maintenance and easy-to-use outdoor equipment.

3. Lingering Popularity of Remote Work

Many Americans continue to work from home despite the lifting of COVID-19 health restrictions. Phoenix, Arizona ranks 10th among US metro areas with the highest population of remote workers.

Most individuals in this sector are highly educated millennials, although younger and older age groups with various educational backgrounds and skill levels have also found their niches in this landscape. Forbes magazine highlights the role of this population in driving the demand for home renovations, even pointing out Phoenix residents’ preference for time-efficient, low-maintenance outdoor features.

4. Rising Temperatures

The arid climate entices people from various parts of the US to move or build a winter retreat in Phoenix. However, desert daytime temperatures can reach scorching levels, and the changing Arizona climate doesn’t make things better.

What does, however, is building a backyard shade structure, such as a ramada or pergola, or planting native trees. The demand for overhead hardscape elements is expected to continue in the area, more out of necessity than sheer novelty.

5. Preference for Sustainable Landscapes

Population growth has also increased Phoenicians’ interest in environment-friendly outdoor remodels. Energy efficiency, water conservation, temperature regulation, and climate resiliency are increasingly pervasive concepts in desert landscape design.

Some outdoor features where sustainability may be applied include the following:

• Outdoor kitchens
• Flower gardens
• Water features
• Landscape lighting
• Irrigation systems
• Shade structures

Adopting sustainability in landscape design allows Phoenix residents to create functional, visually attractive outdoor spaces that can withstand drought and heat. A desert-adapted home exterior not only helps you preserve the environment but also boost your property’s long-term value.

6. Competitive Real Estate Market

Phoenix attracts real estate investors and homebuyers from various places because of its low cost of living, vast career opportunities, and warm climate. To get a good price for a property, 58% of realty agents believe that remodeling efforts should prioritize the outdoor living space. Besides location, sustainability is a strong determinant of property prices.

7. Construction Costs

Construction material costs continue to rise because the supply barely meets the demand. Labor expenses also increase steadily every year. Adapting to these changes means backyard landscape designs must be sustainable and practical without compromising aesthetic quality. Embracing minimalist and low-maintenance elements in landscape design aligns with economic realities.

Landscape designs must be both pleasant-looking and environmentally appropriate, especially in this desert metropolis. Understanding the ever-changing Phoenix landscaping trends and the factors shaping them helps you avoid pricey remodeling hiccups and build your dream outdoor living space efficiently.

Phoenix 2025 Landscaping Trends: Stepping Stones for Work-Life Balance and Sustainability

In summary, what you can expect to see in Phoenix landscaping this year are the following:

• Arid-adapted features
• Energy efficiency
• Low-maintenance installations
• Back-to-basics landscape design themes
• Work-friendly home environment

Staying attuned to the latest landscaping trends is a smart way to begin your project. Attention to detail ensures that your landscape design is not only innovative but also well-suited to Arizona’s unique climate.