The backyard faces East so I get morning sun & a fantastic view of the Catalina Mountains. So I'm waffling about putting in trees that would block that view.

I have been following your Debora Carl Landscape designs so I'm glad that You responded.

Mmilos I have checked out your LA work, nice. I've forward your info. to my relatives in LA area

I have no relation to Debora Carl Landscape, just thought it was a good inspiration photo.
I agree you may not want to block views and an Eastern exposure is much more forgiving.

I have no advice, but as a former resident of Tucson I really envy your view of the Catalinas.

are you just interested in changing the plants/decor? or doing some landscaping as well?

I highly recommend native plants for Tucson because of the heat and water issues. You can have year-round blooms, butterflies, and birds. You will get lots of help at Tohono Chul, Desert Survivors, and/or Silverbell Nursery. Think about what you want from the plantings and you will find them very helpful. Also, the cost of the plants are minimal if you can put them in yourself. You have a beautiful backyard!

I think your garden has great bones and it's a matter of filling it in rather than redoing it. I absolutely would not block your wonderful views with trees and would keep the shade structures right next to the house.

You need to id what exactly bothers you about its current condition so that a plan to remedy that can be formulated.

For me, I would get rid of the roses ASAP since they are antithetical to a desert landscape and would add sculptural plants like agaves and yellow barrel cactus to fill out the area with the beautiful saguaro. You could also add some soft grasses to make the cacti look less harsh. And I would add some more palms to the bed with the big palm in it so it does not look so lonely.

http://hgtv.sndimg.com/HGTV/2012/08/14/DP_Katrina-Fairchild-Tuscan-Outdoors-Entryway-3_s4x3_lg.jpg

You have a very nice yard, with the requisite oleanders, cacti, palms, rock, and granite. Bougainvilleas would be nice to have for color along your back wall. Roses can actually do quite well in the desert, so if you like them, I would keep them. Steer clear of a mesquite tree, however, as they come with quite a bit of debris about three times per year, although they can be pretty. Yes, your local nursery can give you lots of ideas as well as books from the library. Enjoy your view of the Catalina Mountains, they are second only to the Rincon Mountains, my personal favorite, since I was raised in Tucson! :))

This looks a lovely garden as is. Do you really need to change out? What is the dilemma? There are lots of good ideas posted here, but I wonder what is being resolved.

Keep your existing plants and just add some if you want.

Old post.

Looking at the yard from a landscaper's point of view, i think the basic plant elements are fine --perhaps add a few background and foreground plants to soften the tall elements--then prune and clean up the existing flora to sharpen and define what is there. The biggest improvement would be to remove the gray gravel and use a two-color system of coronado and coral granites and then to fix the river rock to help define and stabilize the slopes. Proper pruning will help the roses, along with mulch and rose food.