Eastern spirituality meets Sonoran Desert and Spanish decor in one of the stops along the Tucson Botanical Gardens’ annual home and garden tour April 11.
“This is one of the more unique homes the tour has seen,” according to a news release about the event.
An east-side couple has blended feng shui, meditation, Spanish art, cultured gardens and the wild Sonoran Desert to create a serene landscape for humans and wildlife.
The Harold Bell Wright Estates property is one of five gardens on the tour.
Taiwan-born Yuya Huang already owned the 1963 Territorial burnt-adobe home when he and Colombia native Maribel Valdes married in 2012. The landscape out back consisted of a brick patio.
“Basically, this was all desert,” says Valdes, pointing to the backyard of the 3.9-acre property.
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Valdes, who lived in Miami, Florida, before moving to Tucson, was eager to learn about desert gardening and transform the property.
She first consulted with an expert in feng shui (“wind water” in Chinese), an ancient method of positioning architectural elements and incorporating natural features to affect the flow of life energy known as chi.
Then the couple set out to redo the landscape using their own design.
Feng shui. To affect chi flow, they installed three water features throughout the landscape, strategically laid rocks for gardens and walking paths and added a courtyard fireplace.
Eastern meditation. Huang is a Buddhist and both he and Valdes wanted places of serenity, she says. They created several spaces that encourage meditation, including a tatami room, a zen garden and an outdoor Buddhist shrine. Indian-style lanterns and Buddha statuary add to the spiritual atmosphere.
They also constructed dirt paths that wind through stands of cholla, yucca and prickly pear. Huang takes meditative walks along them every morning, Valdes says.
Colonial Spanish decor. Mexican tile with flower designs accent several parts of the landscape, from signs for specific gardens to door trims to medallions in the courtyard entrance arch.
Colorful talavera and terra cotta containers provide a Spanish feel.
Two of the three fountains are of hacienda design, spilling water from bowl to bowl.
Though not strictly Colombian pieces, the decor reflects colonial architecture in her home country, Valdes says.
Cultured gardens. Valdes selects and tends all the plants in her garden plots. For potted succulents in the courtyard, she concentrates on green and purple hues.
She also has summer herb and vegetable gardens and several bougainvillea.
It hasn’t been easy to keep these parts of the landscape looking nice, she admits.
“It’s been a challenge, trying to keep everything alive,” says Valdes, who knew nothing about desert gardening until she moved to Tucson. “I’m learning a lot.”
Sonoran Desert. Most of the backyard is still undeveloped land save for the walking paths. Valdes says she loves the architectural look of cholla, some of which are six and seven feet tall.
“I love them,” she says. “Their flowers are amazing.”
The desert area also is full of prickly pear, yucca, bushes and trees. It attracts all sorts of wildlife. Birds nest in the cholla. Rabbits, quail, coyotes, bobcats and javelina amble through.
The couple has plans to build a detached casita and to expand the desert paths.
Otherwise, they want to maintain the naturalness as part of the spiritual retreat they’ve created.
“We want to be in concert with nature,” Valdes says. “We can relax and be more in balance with nature.”
The tour includes brunch at Tucson Botanical Gardens and a cocktail reception at one of the homes.
Transportation will be provided to all of the stops, including:
- A midtown garden with water features among native and Mediterranean plants.
- A Foothills xeriscape featuring cacti and succulents and a path that winds through the natural desert.
- Several small gardens accenting a Foothills home with a pool and entertainment areas.
- Mexico-inspired courtyard and terraces around an east-side home.
