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.
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