Last week's post about Jenny and David Stocker’s garden in Tucson, Arizona has been one of the most popular articles on Succulents and More in quite a while. With good reason: Jenny and David live in a desert wonderland surrounded by saguaros and other cacti. For sheer beauty, their location is hard to beat.
 |
| Views of the Santa Catalina Mountains to the east |
The community that Jenny and David call home is nestled against the
Tortolita Mountains north of Tucson. It encompasses over 1,400 acres of desert scenery that rivals the most spectacular spots in Southern Arizona. This land was originally inhabited by the
Hohokam who lived in the area for 700 years, from approximately 500 to 1200 CE. Apparently, you can still find petroglyphs and pot shards if you look hard enough.
 |
| Partial view of a sprawling estate (what you see is the guest house), seamlessly integrated into the desert landscape |
At the heart of this community is an 18-hole championship golf course, but it’s so seamlessly integrated into the topography that I barely noticed it on my drive in. From the Stockers’ house, it’s all but invisible.
The community has been developed in phases, and there’s still plenty of room for additional houses. Progress is measured—this is a high-end development, not an assembly line subdivision—and strict but sensible rules ensure that the homes blend in with their environment. Even more importantly, almost half of the area will remain wild.
Jenny and David took me on a walk through a section that hasn’t been developed yet. A dirt road winds through it, making it easy to explore without having to bushwack through desert vegetation or climb over massive boulders. Vistas like the following made me stop in my tracks:
In addition to the ubiquitous saguaros (Carnegiea gigantea), I saw a variety of prickly pears (Opuntia) and chollas (Cylindropuntia). Tiny Mammillaria grahamii grow partially hidden under shrubs and against rocks.
 |
| Engelmann prickly pear (Opuntia engelmannii) |
 |
| Engelmann prickly pear (Opuntia engelmannii) and staghorn cholla (Cylindropuntia thurberi ssp. versicolor) |
 |
| Cane cholla (Cylindropuntia imbricata ssp. spinosior) and Engelmann prickly pear (Opuntia engelmannii) |
 |
| Bird nest in chain fruit cholla (Cylindropuntia fulgida) |
It’s hard to imagine, but the plants and rocks you see in these photos will someday be part of somebody’s front or back yard!
And someday isn’t all that far away. Things are happening, as you can see from the graded road and the tire tracks left by heavy machinery. The photo below is poignant: David standing next to a lone pair of saguaros looking in the direction from which “progress” will arrive.
Some of the material needed to build a permanent road has already been brought in:
I know progress, however you define it, can’t be stopped. And this community does a far better job than most at building sensibly and preserving at least part of the wilderness. But I can’t help but look at a photo like the one below and wonder whether this natural desert garden will still exist in a year or two.
RELATED POST:
© Gerhard Bock, 2022. All rights reserved. To receive all new posts by email, please subscribe here.
It's a lovely community, and lucky residents to live there. But your post is so poignant, Gerhard, about the natural landscape that's lost to development, no matter how thoughtful.
ReplyDeleteAt least Jenny's development seems to be far more sensitive to environmental concerns than many.
DeleteYes, I agree with Pam/Digging the few lucky people who live there have special surroundings; it is sad for the loss of such a beautiful area to others. Once homes are there, others can not just go tromping through to enjoy the beauty. I understand that this is "progress" but it still kind of makes me sad. This is what has happened to so much of the Sonoran desert surrounding Phoenix.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, that's the economic reality. At least Jenny's community preserves much of the natural environment instead of razing it completely, as has happened in so many places around Phoenix.
DeleteThanks Gerhard. I enjoyed reading your perspective in the area. Yes, we feel sad to see the development happening so soon. This area had once been a ranch and was obviously sold for development during a time when no-one was interested in buying it for the enjoyment of all. It is still private land and as such would never be available for people to walk around. Our National Parks are underfunded so there is no way they could have afforded to purchase. The only positive is that the lots are large and therefore many of the cactus and saguaro will remain untouched. Yes, only a few can afford to live here but isn't that true everywhere. This part of Oro Valley is blessed with many trails and magnificent views for many to enjoy from their back gardens. We are indeed fortunate. They have done an outstanding job with housing developments in the area. Very few houses front onto the main roads and they are planted beautifully with sustainable plantings. They are a pleasure to drive, just don't go out at night. There are no street lights. They mean to keep dark skies. Jenny
ReplyDeleteWe can't move into the future without change even if it's not always what we want. Your development is far more sensitive than alternatives like carelessly built track houses, strip malls, etc. Clearly, preserving the natural environment is high on the list of priorities. That makes good econonic sense, too, because it translates into higher home prices. All things considered, I think your community gets it right.
DeleteAnd there is some mixed development as you saw with our cluster of smaller houses.
DeleteI hope the local community remains firm about controlling the spread - and speed - of development. Your post, as well as Loree's on the current threat to the Elk Rock Garden up her way, drives home the near constant drive to push development at the cost of natural areas, even though preservation offers its own benefits to the community and the world. Although new homes are constantly being shoved into nooks and crannies in my own area, we're very pleased that the City of Rancho Palos Verdes and the Palos Verdes Land Conservancy recently acquired 96 more acres (with scenic coastal views yet!) to expand the nature preserves on the peninsula.
ReplyDeleteIt's such a complex (and complicated) issue. Wealthier communities may be able to buy land for preservations, but many cities can't. And the budget of conservation organizations only goes so far.
DeleteAnother great post about their new place. It's a beautiful location, with fascinating plants. I get some of those same wistful feelings about development in other locations. Believe it or not, even here in the Madison, Wis., suburbs, since areas that were once "wild," and that I've enjoyed for decades as such, are being developed. But some of the plots were farms, so the new developments will potentially have more "natural" areas within the neighborhoods. And there's more emphasis on planting native plants, so there are pros and cons.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, here in the Phoenix area in the Sonoran Desert, many people move here from somewhere else in the country (without desert plants) and they buy homes and don't like native desert plants that often have spines. Therefore, they do not plant them. Not a good thing at all.
DeleteI think Tucson has traditionally been more sensitive to environmental issues than Phoenix. The Sonoran Desert will continue to be developed, but I hope enough safeguards are in place to ensure at least a certain level of protection for wild areas.
DeleteIt looks like a wonderful place. Thanks for capturing it for us.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure!
DeleteSomeone I am related to who lives in the larger area and is in a profession that's called in before the streets even get started (am I being ambiguous enough?) has told me many stories about the plants being rescued/ sold/ stolen/ hustled. Sometimes it's above board, sometimes it's not, but thankfully few (if he's correct) are just ploughed under.
ReplyDeleteThe Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society has been at the forefront of rescuing desert plants that might otherwise be destroyed when building new roads and developments. According to their website (HERE), they've rescued 130,655 plants from 1999 to 2022. Their efforts are *in addition* to whatever salvage might be required by development permits.
DeleteTCSS has a fantastic group of rescuers of desert plants. They have the equipment needed for big jobs too. Strong, dedicated people are needed for the work. I wish Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society would take a bigger role up here in the Phoenix area.
DeleteWhen the water is gone, it will eventually go back to wilderness. Eventually.
ReplyDelete