Tucson -- Millstone

Millstone is a five-acre urban oasis and desertscape in the heart of Tucson, Arizona. The land, located at the north end of Pantano Wash, was purchased by the owner's parents in the late 1970s to prevent further gravel mining and block nearby horse properties from access to the wash. Pantano Wash was and continues to be an important riparian habitat that flows through Tucson. When the land was deeded to the current owner in 1999, it was an empty desert plot with nothing but creosote bushes and small mesquite trees. The owner designed a house based on the early 1900s Sonoran Desert ranch and farm dwellings. The landscape was designed to provided screening for utility lines and poles. Since 2006, the garden has developed slowly over 18 years. The meandering paths that wind throughout the property were laid out, with tons of crushed granite, rubble and boulders to create the winding trails. The pathways weave throughout, crisscrossing, bisecting and traversing the property. The scrubby mesquite trees were watered to get them to grow to maturity. Hundreds of trees were planted to provide a shade canopy along the multiple walkways and numerous sitting areas. Millstone is a collection of small gardens and outdoor "rooms" united by the trails that weave through the property. For the most part, flowers are perennials and bushes, shrubs, cactus and trees are indigenous to the desert. Pots are planted with succulents. Millstone has been opened for public tours and Tucson Botanical Garden fundraisers, providing an oasis for visitors in the desert landscape.

Persons associated with the garden's design: Lynn McEvers Andrews (landscape architect, 1999-present); Antonion Lopez (gardener, 1999-present); Omar Hernandez (gardener, 2020-present).