Planting schemes: First you must consider whether you want a desert landscape, a traditional landscape or a mixture of both. Desert landscapes are generally lower maintenance and require limited trimming, watering and fertilizing and minor amounts of raking. While traditional landscapes usually have lawns and need weekly maintenance and trimming. Planting schemes can be coordinated to have blooming annuals and edibles or perennial plants which include evergreens and deciduous plants. Layering plants helps create depth and dimension with groundcover to shrubbery to trees. Average plant prices for 5 gallon common shrub species is $15 - $20 each and 24” box trees usually start at $150 each.