Desert Dreamscape

Sue Jimenez lives with two cats in a ranch-style home she's been in since 1960. Now that her children are all busy raising families of their own, Jimenez is ready to focus on her own plans for domestic bliss. Her backyard poses several challenges. With a budget of $15,000 for labor and materials, she wants to get rid of the underused pool that dominates the space, update the roof and flooring in the patio area, bring in drought-tolerant plants that attract wildlife, and include shade trees that don't conflict with the power lines overhead.