When the sloping front yard of Suzanne Fowler-Tutt's home in Martinez turned out to be one big sandbox with a serious erosion issue, she decided to use desert plants and hardscaping.

"I'm a bit of an eco-warrior," said Ms. Fowler-Tutt, an Arizona native.

Instead of changing the soil, she decided to work with the land. She has a yard filled with yuccas, agaves and cacti among rocks, mulch and hardscaping (using inanimate elements of landscaping) or placed in pots. Terraces held in place by curved stone walls lead up to her front door.

The design was her own, and each rock was set in place by Ms. Fowler-Tutt, which she said was the most difficult part:

"You have a sense of accomplishment."

Playing off the sharp angles of her house, she decided the yard should have curves. She loaded up her Jeep with 40 stones at a time -- the weight limit -- and started the retaining walls.

The stairway, she said, was a "labor of guesstimation."

Rain gullies guided other rock placement. To top it off, she stuck hardy succulents between the rocks with a paste of peat moss and water.

The terraces are filled with pine bark, lava rock, river pebbles and small and big rocks. Empty spaces help accentuate the plants.

"I just wanted it to be a little more open so each plant would be its own focal point," she said.

She built a "peaceful patio" featuring Japanese lanterns, a bench, and a stone box of cactus.

She waters the potted plants but leaves the rest alone. She says she has no problem with water restrictions or upkeep.