Think of a beautiful desert landscape and most likely you will envision a horizon dotted with Saguaro cacti. The quintessential image of the American southwestern deserts, it is a natural inhabitant of desert slopes and flats, especially rocky bajadas. The Sonoran Desert native can grow to be 50 feet tall and weigh more than 8 tons. It is also the Arizona state flower and is protected by law. With a surprisingly shallow root system, the Saguaro is supported by a tap root averaging about three feet long. Numerous stout and smaller roots at a depth of about one foot, extend radially to a distance equal to the height of the Saguaro. The roots wrap around rocks and provide adequate anchorage from the desert winds. The cactus flowers on cool nights in May and June with three-inch wide white blooms with yellow centers.

Brian and Shelley Tritch chose the Pima Acres Estates in Scottsdale, Arizona as the site for their new custom home. For more than 100 years, a Saguaro cactus has been growing on the lot they selected for their home and now towers approximately 20 feet. The Tritch family wanted to not only preserve the magnificent plant, they wanted to showcase it. This posed a couple of challenges for the home developer and paving contractor.

"The original plot of the home was level, but the designer wanted to enhance the Saguaro," Charles Mangine, Sr., President, Chasm Development Co., Inc. explained. "We chose to raise the level of the home and make a sloping driveway around the cactus. The biggest challenge for Chasm Development and The Paving Stone Co. was making the installation level and become "even" at the bottom of the driveway. Starting at the top of the driveway with the steepness of the slope, and the "tear drop" application, meeting at the bottom of the driveway, evenly, and with straight lines was very difficult, requiring careful planning and installation."

Some of the Plaza pave stones were cut to allow the drive to create beautiful and smooth curves, necessary to achieve the teardrop design.

The flatroof, Southwest styled home was built about 50 feet elevated above the street and has a front entry driveway made of interlocking concrete pave stones. In order to raise the home, 250 truckloads of dirt, approximately 5,000 tons were brought in. Every foot was tested and compacted. There is a major drainage wash along the side of the house, which is controlled by the Corp of Engineers.

"To provide more access for parking and turn-around traffic flow, the driveway was designed in a teardrop shape encircling the Saguaro," explained Heather Peters, Commercial Sales, Pavestone Company in Phoenix. "To assure the drive remained even and level on the slope, a string line was used. A lot of attention to detail was given by installer Matt Heldt, General Manager for The Paving Stone Company, and his team at The Paving Stone Company to maintain a homogeneous design throughout. Some pave stones were cut to allow a beautiful, smooth flow of the circular design."

It was important to find a paving material that would blend well with the natural desert sand color of the home as well as one that is approved by the Covenant, Codes and Restrictions (CC&R) . Established in the 1950s the CC&R restricts home and paving material colors, limits homes to one-story, and does not allow traditional paving methods like gray poured-in-place concrete or black top. The regulations were written to assure the natural integrity of the desert landscape.

Pave stones in earthtone blends create a custom driveway designed to showcase a century-old, state-protected Sagauro cactus. The earthtone pave stones encircle the treasured cactus in a front-entry drive.

"While concrete interlocking pave stones are approved by the CC&R for aesthetic reasons, they are also a good solution for the desert climate," Peters said. "Pavestone pavers are a flexible paving material and move. They adjust to the weather and do not crack, which is important in climates like Arizona that average 108 degrees. And we are able to manufacture stones that look natural in earthtone colors."

"We selected the Plaza I pave stone manufactured by Pavestone Company, Phoenix, because of the beveled edge look," Heldt said. "They have a superior number of colors to choose from and they are the only manufacturer to make pave stones in Two-Tone Brown and Three-Tone Brown. Two-Tone Brown was selected to complement the color of the home and Three-Tone Brown was included to make the driveway stand out while at the same time still blend with the house."

The Plaza stone series provides a natural, cobble stone look in a variety of sizes that modulate together. Plaza I was selected in two sizes, 8.25" x 5.5" and 5.5"x5.5." The choice of two sizes allowed for a more natural stone installation, adding interest without competing with the design. The driveway is approximately 5,000 square feet.

The combined efforts of the developer, paver contractor and manufacturer were able to make the homeowners' dream a reality. The completed project is a beautiful custom house and driveway that incorporates the rich heritage of the desert landscape into a showcase they call home.