The landscape around the Desert House is contoured to direct rainwater to areas where plants need moisture. Taking advantage of this resource saves water and energy by reducing the need to use city water for many irrigation events, and it helps avoid wasting water. Because the Phoenix area receives about 7.5 inches of rain per year, each square foot of exposed surface receives about four gallons of water per year. Efficiently directed by contours, 1,000 square feet of surface area can collect 4,000 gallons per year, most of which can be used to irrigate plants.

All plant species at Desert House were selected because they thrive in desert soils, require low water, are beautiful, and need little maintenance. Tree species used to provide direct wall shading are mesquite (Prosopis spp.) and palo verde (Cercidium floridum) and (Cercidium microphyllum). The vine (Podranea rica-soleana) was selected to provide shade on the patio and to help block direct sunlight from the surface of the sliding glass door. One of the best strategies to keep a building's interior comfortable is to prevent the building from warming up too much in the first place. Shaded buildings are more economical to cool with modern heat pumps and other types of refrigeration because they do not have to work as hard. As an added bonus they are more attractive.

Located on the south side of the house are two deciduous plants. Shading the back yard porch during the summer is a ramada covered by the vine (Podranea rica-soleana). In the winter most of the leaves have been shed to allow sunlight to flow into the house through the glass door. Shading two bedroom windows is a sweet acacia tree (Acacia smallii) which also sheds some of its summer foliage during the winter to allow sunlight inside the house. The east and west walls are shaded by plantings of blue palo verde (Cercidium floridum), foothills palo verde (Cercidium microphyllum), Chilean mesquite (Prosopis chilensis), Texas honey mesquite, (Prosopis glandulosa), and ironwood tree (Olneya tesota).

Many local native plants do well with rainfall as their only water source, but most people prefer a little more plant diversity and color in their yards. A large number of gardeners are organizing their gardens around themes, i.e., hummingbird, butterfly, and vegetable gardens, and most of these plants require more water than what is available from rainfall. Drip irrigation delivers water to plants in an economical and efficient manner. Each plant receives water through a polyvinyl line of ever decreasing diameter. Emitters that regulate flow rates are positioned near each plant. Irrigation times and duration are controlled at Desert House by a solar powered photovoltaic timer. Drip irrigation dramatically reduces loss to evaporation because all irrigation water goes directly to the root zone of the plant. Other plants, such as trees and large shrubs which require more water, are watered by flow regulated bubblers.