Cheap Desert Landscaping Ideas?

I just purchased a home with a large back yard and pretty good size front yard. Both are in bad shape with grass in poor condition, weeds and more weeds, bare spots, areas the sprinklers don't cover, areas in total shade and areas in hot beating sun. I am in the desert southwest where water is expensive! I want a pretty yard, but have very little money to spend on the yard. I have been collecting nice large rocks to line the perimeter, and also stuck some in the dirt to make a path (it's holding up). Some ideas I had, but really don't know how to implement:

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1. Using the weeds; some are edible like lambsquarter and purslane, maybe containing them in pots or just a certain area. They don't look bad when bunched together.

2. Curb picking for things that might be useful, pots, plants, and decorative items.

3. Approaching people at homes with a seeming unused pile of bricks and asking if they want to get rid of them.

4. Craigslist for anything above.

I'm willing to let this develop over time!

By M in NM from Socorro, NM