Gardening in Tucson - desert gardening

Hi- I fell in love with the area 30 years ago when I lived here briefly & now am starting to plan retiring in 8 years. I'm an avid gardener & want to garden responsibly (no green lawns for me, I use drip systems etc), love succulents & cactus, but can you grow Mediterranean plants like lavenders, salvias, etc.? I do want some flowering plants & love to attract hummingbirds. Love to hear from some gardeners about the challenges of desert gardening & what grows well other than the typical desert plants. Thanks!