Dry air, unforgiving winds and dusty soil combine to combat most forms of life in the desert—except those highly durable and resistant to harsh elements. Turning the desert into a sustainable garden requires a certain level of manipulation to make the ground amenable to non-desert native plants.

Gardeners need creativity to grow life in Southern Nevada. Instead of grassy knolls teeming with tulips, horticulturists must work with the environment to develop landscapes that meld natural and foreign plants.

Though it may often seem like gardening involves fighting against the grain, with a little love and care (and helpful hints from the internet), Las Vegas landscapers can grow beautiful flowers and edible plants that will brighten up any home.

Force of Nature

Growing a garden in the deserts of Nevada is difficult at best, but patient planters can reap big rewards. Gardening first begins with a healthy foundation. Norm Schilling, owner of Schilling Horticulture and co-host of Nevada Public Radio’s Desert Bloom, said tackling the harsh elements requires working with the ground.

“There are some definite challenges, but you can grow all sorts of stuff here,” Schilling said. “Our native soils are really poor soils, and you can grow desert plants in our poor soils. Most of what you see at the nursery and many of the plants that people want to plant are not desert natives.

“The key to success is organic mulch…What it does is basically mimic Mother Nature. It takes poor soils and turns them black. It disappears over time and naturally enriches the soil. It’s mimicking Mother Nature’s decomposition process.”

Gardeners in Las Vegas often decide to cultivate vibrant lawns and non-native flowers, without realizing the lack of sustainability involved in that process and the beauty of native desert plants.

“Desert landscapes have such a bad reputation,” Schilling said. “They can be every bit as beautiful and flowering and colorful, textural, fragrant, vibrant, full of life, form, excitement.”

In order to combat unsustainable gardening, the Southern Nevada Water Authority is offering a $1.50 rebate for each square foot of grass that is replaced with desert landscaping.

Picking a Pro

For busy people who want a garden without the effort, there are a plethora of professional horticulturists who offer landscaping services. Schilling, an International Society of Aboriculture certified arborist, recommends a thorough investigation of each landscaping company before committing to a plan.

“If you hire somebody to do the work, it really should be buyer beware,” Schilling said. “In this industry, in this town, there are a lot of people who have in the past made a lot of money doing really crappy work. A lot of gardeners are outdoor custodians because they really don’t understand plant material. I would research the company or the individual and ask for credentials of education and experience.”

When Schilling and his team draft a landscaping plan for clients, they specify which plants are going in what area of the yard, and encourage homeowners to research all information to confirm that Schilling’s analysis is accurate. And, of course, the better the work, the higher the price.

“If you’re looking for low-bid work, they’re going to find ways to use cheap materials, to slap stuff together, to not invest the time or resources to do it well,” Schilling said. “So check for credentials, check for education and be an informed consumer. Make sure they have a complete plan that specifies everything that’s going to be done and where.”

A professional should also plan for seasonal changes, planting a garden that will have varying blooms during each season of the year. Schilling also develops a color palette when drafting gardens for his clients in order to avoid the bland tones of desert monotony.

“Some people spend a lot of money on gardening, and all they end up with is green—just the same old more or less green color,” he said. “And that’s beautiful, but it’s even more beautiful when there’s blues and silvers and purples.”

DIY Desert Gardens

For those who have a passion for gardening and the time to invest in their own amateur desert landscapes, experimentation should be the prevailing philosophy. Research is key to drafting the outline of a garden, from mulch types to tree care—and if it doesn’t work, try again the next season.

“If you garden in Southern Nevada, don’t take anything too personally,” Schilling said. “Celebrate your successes and pat yourself on the back, and when things fail, realize that it’s part of nature, and every failure allows for an opportunity for upgrade.”

Whether planted by hand or contracted out, landscaping is not simply an art form (though it is that as well). It can also boost the value of a home, especially in the current economic climate.

“If gardening is done well in Las Vegas, it improves property value and salability,” Schilling said. “It’s an investment. I’ve learned the hard way that if I invest in my house, I invest well.”

When Schilling walks through his garden, he remembers the journey of each branch and each root, and how he has enriched his plants’ lives—and vice versa.

“Here’s why I’m a gardening freak: I just find stuff that just makes me giggle or gasp or say, ‘Oh my God’ or jump with joy,” he said. “It engages you and keeps you down-to-Earth and it is meditative and it’s interactive and you play with nature and nature plays with you and you never know when the butterfly or the hummingbird is going to come or the orioles are going to nest in your yard. They constantly teach you stuff.”

By Caitlin McGarry