Q. I am relatively new to this desert environment and I
know hardly anything about desert plants.
Would you recommend the best book(s) you have read that describe these
desert plants? Which are best as decorative lawn plants? When to plant them and
how to care for them?
A. I would focus on something written for the Las Vegas
climate or secondly Tucson, Arizona and lastly the desert Southwest. Books I
suggest are available on Amazon and Abe’s Books as well as other places if you
search using the author names.
climate or secondly Tucson, Arizona and lastly the desert Southwest. Books I
suggest are available on Amazon and Abe’s Books as well as other places if you
search using the author names.
Linn
Mills from Las Vegas and Dick Post from Reno teamed up and wrote a book called
the Nevada Gardeners Guide that has information split between both northern
Nevada and southern Nevada. Its focus was to understand both Mojave Desert (Las
Vegas) and Great Basin (Reno) conditions, soils and how to manage a landscape growing
in them.
Mills from Las Vegas and Dick Post from Reno teamed up and wrote a book called
the Nevada Gardeners Guide that has information split between both northern
Nevada and southern Nevada. Its focus was to understand both Mojave Desert (Las
Vegas) and Great Basin (Reno) conditions, soils and how to manage a landscape growing
in them.
Tucson
has a similar climate to Las Vegas; a bit warmer and humid in the winter and
wetter during the summer months. From here is Plants for Dry Climates by Mary
Rose Duffield and Warren Jones. It includes desert landscape design ideas as
well. The newest edition includes and expanded section plant selection and
care.
has a similar climate to Las Vegas; a bit warmer and humid in the winter and
wetter during the summer months. From here is Plants for Dry Climates by Mary
Rose Duffield and Warren Jones. It includes desert landscape design ideas as
well. The newest edition includes and expanded section plant selection and
care.
Adjust
books not written for the Las Vegas by recognizing that our winter low
temperatures can get into the low twenties and even the upper teens on
occasion. Trees you select for the “backbone” of your desert landscape should
withstand these temperatures or you are asking for trouble. Play around with
lesser important landscape plants that don’t tolerate these temperatures but
don’t expect them to survive forever.
books not written for the Las Vegas by recognizing that our winter low
temperatures can get into the low twenties and even the upper teens on
occasion. Trees you select for the “backbone” of your desert landscape should
withstand these temperatures or you are asking for trouble. Play around with
lesser important landscape plants that don’t tolerate these temperatures but
don’t expect them to survive forever.
A solid
reference book is the Sunset Western Garden Book. It is not specific for the
Las Vegas area but does a good job discussing desert soils, desert environments
as well as an exhaustive list of plants suitable for advanced gardeners.
reference book is the Sunset Western Garden Book. It is not specific for the
Las Vegas area but does a good job discussing desert soils, desert environments
as well as an exhaustive list of plants suitable for advanced gardeners.
I use
Chris Martin’s Virtual Library of Phoenix Landscape Plants, free online and housed
at Arizona State University, quite a bit. Just realize plants discussed are
used in the Phoenix climate and soils. Adjust your selection for our colder
winter temperatures and not as much heat in the summer.
Chris Martin’s Virtual Library of Phoenix Landscape Plants, free online and housed
at Arizona State University, quite a bit. Just realize plants discussed are
used in the Phoenix climate and soils. Adjust your selection for our colder
winter temperatures and not as much heat in the summer.
Several
knowledgeable local experts like the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA)
searchable database of landscape plants for Las Vegas, called “Find Plants”. It is a good online reference when first
looking for possible plants to use.
knowledgeable local experts like the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA)
searchable database of landscape plants for Las Vegas, called “Find Plants”. It is a good online reference when first
looking for possible plants to use.