Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Book provides landscaping tips for desert plants

If you find desert gardening to be a daunting challenge, the Las Vegas Valley Water District might have a solution.

In conjunction with its Desert Demonstration Gardens at 3701 W. Alta Drive, the district has put together a 42-page plant and gardening guide focusing on plants best suited to a desert climate.

"We like to say that people are landscaping challenged here," said Stephanie Stallworth, public information specialist. "We encourage people to come out to the garden and see what the plants are like when they are fully grown. We give the books away free of charge."

The water district spent 10 months writing the book. Six months alone were dedicated to selecting the 390 plants featured. A production run of 50,000 copies cost the company 46 cents apiece.

The book also provides tips on how to landscape your yard, Stallworth said. Easy-to-follow tables chart proper water use, likely problems that might arise, growth expectancy and frost tolerance.

The guide was written by master gardeners from the Nevada Cooperative Extensive Service, gardening specialist Lenadams Dorris and horticulturist Pete Duncombe.

The Desert Demonstration Gardens, featuring more than 1,000 species of plants, are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except holidays. For information about the book, call 258-3102.

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